Nobody starts a business thinking, “Can’t wait to deal with trolls online.” But if you’re showing up consistently on social media, it’s only a matter of time before you come across someone who’s determined to cause hassle.
In episode 239 of The Monday Morning Marketing Podcast, we’re talking about real trolls. Not the fairy-tale kind under a bridge. The keyboard-warrior kind who pop up in your comments, replies, stitches, duets, DMs… and somehow still have the energy to be negative about someone else’s dinner.
What “trolling” looks like these days
Melanie made a good point: trolling often isn’t as obvious in public anymore. Some people are getting sneakier, or brands are getting better at hiding it.
But it still shows up in a few common ways:
- Repeated negative comments from someone who clearly has a grudge
- Snarky “jokes” that are meant to sting, not entertain
- Wrong place, wrong department complaints (and they don’t care)
- Platform-specific trolling like stitches and duets on TikTok, where someone can “reply” with a whole video
Sometimes it’s a genuine complaint that isn’t being handled well. Other times, it’s just someone looking for a reaction.
And that’s the key.
Why trolls do it: they want a reaction
A troll’s main goal is to provoke you. It doesn’t even need to be a full reply. Sometimes they’re delighted with:
- a single emoji
- a defensive response
- a “we’re sorry you feel that way” message
- or seeing your followers pile in
Any reaction can feel like a win to them. As Melanie put it, it’s basically an endorphin hit. They poke the bear, the bear reacts, they feel powerful.
The golden rule: don’t feed the trolls
Our friend Samantha Kelly has a phrase we love: don’t feed the trolls.
In other words:
- don’t argue
- don’t defend yourself publicly
- don’t give them content to twist
- don’t turn it into a back-and-forth
And yes, it’s hard. Esther admitted she has typed replies many times, then deleted them before posting. Honestly, that’s not a bad trick. Write it out, get it out of your system, and then don’t give them the satisfaction of seeing it.
Also, a lot of the time, your genuine followers will step in and defend you anyway. The risk is that it can escalate, and then you’ve got innocent bystanders being dragged into it.
Practical options when ignoring isn’t enough
Ignoring is ideal, but it’s not always realistic, especially if you’re managing a busy page.
Here are the options we talked through, in the order many brands use them:
1) Hide the comment (instead of deleting it)
This is a really useful approach on Facebook.
Some brands choose not to delete, but to hide abusive posts instead:
- the person who wrote it still sees it
- their friends might still see it
- but the wider audience doesn’t
- and the brand doesn’t have to engage
It reduces the public damage without turning it into a drama-fest.
2) Move it to DM (if it’s a real issue)
If it’s a genuine complaint, you can try:
“Thanks for raising this. Can you message us your order details and we’ll help.”
But here’s the reality: sometimes they don’t want help. They want an audience. Or they refuse the solution because the goal is to complain, not resolve.
3) Block them
This is the one people resist because it can feel like you’re “losing followers” and the numbers dip.
But your sanity is worth more than a follower count.
If someone is consistently abusive, block them and remove their ability to engage with your page at all.
4) Report fake accounts
If someone starts creating new profiles to keep coming back (yes, it happens), you can:
- block again
- report accounts as fake
- report impersonation if applicable
It’s annoying, but it’s part of protecting your space online.
When it becomes threatening: take it seriously
If trolling crosses into threats, harassment, stalking, or ongoing targeted abuse, it’s no longer “just social media”.
Esther made a really important point: if you feel personally threatened, you can go to the authorities. They’re the ones with the ability to investigate properly.
Also, if the experience is affecting your mental health, don’t try to tough it out. Melanie mentioned support organisations (like the Samaritans and similar groups in other countries). If it’s wearing you down, reach out to someone. You don’t have to carry it alone.
Protecting your brand also means protecting yourself
Sometimes people treat social media like it isn’t real life. But the stress is real, the impact is real, and the pressure of feeling like you can’t show up online can be brutal, especially when your business depends on it.
So here’s what we want you to remember:
- trolls are usually acting out their issues, not yours
- you’re allowed to protect your page and your peace
- you don’t owe access to someone who’s abusing it
And yes, it’s a bit of a heavier topic than usual, but it’s one that too many small business owners have to deal with.
If you’re dealing with something like this right now, take a breath, step back, and use the tools: hide, block, report, and escalate if needed.
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