How to Respond to Negative Reviews

Negativity is something that you likely are not too fond of, but it’s also something that we all deal with in life. Whether it’s people in your life, or people online, there will always be haters and negativity, so how you respond to it is extremely important as a creative in the media space.

Responding to negative reviews or comments or anything similar is not easy, but it’s not impossible, and could even turn something bad into something good. Just like most things in life, it’s perspective that determines the way you feel, so if you see negativity as motivation and only give it positive energy, then it becomes something new.

With all of this in mind, let me tell you some of the most important elements to keep in mind when it comes to responding to negative reviews.  

You’re doing something right
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For someone to leave a negative review or comment, they at the very least must be somewhat invested, so you caught their attention. If you’ve ever heard the phrase, “All Publicity is Good Publicity,” the same idea applies when it comes to negative reviews. 

As much as it may seem like a “bad” thing to receive a negative review or comment online, it means that you are leaving an impact, which is a very good sign. Usually, the negativity boils down to a mix of insecurity and jealousy, so don’t assume that you’re at fault, but if it’s genuine criticism then don’t ignore it.

Give Positivity Back

Giving positivity back to someone who actively did the opposite is a great way to make negativity an opportunity to grow. It may not be received by the person who left the review or comment but at the very least it puts good out into the universe. 

A great example of something like this was done on Jimmy Kimmel, where celebrities and musicians would respond to “Mean Tweets.” Now, I wouldn’t recommend wasting all that much energy on it anyways, but when you deal with negativity always respond with something positive.

It may not be easy all the time, but keeping a positive outlook and putting good out there will create a space for people to feel comfortable and look on the bright side of life.

Don’t Sweat it

Life is too short to waste time worrying about what random people on the internet think about what you are doing. Although it may not always be a walk in the park to deal with negativity, the more you do the better you will get at it and come to realize that it really doesn’t matter.  

Don’t feed into negativity, don’t shed light on stuff that doesn’t deserve it, and never ever let it shift your focus from what’s important to you. Think of hate as jet fuel, propelling you to the life that you always dreamed of, and then it becomes a superpower, which is truly amazing.

If you want to learn more about how to develop your artistic presence online, schedule a free consultation with us today!

ETHAN KING

Writer
​The Modern Artist Project