THINK Before You Write a Negative Review on Social Media

So, you’ve had a bad experience with a company. Now you want the whole world to know about it. Where do you go? Social media may be one option. While that may seem like a good idea at the time, it’s not always the best one.

You may have seen the acronym to THINK before you speak. It’s brilliant, really. This rule is relevant to the realm of social media. Here is a breakdown of what to consider before writing a negative review.

Is it True?

Whatever you have to say in your review has to be true otherwise you’re just spreading rumours. Be sure not to exaggerate or use emotionally charged language to support your points.

Is it Helpful?

Will this review help others? Will it help the company you’re reviewing improve their service? If your answer is “no” to both of these questions then it may be a good idea to reconsider your decision.

Is it Inspiring?

Your review may or may not be inspiring in the traditional sense but it may influence others in their decisions to support the company which you’re reviewing. Be wary of that factor because the bad experience you had may have been an isolated event and it may not be the norm.

Is it Necessary?

Before you make your review public, ask yourself whether you’re venting or whether your review will make a positive difference to the company’s general practices. If you’re simply just venting, then social media is not the place to go in our time of anger. Talk to your friend, co-worker, or pet before you decide to let the world know how you feel about this company.

Is it Kind?

When it comes to social media or any other public domain, always be kind. In this case, it couldn’t be more true. There’s a sheer difference between being kind and being constructive. I like to refer to this scene from Mean Girls to demonstrate my point.

Writing a negative review doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. In many cases it can provide companies with insight on how they can improve. However, this privilege should not be taken lightly. These tips will help you to make a more informed decision the next time you decide to write a negative review on social media. At the end of the day, it never hurts to THINK before you post.