Managing your Twitter feed is an art. It's why some people (who aren't celebrities or athletes) are able to maintain a strong following and others struggle to eclipse triple digits. How you handle yourself on Twitter is more important than ever. This means properly responding to tweets directed your way - be they positive or negative - and making sure that you facilitate a strong relationship with whoever has decided to reach out to you.
For instance, Social Media Today explains that if someone mentions you or your product, don't go overboard with praise by calling the person and emailing him or her multiple times. Use Twitter to respond - but do it publicly.
"Sending a private message for a public comment is a show of utter under-confidence in oneself and in your product," the news source explains.
The response tweet should be something simple, such as a "thank you" with additional information about your business.
However, it should be noted that "tardiness is so not acceptable" when it comes to responding, the media outlet adds. Be sure to respond to tweets the same day - this means being active on Twitter, or at the very least setting up email notifications so you're aware when you're being put on blast.
One of the main reasons people get turned off by Twitter users is because they don't seem human. Automated responses or constantly plugging discounts and not responding to user questions are huge no-no's. Try to customize your responses to people who mention you.
"Make the response conversational, usually with an open-ended question, so there is scope for the individual to get back to you," the news source states. "You don’t have to sound like a salesperson really, for example, adding some random thoughts about your product is just as useful as using the jargon."
Negative criticism comes with the territory of owning any business, but it's how you handle it that makes all the difference. Don't ignore negative tweets, but also don't overreact.
"Gracefully provide an explanation and satiate the query or complaint," the media outlet suggests. Again, make sure this is done publicly, since being openly honest may be the best way to turn a critic into a supporter, the blog Hardly Normal explains. Because most negative feedback is based off truth, you can use criticism as a way to improve your company's weaknesses instead of taking personal offense.