Social media is a powerful tool for charities—it allows us to connect with donors, share vital messages, and rally support for our causes. However, this digital space can also be a breeding ground for offensive and distressing comments that can undermine our efforts. So, how do we protect our community and message without stifling open dialogue?

In our latest blog our Head of Socials, Ashley Elliott will share some key principles for effectively managing harmful comments on social media.

Understanding the Challenge

Social media is a double-edged sword, and unfortunately we’re seeing an ever increasing number of harmful and hateful comments across all the charities we support.

Every comment does not deserve a place on your socials. 

Offensive, inflammatory, or distressing comments can harm your charity’s reputation, deter those in need from reaching out and can cause distress.

Setting boundaries

It’s crucial to establish clear boundaries on what is and isn’t acceptable.

Proactively hiding/deleting comments that are offensive or inflammatory helps protect your community and ensures that those seeking support aren’t discouraged to reach out. This approach also prevents the spread of harmful narratives and disinformation, limiting their reach and impact.

Agree an approach on blocking offenders. Some partners opt for a three strike rule, others have a zero tolerance. Agree on what works for you and stick to it. 

Be proactive

Consider the following strategies:

• Use Monitoring Tools: Platforms like Brandwatch or Sprout Social can help you monitor and moderate comments efficiently.
• Set Up Filters: Utilise keyword filters to automatically hide comments containing offensive language and harmful content. Just a few examples include racist language, homophobia and common spam phrases such as “herbal remedy”. Only recently we also expanded the filters of a charity partner who was victim to an increase in pornographic videos. Removing the ability to add weblinks and videos to comments stopped this entirely. You can always review and unhide anything which was accidentally caught up in a filter.
• Create an Answer Bank and Response Plan: Have a clear plan for how to respond to or manage different types of comments, including when to escalate issues. This helps increase speed and ensures consistency. It also means you have options available for when you want to challenge viewpoints or share vital information.

Foster positive engagement

Encouraging and fostering positive engagement on your social media channels can help create a more supportive online community. Actively engage with your audience by responding to constructive comments, thanking supporters, and highlighting positive stories.

Don’t forget tackling some problematic comments head on can also be an extremely powerful thing. Take opportunities to address concerns, correct information and share your charity’s stance on issues to promote your values and work.

Share the load

We’ve said this before, but social media never sleeps. Burnout in the third-sector is worryingly common, and for teams who work within comms it’s really easy to see why. Particularly for those teams who are dealing with thousands of interactions, and are continually exposed to lots of hateful content.

Create rotas to help share the load, plan in regular breaks to give you time away from the computer and be honest with other departments about what you’re juggling. Give extra consideration and support to your colleagues who are personally impacted. 

Reach out for help 

As members of the third sector we spend a lot of time helping others. It’s important to remember that if you ever need help or support you are not alone, and help is available for you too. 

We would encourage you to be open with your line manager about how you are feeling and access any internal support. In addition, a number of wonderful charities also have free services available here is the information for a few support services:

Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/

Samaritans: Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: jo@samaritans.org for a reply within 24 hours

Consider your content plan

Demands on comms teams can be massive. There can be lots of competing messages and needs from departments to get certain things shared. For your content to be effective, your moderation needs to be effective. Think strategically about what you’re putting out and when. Sometimes it’s better to start an ad a week later if it means you’re more capable of responding to the activity and engagement it brings.

For some charities it’s also important to consider any social issues which may impact the comments on your organic page, and therefore take more resources to manage. An example of this would be election campaigns.

Monitor and analyse performance

Social AF is big on data. It adds a tonne of value when it comes to analysis, we think it works best when combined with your own insights and observations about what’s happening. Only then will you be able to put all the pieces together.

At the end of each day our moderators will share a report on their observations about common themes and escalated comments. We’re able to quickly spot trends and alert to any concerning patterns which may cause problems.

If you’ve got a few people working on your social accounts, it’s easy to just get your head down and get through the day. Creating a shared document and adding even a few sentences to summarise will go a long way. It’s also a good way to spot new words and phrases to add to filters.

Conclusion

Navigating social media’s challenges requires a thoughtful approach, but by setting clear boundaries and using the right tools, you have a greater chance of maintaining a positive and supportive online environment. If you need further guidance or support don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re here to help. You can reach out to me anytime via Ashley@socialaf.co.uk.