If you’ve ever hesitated to put yourself out there online because you’re worried about nasty comments, or if you’ve already experienced the sting of internet trolls, this post is for you. Today, I’m sharing my tried-and-tested strategies for handling online trolls whilst protecting your brand and your mental health.
My Recent Troll Experience
Recently, I noticed a massive uptick in trolling on my Facebook ads. What used to be the occasional odd comment has escalated to something quite overwhelming this year. One morning, I woke up to find 30 hostile comments on a single post – and these weren’t even sales posts, just value content sharing recent podcast episodes.
The pattern was interesting: the trolls were 100% male (despite my ads being targeted at women), and they seemed particularly triggered by any content showing my face or discussing success stories. None of these people followed me, were on my email list, or had ever purchased anything from me. They were simply angry at seeing a woman talking about business success.
The Real Cost of Trolling
Trolls don’t just hurt your feelings – they can seriously damage your business:
Brand Reputation: When potential customers see your ads filled with comments calling you a “scammer” or “con artist,” they’re unlikely to click through and buy from you.
Time Drain: Dealing with trolls takes valuable time away from you and your team that could be spent on productive activities.
Algorithm Impact: Facebook’s algorithm sees engagement as engagement, regardless of whether it’s positive or negative. This means trolls can actually cause the platform to show your content to more people like them.
Mental Health: Let’s be honest – having strangers attack you online takes an emotional toll, no matter how thick-skinned you think you are.
Practical Strategies for Dealing with Trolls
The Block and Delete Method
For occasional trolls, here’s your step-by-step process:
- Block first: Click on the troll’s name and block them before doing anything else
- Screenshot for records: Take a screenshot of their profile details in case they return with a different account
- Delete the comment: Only after blocking should you delete their comment
Remember: if you delete first, you can’t block them afterwards, and they may return to cause more trouble.
When Trolling Gets Out of Hand
If you’re experiencing consistent trolling, consider these strategic approaches:
Analyse the Content: Look at which types of posts are attracting trolls. For me, it was posts featuring my face and success stories. Whilst I refused to let trolls dictate my content strategy, this analysis helped me understand what was happening.
Review Ad Placements: Consider which platforms are generating the most hostile comments. I found Facebook was particularly problematic compared to other channels.
Adjust Targeting: Whilst not foolproof (my “women only” ads were still attracting angry men), you can try tightening your targeting parameters.
Team Management: If possible, delegate troll management to team members so it doesn’t impact your daily emotional wellbeing.
Protecting Your Mental Health
The most important thing to remember is that trolling says nothing about you and everything about the troll. Here’s how to reframe the experience:
It’s Not Personal: These people don’t know you. Their attacks are projections of their own failures and frustrations.
You’ve Triggered Success Jealousy: Your visibility and success are highlighting what they haven’t achieved, and they can’t handle it emotionally.
Don’t Let Them Win: If you change how you show up because of trolls, they’ve achieved their goal of silencing you.
My Secret Weapon: The Mental Comeback
Here’s a controversial strategy that’s worked brilliantly for me: before blocking and deleting troll comments, I write the perfect comeback. I craft a witty, cutting response that puts them in their place – then I delete it along with their comment.
This approach gives me back my power without engaging publicly with the troll. It’s like writing an angry email and deleting it, but with more satisfaction. For example, when someone commented just “gay” (as if homosexuality were an insult), I wrote back: “Oh, thank you so much for trusting me with that. Wishing you nothing but the best!” before blocking and deleting.
This mental exercise transforms the experience from feeling victimised to feeling empowered.
The Bottom Line
Don’t let trolls stop you from building your business and sharing your message. These people are specks of dust compared to the positive impact you’re making. They’re standing on the sidelines screaming at people who are actually doing something meaningful with their lives.
Remember: if someone has never met you, isn’t out there building anything themselves, and chooses to spend their time attacking strangers online, their opinion is completely irrelevant to your success.
Your Experience
Have you dealt with online trolls? I’d love to hear about any strategies that have worked for you or epic comebacks you’ve witnessed. Drop me a DM over at @HelloFunnels on Instagram – I’m always looking for inspiration!
