How do you deal with negativity in your online community?

First of all, monitor what's being said. Who is saying it? And why would they be saying it?

Is it trolling, or is it just an honest frustration?

Have you ever heard of trolling?

Trolling is when you get on a forum or get into a conversation just to stir up trouble. Some people think community managers just have to sit there and take it, but I think otherwise.

The first kind of negativity: Honest complaint

When you're a community manager, you generally problem solve and do customer service and assume the best of people.

Receiving feedback from your community is a great way to get them engaged with your mission. Whether it's about a specific task or a larger ideology, feedback allows us to learn and adapt to what our audiences want, need, and think. And, with the increased use of social media and collaborative technologies, we're able to give and receive feedback in real-time often with the choice to be completely anonymous.