The Todd Blog

Two months have passed since my last post.

My experiment to see the importance I played to the success or failure of the Internet has come to a close, and I must say the findings are disturbing at best.

After two months of nothingness from ToddBlog.net (the very blog you’re reading now), the Internet still functions as it always has. For two months, a corner of the interwebs that formerly contributed humor, relevance and thought-provoking posts was silent, and still Facebook, Google and CNN.com stand, as if nothing had changed.

I’m exaggerating, but it is amazing the crippling pressure that one can put on oneself to crank out posts in between actually cranking out posts. You get this idea in your head that all your previous posts are well-written, logical, enjoyable pieces that people actually want to read. You then keep yourself from writing anything because you don’t feel like you have anything to say.

I’m always telling people not to over-think what they’re about to write, or they’ll never actually click publish on a post. I’ve lost sight of that advice and I’ve allowed my blog to go without an update for too long.

I can’t pretend that I’m going to post daily, but I can do better than once every two months.

So stick around. I’ll be back shortly.

Blogging can be scary. We understand that. It requires a high level of transparency. Heightened honesty. A willingness to listen. And often a generous helping of patience.

Something happens to certain people when they go online. All decency and kindness leaves them, and they transform into angry trolls, stomping all those who dare get in their way. Having a troll loose on a blog, forum or even the newspaper comment section can derail meaningful exchange and chase off more reasonable commentators.

But you don’t have to let the trolls ruin your day and deny you the numerous benefits a blog affords. A few simple steps will help keep the trolls under the bridge where they belong.

Recognize that negativity is different from trolling.
There are going to be some people who just don’t like your brand, a certain position you take on a topic or the way your hair looks in a particular picture. Just because they disagree doesn’t mean that they’re the enemy. In fact, their voice can be the spark you need to generate valuable conversation.

The key to differentiating negativity from trolling is to remember that a troll is simply there to pick a fight. Their comments will be mean, irrelevant and probably anonymous. There’s no reason to publish such comments.

Create a comment policy.
It’s OK to not post every comment that is submitted. While some might claim that moderating a blog stifles authentic dialog, allowing offensive or off-topic comments will have far more damaging effects. But it’s important to have a set of guidelines in place for what will be blocked. Here’s the summarized comment policy we’ve set up for our blog:

Comments may not post immediately. We review them first in an effort to remove foul language, commercial messages, irrelevancies and unfair attacks. Thank you for your patience.

Reach out.
It’s possible that the trolls are individuals who have a valid frustration with your company, and just don’t know how to communicate it. It might be worth your time to send a quick email to the individual explaining why you blocked the comment and asking if there’s anything you can do to remedy the problem. Sometimes a personal communication is all it takes to defuse a thorny situation.

Dealing with trolls can be frustrating, but remember the Three Billy Goats Gruff. They knocked the troll into the river, making the bridge safe for all who followed. Use your wits and you, too, can make your blog a place where people feel free to speak freely without fear of attack.

What advice do you have for beating back the trolls while encouraging lively discussion?

Photo by Ken Davis.