While some may think of social media as nothing more than a way of connecting with friends and posting selfies, it has become so much more than that in 2014. Social media is now an important medium for instant conversation, helping businesses engage with customers, and is an increasingly popular way for people to seek customer service to address problems.

More than ever, businesses need to be aware of the importance of social engagement, and create strategies to utilize it. It is now quite common for consumers to look to social networks like Twitter and Facebook to ask questions, seek information and post comments about a product or service. Whether comments are positive or negative, as a business owner, engaging with customers through social media has become necessary. Here are some helpful tips on how to react to negative social media engagement:

Respond Publicly.
Social media is a public environment where consumers interact and react to each other. Responding publicly to negative comments will show the social media community that you care about solving the problem, and that you respect their input and/or feedback.

Be Timely.
We live in an age where consumers demand instant gratification, so responding to a negative comment as soon as possible is highly recommended. Not only does that make a customer feel important and "heard," they may be more inclined to take down their post, or even write a positive one to follow. The longer a negative comment goes unaddressed, the more the problem becomes set in the customer's mind, and the greater the potential for others to see the comment and form their own potentially negative impressions.

Seize the opportunity.
A good way to view a negative comment on social media is as an opportunity, to demonstrate professionalism and show customers how you handle problems. Today's consumer is very informed, and most understand that problems are inevitable; what is important to them is how they are handled. Social media is a public way to show all of your potential customers how you do business, and a problem that's been resolved successfully carries a lot of weight in creating a positive impression in customers' minds.

Be Sincere.
People love it when they know they are talking to a "real" person on the other side of the computer. You don't want to sound automated when responding to negative engagement. Usually, the more sincere you are, the more understanding and forgiving the consumer will be in return. Often, customers turn to social media because they are frustrated with the process of traditional customer service. An understanding and sincere tone, even if it is in written form can help neutralize a problem, without a customer becoming further agitated by long wait times and automated telephone responses.

Do Not Delete!
Deleting a negative comment may seem like a simple and quick solution to the problem, but it's considered a bad practice, and can easily create more problems in the long run. You don't want to become the subject of a viral epidemic such as the "United Breaks Guitars" YouTube video David Carroll created after a bad experience with United Airlines, which has now reached almost 14 million views on YouTube. Talk about a PR disaster! This is just one example of why you don't want to upset the commenter by disregarding what they had to say, because they might look to social media to caution others of their negative experience.

Listen.
Stay focused on the constructive criticism and use it to improve your business or service. If the negative engagement has any legitimacy to it, work on fixing the problem proactively and make it clear that you're doing so. Your consumers will appreciate you for listening and feel reassured that they are doing business with a company that values them and takes their problems seriously.

Ultimately, social media is very much a double-edged sword. Never before has it been so easy for businesses to broadcast their messages to millions of customers in real time, and get free and instant feedback about them. On the other hand, it's never been easier for individuals to broadcast their experiences with a business to just as many potential customers; whether those experiences are positive or negative.

With that in mind, the next time you find yourself having to address an unhappy customer on social media, take advantage of the opportunity to show customers that you listen and that you care, and the trust you earn will reward you with repeat business.