Whenever you share content with the world, you're bound to receive comments.
As a general rule, social media platforms reward engagement, which is why responding to early comments on a post is always beneficial—it sparks conversations that the algorithm promotes to more people.
In the previous section, you learned how to generate engagement. In this lesson, I'll explain why the comments themselves are often the main attraction—the content people truly come to consume.
Have you ever seen someone drop a popcorn emoji in the comments?
That's signalling reality. For many the comments are the show.
People often don't click on a post to read what you've written; they click to dive into the comments. That’s the gold mine for many pages.
Let's break down the response hierarchy.
Response hierarchy
- When someone compliments your work: It's wise to acknowledge and thank them for their comment. They'll value the recognition of their positive feedback.
- When someone provides an accurate clarification to what you've written, in good spirits: If you're incorrect, it's always beneficial to admit it and appreciate the correction. Audiences on all sides respect that honesty.
- When someone doesn't address what you've written and just attacks you without a clear agenda: Here, you have several options:
- The first and often best choice is to simply not respond at all. No one knows if you've seen the comment, and as your page grows, plenty of irrelevant remarks will slip by unnoticed. If there's no substance, ignore it.
- You can hide the comment. This is a clever trick—the author still sees their own post, but they don't realise others can't. The downside is that if other users already viewed it, they might call you out for hiding or deleting it.
- You can block and delete the user. This is an extreme step, and I wouldn't recommend it. The commenter is still engaging with your page, and both love and hate drive further interaction, prompting others to respond in opposition. Only block and delete if the person is causing ongoing issues, such as dominating every post, arguing with other users, or clearly not worth engaging. Be aware that unstable individuals might react poorly in real life, so use this sparingly.
- The next option is to respond.
- Before you do, recognise that you're entering a public arena, and an argument is likely to follow.
- Some response tactics:
- Generically thank them for their comment. This can elicit laughs on its own if the original remark was particularly harsh.
- Simply state, "You're wrong, dude"—without explaining why.
- Don't reply in the comments at all. Instead, take their comment and turn it into a new post, expanding on why it's incorrect without naming them. If you're mistaken and do this, the post might explode with engagement, and the original commenter may or may not join in—it's a major escalation, showing you're unphased.
- Or, deliver the facts sharply and succinctly, then ignore any follow-up. This works best if you're correct.
- You can also concede they're partially right but affirm that your main point still holds.
- Notice that in all these cases, you avoid attacking the person directly. Target the argument or concept instead. It's a crucial distinction.
- If they create a funny meme—at your expense or mocking your ideas—save it and repost it yourself as an example of a "fail."
- Remember, self-mockery generates massive engagement because most people can't handle it themselves—they cling to their perceived reputation. Releasing that online is a superpower.
- One final tactic to frustrate critics endlessly: Answer every criticism with a question. You can sustain this indefinitely, leading nowhere. After about the third question, stop responding—like a politician evading a question.
Conclusion
The comments section isn't a mere afterthought on social media—it's often the real attraction and the space that fuels all the engagement.
The top creators treat comments as an extension of their content, even crafting posts to provoke them.
Every reply, laugh, and argument powers the algorithm and draws people back.
You don't need to win every exchange. In fact, getting roasted in the comments now and then can be entertaining for everyone.
Sometimes silence prevails, humor diffuses tension, and occasionally leaning into the chaos (with care) sparks huge interaction. The aim is to steer the conversation for the audience's benefit—not the trolls.
The golden rule? Never attack the person, only their ideas or premise. Maintain control of your tone and be intentional in your responses.
Keep in mind, you have time on your side. You can let a comment linger forever—it won't hurt. Developing the art of the comeback comes naturally with practice.
One more thing: Excelling at this on social media will teach you how to respond in all areas of life. Separating your personal ego from your online alter ego is a hallmark of truly influential people.
If unsure, just laugh at yourself.
Sometimes there's no escape route. It's the arena where loyalty, virality, and influence are forged.
The most entertaining outcomes often emerge from the unexpected.