How to handle hate comments on your Youtube art channel
Having made over 2,000 videos on my Youtube channels over the years, I've received the occasional hate comments.
In this article, I'll share with you tips on how I handle hate comments on Youtube which can come in the form of negative, rude, insensitive comments.
I do not consider comments calling out obvious mistakes as hate comments. E.g. You get called out for pronouncing some word wrong, you made a mistake with facts. I love comments that point out my mistakes because I don't get it right all the time, and the comments help others know that there's a mistake and information may be wrong.
Artists can be a fragile bunch of people. There are artists who associate their art with their self worth. When negative things are said about the art, these artists think the negative things apply to them too. Just because your art sucks doesn't mean that you suck, unless of course if you don't improve then it's not about the art.
Haters got to hate
You can't control how others think of you. You can only control things within your control. People post mean comments just because they can and for no other reasons. Arguing with these people is just a waste of time.
Should you delete hate comments?
On Youtube, you have the option to delete comments or hide user from channel.
Hiding the user from the channel is the better choice because the hate comment is made visible only to the hater. Others won't be able to see the comment. This works great for hate comments looking for a reaction.
I can't remember the contents of the hate comments I've received because I always hide these comments before I can even comprehend what the hater is saying. If I see a hate comment, I hide it in a split second. If the comment doesn't have any constructive criticism, I'm not going give it any thought followed by comprehension.
It's important to note that these haters probably will forget what they post seconds after they made the comment. But you who's going to read the comment is going to remember the hate comment for a very long time. So is it worth it to let the comment get to you? It is unavoidable that some comments will get to you, especially if they hit certain triggers.
Do it for your audience
Another reason I hide hate comments is so that my audience don't have to waste time reading them, or worse be affected by them.
Hate comments from growing too fast
You can get hate comments if your YT channel grows too fast. Haters may think you're just lucky to be picked up by the Youtube algorithm so they post hate comments due to jealousy.
People who post hate or negative comments constantly are not your audience. If they like your content, they won't be posting hate comments. If they don't like your content, they can post hate comments and you can delete them.
How to prevent hate comments from getting to you mentally
Just delete or hide the comments faster than your mind can comprehend the comment. Your time is better spent creating art or doing something more productive.