Why You Should Ignore Bad Comments (And Use Them)
Bad Comments Are Not Your Problem. Your Reaction Is.
You post a Short you’re proud of. Views climb. Then it starts:
- "This is trash"
- "Who even watches this?"
- "Unfollowed"
Now your brain wants to do three things:
- Reply and argue
- Delete the comment
- Delete the video and hide
If you create Shorts, TikToks, or Reels and you want to grow, you can’t afford to do any of those by default.
You don’t have a comments problem. You have a meaning problem.
Once you understand what bad comments really mean for your content, you’ll stop fearing them and start using them as fuel.
This post will show you:
- Why bad comments often mean your content is working
- How platforms treat negative comments
- Which comments to ignore, which to read, and which to act on
- A simple system for handling hate without burning out
Why Bad Comments Are Actually A Good Signal
Short-form platforms reward attention and emotion.
A viewer has three basic options:
- Scroll
- Watch
- Engage
A bad comment means they:
- Watched long enough to feel something
- Cared enough to type
- Gave the algorithm a strong engagement signal
That doesn’t mean every hate comment is good feedback. It just means the video did its job:
It made them feel.
Algorithms Don’t Read Tone. They Read Activity.
YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Reels do not care if a comment says:
- "This is amazing"
or - "This is the worst thing I’ve seen"
To the system, both are engagement.
If a video makes people:
- Comment
- Reply to other comments
- Argue in threads
Then your video is creating conversation gravity.
That gravity pulls more people into the video.
More people watching means:
- Higher reach
- More data on who likes it vs who hates it
- A clearer direction for what to post next
So the presence of bad comments alone is not a problem. It might even be confirmation that you’re finally getting out of the safe, invisible zone.
The Real Cost Of Obsessing Over Hate
The real damage from bad comments doesn’t come from the words.
It comes from what you do after reading them.
Here’s how obsessing over hate stalls growth:
1. You Start Creating For Your Haters
You see a few mean comments and your brain does this:
- "They didn’t like that joke"
- "They said my voice is annoying"
- "They hate my editing style"
So you:
- Remove your personality
- Water down your opinions
- Avoid any topic that might trigger people
Result: You lose the edge that made people stop scrolling in the first place.
2. You Stop Posting Consistently
Hate comments hit you hardest when:
- You are early in your journey
- You don’t fully believe in your content yet
- You tie your self-worth to performance
If every negative comment slows your posting schedule, you’ve handed control of your growth to strangers who don’t even follow you.
3. You Burn Mental Energy On The Wrong People
Most haters don’t:
- Follow you
- Buy from you
- Share your work
- Stick around
Your real audience is the silent majority:
- People who watched and didn’t comment
- People who liked and scrolled
- People who saved and came back later
Every minute spent arguing with someone who hates your content is a minute not spent serving the people who actually like it.
The 4 Types Of "Bad" Comments (And How To Handle Each)
Not all negative comments are the same. Some you ignore. Some you mine for gold. Some you delete and move on.
Here’s a simple breakdown.
1. Pure Hate
Examples:
- "You’re stupid"
- "This channel is trash"
- Personal attacks on your looks, voice, accent, etc
These have zero value.
What to do:
- Don’t reply
- Don’t explain
- Either ignore or use "hide user from channel" on platforms that support it
- Move on in under 5 seconds
Pure hate is background noise. It says nothing about your content. It only describes the commenter.
2. Emotional Disagreement
Examples:
- "This advice is terrible"
- "I strongly disagree with this"
- "This is harmful to beginners"
These are actually a good sign. Your video sparked a strong reaction.
What to do:
- Reply calmly if you have the bandwidth
- Ask a short question: "Curious, what would you do instead?"
- Don’t try to win the argument
- Let viewers debate in the replies
The debate boosts your engagement. It also reveals what your audience is thinking about the topic.
3. Harsh But Useful Criticism
Examples:
- "Your audio is really hard to hear"
- "Text is too small on mobile"
- "You talk too fast to follow"
Painful to read. Extremely valuable if repeated.
What to do:
- Look for patterns, not one-offs
- If you see the same issue in 3 to 5 comments, fix it in your next videos
- You can reply with something short: "Appreciate the feedback, I’ll tweak this"
This is data, not drama. Treat it like product feedback.
4. Misunderstandings
Examples:
- "This doesn’t work" when they missed a key step
- "You’re wrong" when they misunderstood your niche or target
- "You forgot to mention X" when you did in a different part
These comments show that:
- Your hook might be unclear
- Your explanation might have gaps
- Your editing might be too fast
What to do:
- Clarify in a pinned comment
- Save it as a content idea: "Next video: clearing up the confusion about X"
- Use it to craft sharper hooks and explanations
Misunderstandings tell you where your messaging is weak. That’s priceless for improvement.
How To Emotion-Proof Yourself From Bad Comments
You can’t fully avoid the sting. You can control how long the sting lasts and what you do next.
1. Separate The Creator From The Character
On short-form platforms you are playing a role, even if you’re authentic.
Think of it this way:
- The "you" on camera is a character
- The real you is sitting behind the screen creating
Bad comments are usually aimed at the character.
If you collapse the two, every insult feels personal. If you separate them, it becomes easier to say:
"They’re reacting to the character in that 20 second clip, not to my entire worth as a person."
2. Build A Comment Ritual
Don’t scroll comments randomly all day. Set rules.
For example:
- Check comments once or twice a day
- Spend 10 to 15 minutes max
- Reply only to: questions, thoughtful criticism, and genuine compliments
- Skip anything that starts with "you are..." and ends with an insult
When there’s a system, you’re less likely to spiral.
3. Create A "Wins" Folder
Hate comments feel louder than positive ones. You can balance that manually.
- Screenshot kind messages
- Save DMs from people who say your content helped them
- Collect comments where people say "I needed this" or "This worked"
When a bad comment hits hard, scroll your wins folder for one minute. It recenters your brain on real impact, not random hate.
How To Turn Negative Comments Into Growth Fuel
You shouldn’t just tolerate bad comments. You should use them.
Here are practical ways.
1. Mine Comments For Content Ideas
Look at recurring negative or doubtful comments and turn them into videos:
-
Comment: "This will never work if you’re broke"
- Video: "How to do this even if you’re broke"
-
Comment: "Easy for you to say, you already have followers"
- Video: "What I’d do if I had 0 followers"
You’re not just answering one hater. You’re addressing a belief that many silent viewers also have.
2. Use Criticism To Improve The Product
Treat your videos like a product. Comments are user feedback.
Track repeating issues like:
- Audio problems
- Confusing explanations
- Visual clutter
- Hooks that overpromise and underdeliver
Make one improvement per week based on real comments. Over time your content quality jumps without guesswork.
3. Let Debates Boost Your Reach
If a comment section turns into a debate:
- Don’t shut it down unless it breaks platform rules
- Step back and let viewers talk
- Occasionally drop a short, neutral comment to keep the thread active
More replies mean more signals. You reach more people who can become fans, even if the thread started with hate.
4. Filter Without Killing Engagement
You don’t have to accept everything.
Use filters for:
- Slurs
- Harassment
- Threats
But don’t over-filter to the point that you remove any disagreement. Healthy friction around your ideas is often what makes your content shareable.
When You Should Actually Care About Bad Comments
You ignore most hate. You pay attention when:
- Multiple people point to the same real problem
- Your target audience (not randoms) shares thoughtful criticism
- Loyal followers say your content feels off-brand or confusing
Use this quick test:
Is this person part of the audience I’m trying to reach?
- If no: disregard emotionally, maybe keep it for engagement
- If yes: listen carefully, look for patterns, then adjust
Not all feedback is equal. Weight it based on who said it, not how loud it sounded.
Final Thoughts: You Don’t Grow Without Friction
If your comments are 100 percent positive, one of two things is happening:
- You’re not reaching enough people
- You’re playing it so safe that no one cares enough to argue
Growth on Shorts, TikTok, and Reels means:
- More reach
- More people who love you
- More people who can’t stand you
Bad comments are a tax you pay for visibility.
Ignore the noise. Protect your energy. Use the data.
Post your next Short. Then the next. Then the next.
Your future audience isn’t reading that one hate comment.
They’re waiting for your next video.