Taming the spam beast: how we reclaimed our client's social media sanctuary

Let's talk social media engagement – the holy grail for brands. But what happens when your carefully crafted content is drowned out by a flood of spam comments? This was the nightmarish reality for one of our valued clients. Imagine this: within 24 hours, a single post received 97 spam comments, turning their Facebook page into a breeding ground for solicitations and irrelevant links.

This wasn't just an annoyance; it was damaging the user experience. Fans were getting bombarded by spam replies, leaving them frustrated and disengaged. Our team was spending precious hours manually deleting and blocking spammers, a never-ending game of whack-a-mole.

But fear not, fellow social media warriors! Here at Ford Media Lab, we're all about conquering challenges and delivering results. In this case, the solution came in the form of a powerful, yet often overlooked, Facebook tool: Keyword Filtering.

Here's the magic trick: We utilized the native Facebook settings to create a blacklist of common spam phrases like "DM me" or "message me." We even went a step further, adding variations like "massage me" (yes, you read that right!) to stay ahead of sneaky tactics.

The impact? Instantaneous. The spam comments virtually disappeared, transforming our client's Facebook page from a warzone into a thriving community space. Fans were able to have meaningful conversations once again, and our client could focus on what truly matters: building brand loyalty and driving engagement.

Social media spam is a real problem, but it doesn't have to be a social media killer. By leveraging built-in tools like keyword filtering, you can reclaim control of your online presence.

Here's How to Use Keyword Filtering on Facebook:

1. Go to your Facebook page and navigate to Settings.

2. Click on Followers and Content.

3. Scroll down and select Hide Comments Containing Certain Words from Your Page.

4. Here, you can create a list of words, phrases, or emojis you want to automatically hide from your page. Facebook also automatically detects variations of your keywords, including different spellings, symbols, and numbers.

5. Once you've added your keywords, click Save.

Hidden comments with these words will still be visible to the people who wrote them and their friends, but they won't clutter your page and disrupt the user experience for your target audience. You can also manage hidden comments by going to the post and reviewing the Hidden by This Page section.

At Ford Media Lab, we're passionate about helping brands navigate the ever-evolving social media landscape. We don't just manage social media; we create thriving online communities. Contact us today to discuss how our expertise can help you achieve your social media goals!