As of this week, I hit the 500 mark for my number of subscribers. To me, that’s a big deal and it’s something I’m very proud of. However, getting here means dealing with a steady stream of trolls and hecklers along the way.

However, I feel very confident in how I deal with them. I feel that my 7 step formula allows me to remain in a positive position of authority and victory, as opposed to oppression and victimization. Today I would like to share my tips with you, assuming you’re looking for the best way to handle trolls and hecklers.

Here are my 7 tips, which I apply on a regular basis:

1- Don’t allow yourself to be offended. Keep in mind that only you can give another person the ability and power over you to offend you. The moment you allow yourself to be offended by anything anyone says, you automatically lose and the troll or heckler wins. Remember that responding with undeniable sarcasm makes you appear to be defending yourself while being emotionally wounded.

This is a video I made about that:

2- Be consistent in following up on every comment they leave for you; which if done correctly, keeps them from being motivated to continue trolling or heckling.

3- In your comment response to their attempt at insulting you, thank them for spending the exact amount of time to watch your video. (Ex. “Thank you for spending 4 minutes and 53 minutes of your time today to watch my video. That means a lot to me.”) This helps the troll or heckler to acknowledge that despite their destructive criticism, they ultimately made a choice to spend a designated amount of their time to watch a video that they ultimately did not enjoy.

4- Next in your comment, acknowledge that the comment they left ultimately helps draw in new potential viewers of the video, since videos that already have comments tend to seem more intriguing than those without. As they say, “Nothing draws a crowd like a crowd.”

5- The next thing to mention in the comment response is to assuming they are a subscriber to your channel. Thank them for their continued support, which actually generates income for you as a YouTuber.

6- Next, if this is their 2^nd or 3^rd time to troll or heckle you, assign them a consistent, responsible role on your channel. For example, I had a kid who kept mocking my thumbnails for each video, in a suggestive, 1996 Adam Sandler sort of way. I complimented him on his creative talents, asking him to make a funny caption for each new video I make. He stopped after the first assignment and has yet to leave any kind of comment since.

7- Lastly, let them know they are “welcome here” on your YouTube channel. (It is assumed that many of the people of have time, energy, and creativity to troll or heckle you are likely lost teenage boys looking for a place to belong.)

In closing, I will leave you with a stock response that you can begin using for any new troll or heckler in the future. I suggest just sticking with the script; don’t go into details with them as to why. That’s because If they fully recognize that you are attempting to outsmart them, they will take it as a victory against you. Being subtle, unemotional, and factual in your approach is the key:

 “Thanks for watching my video today. You spent (exact number of minutes and seconds of the length of the video) of your time today to support me. Not only does your comment draw more attention to this particular video, therefore possibly bringing in more traffic, but you also helped contribute to my income as well. Thanks so much for being one of my (number of subscribers you have) subscribers. Please feel free to continue leaving comments on each of my videos. It really helps me out. Here on my YouTube channel, you have a place to belong. Please know that you are welcome here.”

I hope you found this blog post helpful and useful. Let me know how it goes!

Also, I made a video version of this blog post if you would like to see it: