The truth is always hidden in the comments section

As long as it is a social platform, there is a comment section. Some are sabotaging, some are answering questions sincerely, and some are seemingly casual soft advertisements. What do we read? Are these comments trustworthy? Let's take a look!

When I clicked on a piece of content that was popularized, I found that the comment section was full of people singing the opposite tune. This kind of low EQ behavior is becoming popular on Xiaohongshu, Douyin, Bilibili, and Zhihu.

In the posts about recommendations for Jiaoxia sun umbrellas, Canada Goose down jackets, Zhong Xue Gao ice cream, and headphones, many netizens grabbed the microphone and expressed their opinions in the comment section.

On the one hand, this is because ordinary users disagree with the content of the original post by the blogger; on the other hand, there may also be advertising content inserted into the comments to confuse the audience.

The advertisements in these comment areas are mainly divided into three types: "direct likes", "questions and answers", and "self-indulgent", which are often difficult to guard against.

The reason why they go to the comment section to advertise is mainly to bypass platform supervision, occupy the opponent's position, and prevent netizens from seeing that it is an advertisement.

The truth expressed in the comment section can sometimes put users and bloggers in an awkward position; and advertisements that bypass the platform can also affect the platform’s revenue, reduce content quality, and impact the platform’s reputation.

Is the comment section the truth or an advertisement? Netizens with sharp eyes, remember to always distinguish.

1. Disrupting others in the comments section

Brother Pang recently discovered that there seem to be more and more users who like to sing a different tune in the comment sections of Xiaohongshu and Douyin.

For example, in a note on Xiaohongshu, the original blogger bought a Jiaoxia sun umbrella and asked if anyone had the same model. However, the netizens in the comment section did not give any face at all.

Among them, the comment with the most likes said: "With my current living standard, the Paradise Umbrella is enough." Another netizen said: "I use the umbrella given by the fertilizer factory."

At the same time, some people think that the quality of Jiaoxia is actually average. One netizen said: "The marketing is too good, the product quality is actually about the same as heaven." Another netizen said: "You are flattering Jiaoxia."

A note about a Banana umbrella received a lot of likes in the comments section, with the number of likes much higher than the original post. I wonder how the original blogger felt if he didn't know about it. A note about a Canada Goose recommendation also received a lot of negative comments in the comments section.

For example, one netizen said: "There is Monco above, Bosideng below, and a bunch of outdoor brands are waiting to get a piece of the pie." Another netizen said: "It's only used in Northeast China. It's too hot to wear it while driving."

In addition to singing a different tune in the comment section, honest netizens will sometimes harshly criticize the original blogger.

For example, a netizen posted on Xiaohongshu that Zhong Xuegao was not considered an "ice cream assassin", and netizens in the comment section immediately became unhappy.

In response, one netizen commented: "Go ask Zhong Xue Gao, is he happy if he is told that he is a low-end ice cream?" The number of likes for this comment was nearly 50 times that of the original post. Another netizen said: "No one calls it Haagen-Dazs Assassin, it has its own refrigerator."

Netizens with rebellious nature are not only found on Xiaohongshu.

On TikTok, a blogger posted a headphone recommendation video. In the comment section, some netizens said: "It is recommended to buy the same headphone as the mobile phone you use." Others said that the recommended Redmi and OPPO Enco Air were not suitable. These three suggestions ranked at the top of the comment section, and the number of likes was comparable to the original video.

2. Speak out when you feel injustice or sneak through Chencang

Why do other brands often appear in the comments section of the grass-growing notes on platforms such as Xiaohongshu and Douyin? Brother Pang believes that there are two main reasons:

On the one hand, some amateur users on the platform disagreed with the original blogger’s recommendations that were suspected to be advertisements, and expressed their own answers in the comment section, both dissing the other party and expressing their opinions.

For example, one netizen told Brother Pan: "Many bloggers on the Internet talk nonsense just to make a living. I go to the comment section not to disrupt the situation, but to spread positive energy."

Another netizen said: "This kind of sabotage in the comment section is actually quite funny. I just like the way you can't stand me but can't get rid of me."

On the other hand, some users who recommend products in the comment section are actually there with a mission in mind. Behind their seemingly sincere comments may be another form of advertising.

This behavior of advertising in the comment section is now ubiquitous and has roughly evolved into three schools:

The first group is called the "comment and like group", which is the most mainstream and the easiest to operate. The specific operation process is to write a comment under the original post and then like this comment to make it appear at the front so that most netizens can see it.

The second group is the "question and answer group". If you want to get into this group, you must have some acting skills. When this group advertises, they will arrange different roles in the comment area, and several users will ask and answer questions in the comment area. Some newbies who don't know the tricks may not be able to tell that it is an advertisement.

The third group is called the "self-indulgent group", which is the Pro version of the "question and answer group". Compared with the "question and answer group", this group does not go to other people's comment areas to make trouble, but plays in their own comment area. In order to prevent being exposed, this group often does not allow others to comment.

For example, a cosmetics recommendation note on Xiaohongshu has more than 200 comments below, all of which are praises. But when Brother Pan also wanted to chat with the blogger, he found that the blogger "only allows friends to comment."

3. Brands’ Secret War in the Comments Section

In order to advertise, they don’t post openly, but instead stir up trouble in the comment section. Brother Pang believes that there are three main reasons:

First, it is to circumvent the platform’s supervision. For example, some advertisements cannot be posted directly on the platform, so some clever people will choose to find a way out of the situation and let loose in the comment section.

In the comment section of a note on Xiaohongshu, a netizen recommended an Alipay mini program; but in other notes, it was found that many people were cheated out of dozens of yuan in membership fees after entering this mini program.

Secondly, it is to seize the opponent's position. It is really a big deal to insert your own brand's advertisement in the competitor's comment area and let the opponent do the wedding dress for you.

Therefore, various cyber versions of "Trojan Horse" appear on social platforms. Canada Goose and Bosideng mentioned above seem to be suspected of this kind of "Infernal Affairs".

Finally, many people are more willing to believe the comments section than the original post. After all, on platforms like Xiaohongshu, ordinary users can also bypass the platform and accept advertisers' orders themselves, so many people cannot distinguish whether the content they see is an advertisement or not.

For example, a blogger has more than 3,000 followers on Xiaohongshu. Some brands directly asked her for advertising quotes, and all operation processes had nothing to do with the platform.

4. Truth needs to be verified

The truths that frequently appear in the comment section have brought good news to some people, but have also caused some people to suffer from "decision-making difficulty syndrome."

For example, one netizen said: "I read the original post and thought it was very suitable, but when I opened the comment section, I found that netizens introduced many other brands and I didn't know which one to believe."

On the other hand, there were people who were inexplicably dissed by netizens in their own comment sections and felt very aggrieved.

For example, one netizen said: "I recommended a local restaurant, but the comments section was full of recommendations from other restaurants. I felt a little embarrassed. If I deleted the comments directly, I was afraid that people would say I was stingy."

In addition to causing trouble to ordinary users and the original bloggers, the behavior of bypassing the platform to advertise will also cause damage to the platform itself, mainly in three aspects:

First, it reduces the platform’s advertising revenue. Without middlemen making a profit from the price difference, it is a win-win situation for brands and bloggers, but a huge loss for the platform.

Second, it reduces the quality of platform content. Amateur users bypassing the platform to accept advertisements will make it difficult for other users to distinguish the content; and a large number of amateurs accepting orders will gradually turn the platform into an advertising network.

For example, Brother Pang wanted to find out which snacks from Be & Cheery were delicious on Xiaohongshu. After entering "Be & Cheery" in the search box, he found that there were many suspected advertisements among the recommended notes on the homepage.

Third, it affects the reputation of the platform itself. Advertisements that bypass the platform are easy for criminals to take advantage of because they are free from platform supervision, thus affecting users' views of the platform.

For example, a netizen learned about a financial app in the comment section of Xiaohongshu, and after using it, he found out that it was a scam software, so he used his mocking skills to target the platform.

When you discover the truth in the comment sections of Xiaohongshu and Douyin, don’t forget to verify it.

Author: Pan Ge

Source: WeChat public account "IQ Tax Research Center (ID: gh_c55b3561ece1)"