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How to Make a Poll on Instagram: A Complete Guide

Streamline Business Communication with our Omnichannel Solution

Paras Kela

Senior Writer:

green tickReading Time: 9 Minutes
green tickPublished : August 16, 2024

Keeping your Instagram followers engaged is key to growing your audience. One fun and interactive way to achieve this is by using a feature called– polls. As per the study, Instagram Stories with polls see an average of 167% higher engagement than regular posts.

If you are wondering how to do a poll on Instagram, you are in the right place.

In this step-by-step guide, we will walk you through exactly how to create a poll on Instagram from start to finish. You will learn about the different types of Instagram polls and the steps to create polls on Instagram Stories.

Let’s get started!

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Pro-Tip

To get the most engagement from your Instagram polls, keep your Instagram poll questions simple and relevant. Use clear, concise language and offer two distinct choices. This makes it easier for followers to participate and provides you with more accurate insights into their preferences.

What Are Instagram Polls?

Instagram polls are a fun and interactive feature that lets you easily connect with your audience. You can create a poll on Instagram in Stories, Posts, Group Chats, and Reels by adding a sticker with a question and up to four answer options.

Instagram Poll

Your followers can then vote on their preferred choice with just a tap. After people vote, you can see the percentage of responses for each option and even share the results with your followers in your Stories.

This feature is popular among brands and influencers because it helps them interact more effectively with their audience. It also helps them gather opinions, boost engagement, and learn more about what their audience likes.

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Why Use Instagram Polls?

If you want to boost how much people interact with your posts, get to know your followers better, or gather feedback instantly, using polls on Instagram can be really helpful. Here are four major reasons to add Instagram polls to your social media strategy:

Why Use Instagram Polls

1. Increase Engagement with Followers

Polls on Instagram are a great way to get your audience more involved with your content. When you use a poll, you’re not just showing them something to look at—you’re inviting them to take part by voting. This simple action of tapping to vote makes it easy for people to engage rather than just watch. Increased engagement can also boost the visibility of your content, helping you connect more deeply with your followers.

2. Get Instant Audience Feedback

One major benefit of using polls on Instagram is that they let you gather feedback from your audience right away. If you’re introducing a new product, trying out different content ideas, or just curious about what people think, polls give you quick responses. This instant feedback is really helpful for making fast decisions, tweaking your approach, or figuring out what your followers enjoy or don’t like.

3. Improve Your Content Strategy

Using Instagram polls can really improve how you plan and create your content. By using polls, you can find out what your audience likes and what interests them most. This information helps you focus on creating content that your followers will enjoy and engage with. In other words, polls for Instagram are an easy and effective way to adjust your content strategy and keep your content in line with what your audience wants.

 
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Types of Instagram Polls

You might be surprised to learn that you can create Instagram polls in more than one way. You can set up Instagram polls in Stories, in DMs, and more. Let’s explore the different types of Instagram polls and the steps to create them.

Instagram Polls Types

1. Polls in Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories are one of the most popular features of the Instagram app. They let you share photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. You can use Stories to create different kinds of polls, making it easy to interact with your followers in various ways. Here’s how you can add and use different types of polls in your Stories:

A. Emoji Reaction Polls

Emoji reaction polls are a fun and interactive way to get feedback from your followers. With this type of poll, you use an emoji slider that lets people show how they feel about something. For instance, you might ask how excited they are about a new product, using emojis that go from “meh” to “super excited.” 

B. Sticker Polls

Sticker polls are simple and easy to use, letting your followers quickly vote between two choices. They’re perfect for straightforward decisions, such as choosing between two different designs or picking a theme for an upcoming event. With just a tap, your audience can share their preferences, making it a fast and efficient way to gather opinions.

C. Question Polls

Question polls are a great way to get detailed feedback from your audience. Unlike simple polls with set answers, question polls let people type in their own responses.

This is especially useful when you want to gather suggestions or opinions on more complex issues, as it allows for richer and more specific input.

2. Polls in Instagram Direct Messages (DMs)

Polls in Instagram DMs are a great way to have private conversations with your audience. This feature allows you to ask questions and get feedback from specific people or groups you’re chatting with. It’s perfect for getting direct opinions or making decisions with a select group of followers.

Instagram Direct Messages Poll

A. Polls on Photos and Videos

Adding polls to photos and videos in Direct Messages (DMs) is a good way to interact with your audience. For instance, if you’re choosing between two outfits, you can send both options in a DM and ask your followers to vote on which one they like best. This makes the decision process interactive and visually appealing.

B. Polls in Group Chats

Creating polls in group chats is especially helpful when you need to make decisions with a group of people. For example, if you’re planning where to meet up with friends or deciding on the direction of a team project, a poll makes it easy to gather everyone’s input. This feature works in group chats that have at least three members.

3. Advanced Poll Features on Instagram

If you want to take your audience engagement to the next level, Instagram provides some advanced poll features that you can use in both your Stories and Direct Messages (DMs). These tools allow you to create more interactive and personalized polls, helping you connect with your audience in more meaningful ways.

A. Interactive Polls

Interactive polls offer more than just a simple yes or no choice. They let you use emojis, custom text, or multiple response options to get a wider range of answers. This approach helps you understand your followers’ opinions in greater detail and gather more specific feedback.

B. Feedback Polls

Feedback polls are a great tool for collecting detailed opinions and suggestions from your audience. They help you understand what people think about your products, services, or any other topic you’re interested in.

So, these are the different types of Instagram polls. As you can see, each type serves a unique purpose and can be tailored to fit various engagement goals.

Steps to Create an Instagram Poll

Creating a poll on Instagram is an easy job, even for first-time users of this feature. If you’re wondering how to create a poll on Instagram, follow these simple steps.

Step 1: Open Instagram and either swipe right from your Instagram feed or tap on your profile icon to start a new Story. 

Step 2: To create a poll with a picture background, either take a new photo using the built-in Stories camera or swipe up to select one from your gallery.

Step 3: Tap on the stickers icon in the top panel and select the “Poll” sticker.

Step 4: Enter your question in the text field and add your answer options below. You can keep it simple with just two choices or add more options by tapping “Add another option.”

Step 5: Once you’re satisfied with your poll, tap “Done.” Then, share it by tapping the arrow button at the bottom of the screen.

And there you have it! Now you know how to make a poll on Instagram and can start gathering responses from your followers.

How to View the Results of an Instagram Poll?

To view the results of a poll on Instagram, begin by opening the Story where you posted the poll. Just tap on the poll post to see the results. You’ll find an option that says “Seen by” – click on this to access the detailed information. This will show you the percentage of votes each option received and let you see who participated and what they chose.

This way, you can easily find out which option won and better understand what your audience prefers. Creating and checking polls on Instagram is a great way to engage with your followers and get valuable feedback.

How to Share Your Poll Results?

You can even share your Instagram poll results with your audience. Here’s how to share your poll results and keep your audience informed:

Step 1: Open your Instagram Stories and find the poll you created.

Step 2: Tap on the poll to view the results.

Step 3: Look for the “Share Results” button and tap it.

Step 4: Add a short, personalized message to explain or highlight the results.

Step 5: Post it to your Stories.

This way, your followers can see how others voted, and it keeps the conversation going.

5 Instagram Poll Ideas For Your Business

Now that we’ve learned how to make a poll on Instagram let’s explore ways to utilize this feature for your business. Here are five creative Instagram story poll ideas to help you make the most of this feature and improve your business’s social media presence.

Instagram Poll Ideas

1. Engage Your Audience with Product Preferences

Getting your audience involved in decisions about your products can be both enjoyable and informative. For example, if you’re about to launch a new product or are thinking about making changes to your current offerings, you can use Instagram polls to get feedback.

You might ask, “Which product would you like us to launch next?” or “Which do you prefer: Product A or Product B?” This way, you actively include your followers in your choices. To create this, simply use the “poll” feature in Instagram Stories, pose your question, and offer two choices.

2. Share Behind-the-Scenes Sneak Peeks

Give your followers a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes of your business by using Instagram polls. For instance, if you’re getting ready for an event or launching a new product, you can ask your audience what they’d like to see next.

Pose a question like, “What would you prefer to see at our upcoming event?” and offer choices such as “Product Demonstrations” or “Customer Stories.” This method not only keeps your audience engaged but also makes them feel involved in the process.

3. Learn What Content Your Customers Prefer

Knowing what your audience likes is really important for creating content that they will enjoy. You can use Instagram polls to ask them what kind of Instagram posts they want to see more of. For example, you might ask, “What type of content do you prefer?” and give options like “Tutorials” or “Behind-the-Scenes.”

This way, you get valuable feedback on their preferences. By understanding what your followers want, you can make content that they find interesting and relevant.

4. Create Polls Around Seasonal Trends and Events

Make the most of current events and seasonal trends by including them in your Instagram polls. For example, during the holiday season, you might ask your followers, “What’s your favorite holiday flavor?” and offer options related to your products or services.

This makes your content feel timely and relevant, which can encourage more people to participate. Additionally, you can create polls based on trending topics or popular events to keep your content up-to-date and engage your audience in real-time conversations.

5. Gather Feedback for Continuous Improvement

Polls are also a great way to get feedback on your business. For instance, you could ask, “How would you rate our customer service?” with choices like “Excellent,” “Good,” or “Needs Improvement.” This helps you see where you need to improve and make the right changes.

Polls also help you learn what your audience likes about your brand and what they think could be improved. By asking these questions, you show that you care about their opinions and want to make your business better based on their feedback.

By using these 5 Instagram poll ideas in your strategy, you’ll not only increase how much people interact with your posts but also get a better understanding of what your followers like and want.

Conclusion:

Making a poll on Instagram is simple and can greatly improve how you interact with your followers. By following the steps in this guide, you can certainly figure out how to add a poll on Instagram. This feature helps you get feedback, understand preferences, and connect with your audience more effectively. Using polls for Instagram also makes your posts more engaging and enjoyable for your followers. Give it a try today to make your Instagram account more lively and interactive.

Frequently Asked Questions

A Poll Vote is a quick and easy way to get feedback from your Instagram followers. You ask a question with two options and they choose their answer.

No, you can't send a poll directly through Instagram DMs. Polls are only available for Instagram Stories.

You can't share a poll as a standalone post, but you can share the entire Instagram Story that includes the poll.

Yes, polls are a great way to increase engagement on Instagram. They encourage interaction and help you understand your audience better.

You can use up to 30 characters for your poll question and 15 characters for each answer option.

Updated : September 13, 2024

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