Instagram is one of the most creator-friendly platforms available. Lives, Questions, Polls, and many other tools exist to make life easier for creators. Thus, it is no surprise that so many creators invest time & effort into scaling their Instagram Profile by leveraging the best polls for Instagram.
One of the simplest yet most effective tools to drive more engagement is Instagram Polls. Polls are an excellent way to hook your audience, receive feedback, and increase post-interaction. This article will explain more about polls, how to make an influential poll, and choosing the best polls for Instagram based on your audience.
If you’re looking for more growth related tactics for Instagram, this blog can be a good start.
Understanding The Different Types of Instagram Polls
There are mainly three kinds of polls on Instagram, they are:
Yes/No Polls
Yes/No Polls are simple but effective polls on Instagram. They require a simple "yes" or "no" answer and provide a glance into the opinion of the audience polled.
Multiple Choice Polls
Multiple Choice polls allow the creator to define a range of options for the audience. The number of options you offer in such polls will depend upon the post's nature and its purpose.
Open Ended Polls
The most engaging type of poll on Instagram, Open Ended polls, give the audience a wide range of options to express their opinion. It can be the answer to a question or even the opportunity to provide creative ideas for the creator.
Slider Polls
Slider polls provide a visual representation of the opinions of the audience. It is beneficial when a comparison or "feeling" needs to be gauged from the audience. Slider Polls also add a layer of customization via emojis on the sliders.
Choosing the Right Poll for Your Audience
Before creating a poll, it's essential to understand the audience and the purpose of the poll. For example, if the purpose is to gauge the opinion of the audience, Yes/No polls are a great choice. If the poll is to collect ideas from the audience, then an Open Ended poll is likely the best choice.
It is essential to understand your audience before making any poll. Understanding their behavior, age group, activity level, and interests are all important factors to consider when designing the poll.
Creating the right content for the right audience will ensure maximum engagement on your poll post. Additionally, it is crucial to analyze the poll results and use them to improve your content and strategy.
Creating An Effective Instagram Poll
Slide over to the stories section, take a photo or add a photo from your gallery and hit the post-customization menu (the button with the smiley face). Once opened, it will open a host of interactive elements to use in your story.
- QUESTIONS: Creates an open-ended poll
- POLL: Creates a Yes/No Poll
- QUIZ: Creates a Multiple Choice Poll
- Slider: Creates a Slider Poll
Once you have chosen the type of poll you want to create, go ahead and create it. Customize with relevant images, stickers, and GIFs, and hit the post. You'll notice that your polls get more engagement than your regular posts because they have more interactive elements.
Using Instagram Polls to Increase Engagement
Creators can use Instagram polls to increase engagement and better bond with followers. They allow you to understand what your followers are thinking and allow them to express their opinion.
Using polls at regular intervals can create a cycle of engagement, a sense of familiarity, and a personal connection with your followers. Additionally, polls can create a fun relationship between you and your followers by asking fun trivia questions or creating fun challenges.
Creative Uses of Instagram Polls
Instagram Polls will always increase engagement, but optimizing them requires you to use your creativity. Here are some Instagram poll ideas worth using:
- Conduct market research: Use Instagram polls to gather feedback on potential content ideas or products.
- Gauge audience preferences: Use polls to ask your followers what they want to see more from your brand or account.
- Ask for input on future collaborations: Use polls to ask your followers who they'd like to see you collaborate with.
- Conduct Q&A sessions: Use polls to collect questions from your followers for a Q&A session.
- Get feedback on existing content: Use polls to ask your followers what they liked and didn't like about your recent content.
- Crowdsource new content ideas: Use polls to gather input on potential topics or themes for your next post or video.
- Use polls for trivia: Create a poll with a question related to your content and see how many of your followers get it right.
- Create engaging games: Use polls to create interactive games like "Would You Rather" or "This or That" and encourage your followers to participate.
- Use polls for storytelling: Create a series of polls to tell a story, with your followers voting on the direction the story should take.
- Hold a poll contest: Hold a poll contest where followers vote on their favorite image, caption or concept, and the winner gets a prize.
Best practices for Instagram polls
The best polls on Instagram follow a few golden rules; we've compiled them for you:
Be Clear And Concise With Your Questions
When creating a poll, ensure your questions are straightforward to understand. Avoid using complex language or industry-specific jargon your audience may need to be more familiar with. Keep your questions short and to the point.
Use Visually Appealing Graphics
Make your polls visually appealing by using high-quality images or graphics that catch the eye of your audience. Use contrasting colours to make your poll stand out and ensure that your images or graphics are relevant to the question you are asking.
Keep Your Polls Relevant To Your Audience
Ensure that the questions you ask in your poll are relevant to your audience. Ask questions with a purpose. Instead, ask questions that will provide valuable insights into your audience's preferences, needs, and interests.
Mix It Up With Your Poll Types
Instagram polls come in different formats, including multiple-choice questions, yes/no questions, and sliding scales. Mix it with different poll types to keep your audience engaged and interested. Experiment with different types of polls to see what works best for your audience.
Use Polls to Encourage Engagement
Use polls to encourage engagement with your audience by asking for their opinions or feedback on your content. This fosters community and encourages your audience to interact with your brand or account.
Analyze Your Poll Results
Analyze your poll results to understand your audience's preferences, needs, and interests. Use this information to create better content that resonates with your audience and helps to grow your account.
Don't Overuse Pol
Use polls sparingly, which can lead to poll fatigue and reduce engagement over time. Instead, use polls sparingly and strategically to keep your audience engaged.
You can find more advice regarding this on this concise article as well.
Using Instagram Polls for Market Research
Instagram polls can be a powerful tool for gaining insights into customers' buying habits and preferences. Use polls to gather feedback on your products, services, and content, as well as to gauge the sentiment of your audience on particular topics.
Additionally, you can use polls to measure the success of a product launch or to understand how your audience perceives your brand or business.
For Example: If you were a Netflix Employee, you could use Instagram Polls as an informal survey to assess what genres of movies your audience watches. This could be a good starting point for a more extensive survey.
Instagram Polls for E-commerce
Instagram polls are an invaluable tool for e-commerce businesses. Use polls to understand what product features or services your customers find most desirable or ask their thoughts on potential product releases.
You can also use polls to gain insights into your customer's preferences and understand their buying habits. Using this information, you can create better content and products to meet your customers' needs.
For Example: If you were a scented candle shop owner, you could use Instagram polls to gauge what scents your followers prefer. You could then use this to decide on your next candle scent.
Conclusion
Instagram polls can effectively increase engagement and foster a sense of community between you and your followers. They allow you to gain valuable insights into your audience and create a better bond with your followers.
By using polls creatively, you can create a cycle of engagement with your followers and gain useful information about their needs, preferences, and buying habits. Use this information to create better content and products to meet your customers' needs.
The possibilities with Instagram polls are endless, so experiment with different types of polls and use them strategically to find the best polls for Instagram. This will both increase engagement and foster a strong connection with your followers.
For more advice on becoming famous on Instagram, follow these 6 steps.
