How To Create A Poll For Facebook
Facebook is the leader of all the social media platforms, with a record total of 2.8 billion monthly users worldwide. This vast digital community presents marketers and business owners with a grand opportunity to reach a broader audience.
One of the features that the channel offers is Facebook polls. Let’s unearth what this cool feature is all about to boost your social media strategy. In this blog, you will learn what a Facebook poll is, why you should use it, and how you can create one yourself.
What is a Facebook poll?
A Facebook poll is a question that you can publicize for members to vote or answer. When creating a poll, you get the option to provide potential answers, which would be viewed in a multiple-choice format. Or you can allow members to answer freely in an open-ended theme.
Polls are tallied at the end of a set deadline. Then, you will get the chance to share the results of your poll findings with your group.
There are various types of Facebook polls, which we will cover in greater detail in the next section. Anyone who has a Facebook account can create a poll. Best of all, they cost zero dollars to produce!
Types of Facebook polls and how to make them
You might’ve already realized that there are different types of poll to create. Here’s a breakdown of all kinds of polls available.
Facebook group polls
This is probably the most commonly used poll on Facebook. Group polls are a great way to attract your members to interact with each other. All you have to do is create a group or be part of a group. Groups help build a stronger sense of community around your brand and supply conversation for people with a shared interest.
Anybody in a group can start a poll; you do not have to be the admin.
To create a group poll:
Enter the group page and click on “create public post” at the top of your screen.
On the “create post” box, click on the “more” button.
Click on “poll” from the selection.
Then, type the question you would like to ask in the box provided.
Below the question, add the answers for your members to select.
Once your poll is ready, click on “Add to your post,” and your poll will appear in the group’s feed.
Business page polls
Please do not confuse a page from a group. A Facebook page is an effective platform for businesses to introduce their products or services. Users can also engage by liking posts and leaving comments.
Unlike a Facebook group, only business page admins can upload posts, including polls.
To create a page poll:
First of all, you will need to be an admin of the page.
Go to your page, and in the bar on the left-hand side, click on “publishing tools.”
You’ll be directed to the “new post” section. Click on “classic post creation tool” in the options menu in the bottom left-hand corner.
Next, click on the three dots on the right-hand side for more options.
Select the “poll”’ option.
Type in your question and add your reply options below.
Once your poll is ready, click on ‘Share Now’ at the bottom of the page.
Facebook messenger polls
Did you know that more than 20 billion messages are exchanged between businesses and users monthly on Facebook messenger? The messaging service is widely used globally, mainly because it accommodates private dialogue amongst users. This includes group discussions as well.
Using polls in your chats is an efficient way to gather your friends, family or colleague’s opinions.
To create a messenger poll:
You will need to be in your personal account first.
While logged in, go to Facebook messenger.
Click on the blue “+” sign in the bottom left-hand corner of your screen.
Click on the “polls” option.
Type in your question and add your answer options below.
Once your poll is ready, click on “Create Poll,” and it will publish.
Facebook story polls
Sharing and communicating via stories is increasingly popular as compared to traditional status updates. In fact, 500 million people use Facebook stories daily.
Facebook stories are a fun way to share images and short videos with your followers without being permanently displayed on your news feed. This is because stories only have a lifespan of 24 hours. However, you can still opt to add archived stories to your newsfeed if you wish.
To create a story poll:
Open your Facebook app on a mobile device.
Go to your Facebook profile.
Then, click on “add to story.”
You’ll be directed to a “create story’” screen. Here, you get to select which type of story you wish to create — Text, Boomerang, a Selfie, or a Poll.
Click on “poll” then add your question and potential answers below.
To control who can view your poll, you can click on the privacy option.
Once your poll is ready, click on “share to story.”
Facebook video polls
Videos are a powerful medium to elevate your marketing efforts. Over 100 million hours of video are watched on Facebook every day. More and more people are uploading videos onto Facebook simply because of how effective they are as attention grabbers.
Not only do videos inform people about your products or services, but they also serve as a source of entertainment for your viewers. And guess what, you get to include polls in videos too. That’s like killing two birds with one stone!
To create a video poll:
First of all, you will need to be an admin of a Facebook page.
Go into your page and click on the “photo/video” icon on the “create post” box.
Select the video you want to upload.
Click ‘polls’ in the upload screen.
Then, click on ‘create poll.’
Type in the question you would like to ask and a choice of answers.
Select when you want your poll to start and end in the video.
Choose whether or not you want your viewers to see the poll results.
Once your poll is ready, click on “save,” and the poll is ready to be published with the video.
Why you should start using Facebook polls
This feature is definitely something you want to take advantage of in your social media efforts. Here are the top reasons why you should start using Facebook polls:
Increase engagement
Uploading quality content regularly on your feed is good, but polls are a more fantastic way to interact with your followers on a closer level. When you create polls, you invite followers to take action. This allows them to feel more involved and connected with your brand.
When followers answer your polls, it also shows that they are interested in your content. The algorithm god will consequently work in your favour and display more of your content on their screen in the long-run.
Learn what your followers are thinking
Whether you’re asking how your followers feel about pumpkin pies over cinnamon buns, or you’re asking what type of content they would like to see next, a Facebook poll allows you to gain information quickly. The answers are right below your fingertips!
Depending on the questions you ask, you can learn about your follower’s preferences, their opinions about your brand, and what they would change about your products or services. These are helpful insights to guide the next step of your business.
Consider this; traditional marketing campaigns would pay focus groups to gather similar data. Now, all you have to do is set up a poll and wait for answers!
Build a stronger bond with your audience
The best way to develop a sense of community is by making people feel important. Polls do that. People who participate in your polls believe that their voices are being heard and that their opinions matter. As such, they will resonate with your brand much more.
Share your results
Another advantage of creating polls is the ability to share the results with your audience. This serves as powerful social proof. For example, let’s say you made a poll asking whether your customers prefer using your product over another brand. Results that favour your product can go a long way in gaining more sales.
This is because people feel a lot more comfortable buying something when they know other people have also approved it. Indeed, studies have shown 84% of consumers trust online reviews as much as their friends.
So what could possibly be holding you back now? With all these fantastic benefits to creating Facebook polls, it’s time for you to ask away.
FAQ
What should I ask on my Facebook poll?
There are no right or wrong questions to ask. However, it would be diligent in designing questions that are relevant to your brand. If you constantly ask questions about topics that your audience has no interest in, then they are less likely to participate in your polls.
You want poll results that help make critical decisions to improve your business.
For example, if you sell essential oils, try asking what kind of scents your audience prefers. Do they want to receive their oils in a large bottle or small bottle?
What can I do with my Facebook poll results?
Now that you’ve collected data through your poll, it’s time to act on the information! Poll results indicate your general audience’s opinions. This is helpful as you know what the majority of your followers would want from you. For example, based on polls, you might learn that your audience prefers visual content over blogs. As such, you can focus on producing more quality photos and videos to satisfy your audience.
How long do Facebook polls last?
By default, your poll will expire within one week, but you can easily modify this. To change the deadline of a poll, click the one-week drop-down button. Then select one of the scheduled options. If you do not want a poll to expire, select “Never.” You may also add your own expiry time by clicking “Custom.”
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