How to Use Instagram Polls to Grow Your Engagement

Why Brands and Creators Should Use Instagram Stories

It’s no secret that Instagram Stories have become how brands and creators communicate with their audience daily. And as content creation has evolved, so has the way people use their Instagram Stories. It’s become a way to quickly and creatively communicate and interact with followers, and here’s why.

Stories are a cultural phenomenon that connects people, and brands are starting to use Stories to share their brand’s personality and create interest that leads to action. Don’t believe us, check out the stats to match!

According to an Instagram study, 58% of the people surveyed reported being more interested in a product or service after seeing it in a brand’s Stories. The other great thing about Stories is that it's a distraction-free medium on Instagram. Stories take up the full screen on your mobile device, so unlike in-feed Instagram posts, users can focus only on what’s in front of them. The Stories feature also follows a specific algorithm that will work in your favor if you use it correctly.

Stories Algorithm

Timeliness: Instagram favors timeliness and makes sure to show its users the latest updates for their favorite accounts.

Engagement: Accounts users interact with most will bring your account to the front of a user’s Instagram Stories queue. Interaction includes everything from commenting, liking to direct messaging.

Post regularly and create Stories that drive engagement with your audience. Check out PLANOLY’s Stories Planner feature available on our web dashboard and mobile app. And if you’re looking to increase engagement even more, here’s how Instagram polls can lend a hand.

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What is an Instagram Poll and How to Make One

Instagram polls debuted in 2017 and have grown in popularity ever since. An Instagram poll is a sticker you can add to your Instagram Stories. There are a few ways brands and creators can use the Instagram polls feature to engage their followers, but before we get into that, let’s break down how to make one.

Setting Up and Sharing Your Instagram Poll Results

Step 1: Tap the “+” icon on the upper right of your Instagram news feed. Then tap “Story” on the bottom right of your screen.

Step 2: This will take you to where you usually add and upload your Instagram Stories. Once you’ve added your content, tap the “Sticker” icon on the upper right of your screen.

Step 3: Your library of Instagram Stickers will pop up, tap the sticker that reads “Poll.” This is where you can write your question and make your own answer choices you want your audience to choose from.

Step 4: Once you’ve created your Instagram poll, tap “Send to” and then “Share” to “Your Story.” After sharing your Stories, you can check the results by clicking on your Story and swiping up to view your stories and viewers.

Step 5: If you decide you want to share the results of your Instagram poll once you’ve closed the poll, then tap “Share Results” located in the swipe-up menu of your Story. Then follow the instructions in Step 4.

The Different Types of Polls

There are two different types of Instagram polls: the Instagram poll and the emoji slider. Both are effective but serve different purposes.

The Instagram Poll - This is the OG poll. Use a poll to ask your followers to pick between answers, product choices, etc. You can make the answer choices whatever you want. The Instagram Poll is going to give you more of a concrete reply than the emoji slider.

The Emoji Slider - The emoji slider is good for sharing content, a product, or anything without asking too much. All you have to do is choose which emoji you want to capture your audience’s feelings, and then your audience will slide the emoji between 0% and 100%.

Instagram Sticker: Not Polls But Still Effective

These are not Instagram polls but can still increase your Stories engagement. All of these features are stickers. To access Instagram Stories Stickers, follow Steps 1 and 2 and then look for the stickers that read “Questions,” “Countdown, “Quiz.”

Questions - The questions sticker is well suited for influencers and brands looking to answer any questions from your followers. The question sticker is perfect for sharing who you are or what your brand stands for and helps build trust between you and your followers because it shows authenticity and honesty.

Countdown - The countdown sticker is perfect for creating hype and reminding your audience about releasing a new product or service, a website launch, or a giveaway.

Quiz - The quiz sticker is purely interactive and very low stakes for your audience. You can make it a game and ask your followers to guess the right answer. If they guess the correct answer, it will highlight green, but it will highlight red if they get it wrong. You can make this a Stories series where you test your audience’s knowledge etc.

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Four Ways to Engage Your Audience Using Instagram Polls

Instagram Stories and polls are all about interacting and engaging with your audience. And according to an Instagram study, 45% of people surveyed said they became aware of new trends from Instagram Stories. We’ve uncovered four ways you can start using Instagram polls to increase engagement and build even more interest with your audience.

Crowdsource for Future Content - Relatability is key. Use Stories to ask your community what they want to see from you. Crowdsourcing cuts out the guessing game and makes it easier to plan content. It also assures you that your dip in followers isn’t due to a lack of unrelatable content.

Play Trivia - Trivia is perfect for keeping your followers in the know and entertained. Trivia questions can be related to your industry, pop culture, or the person behind the brand. Just remember to keep it real and have fun with it. You can let your brand personality shine here. Don’t be afraid to play with the copy and more!

Survey New Products - Need to decide on an upcoming product? Use polls to ask your followers for their feedback. Not only does this build brand loyalty, but it also gets your future customers excited. According to a recent study, 58% of the group surveyed said they visited a brand’s website to buy a product or service after seeing it in a Story.

Create Hype - Polls will create hype! This is the Emoji Slider and Countdown Stickers time to shine. Tease products using the emoji slider and remind them about the new product launch you’re about to drop. Get creative with it, and remember to use it at the right time. Check out the best times to post here.

Now that you know how to set up your Instagram polls, start creating amazing Stories content using StoriesEdit. StoriesEdit is full of ready to use templates that you can upload and add Instagram polls to!