Instagram Polls: Add on Your Videos & Stories and Make Them Engaging

Those who use Instagram know the value of interacting with one’s audience. Today, this social network is not only for uploading images and videos. Instead, it gives influencers the chance of getting to their fans using live sessions and different types of stories, such as polls.

Want to know the followers’ input about a brand? Choose a topic and let them choose. Keep on reading to gain some insights about the best strategies for Instagram polls and use them in your favor.


Table of Contents

  1. An Instagram Poll: a Short Definition
  2. Learn How to Do an IG Poll
  3. Share the Poll in a Group
  4. How to Do a Poll on Instagram: 10 Creative Ways
  5. Visualize Results in No Time
  6. Why Is It Smart to Use IG Polls?
  7. Frequently Asked Questions
  8. The Final Word

An Instagram Poll: A Short Definition

Short Definition
Now, what is an Instagram poll, and how is it useful for social media marketing? Well, they are functions to use when posting stories. Among its uses, people can ask for their fans’ feedback, play games with them, define contests and prizes, or just have a little fun.

Today, Instagram offers two different alternatives for stories: the emoji slider and the traditional poll with written options.

  • The slider is great to ask a question and see how people feel about that certain theme, from 0% to 100%. This is nice a nice sticker for those who don’t want to make an effort, just swipe to the side.
  • On the other hand, Instagram story polls give readers two answers, and they have to choose the one they like the best.

Learn How to Do Instagram Polls

Learn How to Do Instagram Polls
Now, the question that needs an answer is how to do an Instagram poll? Let’s take a look at some of the steps to take to create a unique, one-of-a-kind experience.

Use the IG Mobile App

It’s not possible to do this from a desktop device. Just access the app as always, using the same login details. Look for the small camera icon on the left corner of the screen. Enter the Stories section.

Choose to Post a Video or an Image Using the Camera

This is where the poll will be added later. To make the most out of this chance, these visuals should be related to the survey to be posted. Adding filters, emojis, and colors will render this more interactive and fun, so others may want to engage with it.

Decide on the Poll

On the top of the screen, now the user will see a sticky note icon. Tap on it to see all the available choices. As seen above, the person may go for the slider or just choose the traditional yes-no questions. It all depends on the intention of the influencer.

Set It Up

Look for the sticker called POLL, of course, and decide on which question and answers will be asked. The more personalized the queries, the more chances of people participating in it.

Post It

Once everything is ready, just tap on the button that says “send”. Here, the owner again has a number of alternatives. The first one is to share the survey with the whole audience. The other one is to send it privately to people who might be interested.

Again, the choice has to do with the marketing objectives. Maybe a wider reach is better in terms of gathering info. Or it might be the case that the owner wants to know the opinion of only a few.

As people can see, the process is simple and fast. Anybody can come up with this type of poll and have the best experience using images or videos.

Share the Poll in a Group

Share the Poll in a Group
Still wondering how to make a poll on Instagram? Keep on reading to learn and carry out this task in an effective way!

  1. Enter the IG app using a phone or tablet.
  2. Scroll down the feed and tap on the Messages icon (a paper plane) to access the DMs. It’s on the right corner of the screen.
  3. Start a group conversation. This is very useful for marketing purposes. The owners, yet, should think in advance of which people to group here. Doing it is easy: just tap on the icon that shows a plus (+) sign. Then, start adding each user you want to receive the poll.
  4. Now, open the camera and take a snap or record a video.
  5. At the top of the screen, the owner will see a sticky note where they can add the survey options.
  6. Select the one for POLL and decide on the best format. Type in the question that others will receive.
  7. Even if YES or NO is the default option for stories, the person can change them if they see fit and add new ones.
  8. After everything is over, tap the button “send”, and the people will receive it at once.

Using the DMs is a great idea to market the Instagram story polls directly with those who might be interested in it. Also, the marketer can send them a personalized message to convince them to participate.

How to Do a Poll on Instagram: 10 Creative Ways

10 Creative Ways
As readers can see above, using these stickers and filters have a lot of benefits. But is there a way to use them and be unique? Read the text below and learn how to do a poll on Instagram in a new, creative way.

Your Products Are the Stars

Effective marketing is based on showing rather than telling. The result of a product is much more appealing than saying that it’s great. Why not take advantage of this visual platform, then, and show the audience how good the product or service is? Videos and gifs can do wonders with this.

Instead, those selling food should tempt their followers by uploading colorful, delicious photos of their dishes and desserts. They may even ask their fans to participate and let them choose between two ideas to see what they like the best.

Ask Your Fans for Ideas

Being successful does not only mean being charismatic. It also entails understanding what people need and want. In this way, the owner of the brand or blog can design an effective marketing strategy. Now, it’s not that easy to come up with good ideas on what to post or what to buy.

So, why not take advantage of social media interactions and ask them for that valuable info? For example, a survey could be great to know if the fans would like to buy shoes or clothes. Or, in case the influencer is in the food industry if they prefer chocolate or chips.

Use Quizzes in Your Favor

Ever heard of Bright Side or Buzzfeed? These are giants in the field of media and content. They have become successful using different strategies, and the most common ones are quizzes. From frivolous ones (like what famous actor you will marry) to serious ideas (what type of college career will you follow), they have it all. So, why not copy this tactic?

Today, IG has a lot of filters and options to interact with the audience. For example, owners can pose a question with two answers (yes or no). Or even ask them to rank several options if they cannot decide for just one.

Don’t Forget About Trending Topics

Don’t Forget About Trending Topics-min
Trending topics are those themes people are talking about at the moment. It could be celebrities, fashion, world events, or others. Join the ride and speak about these popular topics by using hashtags or organizing live sessions. This will bring more fans who are interested in knowing more about such themes. Then, they may subscribe to the account and follow the content, too.

Ask for Opinions

Today, people are bound to buy products or services if they feel related to the business owner and their values. Based on what they believe, they may even decide to switch to another brand. So, avoid this point by showcasing the company’s opinions. For example, ask the customers to take a social stance by asking a question related to the environment, politics, or other crucial events in the country.

Asking clients if they know about demonstrations, for example, show support. But it also tells people they should be aware of what is happening around them and taking action.

Be Relatable and Fun

People like to feel that others experience similar events or go through the same situations. Plus, they use social media to get away from their routine. So, instead of calculating every move, it’s good to just post something relaxing and fun from time to time.

Help fans enjoy the moment. Pose silly questions that have no definite answer. Ask them for participation and use puns. Encourage them to tag the account and see what they come up with.

Link to Your Website

The idea behind social media for a business is to also bring targeted traffic to one’s site. Instagram has very limited options to sell products or services. The idea is not to have it as the only selling channel but to give them the chance to visit a URL with more info and details on how to buy.

Feedback Is Key

There is no use to a social media network if not to ask others for feedback. Many companies have a big presence on IG, and this is not a coincidence. They take advantage of this opportunity to interact with clients. So, they get to know a lot about what they like and what they don’t.

For example, if they complain a lot about slow or impolite customer service, they can make an informed decision and change the team. Why not copy this tactic, then, and get to know more about the audience? This will help them develop an effective, likable product.

Carry Out Interesting Events

People use IG to feel entertained. One of the best ways to produce fun is to plan fun events with other influencers, for example. These collabs will bring a bigger audience and will take the live session to the next level.

While some owners try to bring things on their niche, some others claim it’s better to diversify. Some ideas are food and drinks, home decor, cinema, and more.

Use the Best Games

Contests and polls are great ideas to bring more engagement. And they can also help owners know how to focus content on suiting the audience’s interests. Plus, they are great to understand what type of prize they desire to win.

How to Visualize Results in No Time

Visualize Results
Now, the most important thing after doing Instagram story polls is to see results. The owners will be interested in knowing this info, but they are not the only ones. Viewers are probably also intrigued by the questions asked by the owner. Luckily, IG makes it easy for anyone to visualize the answers to polls and surveys.

The only thing the person has to do is to go and view their own story. On the lower-left corner, there are a number of options. The one that is relevant to this point is the one called “seen by”. This screen shows which saw the story, yes, but it also features all the results of the voting (the number of voters and the winning option).

Why Is It Smart to Use IG Polls?

There are hundreds of Instagram poll ideas, but are they any good? Why should influencers make good use of them?

Let’s take a look at some reasons:

  • Understand What Clients Want: people have their own interests, and it’s not that easy to come up with engaging content at times. Asking questions can help owners understand the market and launch a new product with more success.
  • Have More Interactions: polls are nice to make followers feel as if they were insiders and to give them the chance to interact with the person they admire.
  • Makes the Brand More Human: most of the time, fans do not know who is behind an IG account. Putting a face and feelings to the one who manages an account can make others feel more appealed and identified with the profile.
  • Get Others’ Attention and encourage them to know more about the brand as a whole.

FAQ Section

How Do You See Your Polls on Instagram After 24 Hours?

Today, IG allows owners to save their stories. Yes, they do go away after 24 hours. But if the person decides to store it in Highlights, then he or she and their audience will be able to see the results for months to come.

How Do I Get More Followers?

There are a number of strategies people can adopt to get more followers on Instagram. One of them is to carry out polls and contests to get more engagement. Another smart move is to get in touch with influencers and organize relevant events, such as live sessions, with topics that interest their audience.

What Questions Can I Ask on Instagram?

Anything can be asked. The only banned topics involve sex, weapons, and drugs. But if those topics are not touched, then the owner can go for anything they want. Experts recommend certain types of questions to increase engagement, such as guessing (what I’m eating, what I’m doing).

Other examples include asking about the main color themes, discussing topics, inviting people to the channel, or using never have I ever statements.

Use Every Tool to Create an Engaging Experience

All in all, social media today is about making people feel fun and engaging. Nobody likes to see the same things repeatedly, and the same applies to Instagram story polls. These are nice instruments that serve a great variety of purposes. For example, they can be useful for owners to know about their audience’s preferences, ideas, feedback, or simply to help them have some fun. Have you ever interacted with an IG poll? Was it creative?

Published: December 23, 2021Updated: December 28, 2023

Megan Green

Megan Green

Megan is a writer who works at the junctures of science and stories. Previously, she has been the editor of a fashion magazine, an educator, mom, and a baker. She is keen on working with brands and lifestyle products, and outdoor tasks. Megan is outgoing, optimistic and has a great personality. She delivers top-notch content with a unique view on usual things.



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