Why You Should Be Using Instagram Polls

Polls are experiencing their moment in the social media spotlight, and are providing artists with a fun and interesting way to find and reward superfans, give fans a chance to be heard, and even conduct market research.

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Guest post by Jenn Schwartz, Senior Manager, Interactive Marketing at The Orchard from The Daily Rind

Polls are having a huge moment in the social media spotlight. Instagram even launched Story polls this past October in reaction to a sudden wave of interest. You see, over the summer, teen poll / compliment app TBHand Snapchat poll app Polly became the app store’s runaway successes unbeknownst to adults. The platforms empowered high schoolers to seek peer feedback without fear of bullying – something that other, comment-reliant social platforms hadn’t exactly perfected yet. Now, as part of Instagram’s platform, the format has taken off with more than just adolescents.

The benefit for musicians and brands is the same as it is for teens. With the ease of a tap, fans can be heard. Trolls and cyberbullies, on the other hand, have no place in a poll, where you control the language. Creators also needn’t spend precious time reading hundreds of comments every time they pose a question. A poll distills feedback into a few neat categories, freeing you up to do what you do best – create.

Haven’t tried it yet? Here are some fun polling ideas to get you started:

1. Find (& Reward) the Superfans

Those who respond to your polls are different from the rest of your followers. Not only do they engage enough to see you in their feed, but they’ve also taken the initiative to interact with a time-sensitive post. Consider them a sort of remarketing list, and DM them something personalized or exclusive to convert them into lifelong fans.

2. Give Fans a Say

If, like many creators, you lack the time to get back to each fan individually, polling is one way to let fans know they’re being heard without spending countless hours reading comments. Let fans decide on things as big as upcoming merch, tour routing or your next single by polling them. Ask what they’d like to see you do in your next Story. And most importantly, let them know they influenced your decision!

3. Conduct Market Research

Ever wonder who your most engaged fans are? What they believe? Whether they collect vinyl or would rather stream playlists? Poll them. This can help guide decisions on the best content to put out there. Most social platforms offer insights into your audience overall, but none offer insights segmented by your most engaged followers – until now.

4. Get Trending

Everything happens on social media, whether it’s a holiday celebration or breaking news. Now that Stories are included in Discover and search, use this opportunity to engage fans around a trending topic, and get extra exposure at the same time. Just stick to one or two very relevant hashtags to keep posts fun, not spammy.

Let’s get polling!