Most networks give you some way to ask a question: a poll, a question box, a vote between two options. They are an easy first interaction for someone who would never write a comment, and they tell you things your own guesses cannot.
What they are good for
- Choosing between two things you are really deciding, such as a colour, a date or a topic.
- Learning the words your readers use for your subject.
- Giving quiet followers a way to take part.
Ask only what you will use
A poll about something you have already decided is a trick, and people notice. If you will not change what you do whichever way the vote goes, post something else.
Writing the question
- 1Ask one thing at a time.
- 2Offer two or three plain options, not a menu.
- 3Keep the wording neutral. “Which would you rather have?” is better than “Do you prefer the better one?”
- 4Say what you will do with the answer.
Close the loop
Post the result afterwards and say what you decided. People answer the next poll when they have seen that the last one made a difference. People who never hear back stop answering.
Where the tools differ
Interactive stickers and question boxes are usually added inside the network’s own app, not through a scheduling tool, so plan to post those by hand. A plain question in a caption, with the answers collected in the comments, can be scheduled like any other post.
Before you post a poll, write down what you will do if option A wins and what you will do if option B wins. If the two are the same, do not ask.