Getting your audience to interact with your content can be tricky, especially since we live in a world where there’s a distraction in every corner. Sometimes, even the prettiest graphic or the best video editing can fall flat from being engaging.

That is where social media polls come in.

Social media polls are one of the easiest ways to reel an audience in. Why?

• It’s interactive. Who doesn’t want to be asked about their favorites or interests? A lot of people love it!
• It doesn’t consume too much time. All they need is to click a button or give one answer.
• It gives an answer quickly. Do you want “This or That”? Do you prefer these shoes over those shoes? Would you rather go to the beach or stay at home? If you are after quick feedback from customers, polls are the way to go!

So how can you turn social media polls from a simple graphic into an interactive weapon in your social media arsenal? Here are five ways:

Make them interesting and relevant.

The goal is to make your audience interested, not bored to death. Provide valuable information like Facts or Myth, or make it relevant to your business, such as doing “This or That” posts and making them choose between two of your products.

Here’s the fun part: the more you add a “twist” or the harder you make them choose, the more fun it would be!

Take hashtag research seriously.

A hashtag is not just added wantonly, there's research going on behind it. Mind you, it is time-consuming.

However, if you want to grow your audience and make them see you, take the time to research relevant hashtags for your business.

According to studies, a combination of 20 high-volume and low-volume hashtags (1k-200k volume) is the sweet spot in providing maximum engagement. 

Determine when to post it.

If your target audience is business professionals, they likely don’t check social media at 9 AM. If you are after homemaker moms, their time to get social is most likely in the evening when the whole family is asleep.

Know the exact time frame to post. Observe your analytics. At what time do you get the most engagement? Follow that.

Add a variety of content–not just engagement posts.

Too many engagement posts can overwhelm your audience and may result in unfollowing you.

Limit it to no more than twice a week. Create a new form of content that will keep your audience interested. Some effective ideas include a motivating quote or "tip of the day" with a call to action to like the post or tag a friend.

Use them to respond!

Of course, the bottom line in doing social media polls is to increase engagement. So, ENGAGE! Interact with your followers. Laugh with them in the comments. The wittier you are with the comebacks, the more memorable you will be to them. So don’t be scared to leave a joke or two (but make it casual).

Social media polls are great ways to ask for feedback from your audience without taking up too much of their time. You’ll know how they think, what they like, and what they loathe with just a simple question.

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Use it to your advantage. Start adding social media polls to your calendar today!