Instagram Poll Ideas: Engage Followers With Fun Questions!

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Karen Lin

Instagram 101 | Feb 16, 2024

Want More Real Instagram Followers?

There’s no such thing as a stupid question. But there are boring ones. When you’re trying to engage your Instagram audience, it’s important to ask them fun, thought-provoking, exciting questions. Instagram poll stickers on Stories are one of the best ways to ask your viewers questions. And if you pose the right questions, they will feel compelled to answer and engage with your content. Today, we’re sharing Instagram poll ideas that can garner tons of engagement.

Polls are a terrific way to spruce up your everyday Instagram Stories, whether you’re an influencer or a full-blown business. They’re excellent for hearing your followers’ thoughts and getting to know them more. As a result, you can create better content, products, and services you know they’ll love.

But to get those insights, you need to ask questions people will actually want to answer. Are you not sure what kinds of questions to ask in your story polls? Keep reading for some poll inspiration to get more tips and votes on your Instagram Stories.

Two women holding up pink signs that say “YES.”

What Is an Instagram Poll?

If you’re a fan of Instagram Stories, you’ll know about the many interactive stickers available to spice up your post. There are quizzes, GIFs, Q&A stickers, and many more that can make your Stories more attention-grabbing and engaging. And one of the most popular stickers on the app is the classic Instagram poll sticker.

This interactive sticker is pretty straightforward. It allows you to ask your audience a question and customize two possible answer options for them to vote between. Unlike quiz stickers, there is no correct answer for polls—people can choose whichever they want! You’ll then see everyone’s answers in real-time and which of the two options garnered the most votes.

Instagram polls are a terrific way to increase engagement on your Stories. It’s an easy way for you to interact with your audience and for them to socialize with you, too. And the higher your Story engagement, the more it gets pushed out to other people. That means more eyes on your content!

Plus, you can glean new things about your followers through polls, from their preferences to their thoughts about your content. It’s a fun, creative, low-maintenance way to get to know your fans more and strengthen your relationship with them.

How To Make a Poll on Instagram, Step by Step

Ready to ask your followers your most pressing questions and get to know them more? Here’s how to make a poll on Instagram Stories, step by step:

1. Open the Instagram app and go to the main feed page.

2. Swipe right on your screen to create a new Story.

3. Shoot or upload the photo or video you want to use as a background for the poll. It can be a simple image or a video of you elaborating on the poll question.

4. When you’re happy with your content, click on the sticker icon in the upper right corner of the screen.

5. Select the “poll” sticker option.

The “Poll” button in the sticker tray of the Instagram Story editor.

6. Write the question you want to ask. If it doesn’t fit in the given character limit, expound on your question in your Story photo or video.

7. Provide at least two possible answers people can vote on. Pro-tip: you can add up to two extra options to create four possible answers to your poll. Then, click “Done.”

Write a fun question related to the photos or videos in your Story.

8. Customize how you want your poll sticker to look on the Story post. You can resize and move it around on the screen however you want.

9. Lastly, click the “Your Story” button to share it with your followers. Then, sit back, relax, and wait for their votes to roll in.

Position your poll sticker however you want on your Story, and then post away.

Your Checklist for Good Poll Questions That Actually Engage People

But the Instagram poll sticker doesn’t automatically guarantee great engagement for your Stories. It’s important to think of good poll questions your followers will find interesting.

See, the quality of your questions will later affect your overall engagement on Instagram. Why? If people vote on your poll and interact with your Story, you may be rewarded with higher visibility.

The Instagram algorithm pushes out the content of creators who show good engagement rates on previous posts. If you post high-quality poll questions, people will be more compelled to engage with your Story. This can skyrocket your engagement rate, helping push your other posts to the top of people’s home screens. So, it’s pertinent to ask engaging and exciting questions in your polls.

To help determine whether your poll questions will inspire interaction from others, use this checklist. Try your best to ask questions that can tick off at least some of these criteria to ensure maximum engagement.

  • Relevance to your target audience: Always ask yourself, is your question something that your followers are interested in? Try to keep your questions within your niche. Otherwise, make sure it’s something that your fans might find exciting and will love to answer.
  • Ease to understand and answer: People won’t vote on your poll if the question is unclear. Make sure to pose an easy-to-understand question with clear answer choices. The clearer and easier your question is to answer, the more likely people are to participate in the poll.
  • Timely and relevant to the season: While evergreen content is a must for any creator, ask poll questions related to specific times of the year. Ask about parties and celebrations during the holidays or perhaps fashion ideas for different seasons. Timely questions are incredibly relevant, making people more excited to vote.

Fun Instagram Story Poll Ideas To Excite Your Audience

Need content ideas that will compel your viewers to vote on your Story poll? Here are some fun and charming Instagram Story poll ideas to help you get to know your fans better!

“This or That” Questions

“This or That” polls are exactly what they sound like. You present two different options to your fans, and they choose which one they prefer. It’s a great way to learn more about your fans and get ideas for your future content.

Polls like this are super fun to vote on because there is no correct answer. People can just vote for whichever option they like more and have fun with it! Try making a game out of it and create a series of back-to-back Stories with “This or That” questions.

Here are some “This or That” poll ideas that might excite your viewers:

  • Post two different outfit photos and ask them which they prefer.
  • Share a photo of you waking up early and ask them if they’re a morning riser or night owl.
  • Upload a video of you packing for a road trip and ask them if they prefer beach or mountainside vacations.
  • Share workout content and ask them if they prefer to do this workout at the gym or outdoors in nature.
  • Ask your followers what season of the year they like best. Then, you can use this information in the future to create more content during that season.

A female influencer filming an Instagram Story to ask her followers their thoughts on her outfit through a poll.

Let Your Followers Make Decisions for You

Can’t decide on what to do for the day? Ask your followers to help you make small and big decisions through polls on your Stories!

Aside from boosting your engagement rate, polls like this also make your viewers feel valued. Letting them into your decision-making process tells them that you are willing to listen to their advice. This can make them feel like your friend, strengthening your emotional connection with them.

Here are some content ideas related to asking your followers to help you make decisions:

  • Ask them to vote on which of two books you should read next and blog about.
  • Show them two different phone models and ask them to vote on which one you should buy.
  • Give them two Starbucks drink options and let them vote on which coffee they should get on their morning run.
  • Let them help you choose your look for the day. This includes voting between multiple options for your hairstyle, outfit, lip color, and more.
  • Get their advice on what profile photo you should use. Provide two options and post them on your Story along with the poll!
  • Show them two restaurants and ask them which one you should go to for a dinner date.

 A woman deciding which among two sets of books to read.

See if Your Audience Agrees or Disagrees With Your Opinion

Do you have some serious thoughts on issues and want to feel out if your followers hold the same opinion? Use polls to find out whether your followers agree or disagree with something you firmly believe in.

This helps you get to know where they stand on these issues. Not only that, but it may also spark conversation about important topics within your community.

It would be fantastic to hear how your followers feel about advocacies and social movements you feel passionately about. It also allows you to express your thoughts and feelings about these topics on your Instagram Stories. Seeing your fans’ votes on the question to see if they agree with you is just the cherry on top. Based on their answers, you can strategize about future content to help educate them and raise awareness about these issues.

However, these poll questions don’t always have to be heavy and serious. You can ask their opinion on trivial, playful matters too, like whether pineapple belongs on pizza! Don’t be afraid to be cheeky when fishing for your followers’ opinions on small, mundane things. It fosters interaction and community-building in a lighthearted way!

Check out these “Agree or Disagree” poll questions for gauging how your followers feel about matters close to your heart:

  • “Cosmetics brands rarely have the foundation. Do you wish makeup brands today catered to more skin tones, too?”
  • “I can’t believe some politicians think climate change isn’t real! Do you believe it, or do you think it’s a hoax?”
  • “Skinny jeans are overrated! What do you guys think?”

Remember—there is a character limit on how long your poll question can be. Make use of your Story photo or video to expound on your opinion on different issues when needed!

A woman with the words “Yes” and “No” written on either hand.

Improve Your Brand: Instagram Poll Ideas for Business Owners

According to Hootsuite, 58% of people become more interested in a brand’s products after encountering them on Instagram Stories. That makes this content format a terrific place for businesses to operate. But is the poll interactive sticker on Stories relevant for brands?

Instagram polls aren’t just useful for influencers who want to strengthen their bond with their followers. They can also be useful for businesses. Polls help glean valuable customer insights about a brand’s products and how their social media content is being received.

Check out these three Instagram poll ideas for business owners who want to interact with their customers on Stories:

What Kind of Products Do They Want To See Next?

You can use polls as a casual, informal market research tool to learn what products your customers want to buy. Ask them what kind of goods and services they wish your brand could offer. Then, use the insights from these polls to inform your next service or product launch.

Doing this allows you to design new products tailored to your customer’s preferences. That way, you can be sure that the products you’re coming up with will actually meet the demand of your followers. There’s also less trial-and-error as you come up with new products when you have this information from the poll.

Do you want to get your customer’s input on what your business should come up with next? Ask them clear, specific, product-centric questions like these:

  • Makeup brand: “What colors do you want to see in our next eyeshadow palette—cool or warm tones?”
  • Fitness studio: “Which of these classes would you like to see more at the gym: HIIT or yoga sessions?”
  • Jewelry store: “Hoops or stud earrings? Tell us what you want to see in our holiday collection by casting your vote!”

Feedback on Your Existing Offerings

You can also use polls to gauge how much your customers like your current product line-up. Polls like these help you understand your products’ strengths and weaknesses. Then, you can use these insights to improve your products and make them better than before.

Do you want to know which of your products your customers really love? Try pitting two products against each other and ask your customers to vote for their favorite. This can help you determine your best-selling products and which ones you should be pushing more in your marketing efforts.

Thoughts on Your Instagram Content

Lastly, you can use Instagram polls to gauge whether your customers enjoy your current Instagram content. Use “This or That” questions to see what kind of content they find relevant or resonates with them. Based on their answers, optimize your future content to make sure your followers find them engaging and enjoyable.

Here are some poll ideas to give you an idea of whether your customers like your current Instagram content:

  • “We loved working with [influencer] for our latest campaign! Do you want to see more of them, too?”
  • “Dress-up Reels or OOTD photos? Let us know what you want to see more of on our page!”

Get More Votes on Your IG Polls With Path Social

There are plenty of ways to go about asking your viewers questions on your Instagram Story polls. You can ask your followers lighthearted questions or challenge them with more thought-provoking ones. If you own a brand, you can use poll questions to your advantage to improve your product designs and services. All in all, it’s a terrific way to engage your audience and spark conversation within your community.

Ready to turn our Instagram poll ideas above into a reality? Get more people to see them and vote on your poll questions with the help of Path Social.

Our AI-powered algorithm can get more eyeballs on your Instagram content in an organic way. We help you find your niche target audience and push your content to their feed. This can lead to more likes and comments on your content, as well as new, genuine followers in your fanbase. As a result, you’ll get more views on your Instagram Stories and more votes on your polls. Start gaining more followers (and poll voters) today!