Unlock the Power of Instagram: Learn How to Create a Viral Poll in Just Minutes!

Instagram is a platform that never fails to amaze its users with new features and updates. The Instagram poll feature is one such tool that has gained popularity in recent years. Instagram Polls allow you to engage with your followers in a unique way, creating opportunities for valuable interactions with your followers.

With Instagram’s massive audience, creating a hit viral poll can help you achieve a great deal of reach, engagement, and follower growth. Follow these tips to create a poll that will attract the attention of the masses in just a few minutes:

Pick a relevant topic

The first step is to choose a suitable topic that aligns with your niche and interests your target audience. Try to think of questions that resonate with your audience, and don’t hesitate to take inspiration from current events or popular trends.

Create an eye-catching image or video

Instagram polls are visual components, so it is essential to make sure your poll graphics are visually appealing. You can add a vibrant background or use an image that relates to the poll question. Instagram also offers a range of interactive stickers that can be placed on photos and videos to make your polls more engaging and attractive.

Make it personal

Personalization is key to connecting with your followers, and polls are a great way to do that. Try to incorporate elements that make the poll personal or relatable to your audience. For example, you may include questions about their preferences or their thoughts on a decision you are trying to make.

Keep-it-simple

Lengthy polls are not ideal, strive to keep your poll questions short, simple, and to the point. Your followers will lose interest if the poll questions are complicated or confusing, so try your best to simplify the questions and provide clear directions.

Encourage engagement

Finally, encourage your followers to engage with your polls. You can do this by responding to every comment, taking note of feedback, and involving them in the decision-making process. You can also repost screenshots of the results to showcase participation and engage with people who didn’t have a chance to participate.

In conclusion, if you want to boost your Instagram audience and engagement, then a viral poll can be your answer. A well-planned and well-executed Instagram poll can achieve wonders on your Instagram account, from boosting your engagement rate to increasing your followers. By implementing these tips and experimenting with different styles, you can unlock the power of Instagram polls and set yourself up for success.

This article explains how to create a poll in an Instagram story or a direct message.

What to Know

• In a story, take a photo or video, edit as desired, select Sticker > Poll, enter a question, and then enter custom answers if desired.In a direct message, take a photo or video, edit it, select Sticker > Poll, enter a question, customize the answers if desired, then tap Done.

Make a Poll in Instagram Stories

Instagram stories are casual photos or short videos that share what you’re doing at the moment with your followers. When you post a new story, it appears in your followers’ home tabs as a bubble at the top of the feed and disappears automatically after 24 hours.

Since full functionality for the stories and direct messaging features can only be used on the official Instagram mobile app, you can only create Instagram polls on the app and not in a web browser at Instagram.com.

• Open the Instagram app on your iOS or Android device, and if necessary, sign in to your account or switch to the account you want to use.
• Select your Story profile picture bubble at the top of the home feed or swipe right on the screen from the home feed to access the story camera tab.
• Take a photo or record a video to create your story. Use filters, stickers, or editing effects to customize your story the way you want.
• From the story preview tab, select the sticker button at the top of the screen.
• Select the Poll sticker.
• Type a question you want to ask your followers in the Ask a question field. It can be a yes/no question (which is the poll’s default answer), or you can ask a question that involves customizing two answers (such as black/white, hot/cold, today/tomorrow, or on/off).
• To customize your two poll answers, select the Yes button and type your desired answer in the field. Do the same with the No button.
• When you’re happy with your poll, select Done in the upper-right corner.
• Your poll appears over your story. Select and hold your finger on it to drag it around the screen. Pinch two fingers on it and drag your fingers outward or inward to customize its size.
• Once you’re happy with how your poll looks on your story, select Your Story in the lower-left corner of the screen to post it to your stories, select Close Friends to share it only with your closest friends in the app, or select Send To and choose friends to send it to them.

Make a Poll in Instagram Direct Messages

Instagram direct messages are private messages you send and receive from people you follow and who follow you back. You can have direct message conversations with individuals or groups.

Open the Instagram app on your iOS or Android device, and if necessary, sign in to your account or switch to the account you want to use.

Select your Story profile picture bubble at the top of the home feed or swipe right on the screen from the home feed to access the story camera tab.

Take a photo or record a video to create your story. Use filters, stickers, or editing effects to customize your story the way you want.

From the story preview tab, select the sticker button at the top of the screen.

Select the Poll sticker.

Type a question you want to ask your followers in the Ask a question field. It can be a yes/no question (which is the poll’s default answer), or you can ask a question that involves customizing two answers (such as black/white, hot/cold, today/tomorrow, or on/off).

To customize your two poll answers, select the Yes button and type your desired answer in the field. Do the same with the No button.

When you’re happy with your poll, select Done in the upper-right corner.

Your poll appears over your story. Select and hold your finger on it to drag it around the screen. Pinch two fingers on it and drag your fingers outward or inward to customize its size.

Once you’re happy with how your poll looks on your story, select Your Story in the lower-left corner of the screen to post it to your stories, select Close Friends to share it only with your closest friends in the app, or select Send To and choose friends to send it to them.

• In the Instagram app, access your direct message inbox by selecting the messages button (which looks like a paper airplane) in the upper-right corner of the home feed.
• Select the pencil icon in the upper-right corner to start a new message and choose your recipients. Or, select an existing message to continue the conversation.
• A faster method for sending a poll as a direct message is to select the camera icon beside any existing message in your inbox. This bypasses having to open the message conversation first.
• In the new or existing message conversation, select the blue camera button in the message field at the bottom to display the camera tab.
• Take a photo or record a video for your message. Customize your photo or video message the way you want with a filter, stickers, edits, or anything else you like.
• From the photo/video message preview, select the sticker button at the top of the screen.
• Select the Poll sticker.
• Type a question you want to ask your message recipients in the Ask a question field. You can ask it as a yes/no question, or you can ask a question that has two custom answers.
• To customize your two poll answers, select the YES button and type your answer in the field. Repeat with the NO button.
• When you’re finished creating your poll, select Done in the upper-right corner.
• Your poll appears over your photo or video message. Select and hold it to drag it around the screen or pinch two fingers and drag them outward or inward to customize its size.
• When you’re finished, select Done in the upper-right corner.
• Direct messages can be replayed by default. However, you can change this to be viewed only once by selecting View Once at the bottom of the screen. If you want to keep the message in the chat indefinitely, so it never disappears, select Keep in Chat.
• If you want to allow your recipients time to think about their answer, set the message to Allow Replay or Keep in Chat.
• Select the friend’s profile picture bubble in the lower center of the screen to send your photo/video message. Or, add other recipients by selecting Send to Others and choosing people from the list to send it to them.

When to Use Story Polls vs. Direct Message Polls

Instagram offers two ways to conduct polls, but which one should you use? And when? Here are some tips:

In the Instagram app, access your direct message inbox by selecting the messages button (which looks like a paper airplane) in the upper-right corner of the home feed.

Select the pencil icon in the upper-right corner to start a new message and choose your recipients. Or, select an existing message to continue the conversation.

A faster method for sending a poll as a direct message is to select the camera icon beside any existing message in your inbox. This bypasses having to open the message conversation first.

In the new or existing message conversation, select the blue camera button in the message field at the bottom to display the camera tab.

Take a photo or record a video for your message. Customize your photo or video message the way you want with a filter, stickers, edits, or anything else you like.

From the photo/video message preview, select the sticker button at the top of the screen.

Type a question you want to ask your message recipients in the Ask a question field. You can ask it as a yes/no question, or you can ask a question that has two custom answers.

To customize your two poll answers, select the YES button and type your answer in the field. Repeat with the NO button.

When you’re finished creating your poll, select Done in the upper-right corner.

Your poll appears over your photo or video message. Select and hold it to drag it around the screen or pinch two fingers and drag them outward or inward to customize its size.

When you’re finished, select Done in the upper-right corner.

Direct messages can be replayed by default. However, you can change this to be viewed only once by selecting View Once at the bottom of the screen. If you want to keep the message in the chat indefinitely, so it never disappears, select Keep in Chat.

If you want to allow your recipients time to think about their answer, set the message to Allow Replay or Keep in Chat.

Select the friend’s profile picture bubble in the lower center of the screen to send your photo/video message. Or, add other recipients by selecting Send to Others and choosing people from the list to send it to them.

Use story polls when:

• You have a massive following that you want to keep engaged.You have a general question that can apply to everyone.You want to better understand what your followers do or don’t like about the content you post.

Use direct message polls when:

• You want to gather information from a group of friends rather than a large group of strangers.Your question is specific and only applies to certain people.You don’t want to overwhelm your followers with too much story content and risk losing followers because of it.

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day