Instagram Stories were already an appealing way to get attention, and the addition of Interactive Sticker Polls adds a fun way to inspire, engage, and learn from your audience.
Part of their appeal is immediacy; they disappear in 24 hours. Users know they have limited time to view and respond.
You can add a Sticker Poll to a text post, graphics or video, and ask your audience to choose from two options. The default poll answers are “YES” and “NO,” but you can change the solutions to suit your poll as long as you keep it to 27 characters or less.
When your fans vote, you’ll get notified. When you swipe up on your poll, you’ll see detailed results: the current number of votes for each option, with a breakdown of who voted and how. After voting, your fans will see which option is in the lead, and they can come back to see how voting is going any time as long as the story is active.
In 24 hours, your story disappears, and so does your poll and the results. Plan carefully to launch your vote at a time when it will be convenient to check the next day.
Why Care About Instagram Marketing?
While Facebook is still the biggest social media powerhouse, eMarketer reports that Instagram is growing fast, especially among young people. By 2019, there will be an estimated 48.2 million millennial Instagram users in the US alone.
“By 2019, there will be an estimated 48.2 million millennial Instagram users in the US alone.”
This could be the ground floor of a massive social media expansion, and creative early adopters are most likely to cash in on the 4 billion dollar market.
Ready to get started? Great, let’s do it!
10 Instagram Poll Marketing Ideas
Now that you know how sticker polls work and why you should use them, you’ll need a strategy.
Random questions are unhelpful. Every question you ask should have a purpose, and some will answer more than others. However, the amount of information and insight you can gather from a simple two-option quiz can be invaluable — if you do it right.
1.) Flesh out personas
How well do you know your customers? Far too many buyer personas are based on standard demographics.
Understanding your audiences’ personal preferences might prove more informative than knowing age and gender. Try using pop references to find out if your fans are more attached to Taylor Swift or Rihanna, or whether they would rather see Thor: Ragnarok or Jigsaw.
2.) Identify your biggest fans and influencers
Make a note of people who vote; they are your most engaged fans. Do a little homework to find out what they care about, and connect with them on a personal level. It often only takes a little nudge to turn a fan into an influencer. Return the attention by reciprocating with comments, mentions, likes, and shares of their content. You’ll be able to leverage their audience and extend your reach!
3.) A/B Test
Updating your logo or redesigning your website? Simple A/B testing can help you find the look with the highest appeal to your fans. Test everything from competing designs to font choices to color combos. You can even test titles, email subject lines, or product names! (just make them part of the graphic)
4.) Fish for Ideas
Your fans are endlessly creative. Ask for ideas, then use a sticker poll to narrow down the best. Be warned, though, without guidelines or an override, you’re going to wind up naming something “Trainy McTrainface.”
The internet is going to choose whatever option they find most funny unless it comes to food. Internet users take their food seriously. Which is why we’re getting Lay’s Crispy Taco chips, and not Toothpaste and Orange Juice flavor.
5.) Showcase New Products
When you introduce a new product, use an Instagram Sticker Poll to show it off in an engaging manner.
If you’re a clothing retailer and you want to introduce a little black dress, for example, you may choose to dress it up with a sparkly jacket and flashy earrings for the evening or dress it down with flats and colorful accessories for day wear. The answer will tell you how to advertise the dress for the best response.
6.) Have Some Fun
Show your personality by telling your audience something fun about your business and asking them to vote for what you’ll subject your workers to next:
- Should we wear pajamas or Black-tie formal wear on the last Friday of this month?
- We’re buying lunch; should we bring in a BBQ feast or a Chinese buffet?
- Pick the most annoying playlist for tomorrow: 70s disco or Freddie Fender songs from the 60s? (you can turn it down low)
7.) Propose a Contest
Build excitement for your contest by “leaking” details before you launch. Use Instagram Stories to post the details of an upcoming contest, and ask your followers what prize they would most like to win. You’ll be able to gauge interest and pick the most potent reward.
8.) Ask for Feedback
Nervous about how you look on video, or whether you come across as too aggressive, too sales-y, or too laid-back? Ask your audience! Other questions you can ask include:
- How often should I post or create videos?
- What should I blog about next?
- Would you prefer to learn about this or that?
9.) Connect at Events
Attending a big convention or conference? Let your audience know and ask who’s going. Since you can see how they answered, you can may a list of followers to connect with in person. Make a note. Be sure to add the conference hashtag to your Instagram Story so other attendees will be more likely to see it.
10.) Live-post Events
While you’re at the event, use sticker polls much like live-tweeting: gather insight about what other attendees find most interesting, what they’re most excited about, and what knowledge they find most valuable. Instagram Story Sticker Polls is a great tool addition to your marketing strategy. It’s engaging and interactive by nature, and most brands have yet to discover their appeal.
When posting on any social media, be consistent. And by all means, be interesting! Ask questions that engage and intrigue, and give you audience insights for even more informed marketing.