A woman stands with one elbow on the bar counter in a restaurant or bar. She looks down at the smartphone in her hand. She has shoulder-length brown hair and wears a cream-colored apron over an olive green collared shirt. A clipboard sits on the counter by her elbow. Behind the counter, out of focus, is another counter and several shelves filled with bottles and glasses.
Social media polls can provide insight beyond just the topic of the polling question. For example, a poll run on several sites can show you which sites your customers use the most. — Getty Images/shapecharge

For small businesses looking to deepen their connection with their audience and receive feedback from them, social media polls are a great way to start. Polls on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok can quickly and easily engage your audience by asking questions with the option to vote. Whether it's a question regarding your products or services or a more lighthearted and entertaining one to boost engagement, social media polls can yield great results for your business.

Here are eight ways social media polls can help grow your small business and connect you to your customers.

[Read more: How to Create a Poll on Your Social Media Accounts]

You can repurpose the data you gather

Once you send out a poll to your audience and get sufficient responses, you can repurpose that information as different content, such as posts, blogs, email campaigns, testimonials, or stories, which can be shared on various social media platforms. Polls are quick and easy to read, making them visually appealing to customers scrolling on their social media feeds — often leading to higher engagement.

They build real human engagement

With just a few options to choose from, polls are a quick and low-effort way for your customers to engage with your brand. Generally, the audience cannot view the results of the poll until after they place their vote. For those who are curious to know how others engaged with the poll, this can be a further draw to participate.

You can connect with your customers more naturally

Polls offer a more conversational way to show your audience that you value their opinions. Asking for customer input to guide the development of your product or service can make a customer feel as though their voice matters and that your business is working to ensure what you develop is of value to your customer base. This can strengthen your relationship with your customers and build loyalty.

They give you real-time feedback on products or services

Polls are a great way to learn about your customers’ preferences, experiences, and interests while keeping them engaged. With polls, customers have a certain amount of time to respond and have limited choices, making it simple for you to get a quick response that can help guide decisions.

For example, you could poll your community and ask what color preferences they have on a new product release. However, it’s important to implement that feedback into your products to demonstrate follow-through.

With just a few options to choose from, polls are a quick and low-effort way for your customers to engage with your brand.

They show you the platforms your target audience is using

Running a company's social media accounts takes a lot of resources, particularly for small businesses. By using polls and analyzing your audience’s engagement, you can clearly see what platforms your target audience frequents the most and dedicate more time to those platforms in particular.

For example, if a poll only has a few responses on Twitter, while the same one on TikTok receives an overwhelming amount of responses, this is a clear indication of where to focus your efforts.

They can help you decide which marketing ads would be most effective

Polls help companies easily and naturally conduct market research in a way that’s fun and interesting to their audience. By polling customers with targeted questions, companies can learn about their customers’ communication preferences to determine which marketing ads will be most effective. This can also help a company remain relevant by staying on top of trends.

[Read more: 5 New Social Media Tactics to Try in 2023]

You can boost your reach

Not only do polls allow you to engage with your customers, but you can garner responses and build brand awareness with potential prospects as well. The more views and engagement your content receives, the more likely you’ll reach a wider audience due to social media algorithms — and polls are an entertaining and personal way for consumers to engage with a company.

[Read more: 15 Live Event Polling Tools to Boost Engagement During Your Broadcast]

You can identify and solve issues

Businesses can use polls to gain a deeper understanding of their customers’ interests and what will provide them the most value. This can help them identify gaps in the market and create offerings that solve those needs, while simultaneously developing a stronger connection through audience engagement.

In addition, polls can help you understand how your customers view and use your existing products or services. They can identify issues consumers have with your product or service so you can implement that feedback and make changes to better serve your customers.

CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.

CO—is committed to helping you start, run and grow your small business. Learn more about the benefits of small business membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, here.

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