LinkedIn polls can be a great way to engage your audience and generate valuable insights. However, creating a poll is just the first step – the real impact comes from how you leverage the poll results. A well-utilized LinkedIn poll can drive conversations, strengthen relationships, and position you as an expert. In this article, we’ll explore best practices for creating and leveraging polls to maximize your reach and influence on LinkedIn.
Why Run a Poll on LinkedIn?
Here are some of the key benefits of using polls on LinkedIn:
- Gather feedback and insights from your connections
- Spark engagement and discussion around topics important to your audience
- Build relationships by incorporating your audience into content creation
- Position yourself as an expert by weighing in on industry topics
- Gain awareness and expand reach by appearing in the feeds of those who interact with the poll
- Drive traffic to your profile and other content
Polls let you quickly gauge interest, test ideas, and learn about your audience’s preferences and opinions. The interactive nature makes them stand out in the LinkedIn feed.
How to Create an Effective LinkedIn Poll
Follow these best practices when creating a LinkedIn poll:
- Keep the question succinct but intriguing – aim for maximum clarity and impact in just a few words.
- Make sure there are only 2-3 answer options. More causes confusion and reduces engagement.
- Pose a timely question relevant to your industry and audience for maximum interest.
- Consider tying the poll into trending hashtags or current events.
- Use images or charts to make your poll more eye-catching in the feed.
- Experiment with different formats like two opposing answers or multiple choice.
- Include a call-to-action inviting people to vote and share with their networks.
Best Practices for Leveraging Poll Results
Once your poll ends, focus on repurposing and optimizing the results rather than treating it as a one-off. Here are some ideas for maximizing the impact:
- Share the final poll results in a post summarizing key takeaways and insights.
- Compare how different demographics voted using LinkedIn’s analytics.
- Incorporate top feedback into your products, content strategy, or future initiatives.
- Follow up with people who had strong reactions or differing opinions.
- Turn poll results into engaging visual assets to post and share.
- Repurpose results into multiple types of content beyond just LinkedIn posts.
- Publish expanded posts covering themes or debates surfaced by the poll.
Driving further conversation and connection from a poll’s results distinguishes an occasional poll from a purposeful, integrated content strategy.
Ways to Repurpose Your Poll Content
Look beyond LinkedIn when repurposing your poll results. Consider how you can deliver the insights through other formats and channels:
- Email newsletter summarizing poll results
- Blog post or article expanding on the poll topic
- Video commentary responding to feedback
- Live chat or AMA to continue the discussion
- Webinar diving deeper into issues raised
- Social posts on Twitter, Facebook, etc using poll graphics
- Quotes or statistics pulled from write-ups for media pitches
Repurposing your poll content boosts value for your audience while showcasing your thought leadership across digital channels.
Poll Example and Results
Here is an example of a LinkedIn poll and how the results were leveraged for maximum impact:
Poll Question
What’s most important to you when attending a conference?
– Learning new industry insights
– Networking with peers
– Discovering new products/services
– Hearing from thought leaders
Poll Results
Learning new industry insights | 30% |
Networking with peers | 27% |
Discovering new products/services | 20% |
Hearing from thought leaders | 23% |
Leveraging the Poll
The poll generated over 100 votes and comments sparking a vibrant discussion. To continue the conversation, I:
- Published a post analyzing the results and key takeaways
- Shared infographics highlighting the data on Twitter and LinkedIn
- Sent a newsletter with poll results and call-to-action to upcoming conference
- Recorded a video commentary responding to feedback
- Used insights to improve our upcoming conference marketing
- Connected individually with several voters to continue dialogue
The poll ultimately provided valuable input for our events strategy while strengthening engagement across social channels.
Pitfalls to Avoid When Using Polls
While polls present fantastic opportunities, you’ll want to avoid these common mistakes:
- Asking too broad or vague of a question. Keep it concise and specific.
- Not promoting the poll enough to get sufficient responses.
- Letting poor performing polls run too long.
- Limiting poll exposure to only your own connections.
- Failing to follow up or repurpose content after it ends.
- Not thanking participants and those who shared the poll.
Polls fading into obscurity shortly after ending lack strategic impact. Maintain momentum by continually optimizing and expanding on your poll content.
Tips for Maximizing Your Poll Reach
Here are some proven ways to get your LinkedIn polls in front of more people:
- Promote polls through your personal profile, company page, and group shares
- Run sponsored content campaigns to increase poll views
- Share and retweet polls on additional social channels
- Leverage influencer marketing by partnering with relevant thought leaders
- Send poll links through email marketing and newsletters
- Outreach personally to clients and connections asking them to participate
- Offer incentives for sharing the poll through contests or giveaways
Wider reach equals more data, engagement, and impact. Avoid keeping polls contained to echo chambers by proactively broadening your audience.
Following Up with Poll Participants
Polls are a chance to strengthen relationships through personalized outreach. Consider connecting with poll participants by:
- Sending thank you messages for participating and sharing
- Asking for feedback on the poll experience itself
- Noting particular insights individuals contributed
- Following up on specific comments or suggestions
- Sharing your reflection on the overall results
- Highlighting how their input will shape future initiatives
- Inviting further dialogue through messaging or meetings
Thoughtful follow up demonstrates that poll participation makes a real difference for your business.
Keeping Your Audience in Mind
Tailor your polls and response to the interests of your target audiences. For example:
Executives
Focus polls on big picture issues and decisions. Follow up with data summaries and recommendations.
Industry Influencers
Pose controversial questions tied to current events. Continue dialogue through guest columns.
Prospective Customers
Gauge interest and needs. Connect insights to persona-focused content.
Employees
Assess company culture and internal communication. Take action on feedback.
Alumni & Students
Engage through common experiences and memories. Feature insights in newsletters.
Knowing your audience drives more meaningful poll interaction and follow up.
POLLS FOR THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Polls provide a launchpad for establishing thought leadership. By weighing in on industry issues, you showcase expertise. Follow these principles:
- Take a stand – don’t just ask generic questions.
- Provide unexpected perspectives to drive comments.
- Time polls to sync with current events or trends.
- Compare your stance to the consensus view.
- Highlight how your viewpoint is shaped by experience.
- Respond directly to feedback that challenges you.
- Produce your own insights rather than just aggregating opinions.
Thoughtful, unconventional points of view make you stand out while inviting discussion.
Integrating Polls into Larger Campaigns
For maximum impact, align polls with broader content strategies and campaigns. Potential tie-ins include:
- Survey during a webinar or event for real-time feedback
- Poll your email list to guide upcoming newsletter content
- Gather insights for an annual trends report or white paper
- Drive interest for an upcoming product launch or redesign
- Invite suggestions for your company’s year-end highlight reel
- Improve future events by learning what attendees value most
- Gauge demand to justify investment in new features or offerings
Integrated polls draw tighter connections between initiatives while multiplying engagement.
Tools to Create and Manage LinkedIn Polls
Consider leveraging tools that make poll creation and analysis easier:
LinkedIn Post Creation Tools
- Rignite – simplifies post creation with poll templates
- Sprout Social – providesLinkedIn integration and analytics
- Hootsuite – allows poll creation and monitoring within dashboard
Visual & Design Tools
- Canva – design engaging poll graphics and results
- Piktochart – easily create infographics from poll data
- Visme – transform poll results into graphics and charts
Analytics & Reporting Tools
- Google Analytics – track web traffic driven by your polls
- Buzzsumo – provides social engagement data for polls
- SurveyMonkey – conduct in-depth surveys linked to polls
Automating aspects of poll management frees you up to focus on strategy and relationships.
Conclusion
A LinkedIn poll is only as successful as the conversations and engagement it generates. While the poll results themselves provide immediate insights, the real value comes from optimizing these interactions over time. Follow our best practices for creating and repurposing polls that spark ongoing dialogue, strengthen your brand, and establish your authority. With a strategic approach, your next LinkedIn poll can produce dividends long after the votes are counted.