How to Create a Survey on Facebook

Getting valuable feedback from your audience doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. Facebook provides simple ways to ask your followers what they think, want, and need, using tools you already have access to. This guide will walk you through exactly how to create a survey on Facebook, from quick and easy native polls to linking out to more detailed forms for in-depth research.

Why Bother with a Facebook Survey? The Quick Payoff

Before jumping into the "how," let's quickly cover the "why." What's in it for you? Running a quick poll or survey on your Facebook Page can deliver surprisingly powerful results for your brand or business.

• Instant Market Research: Test new product ideas, a new logo design, or content topics before investing significant time and money. For example, a bakery could ask, "Which new croissant flavor should we sell next week: Matcha or Ube?"
• Audience Understanding: Learn more about your followers’ preferences, challenges, and buying habits. A personal trainer could ask, "What's the biggest barrier stopping you from working out: Time, Motivation, or Cost?"
• Hyper-Engaging Content: Polls are inherently interactive. People love to share their opinions and see how their choices compare to others, which boosts your post's engagement rates significantly.
• Driving Sales: Guide your audience toward a product. An online clothing store might run a poll saying, "Help us choose! Which accessory should we style with our new summer dress: The Woven Tote Bag or The Beaded Clutch?" Then they can follow up with a post linking directly to the dress and the winning accessory.

Method 1: The Fast and Easy Facebook Poll Feature

For quick feedback and maximum engagement, nothing beats Facebook's built-in poll feature. It’s perfect for simple, multiple-choice questions you can ask directly within a post, a Group, or a Story. Engagement is usually high because it takes users just one click to participate - no need to leave the app.

How to Create a Poll in a Facebook Post on Your Page

This is the most common way to create a survey on Facebook. It's built right into the composer window where you create posts.

1. Navigate to your Facebook Business Page.
2. Go to the "Create post" box at the top of your feed.
3. Click the three dots "..." to expand the menu of options.
4. Select "Poll" from the list.
5. Type your question in the text box labeled "Ask something..."
6. Fill in the fields for "Option 1" and "Option 2." You can add more options by clicking "+ Add Option."
7. Set the duration for your poll using the "1 week" dropdown. You can choose from 1 day, 1 week, custom, or never. For most A/B test style questions, a 1-day or 3-day window is perfect for creating urgency.
8. Once you're ready, click "Post."

Pro Tip: Pair your poll with a relevant and eye-catching image to make it stand out even more in the crowded feed. While Facebook doesn't allow images directly in the options anymore for Pages, you can add one to the main post body to grab attention.

How to Create a Poll in a Facebook Group

Polling your community in a dedicated Facebook Group can yield incredibly honest and targeted feedback. The process is almost identical to posting on a Page.

1. Go to the Facebook Group where you are a member or admin.
2. Click into the "What's on your mind?" post composer.
3. Click the three dots "..." and select "Poll."
4. Write your question and add your options. Group polls offer some unique features:
   • Allow members to add options: This can be great for brainstorming but can also derail your poll if not monitored. Use it strategically.
   • Allow multiple selections: This is useful if you want members to choose all applicable answers (e.g., "Which of these social media platforms do you use daily?").
5. Click "Post" to share it with the group.

This is how to create a poll in a Facebook Group.

How to Create a Poll in a Facebook Story

Stories provide a more casual and immediate way to interact with your most engaged followers. The poll sticker is one of the most popular interactive features for a reason.

1. Tap "Create Story" on your Facebook home screen or Page.
2. Upload a photo or video, or create a simple background.
3. Tap the sticker icon (a smiley face square) at the top of the screen.
4. Select the "POLL" sticker.
5. Type your question and customize the "YES" / "NO" options. You can change them to be anything you want (e.g., "Vanilla" / "Chocolate" or "Option A" / "Option B").
6. Place the sticker anywhere on your Story, resize it, and share it.

This is how to create a poll in a Facebook Story. Viewers can vote with a single tap, and you'll see the results in real time as they come in. It’s perfect for quick "this or that" type questions.

Method 2: Going In-Depth with Third-Party Survey Tools

Facebook's native poll is fantastic for simple questions, but it has limitations. You can only ask a single multiple-choice question, can't collect demographics, and have very basic analytics. When you need deeper insights, you'll need an external tool like Google Forms, SurveyMonkey, or Typeform.

These tools let you ask different types of questions (short answer, paragraph, scale ratings), add branding, and analyze the data more effectively. The strategy is to create the survey on one of these platforms and then use Facebook as a powerful distribution channel to get responses.

Step-by-Step Guide to Sharing an External Survey on Facebook

First, Build Your Survey

Using a tool like Google Forms (which is free!), build out your survey. Here are a few quick tips for making a survey people will actually complete:

• Keep it focused: Don't try to ask about everything at once. Stick to one topic per survey.
• Start with easy questions: Begin with simple multiple-choice questions before moving to open-ended ones.
• Respect their time: Let people know how long it will take to complete (e.g., "This quick 3-minute survey..."). The shorter, the better. A good rule of thumb is 5-10 questions max.
• Make most questions optional: Required questions can cause people to abandon the survey. Only make a question mandatory if you absolutely need the answer.

Next, Craft the Perfect Facebook Post to Share Your Link

Simply dropping a link with "Please take my survey" won't get you far. You need to sell it.

1. Write a compelling caption: Explain why you need their feedback and what you'll do with it. People are more willing to help if they understand the impact. For example: "We're planning our content for the next three months and want to make sure we're creating what YOU want to see. Help shape our direction by taking this 2-minute survey!"
2. Use a great visual: Create a simple but bold graphic that says something like "Your Opinion Matters!" or "Got 2 Minutes? Take Our Survey!" A link preview alone is boring, an image or a short video of you speaking will stop the scroll.
3. Shorten the URL: Use a tool like Bitly to shorten your long survey link. It looks cleaner and is more trustworthy.
4. Offer an incentive (optional but effective): If you can, offer a reason for people to complete the survey. This could be a 10% discount code, a free digital download, or entry into a drawing for a gift card. The right incentive can drastically increase your response rate.

Finally, Promote Your Survey Post

Once your post is live, don't just let it sit there.

• Pin the Post: Pin the survey post to the top of your Facebook Page so it's the first thing new visitors see.
• Promote in Stories: Share the post to your Facebook Story with a "New Post" sticker or a direct link sticker if you have access.
• Cross-Promote in Groups: Share the link in relevant communities or your own Facebook Group (always check the group rules first).
• Use Facebook Ads: For truly targeted feedback from a specific demographic, you can run an ad campaign with the "Traffic" objective to send people to your survey link. You can target by age, location, interests, and more, making it perfect for hyper-specific market research.

Alternative Ways to "Survey" Your Audience Through Content

Sometimes the best feedback doesn't come from a formal survey at all. You can use everyday content formats to gather opinions and spark conversations.

• Open-Ended Questions: Simply ask a question in a text or image post. A coffee shop could ask, "What’s your go-to coffee order on a Monday morning?" The comments are a goldmine of qualitative data.
• Fill-in-the-Blank: Posts like "My biggest marketing struggle in 2024 is ___________" invite instant, concise responses in the comments.
• This or That Images: Create a graphic with two products, styles, or ideas side-by-side and ask your audience to comment with their pick. It works because it simplifies the choice and feels like a game.

The goal of all these methods is the same: start a conversation and listen. The more you show your audience that you value their opinion, the more willing they will be to be a co-creator in your brand's journey.

Final Thoughts

Creating surveys on Facebook is a simple yet powerful way to connect with your community, gather feedback, and create content that truly resonates. Whether you're using a quick in-app poll for immediate engagement or sharing a detailed third-party form for deep insights, the key is to ask good questions and make it easy for your audience to respond.

And of course, creating and sharing these survey posts is half the battle, scheduling and analyzing their performance is the other half. This is where we built Postbase to streamline the whole process for you. Using our visual calendar, you can plan and schedule your polls, question posts, and survey links across all your social platforms, making sure they fit perfectly into your content strategy and go live at the exact right moment to maximize responses.