How to Do a Survey on a Facebook Business Page

Want to know what your audience really thinks, what products they’d love to see next, or which of your content ideas resonate most? Running a survey on your Facebook Business Page is a powerful way to get direct answers and gather invaluable feedback. This guide walks you through the best methods available today, from simple, in-feed polls for quick engagement to linking external tools for more detailed research.

Why Bother Running a Survey on Your Page?

Before jumping into the "how," it's helpful to remember the "why." Surveys aren't just for big corporations with research departments, they're a practical tool for any brand looking to connect with its audience. A well-designed survey can help you:

• Gather Feedback on Products/Services: Find out what customers love, what they wish you’d change, and what problems you could solve for them.
• Validate New Ideas: Thinking about launching a new product, flavor, or service? Ask a few strategic questions to see if there's real interest before you invest time and money.
• Source Content Ideas: Stuck in a content rut? Ask your audience what they want to learn about. You might be surprised by the topics that surface.
• Increase Audience Engagement: People love giving their opinions. A short, fun poll can be one of the most engaging pieces of content you post, boosting your overall reach and visibility.
• Understand Your Customer Demographics: Learn more about who your followers are, what their interests are, and how they use your products.

In short, surveys close the gap between guessing what your audience wants and knowing what they want. They turn your page from a one-way broadcast channel into a two-way conversation.

Method 1: Using Facebook’s Built-in Poll Feature

If you need quick feedback on a simple question, Facebook’s native Poll feature is your best friend. It’s built directly into the platform, making it incredibly easy for users to respond with a single tap. While it's no longer a standalone "Survey" feature for Pages like it once was, you can still create effective polls within posts and Stories.

Creating a Poll in a Facebook Page Post

This is the classic, straightforward way to ask a question right in your Page’s feed. It’s perfect for simple A-or-B type questions.

1. On your Facebook Business Page, navigate to the “Create post” box.
2. Click the three dots (...) to see all the post options.
3. Select “Poll” from the menu.
4. Type your question in the main text area where it says, “Ask something…”
5. Enter your poll options into the “Option 1” and “Option 2” fields. You can add more options by clicking “Add Option.”
6. Below the options, set the duration for your poll - you can choose 1 day, 1 week, or set a custom end date.
7. When you’re ready, click “Post.” The poll will appear in your Page’s feed for your audience to vote on.

Creating a Poll in a Facebook Story

For more informal, in-the-moment feedback, a Facebook Story poll is ideal. Stories feel more personal, and an interactive sticker can generate tons of engagement from your most loyal followers.

1. Tap the “Create Story” button on your Business Page.
2. Add a photo or a video as the background for your poll.
3. Tap the sticker icon at the top of the screen (it looks like a little square with a smiley face).
4. Select the “POLL” sticker from the menu.
5. Type your question and customize the two responses (e.g., “Yes” and “No,” or two different choices).
6. Position the poll sticker wherever you like on your Story, resize it, and share it.

Users can tap their choice, and you can see the results in real-time by viewing your own Story and tapping on the viewer count at the bottom left.

Best Practices for Facebook Polls

• Keep It Simple: Polls work best for asking a single, clear question with just a few distinct answers. "Which logo do you prefer?" or "What topic should our next blog be about?" are perfect examples.
• Use Strong Visuals: If creating a poll in a regular post, add a compelling photo or branded graphic to grab attention in the feed. For stories, a dynamic video or quality image makes the poll more engaging.
• Make it Fun: Frame your question in a lighthearted, conversational way. Instead of "Indicate your preference," try "Help us choose!"
• Set a Clear Deadline: Using the built-in poll duration creates a sense of urgency and lets people know when they can expect to see the results.

Method 2: Linking to an External Survey Tool

When you need more than just one or two questions, or you require different question types (like open-ended text boxes, rating scales, or multiple choice), it's time to use an external survey tool. Platforms like Google Forms, SurveyMonkey, and Typeform give you the full power of a dedicated survey while letting you use Facebook as your primary distribution channel.

Step 1: Choose and Build Your Survey

The first step is picking a platform and designing your survey. Each has its strengths:

• Google Forms: Completely free and very easy to use. It's a great choice for gathering straightforward data without needing complex features. Results are dumped neatly into a Google Sheet.
• SurveyMonkey: Offers more advanced features like question branching (where the next question depends on a previous answer), analytics, and customization, though many of these are on paid plans.
• Typeform: Known for its beautiful, conversational interface that shows one question at a time. It's highly engaging for users and perfect for brand-focused surveys.

When building your survey, remember to keep your audience in mind. Keep it mobile-friendly, write clear questions, and don't make it too long. Nobody wants to spend 20 minutes on a surprise research project while scrolling Facebook.

Step 2: Craft a Compelling Facebook Post

Once your survey is ready, you’ll get a shareable link. Your next task is to create a Facebook post that makes people want to click it. Don't just dump the link and hope for the best. A great survey post typically includes:

• A Clear Call to Action (CTA): Literally tell people what to do. "Take our 2-minute survey!" or "Share your feedback here."
• The "Why": Why should someone give you their time? Explain what the survey is for. For example, "Your feedback will help us design a brand new t-shirt!" or "Help us improve our content by answering 3 quick questions."
• Time Commitment: Be upfront about how long it will take. If it’s short, say so: "It only takes 2 minutes!" This significantly increases the click-through rate.
• An Incentive (Optional but Effective): Offering a small reward, like a 10% discount code upon completion or entry into a prize drawing, can dramatically increase response rates.
• An Eye-Catching Visual: Use a high-quality, relevant image, graphic, or short video to make your post stand out in the crowded feed.

Step 3: Promote for Maximum Reach

Just posting isn't enough. To get the best results, you need to promote your survey.

• Pin the Post: Pin your survey post to the top of your Facebook Page. This ensures that it's the first thing visitors see.
• Reshare It: People miss things. It's okay to share the link more than once over a week, perhaps with slightly different text or visuals.
• Share in Stories: Use the "Link Sticker" in a Facebook Story to drive traffic directly to your survey.
• Consider Boosted Posts: If the data is valuable enough, put a small budget (even $10-$20) behind your post to reach a wider portion of your followers or a targeted demographic.

Method 3: The "DIY" Engagement-Based Survey

Sometimes, the goal isn't scientific data - it's pure engagement. This highly effective "DIY" method uses Facebook’s native Reactions or comments section to poll your audience in a fun, low-friction way.

How it Works

You simply create a post with a question and assign an answer to each emoji Reaction. It might look something like this:

“We're debating our next online workshop topic! Which would you be most interested in?

❤️ = Social Media for Beginners
👍 = Advanced Video Content Tips
😂 = How to Write Engaging Captions"

You can do the same thing with comments: "Let us know in the comments: Are you Team A or Team B?"

Pros and Cons

The main advantage of this method is its ability to drive huge engagement. The Facebook algorithm loves posts that get lots of reactions and comments, so these types of posts often achieve very high organic reach. It’s incredibly easy for people to participate - they just tap an icon they were going to use anyway.

The downside? It's not scientific at all. A follower might hit the "love" reaction just because they like your brand, not because they are voting for that option. It's also harder to tally the results accurately, and you're limited to very simple choices. This method is best used for fun, low-stakes questions designed to spark conversation, not for making a critical business decision.

Final Thoughts

Running a survey on your Facebook Business Page is a fantastic way to learn from your audience, validate a new direction, and grow your community. Whether you use a quick in-feed poll for instant feedback, a detailed external survey for deep insights, or a fun Reaction-based post to boost engagement, the key is choosing the right method for your specific goal.

Of course, creating and posting your survey is only half the battle. You have to make sure it gets seen and then manage the valuable conversation that follows. We use Postbase to schedule our survey posts for the exact times when our audience is most active. More importantly, our unified inbox lets us see and reply to every single comment and DM in one place, which helps turn simple survey feedback into a meaningful customer conversation without having to constantly switch between apps.