How to Do a Survey on Instagram

A survey is one of the fastest ways to understand what your audience is thinking, but you don't need a complicated tool to run one. Instagram gives you multiple, highly engaging ways to ask questions and gather feedback directly within the app. This guide will walk you through exactly how to do a survey on Instagram using every available tool, from simple polls to open-ended questions, along with strategies to get the most valuable insights from your followers.

Why Running a Survey on Instagram is a Smart Move

Before getting into the how-to, it’s worth understanding why this is such a powerful tactic. Instagram surveys aren't just for fun, they are a direct line to your community that can transform your content strategy, product development, and overall brand direction.

• Instant Audience Insights: Get real-time feedback on what your audience loves, what they want to see next, or their opinions on a new idea.
• Boost Engagement: Interactive elements like polls and quizzes are almost irresistible. Tapping an option is a low-effort way for followers to engage, which signals to the Instagram algorithm that your content is valuable.
• Crowdsource Content Ideas: Stuck in a content rut? Ask your audience what they want to learn about. Let them choose your next post topic, Reel theme, or product feature.
• Conduct Low-Cost Market Research: Thinking of launching a new product, service, or colorway? Use a simple poll to gauge interest before you invest significant time and money.

The 4 Best Ways to Run a Survey on Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories are the native home for interactive surveys. With a 24-hour lifespan, they create a sense of urgency that encourages immediate participation. Here are the four primary sticker types you can use to survey your audience.

1. The Classic Two-Option Survey: The Poll Sticker

The Poll Sticker is the most straightforward and popular way to run a survey on Instagram. It’s perfect for simple, binary-choice questions that give you a quick "yes/no" or "this/that" answer.

When to use it:

• Gauging preference between two options (e.g., "Blue logo or green logo?").
• Asking simple yes/no questions (e.g., "Are you interested in a workshop on this?").
• Making a fun, engaging choice (e.g., "Coffee or tea to start the day?").

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Open the Instagram app and swipe right or tap your profile picture to create a new Story.
2. Add a background by taking a photo, recording a video, or uploading one from your camera roll. You can also use the "Create" mode for a solid color background.
3. Tap the sticker icon (the square smiley face) at the top of the screen.
4. Select the "POLL" sticker from the options.
5. Type your question into the "Ask a question..." field.
6. Customize the two choices. The defaults are "YES" and "NO," but you can edit them to be anything you want (up to 24 characters each).
7. Place and resize the poll sticker anywhere you like on your Story. You can also tap the color wheel at the top to change its color scheme.
8. Share it to your Story.

Once your poll is live, you can view the results in real-time by swiping up on your Story. You'll see the percentage breakdown of votes and a list of which users voted for which option.

2. The Multi-Choice Survey: The Quiz Sticker

While designed for quizzes with a "correct" answer, the Quiz Sticker is a clever workaround for running surveys with up to four options. This gets you beyond the limitations of the two-option Poll sticker.

When to use it:

• Asking followers which topic they want you to cover next (e.g., "Which Reel idea should I make first?").
• Gathering feedback on multiple product variations or names.
• Segmenting your audience (e.g., "What's your primary business goal? A) More clients B) Higher revenue C) Better systems").

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Open the Story editor and prepare your background image or video.
2. Tap the sticker icon and select the "QUIZ" sticker.
3. Write your survey question at the top.
4. Fill in up to four possible answers in the "Option" fields.
5. You have to select one answer as the "correct" one by tapping on it (it will turn green). For a survey, just pick one at random - your audience won't know which one you chose until after they vote. Sometimes, you can make this more engaging by selecting the most popular choice after the fact and sharing the results.
6. Position the sticker and share your Story.

To see who voted for which option, just swipe up on the story. This method gives you richer data when a simple two-way choice isn't enough.

3. The Open-Ended Survey: The Question Sticker

Sometimes you need more than just a vote, you need words. The Question Sticker is your go-to for gathering qualitative feedback, ideas, suggestions, and testimonials directly from your audience.

When to use it:

• Collecting audience pain points (e.g., "What's your biggest struggle with social media marketing?").
• Asking for content requests ("What do you want to learn from me this week?").
• Gathering testimonials ("What was your biggest win after taking my course?").

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. In the Story editor, tap the sticker icon and choose the "QUESTIONS" sticker.
2. The default prompt is "Ask me a question," but you can tap the text to customize it to your survey prompt. Be specific to guide the responses. Instead of "Any questions?" try "What's the #1 thing holding you back from starting your business?"
3. Place the sticker on your Story and share it.
4. As followers respond, you can view their answers by swiping up on the Story. You can also tap on a specific response to share it publicly (anonymously or with their username, if you get permission) to a new Story.

Sharing responses is a fantastic way to show you're listening and to create a new piece of content from the feedback you've received.

4. The Sentiment Survey: The Emoji Slider

The Emoji Slider is perfect for gauging sentiment on a sliding scale. It's a quick, visual way for your audience to express their feelings about something without having to commit to a specific 'yes' or 'no'.

When to use it:

• Getting a feel for how much your audience likes a new design, photo, or idea.
• Asking about their confidence levels on a certain topic ("How confident are you with your hashtag strategy?").
• Making a simple, fun interaction ("Rate today's vibe").

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Open your Story and tap the sticker icon.
2. Select the emoji slider sticker (the one with the heart eyes emoji on a slider).
3. Write your question or prompt.
4. Tap the default emoji to choose a different one that best fits your question's mood. You have access to the full emoji library.
5. Position the sticker on your Story and share it.

When you swipe up to view the results, you'll see an average of all the responses, giving you a quick snapshot of the overall sentiment.

Actionable Strategies for Effective Instagram Surveys

Knowing how to use the stickers is just the first step. To conduct a survey that actually provides valuable insights, you need a strategy.

Start with a Clear Goal

Don't ask questions just for the sake of it. Before you even open Instagram, ask yourself: "What do I want to learn from this survey?" Your goal will determine the type of sticker you use and the question you ask.

• Goal: Decide on my next blog post topic. → Method: Use a Poll or Quiz sticker with 2-4 potential topics.
  Example: "What should I write about next? A) Time Management Tips B) Client Onboarding C) Finding Your Niche"
• Goal: Understand my audience's main challenge. → Method: Use a Question sticker to get detailed, qualitative answers.
  Example: "What's the hardest part about creating Reels consistently?"

Give Context and Prime Your Audience

People are more likely to respond if they understand why you're asking. Use the Story frame before your survey to provide some context. For example, a quick video of yourself saying, "Hey team, I'm planning next month's content calendar and want to make sure I create exactly what you need. Help me out by voting on the next slide!" This small step can dramatically increase your participation rate.

Share the Results and Close the Loop

This is the most overlooked but powerful step. After your survey is over, share the results! Let your audience know what the winning option was and thank them for participating. This does two things:

1. It builds community: It shows you're not just extracting information, you're having a conversation and value their input.
2. It trains them to participate next time: When people see that their vote actually had an impact, they are far more likely to engage with your future surveys.

More importantly, act on the data. If your audience votes for a specific Reel idea, make that Reel. If they tell you their biggest pain point, create a post that solves it. When you close the loop by delivering on what you promised, you build immense trust and loyalty.

How to Run a Survey in the Instagram Feed

While Stories are the ideal format, you can run a simple version of a survey in your Instagram feed posts or Reels. Since there are no interactive stickers here, you have to rely on the comments section.

Create a graphic or a caption with a clear question and instruct your followers how to respond. For example:

"Which design do you like better? Comment 'A' for the left one or 'B' for the right one! 👇"

While tallying the results is manual, this method can work well because feed content has a longer lifespan than a Story and can reach people who may have missed it. It's also great for encouraging comments, which is a strong engagement signal for the algorithm.

Final Thoughts

Running a survey on Instagram is one of the most direct and effective ways to engage your community, get valuable feedback, and make data-informed decisions for your brand or business. By using the Poll, Quiz, Question, and Emoji Slider stickers strategically, you can turn your Stories into an insightful research tool that strengthens your connection with your followers.

Once you gather all these amazing insights, the next step is to put them into action. We built Postbase to make that part easier. After learning what your audience wants, you can use our visual content calendar to plan and schedule all the Reels, Stories, and posts they've been asking for. It helps you take survey feedback and turn it directly into a consistent, engaging content strategy without the headache.