Are you currently engaging with your customers through top social media websites – Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, or perhaps Pinterest? Is social media a main component of your overall marketing plan? If your answer is “no,” then 
perhaps you may be interested in a few astounding statistics compiled by Forrester Research. This study reveals that at least 8 in 10 online users engage in some form of social media, with North America, Europe, metro Asia, and Latin America being regular users. In fact, more than 86% of US adult online users and 79% of European adult online users engage in social media. It’s certainly no secret that social media is now a global phenomenon.
Now is the time to harness this engagement by incorporating online surveys into your social media marketing plans. Conducting online surveys can elevate your social media activities to a whole new level. Whether you conduct a one question online poll or a full online survey, conducting surveys via social media is a way to engage with your customers. Below are strategies to develop, incorporate, and promote one question online polls or online surveys into your social media marketing activities:
Listen: Monitor topics of interest to your social community. There are a variety of reasons to utilize online surveys in social media, including: conduct product market research, identify current market trends, profile customers, conduct opinion polls, and more.
Expand: By expanding your number of social network followers, you are also producing your own survey panel. Developing a strong social network of followers across different social media channels is similar to developing your own sample or survey panel. As your number of followers grows, so does your survey panel. All of your social followers are potential responders, and they all have a genuine interest in your business. With continued participation and interaction, you continue to earn their trust.
Test: Interact with your social network by sharing one-question online polls to test how your followers respond. Manage that feedback to build a plan for the design and development of future one-question polls and online surveys.
Ask: Engage with your social media followers. Ask your followers for ideas on survey topics. If you have a generic online survey (one where you have no defined target audience), ask your followers to share your online survey to their social followers.
Recognize: Recognize your followers that have shared survey topics, ideas, or suggestions, and those that have assisted by sharing your surveys with their followers. People appreciate being recognized for their contributions.
Promote: If your social followers are willing to contribute ideas and share your online survey with their followers, they are likely to share the results of your online survey. Consider offering your social followers an incentive for promoting survey results. Example: Offer an advanced review of the survey results before they are shared with the public; a free white paper; discounted or free admission to a webinar; or entry into a raffle. All options are low-cost incentives, which can add up to a big return to your followers.
