We all know social media can be a cesspool at times, so it’s easy to take for granted all the ways it can enhance our income. Over the years, social media and independent content platforms have evolved significantly, offering creators a chance to build a fan community with which they can interact in a variety of ways. One such avenue for hyping fans is creating an online poll to elicit feedback on upcoming content, encourage active participation and more.
As a creator, you have a unique opportunity to get inventive in generating revenue. And while this might mean putting in extra work on your SFW sites such as TikTok and Instagram, it doesn’t mean you’re giving up on creativity while doing so; think of such efforts as the PR side of being a creator. Everyone needs a little PR push and who knows your brand better than you? Now, let’s dive into the magic of using polls on social media.
Creating new content is work. If you’re going to spend that much time on a project, wouldn’t it be nice to know ahead of time whether your fans will like it?
WHY BOTHER WITH POLLING?
One of the things I love best about using social media — and one of the easiest ways to engage fans — is a poll. You can’t miss these customizable multiple-choice prompts, because they’re all over Instagram Stories, Twitter posts and even TikTok. Who doesn’t love to share their opinion, after all?
Using a poll not only encourages your fans to interact with you, but it also gives you important data in terms of how much attention your profile may be getting, based on the numbers of participants. Plus, since you have to work twice as hard to get all the various algorithms on your side these days to avoid being lost in the onslaught of other people’s posts, polls are key.
While actively posting photo, video and text content is your No. 1 goal, thoughtfully crafted polls can help you get a better idea of the kinds of fans you have. This, in turn, allows you to better tailor your content for maximum profits, solving two problems at once! Whether it’s jokey pop culture polls about favorite shows and funny questions, or more content-oriented polls, the sky’s truly the limit.
REACHING YOUR GOALS WITH POLLS
Creating the poll itself is really easy. If your preferred social media platform isn’t intuitive enough, hop on Google for a quick how-to search.
Next, you need to come up with the topic. This can be overwhelming, as there are so many ways to go, which is why I always start by asking myself: “What’s the goal of this poll?” If you can identify your goal, you are set.
I recommend starting with polls about your content. If you’re known for a specific style, but are thinking of trying something new, a poll is a great way to test the waters. Creating new content is work. If you’re going to spend that much time on a project, wouldn’t it be nice to know ahead of time whether your fans will like it?
Ask them something simple, such as “What do you want to see more of? A) Jumping on the bed naked. B) Me teasing myself. C) None of the above — I’ll leave a suggestion in the comments.” You don’t need to have more vote options per se; sometimes two or three work best. The results will let you know what your fans enjoy and if they’re open to something new, as well as how responsive they are on that particular platform.
You can even post the same poll across each social media platform you use to get an idea of what the majority of your fans enjoy, and which and which SFW platforms you should spend the most time on.
BUILDING FAN ENGAGEMENT WITH POLLS
Using the information you glean from your poll interactions, you can focus a little extra attention on the platform that needs help, if one of your polls didn’t perform as well as another. If your Twitter poll didn’t get many votes, you may choose to post a little more often on there and change up your social media strategy overall to get some more eyes on that profile.
Once you’ve tallied up the poll — many have a timer that you can set for when the final results will be counted — update your fans on what the winning vote was and what content they can expect from it. This makes fans feel like they’re a part of your process and keeps them invested in you.
You can follow up these kinds of polls with a post along the lines of, “Join my fan page to see the results of your vote!” Plus, before you get online for a live session of sexting or streaming, you can use polls to let fans know that you’re available to chat by posting, “I’ll be hopping on my premium set for some sexting and masturbation — who’s going to join me?” with poll response options such as “I’m on my way!” or “I have to do homework.”
HOW TO USE POLLS CREATIVELY
Your polls don’t just have to be about your content, either. Once you get the hang of making polls, why not add them into your regular schedule of social media posts? Be it weekly or monthly, inviting your fans to interact with you by just clicking a button is easy. Ask them if they’d want to watch you cook one week, and if they say yes, then the next week ask them what you should cook: chicken or steak. You can also use a poll to tease new content drops, like asking fans, “Who is ready to see my new bikini? A) Me! B) Me me me! I am so excited!”
Also, feel free to find out what opinions your fans have about movie villains, new TV shows or current events. Or if you’re thinking of getting a haircut, dyeing your hair, painting your nails, drawing something, etc. — poll, poll away! Fans love to chime in on your shared or differing interests and opinions. Just be sure not to get disheartened if poll results don’t go the way you expect, and keep things lighthearted as often as possible.
You don’t want to do polls all the time, but posting them a couple of times a month is easy. You can even ask your fans which platform they want to see you on next if you’re looking to branch out to a new premium site. Regardless, whenever you can encourage fan interaction, especially as easily as this, go for it. Trust me, it’s worth the time!
Megan Stokes is a co-founder of NMG Management, a content distribution and management firm. A veteran of the adult industry, she frequently collects data and shares her knowledge with those who seek her help. Visit NMGManagement.com for more information.