Skip to content

How to Make a Poll on Discord: A Complete Guide

Discord has rapidly become one of the top platforms for online communication, with over 150 million active monthly users as of 2022 [1]. Server owners use Discord to build online communities and foster engagement around shared interests, from gaming and fandoms to business and productivity.

One great way to spark conversation and get feedback from your Discord community is through polls. Discord has a built-in polling feature that allows basic polls to be created easily. However, power users often want more advanced poll functionality – multiple choice, custom emojis, graphs, etc.

That‘s where poll bots and external polling tools come in handy! In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore the polling options on Discord and walk through how to set up each method.

A Brief History of Polling on Discord

Let‘s start with a quick history of how polling has evolved on Discord:

  • 2015 – Discord launches with no native polling capabilities. Users have to rely on external sites and tools.

  • 2018 – Discord launches built-in /poll slash command, allowing basic single-choice polls [2].

  • 2019 – Poll bots like Simple Poll emerge, offering enhanced poll features like custom emojis and multiple choice [3].

  • 2021 – Discord tests threaded poll replies to improve discussions around poll results [4].

  • 2022 – Discord launches Message ID polls for more flexibility [5]. External polling sites continue gaining popularity.

Over the past few years, Discord has steadily improved and expanded its polling offerings based on user feedback. Third-party bots have also enabled power users to unlock more robust polling functionality within their servers.

Now let‘s dive into Discord‘s current polling options and how to use them.

Creating a Poll Using Discord‘s Built-In Polling

Discord‘s built-in /poll command is the quickest and easiest way to create a poll directly within your server‘s text channel conversations.

Here are the steps for creating a Discord built-in poll:

  1. Ensure you have the "Manage Messages" permission in your server. This allows you to create polls.

  2. Go to the channel where you want to post the poll.

  3. Type /poll followed by your poll question enclosed in double quotes (""), e.g:

  /poll "What game should we play next?"
  1. Hit enter and Discord will automatically convert your question into a poll with letter emoji reactions.

That‘s all it takes! The poll will now appear in the channel for users to vote on by adding reactions.

Benefits of built-in Discord polls:

  • Fast and easy creation without any setup. Just use the /poll command.

  • Lightweight way to get quick feedback from your server members.

  • Real-time poll results as members vote via reactions.

Limitations of built-in Discord polls:

  • Only single-choice voting – users can‘t select multiple options.

  • Limited to 9 choices since Discord only allows up to 9 reactions per message.

  • No advanced options like custom emojis, time limits, randomized options, etc.

So while Discord‘s built-in polls are handy for lightweight usage, power users will want more customization and flexibility…which is where poll bots come in!

Creating a Poll Using Poll Bots

Poll bots supercharge Discord‘s polling capabilities by providing advanced multi-choice voting, custom emojis, detailed results, time limits, and more. Let‘s walk through a poll bot setup.

Here are the steps to create a poll using Simple Poll bot:

  1. Add Simple Poll to your Discord server.

  2. Grant the bot permissions when prompted.

  3. Use the /poll command and syntax:

  /poll "Question" "Choice1" "Choice2" "Choice3"
  1. Customize options like multiple choice, time limits, etc:
  /poll "Question" "Choice1" "Choice2" Time: 5m Multiple
  1. The poll posts to your channel for users to vote!

Benefits of poll bots like Simple Poll:

  • Advanced multi-choice and single-choice polls.

  • Customizable poll duration from 5 mins to 7 days.

  • Detailed results with charts and percentages.

  • Supports anonymized voting.

  • Schedule polls ahead of time.

  • Easily export results data.

Limitations of poll bots:

  • Require bot setup and permissions.

  • Usage tied to third-party bot platform.

  • Limited to that bot platform‘s specific feature set.

So in summary, poll bots add a ton of additional functionality, but also require more initial setup compared to built-in Discord polls.

Creating a Poll Through External Tools

For maximum creative freedom in visualizing, formatting, and managing your polls, external polling tools are a great option. You create the poll outside Discord, then share it via link.

Here is an example walkthrough using Straw Poll:

  1. Visit strawpoll.me

  2. Enter your poll question and choices.

  3. Customize options like time limit, multi-choice, etc.

  4. Click "Create Poll" to generate the shareable poll link.

  5. Copy and paste the link into your Discord channel.

  6. Users click the link to open and vote on the poll.

  7. They see the real-time results instantly as votes come in.

Benefits of external polling tools:

  • Total creative freedom in poll design and branding.

  • Advanced poll analytics and dashboards.

  • Embed visual graphs and charts for results.

  • Don‘t need to rely on bots or Discord permissions.

Limitations of external tools:

  • Adds steps of creating poll outside Discord first.

  • Users have to click link to open and vote in poll.

  • Advanced paid tiers often required for best features.

So in summary, external sites provide the greatest flexibility, but add a few extra steps compared to in-app options.

Popular External Polling Tools

Some of the most popular and full-featured external polling sites include:

Key Poll Features to Look For

When evaluating external polling tools, look for these key features:

  • Custom branding and design options
  • Anonymous voting capability
  • Detailed analytics and exports
  • Multiple voting options
  • Real-time results
  • Scheduling and date limits
  • Embeddable links

Best Practices for Effective Discord Polling

Now that we‘ve covered the various poll creation options, here are some best practices to create engaging, high-quality polls and encourage participation:

  • Use polls sparingly to keep them meaningful, not overwhelming.
  • Keep poll topics tightly relevant to your server‘s purpose and current conversations.
  • Limit poll choices to 3-6 options for clarity. Avoid choice overload.
  • Consider adding a time limit to encourage participation before poll closes.
  • Give polls an eye-catching, on-brand visual design when possible.
  • Share key poll results and thanks in a follow-up announcement.
  • Consider making important polls required for Admin/Mod roles to increase engagement.
  • Analyze poll results to create new content, events, or offerings your audience will like.

When to Use Polls

The most effective polls align tightly with your server‘s goals and community. Some examples include:

  • Gauging interest for a new server idea or event.
  • Getting feedback to improve your server.
  • Letting members choose your server‘s new custom emoji.
  • Deciding on a movie for your community watch party.
  • Choosing game options for your gaming server.

Key Takeaways for Discord Polling

Here are some key takeaways as you create and manage polls for your Discord server:

  • Use Discord‘s built-in /poll for lightweight, quick polls with minimal setup.
  • Leverage poll bots like Simple Poll for advanced, customizable polls.
  • Create polls externally for maximum creative freedom and customization.
  • Craft poll questions that tie directly to your community‘s interests and goals.
  • Analyze poll data to create better engagement opportunities.
  • Thank members for participating and share key results.

With the right Discord polling strategy, you can tap into the wisdom and feedback of your community to take your server to the next level!

Tags: