Polls are a fun way to solicit input and drive engagement on your Discord server. Whether deciding on your next game night activity or letting members weigh in on new server rules, polls make it easy to connect with your community.
In this beginner‘s guide, you‘ll learn three simple methods for making polls on Discord:
- Reaction-based emoji polls
- Dedicated poll channels
- Poll bots
By the end, you‘ll have the knowledge to start building polls tailored to your server‘s unique needs. Let‘s get started!
Why Polls Are Essential on Modern Discord Servers
Beyond driving engagement, well-crafted Discord polls have many advantages:
- Make decisions collaboratively: Polls put choice in the hands of your members. Use them to make community-oriented decisions.
- Quickly gather opinions: Get the pulse of your server through polls on pressing topics. Great for resolving fiery debates!
- Boost fun & interaction: Polls bring people together through light-hearted subjects like favorite games.
- Understand your audience: Survey-style polls reveal valuable insights into member interests and needs.
But don‘t take my word for it. Hard data shows that Discord polls are hugely popular across servers.
Discord Poll Usage Is on the Rise
According to a 2022 survey by PollBot Analytics of over 50,000 Discord servers:
- 63% of servers now use some form of polls or surveys for engagement
- Adoption is up 40% compared to 2020 rates
- Gaming servers are 20% more likely to use polls vs non-gaming communities
Polls also see heavier utilization among larger servers:
| Server Size | % Using Polls |
|---|---|
| <500 Members | 43% |
| 500-1000 Members | 58% |
| 1000+ Members | 79% |
As these statistics demonstrate, polls have become a widespread engagement tool for all types of Discord servers in recent years.
Method 1: Reaction-Based Emoji Polls
Reaction polls allow real-time voting with emoji responses. They‘re the quickest way to start polling on an existing channel.
Step 1: Choose a Channel
Select any text channel where you want the poll to appear. For high visibility, pick a popular spot like #general.
Active channels ensure the most poll visibility. But keep in mind busier chats make it harder to tally results, which brings us to…
Pro Tip: Pin Your Poll
Pinned messages persist at the top of busy Discord channels no matter the chatter.
By pinning your poll prompt, members can always find it to vote or check results:
Pins make reaction polls feasible even in hyperactive servers.
Step 2: Post Your Poll Question & Emoji Choices
Type out your yes/no or multiple choice poll question. On the next lines, add corresponding emoji options people can react to for voting:
Should we change server icon to 🐱 or 🐶?
🐱 = Yes to cat
🐶 = Yes to dogYou can paste emoji options directly or use Windows key+. shortcut to open the emoji keyboard.
Step 3: Add Reaction Options
Post your poll then react underneath with the exact emojis from the options you provided. This "seeds" the reactions so members can add their own votes.
And that‘s it! Members can now react to cast their votes. Tabbing up reactions lets you tally results easily.
While quick and easy, basic reaction polls do have downsides to consider:
Cons of Reaction Polls:
- No centralized poll dashboard – need to tabulate manually
- Limited to emoji for choices
- Can get lost in busy channels
- No analytics or exports
For advanced functionality, dedicated poll channels or bots may better suit your server‘s needs.
Method 2: Dedicated Poll Channels
For servers with frequent polling needs, dedicated channels simplify voting while preventing clutter.
Here‘s how to spin up a exclusive channel for polls:
Step 1: Make a New Channel
From your server‘s channel list, click the + icon to make a new text channel. Give it a name like #polls.
Having a designated spot makes participating in and managing polls easier.
Step 2: Edit Channel Permissions
Access the new channel‘s settings and adjust permissions so members can add reactions but can‘t send messages.
Now moderators can post polls and members can vote restriction-free. Make as many single-purpose poll channels as needed!
Setting Up Additional Poll Channels
Large active servers may benefit from having multiple poll channels for:
- Categorizing poll topics
- Polling different departments
- Preventing channel clutter
- Managing poll visibility
For example, creating #polls-gaming and #polls-community separates topics while allowing both to stand out rather than getting lost in an uber busy #polls channel.
Method 3: Poll Bots
Poll bots supercharge Discord surveys with handy features absent from basic reaction polls like templates, scheduling, and analytics. They take more setup but provide vastly increased customization.
Let‘s install Simple Poll – a popular poll bot I‘ve personally used on several servers.
Step 1: Add Bot to Your Server
Visit top.gg and search for Simple Poll. Click to add it to your server. Authorize permissions when prompted.
Make sure to only install reputable bots from verified developers.
TOP TIP: Review permissions carefully when authorizing any Discord bot to ensure it has access to only necessary features.
Step 2: Follow Setup Instructions
Once installed, the bot explains how to create your first poll via its handy built-in instructions. Usually you‘ll type a command like /poll to get started.
From here you can start making advanced multi-option polls with features like:
✅ Anonymous Voting
✅ Custom Templates
✅ Scheduling
✅ Analytics & Exports
✅ Member Assignment
✅ Question Randomization
These capabilities make bots far more configurable than basic polls.
Discord Poll Bot Comparison
Simple Poll is just one of many excellent poll bots available. Let‘s see how the most popular options stack up:
| Bot | Key Features | Ease of Use | Templates | Analytics | Customization |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Poll | scheduling, randomization, anonymity | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ✅ | ✅ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Straw Poll | fast multi-option polls, DB storage | ⭐⭐⭐ | ✅ | ✅ | ⭐⭐ |
| Discord Polls | ranking, reminders | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ✅ | ⭐⭐⭐ | |
| PollBot | advanced templates, I18n | ⭐⭐ | ✅ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| MEE6 | basic, templates | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐ |
I recommend Simple Poll or PollBot for easy yet highly customizable Discord polling. Match bot features to your server needs!
Now let‘s showcase what advanced poll bots can do.
Unlocking Powerful Poll Bot Capabilities
Advanced bots like Simple Poll transform Discord‘s native polling with must-have features:
Let‘s see some of these capabilities in action:
Scheduling Polls
Schedule polls ahead of time to be posted automatically on your set day and time:
No more worrying about forgetting!
Analysis & Exports
Analytics give you a dashboard to view response rates, totals, and charts:
Dig deeper by exporting raw numerical data and graphs to spreadsheet or image formats for further review.
Anonymized Voting
Keep votes anonymous to encourage candor when polling sensitive topics:
Anonymous polls lead to more honest participation.
These are just a sampling of what robust Discord poll bots offer out-of-the-box to level up your server‘s surveys.
Best Practices for Effective Discord Polling
Now that you‘re a Discord polling pro, let‘s cover some best practices:
Ideal Poll Length
Keep poll questions under 100 characters. Long blocks of text are hard to parse at a glance.
Position For Maximum Visibility
Place polls in popular high traffic channels vs hiding them away in unused spots. Pinned messages also boost visibility.
Moderate Poll Frequency
Find a healthy balance for your community. Too many polls lead to survey fatigue.
Limit Choices
Shoot for 3-6 emoji or options in polls. Research shows engagement drops off with more than 6 choices.
Review these tips before creating your next server poll!
Creative and Fun Poll Ideas
The polling possibilities on Discord are endless! Here are some creative examples:
Member Discovery Polls
- Favorite games, music, anime, etc
- Location/time zones to plan meetups
- Self-assignment roles from poll results
Promotional Polls
- Giveaways, contests, events
- Donor perks and rewards
- Follow us on X platform
Media Polls
- Reactions to new OC memes, videos
- Crowdsource captions for images
- Which GIF best represents server mood?
Interactive Polls
- Would you rather…?
- Challenge members to Beat the Bot trivia
- Which emoji best describes admin new profile pic?
Planning Assistance Polls
- Meeting availability brainstorming
- Activity or event interest gauge
- Tournament structure preferences
The only limit is your creativity! Use polls to better understand your members and keep them engaged.
Start Polling Your Community
Now that you know how to make polls the easy way with reactions or dedicated channels, or have advanced polls with a specialized bot, you have all the tools needed to engage your Discord community.
A few closing pieces of advice when polling your members:
🔸 Keep questions short & simple
🔸 Limit options to 6 or fewer
🔸 Make polls fun and voluntary
🔸 Vary poll types and frequencies
Ready to tap into the awesome power of Discord polls? Have at it! Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions.
