How to Use Social Media Polls to Research Market Demand

Social media polls are a simple way to learn what buyers and sellers want right now. They help you test ideas quickly, measure interest, and shape your listings, content, and campaigns. The best part is that polls are fast to create, easy to answer, and give you instant feedback from people in your local area.

In this guide you will get clear steps, practical examples, and done for you templates you can copy. Everything is designed for the property world so you can use it this week.

What you can learn with polls

Use polls to understand real market preferences. Examples include

• Price ranges that are most in demand

• Features that matter most such as a second bathroom, a home office, or a bigger yard

• Preferred selling method such as auction or private treaty

• Ideal open home days and times

• Interest in off market alerts or VIP buyer lists

• Renovation appetite and budget

• Local hot spots such as school zones, transport access, or cafes

Set a clear goal before you post

Decide the one question you want answered. Keep it simple and measurable.

• Buyer demand goal
  Example
  Which price bracket under 900 thousand has the most active buyers this month

• Seller readiness goal
  Example
  How many homeowners are planning to sell within six months

• Feature test goal
  Example
  Which upgrade would attract more buyers to a three bedroom home

Write your goal down. It will guide your poll question, options, audience, and timing.

Pick the right platform for your audience

• Facebook Page and Groups
  Best for broad local reach and community engagement. Good for families and homeowners.

• Instagram Stories and Reels stickers
  Best for quick tap answers on mobile. Great for buyers who browse listings daily.

• LinkedIn
  Best for investors and professionals. Useful for market sentiment and strategy questions.

• YouTube Community
  Helpful if you publish regular video tours and want feedback from subscribers.

Start with the platform where you already get the most engagement. You can repeat the same poll elsewhere later.

Craft winning poll questions and options

Keep questions clear and friendly. Offer two to four answer choices. Make each choice specific.

• Good question
  Which day suits you best for open homes in our suburb

• Good options
  Saturday morning
  Saturday afternoon
  Wednesday evening

• Good question
  What is your must have feature in a three bedroom home

• Good options
  Second bathroom
  Secure parking
  Level yard
  Renovated kitchen

Tips

• Use plain words and keep the reading level low

• Avoid trick questions

• Avoid yes or no when you can learn more with choices

• Add a helpful image or short clip so the poll stands out

Step by step walkthrough for each platform

Facebook Page and Groups

1. Open Facebook and go to your Page or chosen local Group.

2. Click to create a post and select Poll. If Poll is not shown, use a text post and add simple letter options such as A B C and ask people to comment their letter.

3. Write a clear question that links to your goal.

4. Add two to four answer options. Keep each option short.

5. Add a local photo to improve reach.

6. Set a poll duration such as three days.

7. Tag your suburb to reach nearby users.

8. Post during local peak times. Try 7 to 8 pm on weekdays or 9 to 10 am on Saturday.

9. Pin the poll to the top of your Page for the first day.

10. Reply to early voters with a quick thank you comment to boost visibility.

Instagram Stories

1. Open Instagram and create a Story. Use a clean background photo from your suburb.

2. Tap Stickers and choose Poll or Multiple Choice.

3. Write your question using big, easy text.

4. Add two to four choices. Keep each under 18 characters if possible.

5. Add a location sticker with your suburb.

6. Share to your Story. Also add it to Close Friends if you have a VIP buyer list.

7. Repost the results mid way to encourage more votes.

8. After 24 hours, save the Story to a Highlight named Polls or Market Pulse.

Instagram Reels with a poll sticker

1. Record a short Reel asking the question in your voice.

2. Add the Poll sticker with the same options from your Story.

3. Post with a caption that invites viewers to vote and share.

LinkedIn

1. Start a new post. Choose Create a poll.

2. Write a professional, simple question such as Which selling method has delivered you the best result in the last twelve months in our city

3. Add two to four options.

4. Set the poll to run for one week if you want office hour voters.

5. Add a one paragraph explanation so your network understands why you are asking.

6. Share the final results and your key takeaways when it ends.

YouTube Community

1. Go to your channel Community tab.

2. Create a poll asking one clear question.

3. Link a recent property video in the post text if relevant.

4. Share the poll link across your other platforms to bring in more votes.

Target the right people

To research local demand, focus on people in your service area.

• Use suburb names in the question text

• Tag the location on Instagram and Facebook

• Share the poll in local community groups that allow market conversations

• Invite recent open home attendees to vote
  Send a polite message with the poll link

If you promote the poll with a small budget, keep targeting tight by postcode and interests such as house hunting, mortgage, and home improvement.

How to turn votes into conversations

Polls do not collect personal data. To create real leads, follow up with care.

• Thank voters in the comments and invite them to message you for a suburb price update

• Add a final Story slide that says Want the full results and current sales list Message me with Results

• For Facebook Groups, post a wrap up with the outcome and a simple call to action such as Would you like the full suburb sales report this month Comment Report and I will send it

Always keep messages helpful and not pushy. Offer value first such as a custom price guide or an off market alert.

Measure success with simple numbers

Track these numbers for each poll

• Votes
  Shows participation and topic interest

• Completion rate
  Views compared to votes. Higher is better

• Comments
  Shows deeper interest. Note common themes

• Shares or reposts
  Extends reach into new networks

• Direct messages and email requests
  Shows warm intent

• New contacts added to your database
  Shows business impact

Record the numbers in a simple spreadsheet each week. After a month you will see patterns that guide your content and listing strategy.

Turn insights into action

Use your poll findings to make clear business moves.

• Adjust open home times to match the top choice

• Feature the most desired upgrades in your listing copy and hero photos

• Plan video topics that match the hottest questions

• Advise sellers on method of sale using the poll data to build confidence

• Create a VIP list for the most in demand price range and send fast alerts

Share results back to your audience. People like to see that their vote mattered.

Sample poll library you can copy

Buyer demand

• Which price range are you shopping in today
  600 to 800 thousand
  800 to 1 million
  1 to 1 point 2 million
  1 point 2 million plus

• What is your must have for your next home
  Second bathroom
  Off street parking
  Level yard
  Close to transport

Seller readiness

• Are you considering selling in the next six months
  Yes
  Maybe
  Not this year

• Which selling method do you prefer
  Auction
  Private treaty

Investor focus

• Which property type interests you most right now
  Two bedroom unit
  Three bedroom house
  Townhouse
  Duplex

Open homes

• When would you attend an open home in our suburb
  Saturday morning
  Saturday afternoon
  Wednesday evening

Content direction

• What market update would help you most this week
  New listings
  Recent sales
  Rental trends
  Suburb price guide

Step by step workflow for a full week test

Day 1 Plan

1. Choose one buyer poll and one seller poll from the library.

2. Write the exact questions and options in a note.

3. Pick the platforms you will use. Start with Instagram Stories and your Facebook Page.

4. Set simple targets such as fifty votes and five direct messages.

Day 2 Create

1. Design two Story slides in Canva. One slide with the question. One slide for the results later.

2. Prepare your Facebook post text and a local photo.

3. Time your posts for the evening peak.

Day 3 Launch

1. Publish the Instagram Story poll in the morning and again in the evening for different audiences.

2. Post the Facebook poll and pin it for twenty four hours.

3. Share the Story to your Close Friends or VIP buyer list.

Day 4 Boost and engage

1. Add five to ten dollars to boost the Facebook poll to local postcodes.

2. Reply to comments and thank voters by name.

3. Invite anyone who comments to message you for a suburb report.

Day 5 Share early results

1. Post a Story showing the live results with a sticker that says Vote now before it closes.

2. In the Facebook comments, add a reminder that the poll closes tonight.

Day 6 Announce results

1. Publish a simple graphic with the winning options.

2. Add your one or two sentence insight. Example
   Saturday morning wins for open homes so we will add more morning times from next week.

3. Offer a clear next step such as Join the VIP list for new listings under 900 thousand.

Day 7 Review and record

1. Enter your numbers in the spreadsheet.

2. List three insights and one action you will take next week.

3. Save the best performing poll to your Highlights so new followers can see it.

Repeat the cycle with a new topic next week.

Simple scripts to invite responses

Use these in captions, Stories, and comments

• Your vote helps us plan better open home times for you. Tap to vote now

• Quick poll today. Which upgrade adds more value in our suburb

• We are planning next week’s market update. Tell us which topic you want and get the results first

• Thanks for voting. Would you like the full suburb report Message me with Report and I will send it today

Tips for better quality data

• One question per poll so answers stay clear

• Keep options mutually exclusive

• Use neutral wording to avoid bias

• Post the same poll twice at different times to reach more people

• Combine polls with a short quiz once a month for deeper insights

• If a topic underperforms, try a new image and simpler wording next time

Privacy and professionalism

Keep polls general and do not ask for personal information inside the poll. If someone offers their details, move the conversation to a private message and handle their information with care. Include a friendly note such as I will only use your details to send the report you asked for. You can opt out at any time.

Your next three actions

• Choose one goal such as finding the most popular open home time in your suburb

• Post the matching poll on Instagram Stories and your Facebook Page tonight

• Share the results and take one action based on what the market told you

Polls give you a real time window into demand. When you listen and act, your listings, your marketing, and your client conversations all become more relevant. Start with one poll this week and turn the answers into your next winning move.

Author Ken Hobson
ken@agentslibrary.com.au