Unlocking LinkedIn's Potential: How to Go Viral with Polls
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Chapter 1: The Power of Polls on Social Media
Social media polls may often seem trivial, yet they can significantly boost the visibility of your content.
Are you a job seeker, entrepreneur, content creator, or simply someone looking to gain attention? Good news—LinkedIn offers immense potential for organic reach, allowing you to go viral without any financial investment! While videos were once the trend, LinkedIn has shifted its focus to polls. Let’s explore how I garnered over half a million views from a single poll that took me just 10 minutes to create.
Section 1.1: A Brief History of Social Media Polls
Do you recall the frenzy surrounding polls on Facebook? Introduced in 2011, they quickly flooded my newsfeed. Initially engaging and humorous, they soon became repetitive and tiresome. Twitter followed suit with its polls in 2015, and Instagram introduced them in Stories in 2017. LinkedIn joined the poll party in 2020, and much like Facebook, they started to dominate our feeds. Fast forward a decade, and polls have once again become a common sight.
Subsection 1.1.1: My Relationship with Polls
For quite some time, I avoided participating in polls, driven by a stubborn inclination to resist trends. In the early days of LinkedIn, I was quite active, earning the nickname "LinkedIn guy" among peers. Back then, quality content was scarce, and I managed to accumulate nearly 10,000 followers—modest compared to LinkedIn’s top influencers.
Though my activity dwindled in recent years, I've recently committed to re-engaging with my audience. After learning that polls were favored by LinkedIn's algorithm, I decided to embrace the trend, despite my skepticism regarding the majority of polls on the platform.
Section 1.2: Crafting a Viral Poll
My first attempt at a poll was underwhelming, asking whether we would have Christmas parties or remain under restrictions, drawing only 174 votes. However, my subsequent poll skyrocketed, attracting over half a million views.
Before diving into the specifics of that poll, it’s crucial to note that its success was not solely due to it being a poll. I provided context to stimulate engagement, sharing a personal story before posing the question. Additionally, I structured the post to encourage readers to engage by implementing strategic formatting techniques.
Chapter 2: The Anatomy of a Successful Post
"Have you stopped watching the news?" I began, reflecting on my past habit of following the news closely, only to step away due to its overwhelming negativity. This sentiment resonated with many, prompting engagement. I used most of LinkedIn's character limit to maximize my message.
Within 15 hours, the post reached 275,000 views. To date, it has amassed nearly 650,000 views and garnered 20,820 votes, with 948 comments highlighting the audience's desire to engage.
The LinkedIn algorithm can be unpredictable. I've experienced fluctuations in views before, but this post was different. The analytics showed views initially rising from 486,000 to 600,000, before dropping to around 350,000 while reactions and comments continued to grow.
Discussion and Final Thoughts
There you have it—my experience with a viral poll on LinkedIn. I’ve shared tips on structuring your post to foster engagement. Interestingly, I posted this poll late in the evening, contrary to common wisdom suggesting morning posts yield better results. However, being in New Zealand, our time zone can yield different outcomes.
So, do you want to achieve viral status on LinkedIn? Consider creating a poll, but make sure to frame your post in an engaging manner. Avoid contributing to the sea of meaningless polls!
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