Facebook Questions first launched in 2010 as a Quora wannabe before shifting into lighter-weight polls, but Facebook shut down the feature in 2012. Apparently it was just ahead of its time, as Facebook went poll-crazy this year, adding them to Instagram Stories and Messenger group chat, as well as buying hit teen anonymous polling app tbh. Plus, it’s had bare-bones multiple-choice text polls for Facebook Pages for years.
Now the social network is officially launching Facebook Polls, with the added options of using photos or GIFs as answers. Polls are coming to people and Pages on iOS, Android and desktop today.
Facebook’s been testing these new Polls since at least September, but now everyone will have access. You just open the status composer on your profile or Page, select Polls, write your question and two answers, optionally upload images or choose from a library of GIFs, attach links to answers if you want, choose an expiration date for your polls, post and then you and everyone who votes can see the results. Beware, the answers aren’t anonymous and aren’t only visible to a poll’s creator.
Facebook Polls will provide an easy way to spur conversation, gather opinions or organize plans. You could ask which TV show is better using GIFs of the programs, find out which of your outfits friends prefer or figure out which movie your pals want to go see tonight. Polls could make interactive social media simple. Instead of just Liking like a zombie or struggling to come up with a comment, friends and Pages can let you express a specific opinion with just a click.