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How to Run Twitter Polls and Campaigns Using Buffer

Gather 'round friends, because I’ve got a story for you. Picture this: It's a sweltering July afternoon, and I'm sitting in my favorite corner coffee shop, the one with the tattered leather couches and the smell of freshly ground heaven. In my hand, a semi-warm chai latte. In my heart, a burning determination to crack the Twitter code. Our mission, should we choose to accept it, is to conquer the art of Twitter polls and campaigns using Buffer, weaving our way through characters and engagement metrics like digital wizards.

The Day We Discovered: How Polls Began​

Now, I remember the day when I first realized the power of Twitter polls. My colleague Maddie, ever the social media maven, leaned across our desk-covered island at work and said, “You know, a single poll can genuinely change the course of our strategy, right?” Of course, I was skeptical, yet intrigued. Her challenge was simple—use Buffer to run a Twitter poll, gauge public opinion, finesse it into something grander. It sounded like wizardry. (Later, we agreed it might actually just be a good workflow.)

Embracing the Setup: Let’s Get Started​

Before we dive into creating polls, we need to ensure that our Buffer account is set up. If I recall correctly, there was a slight hiccup when I, in a fog of excitable naiveté, overlooked the basic fact of connecting my Twitter account to Buffer. But don’t fret, we’ll avoid that pitfall together.

  • Sign up or Log in to Buffer: If you’re not already, subscribe to or sign into Buffer. Be the captain of your ship.

  • Link Twitter to Buffer: Click on 'Manage Social Accounts'. Then, add your Twitter handle. Pat yourself on the back for a smooth connection.

  • Create a Posting Schedule: This part is key, so let’s paint with broad strokes here to create the masterpiece of schedules—carefully, with practiced ease.

Dispatching the First Poll: Crafting Our Questions​

Remember that feeling when you’re at the top of a roller coaster? Click, click, click, you’re climbing… anticipation building. That’s what sending out your first poll feels like. Craft your question like it matters because it does.

  • Navigate to Create Post: Once inside Buffer, head to the ‘Create Post’ section.

  • Select Your Twitter Profile: Choose the digital persona you wish to speak through.

  • Formulate Your Question: This is where the magic happens. Pose something that invites curiosity – like, “What’s the best book you’ve read recently?”

  • Add Poll Options: You’ve got room for four choices. Make them snappy, make them intriguing.

  • Schedule Your Tweet: Set it live, or schedule it to blitz the screens at the optimal time, when your audience is most likely to care about our shared inquiry.

Reading the Room: Gauging Engagement and Feedback​

Maddie had this thing she would say, “A poll without feedback is just shouting into the void.” Wise words. Our task now is to listen closely to what our audience says, to their whispers and cries from the digital wilderness.

  • Monitor Responses in Buffer: This nifty tool not only schedules but also collects engagement. You can see the heartbeats of your audience.

  • Analyze Engagement: How many people voted? What were common comments? Did it spark conversation? Let’s be data-driven detectives.

  • Adjust Strategy Accordingly: Let these insights shape our next moves. If folks love discussing historical fiction, let’s dive deeper in that direction.

Mastering the Campaign: From Small Acts to Grandeur​

A single poll may seem meandering – a drop in the ocean of Twitter’s chaos – but several interconnected ones? That's where the real excitement lies. Craft a campaign by stringing together polls like pearls on a necklace.

  • Outline Your Campaign: Sketch out the story you want to tell. Will it involve a series of interconnected questions, broader themes, or unexpected revelations?

  • Utilize Buffer’s Queue Feature: Queue up your tweets. Predict and adapt the story’s arc, like a maestro conducting an audience-driven symphony.

Crafting Results into Content​

Let’s close the loop and transform those glorious poll results into share-worthy content. Think of this part as turning raw gold into jewelry.

  • Create Visual Content: Use tools like Canva or similar to make graphics of your results. Maddie always said visuals are like candy for the eye—irresistible.

  • Share Insights on Twitter: Circle back with your audience. Thank them for their participation and reveal trends and takeaways.

  • Expand Beyond One Platform: Share your findings in a blog post, an email newsletter, or even a short video series.

Reflection and Growth: Becoming Social Media Alchemists​

Looking back together on this whimsical journey, I remember that July afternoon as the starting point. Maddie and I are forever bonded not just by our accidental discoveries but by our shared triumphs. Running Twitter polls through Buffer was not just a task — it was a delightful plunge into the stream of digital discourse, human connection via character-limited conversations, and turning what seemed like wizardry into a practical workflow.

In the end, we invited curiosity and cultivated an engaged audience. There’s nothing like a thoughtfully placed question to foster connections—like casting out a net and reeling in something unexpectedly beautiful. Yes, there will be moments of chaos, but doesn’t that just add to life’s erratic tapestry?

And so my friends, armed with Buffer and a dash of curiosity, go forth—be the Poll Wizards you were born to be, and remember to enjoy the ride.