TABLE OF CONTENTS

A Step-by-step guide for creating a poll in Google Forms

Creating a poll in Google Forms is a great way to gather information and make choices with everyone on board. Let’s learn how to make one in no time.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Creating a poll in Google Forms is a great way to gather information and make choices with everyone on board. And guess what? You can make one in no time. 

The key advantage of Google Forms lies in its accessibility and collaborative nature. Anyone with a Google account can create and share polls with ease. It also facilitates real-time data collection and analysis to streamline the polling process.

In this article, I’ll explain all the necessary steps required for creating a poll in Google Forms, from setting up your form to sharing it with your audience and analyzing the responses.

Let’s get started. 

Can you use Google Forms for polling?

Yes, Google Forms is a great tool for whipping up quick and easy polls. Polling with Google Forms is free, familiar to most people with a Google account, and super user-friendly. 

However, there are a few things you should be aware of before you start using Google Form polling.

  • Limited Customization Options: While Google Forms allows you to customize colors and themes, the options are quite basic. You might find it lacks advanced design features available in other polling tools.
  • No Built-In Analytics: Google Forms provides basic summaries of responses, such as charts and graphs. However, it doesn't offer in-depth analytics. For more detailed analysis, you would need to export the data to another tool like Google Sheets or Excel.
  • Basic Question Types: The question types available in Google Forms are basic. If you need advanced question types like ranking or interactive elements, you might find Google Forms lacking.
  • Limited Integration with Other Tools: While it integrates well with other Google services, integration with third-party apps and tools is limited compared to a dedicated polling tool.

Google Forms itself isn't exactly designed for polls, so it does not have all the advanced features you see on dedicated polling sites. You will also not find any Google Form poll template by default. 

That said, it's still a convenient and easy-to-use option for basic polls. Let's jump into the steps for creating a poll in Google Forms and see exactly how it works. 

How to make a poll on Google Forms? Step-by-step guide

Now that we've established the suitability of Google Forms for polling, let's address the main question: how to make a poll on Google Forms?

Follow these steps for creating a poll in Google Forms. 

1. Open Google Forms and start fresh

First, go to Google Forms. You need to be signed in to your Google account for creating a poll in Google Forms. If you don’t have a Google account, you can create one for free. 

In the Google Forms homepage, click on the “+” button or “Blank Form” to start a new form. This will open a new, empty form where you can start creating your Google Forms poll.

Open Google Forms

2. Title your poll

At the top of your form, you’ll see “Untitled form.” Click on this text to start typing your poll title.

Your title should give people a good idea of what the poll is about. Keep it short and to the point, but make sure it captures the essence of your poll topic.

Right below the title of your form, you’ll see a space labeled “Form description.” Click on it to type in your description. 

The description can be short and sweet or more detailed, depending on your needs. You can explain the purpose of the poll, any background information, or how the responses will be used. 

Let’s say you’re creating a poll to gather feedback on a new product. Your description could be something like, “We value your opinion! Help us improve our product by sharing your thoughts in this quick poll.”

Title your poll

3. Add poll questions

Now it’s time to ask the questions that will make up your poll. Click on the “Untitled Question” field. Type in your question. You can ask anything you want to know from your audience.

Add poll questions

To the right of your question, you’ll see a drop-down menu. Click on it to see the different types of questions you can add. 

Here's where you get to decide how people will answer your poll questions. Google Forms offers two main question types that are perfect for polls:

  • Multiple Choice: This is your classic poll format, where people pick one answer from a list of options. It's ideal for questions with a definitive answer, like "Which movie genre do you enjoy most?"
  • Checkbox: This is great for questions where there's no single answer, and you need people to choose multiple options from the poll. Examples of such poll questions can be "What features are most important in a new phone?" or "Which sports do you participate in?"

different types of questions

4. Customize question options

Next, you need to provide the options people will pick from in your poll. Type in your first answer choice in place of “Option 1” below the question. 

Click "Add option" to add more options. Keep adding choices until you've covered all the possibilities.

Once you've added your answer choices, you can easily drag and drop them to rearrange the order.

Make sure your answer choices are clear, concise, and easy to understand. Avoid using confusing jargon or overly technical terms. The more specific your answer choices are, the better data you'll get from your poll.

You can also download the chrome extension, GPT for Forms, to leverage AI for generating questions and relevant answer options for your poll. 

Consider including an "Other" option by clicking on “add other” for multiple-choice questions in case someone has a unique answer that isn't listed.

Customize question options

5. Adjust question settings

If you want to make sure everyone answers a poll question, toggle on the “Required” button at the bottom right of the question. This means respondents must answer this question before submitting the form.

Adjust question settings

If your poll has multiple questions, keep clicking the "+" button on the right menu bar and repeat steps 3-4. You can easily rearrange the order of your questions by dragging and dropping them in the desired order.

Rearrange the order of your questions

6. Design your form

While not essential, customization when creating a poll in Google Forms can add a touch of personality and make it more visually appealing. 

Click the "Customize theme" button. This opens a sidebar menu with theme options where you can explore different color schemes, fonts, or background images. Pick something that reflects the theme of your poll or that you think your audience will enjoy.

Keep the background color and text easy to read. You don't want people to squint to see your questions!

Design your form

7. Let the votes roll in

Before you send out your poll, it’s a good idea to see how it looks. Click the “Eye” icon at the top to preview the form.

Once you’re happy with your poll, click the “Send” button at the top. You can send your poll via email, copy the link to share it or embed it on a website. Choose the method that works best for you.

In the “Responses” tab, you can see a summary of all the responses. Google Forms automatically gathers all the responses and presents them in a user-friendly format. 

It allows you to see how many people voted for each option, download your results as a spreadsheet, or create charts to visualize the data.

Formaloo offers a dedicated poll-maker!

Creating a poll in Google Forms is a straightforward process, but it comes with its limitations. If you're looking for an even more robust and versatile poll maker, Formaloo is an excellent alternative to Google Forms.

Formaloo offers advanced features such as real-time results, full branding customization, and 30+ question types to create engaging and interactive polls. You can also add images, videos, and GIFs to make your polls more appealing. 

Formaloo’s advanced logic and branching features allow you to tailor the poll flow based on user responses. Additionally, you can collaborate securely with your team, integrate with over 3,000 apps, and access real-time analytics with dynamic visualizations.

Start with a template, customize it to fit your needs, and engage your audience like never before. Try Formaloo's for free today.

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A Step-by-step guide for creating a poll in Google Forms