How to Add Interactive Polls in Sync

Polls transform passive audiences into active participants. Instead of wondering what your audience thinks, you can see their opinions in real-time—and they can see that their voice matters.

Whether you're gauging opinions before diving into a topic, checking understanding after explaining a concept, or making group decisions democratically, polls are one of the most powerful tools in your presentation toolkit.

This guide walks you through adding polls to your Sync presentations, from basic setup to advanced techniques that maximize engagement.

Why use polls in presentations?

Before we dive into the how, let's quickly cover the why. Polls serve multiple purposes:

Engagement: The moment you ask a question, attention spikes. People shift from passive listening to active thinking.

Insight: Find out what your audience actually thinks, not what you assume they think. This can redirect your presentation in real-time.

Inclusion: Everyone gets a voice, not just the confident few who raise their hands. Introverts and remote participants participate equally.

Memory: When people commit to an answer, they pay closer attention to whether they were right. The content sticks better.

Energy: A well-timed poll breaks up the monotony of one-way communication. It's a pattern interrupt that refreshes focus.

Adding your first poll

Creating a poll in Sync takes about 30 seconds. Here's how:

Step 1: Open your deck

From your Dashboard, open the deck where you want to add a poll. You can add polls to existing decks or create a new one.

Step 2: Add a new slide

Click the Add Slide button in the slide panel. You'll see a grid of slide type options.

Step 3: Select Poll

Click on Poll from the interactive slide types. This opens the poll editor.

Step 4: Write your question

Enter your question in the main text field. Keep it clear and concise—your audience should understand it in a glance.

Good example: "Which feature would you find most valuable?"

Weak example: "Considering the various features we've discussed today and their potential applications in your workflow, which one do you think might be most useful?"

Step 5: Add answer options

Click Add Option to add each possible response. You can add as many options as you need, though 3-5 options work best for quick responses.

For each option, you can optionally add an emoji to make it visually distinctive.

Step 6: Save and position

Click Save and drag your poll to the desired position in your slide sequence.

Poll types in Sync

Sync offers several poll formats to match different needs:

Multiple choice

The classic poll format. Participants select from predefined options. Best for:

• Quick opinion checks
• Group decisions
• Knowledge checks
• Preference surveys

Open-ended polls

Sometimes you want text responses rather than predefined choices. Open-ended polls let participants type their own answers. Best for:

• Brainstorming ideas
• Collecting questions
• Gathering detailed feedback
• Understanding reasoning

Rating scales

Let participants rate something on a numeric scale (1-5, 1-10, etc.). Best for:

• Satisfaction surveys
• Agreement/disagreement
• Priority ranking
• Confidence levels

Word clouds

While technically a separate slide type, word clouds function like open-ended polls with visual aggregation. Frequently submitted words appear larger, creating a visual representation of group sentiment.

Presenting polls effectively

Adding a poll is just the first step. How you present it determines whether you get meaningful engagement or crickets.

Build anticipation

Don't just flip to the poll slide. Set it up verbally:

"Before I share my perspective on this, I'm curious what you think. Take out your phones—I want to hear from everyone."

Give adequate time

Watch your response rate in real-time. Wait until responses plateau before moving on. This typically takes 15-30 seconds for simple polls, longer for open-ended questions.

Acknowledge the results

Never ignore poll results. Comment on what you see:

• "Interesting—we're pretty split on this one."
• "That's a clearer consensus than I expected."
• "I notice nobody chose option C. Let's talk about why that might be."

Use results to guide discussion

The best presenters adapt based on poll results:

• If opinions are divided, explore the reasoning behind different choices
• If there's a strong consensus, validate it and move forward
• If results surprise you, acknowledge it and dig deeper

Advanced poll techniques

Once you're comfortable with basics, try these techniques:

The reveal strategy

For quizzes or opinion polls, hide results until everyone has voted. This prevents anchoring bias (people copying the popular answer) and creates a moment of suspense when you reveal.

Before and after polls

Ask the same question at the start and end of your presentation. Show how opinions shifted based on what you taught. This demonstrates impact and makes learning visible.

Branching content

Use poll results to decide what to cover next. "You voted 60% for topic A, so let's dive deep there." This makes your audience feel heard and keeps content relevant.

Rapid fire polls

For energetic sessions, use a series of quick single-question polls in succession. Keep the pace fast—5-10 seconds per poll—to maintain energy.

The commitment device

Ask people to commit publicly to an action: "Who will try this technique in their next meeting?" The act of voting creates accountability.

Common poll mistakes to avoid

Too many options: More than 6-7 options overwhelms participants. If you need more, consider a different format.

Leading questions: "Don't you agree that our new feature is amazing?" won't give you honest feedback.

Bad timing: Don't poll when energy is low or when you're pressed for time. A rushed poll feels perfunctory.

Ignoring results: If you poll but never reference the results, people will stop participating. Always close the loop.

Over-polling: One poll every 5-7 slides is a good rhythm. More than that feels like a survey, not a presentation.

Polls in different contexts

Training sessions

Use polls to check comprehension: "Which of these is the correct approach to X?" Make it low-stakes and educational.

Sales presentations

Gauge priorities: "Which of these challenges is most pressing for your team?" Use answers to customize your pitch.

All-hands meetings

Collect anonymous feedback on initiatives. People share more honestly when names aren't attached.

Workshops

Use polls for group decisions: "Should we spend more time on topic A or move to topic B?" Share control with participants.

Webinars

Polls combat the distance of virtual presentations. Ask a poll in the first 2 minutes to establish that this is interactive.

Analyzing poll results after

Sync saves all poll responses, so you can analyze them after your presentation:

• See total responses and breakdown percentages
• Track how responses came in over time
• Compare results across multiple sessions of the same presentation
• Export data for further analysis

This data helps you improve future presentations. If a poll question consistently confuses people, reword it. If one option is never chosen, remove it or investigate why.

Quick reference: poll best practices

1. Keep questions short—under 15 words
2. Use 3-5 answer options for quick responses
3. Set up polls verbally before showing them
4. Wait for responses to plateau before moving on
5. Always comment on results—never ignore them
6. Use results to guide discussion, not just to collect data
7. One poll every 5-7 slides is a good rhythm
8. Test your polls before presenting live

Start polling

Interactive polls are one of the simplest ways to transform a presentation from monologue to dialogue. Your audience wants to participate—give them the opportunity.

Ready to add polls to your next presentation?

Create your first poll in Sync — free trial, no credit card required.

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Have questions about polls or other interactive features? Reach out to our team at hello@synclive.io.