How to Create Engaging ‘This or That’ Questions for Your Blog
‘This or That’ questions are a fantastic way to boost engagement on your blog, social media, or even within your online courses. They’re simple, fun, and offer valuable insights into your audience’s preferences. This guide will walk you through creating effective ‘This or That’ questions and using them strategically to improve your blog’s interaction and gather useful data. Let’s dive in!
## What are ‘This or That’ Questions?
At their core, ‘This or That’ questions present two options, prompting the audience to choose one. These questions can range from lighthearted and whimsical (‘Coffee or Tea?’) to more targeted and insightful (‘Ebooks or Physical Books?’). The simplicity of the format makes them easy to answer, encouraging more people to participate.
## Why Use ‘This or That’ Questions?
Here are several compelling reasons to incorporate ‘This or That’ questions into your blog strategy:
* **Increased Engagement:** They are inherently interactive. People enjoy sharing their opinions, and the low barrier to entry makes it easy for them to participate in polls, surveys, or comments.
* **Valuable Audience Insights:** ‘This or That’ questions offer a quick and easy way to understand your audience’s preferences, interests, and even pain points. This data can inform your content strategy, product development, and marketing efforts.
* **Spark Conversation:** These questions can ignite discussions in the comments section or on social media. People often justify their choices, leading to richer interactions.
* **Content Ideas:** Analyzing the results of ‘This or That’ questions can provide valuable inspiration for future blog posts, videos, or social media updates. If many people prefer option A, you can create content focused on that topic.
* **Lead Generation (Potentially):** While not a direct lead generation method, well-placed ‘This or That’ questions can indirectly contribute by boosting engagement and driving traffic to your website, ultimately increasing your brand visibility and lead generation opportunities.
* **Break the Monotony:** They provide a welcome break from dense text and static images, adding visual interest and making your content more dynamic.
## Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Effective ‘This or That’ Questions
Here’s a breakdown of how to craft compelling ‘This or That’ questions for your blog:
**Step 1: Define Your Goal**
Before brainstorming question ideas, clarify your objective. What do you hope to achieve with these questions?
* **Understanding Audience Preferences:** Are you trying to determine what type of content your audience prefers (e.g., ‘Long-Form Articles or Short-Form Videos?’)?
* **Gathering Product Feedback:** Are you looking for insights into potential product features or improvements (e.g., ‘Option A with Feature X or Option B with Feature Y?’)?
* **Generating Engagement:** Are you simply aiming to spark conversation and increase interaction on your blog (e.g., ‘Summer or Winter?’)?
* **Content Inspiration:** Are you looking for potential topics based on popular choices? (e.g. ‘Travel to the Mountains or Travel to the Beach?’)
Having a clear goal will help you create relevant and focused questions.
**Step 2: Brainstorm Question Ideas**
Now, let the creativity flow! Consider these tips:
* **Relevance:** Ensure the questions relate to your blog’s niche and audience. A fashion blog should ask different questions than a tech blog.
* **Specificity:** Vague questions yield vague answers. Be specific in your choices (e.g., instead of ‘Dogs or Cats?’, try ‘Golden Retrievers or Siberian Huskies?’).
* **Balance:** Avoid questions where one option is obviously superior. Both choices should be reasonably appealing to at least a segment of your audience.
* **Fun & Engaging:** Inject personality and humor into your questions to make them more appealing. ‘Netflix & Chill or Hiking & Thrill?’ is more engaging than ‘TV or Exercise?’
* **Consider Current Trends:** Tap into current events, trending topics, or pop culture references to make your questions timely and relevant.
* **Use Tools for Inspiration:** If you’re struggling to come up with ideas, use online tools like random question generators or ‘This or That’ question lists for inspiration. Simply search on Google for “This or That questions” and you will find several lists to spark ideas.
Keep a running list of potential question ideas, and don’t be afraid to think outside the box.
**Step 3: Refine Your Questions**
Once you have a list of potential questions, review and refine them to ensure clarity, relevance, and engagement.
* **Clarity:** Are the options easy to understand? Avoid jargon or overly technical terms.
* **Bias:** Are the options presented fairly? Avoid phrasing that subtly favors one choice over the other.
* **Relevance (Again!):** Double-check that each question aligns with your overall goal.
* **Target Audience:** Consider your target audience’s demographics and interests. What types of questions will resonate with them?
* **Originality:** Try to put your own spin on common ‘This or That’ questions to make them unique and engaging.
**Step 4: Choose a Delivery Method**
How will you present these questions to your audience? Here are several options:
* **Blog Posts:** Embed ‘This or That’ questions directly into your blog posts. You can use a poll plugin or simply ask the question in the text and encourage readers to respond in the comments.
* **Social Media:** Share questions on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram Stories (using polls), and LinkedIn. Social media offers great reach and easy interaction.
* **Email Marketing:** Include ‘This or That’ questions in your email newsletters to segment your audience or gather feedback.
* **Surveys:** Create dedicated surveys using tools like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms for more in-depth data collection.
* **Quizzes:** Turn your ‘This or That’ questions into a fun and interactive quiz. There are many WordPress plugins available that let you easily build a quiz. Look for plugins that offer reporting features.
* **Interactive Images:** Create visually appealing images with the options displayed and ask users to comment with their choice.
* **Live Q&A Sessions:** Incorporate ‘This or That’ questions into live Q&A sessions on platforms like Instagram Live or Facebook Live to engage with your audience in real-time.
Choose the method that best suits your audience and your goals.
**Step 5: Design for Visual Appeal**
Visual presentation matters. Here’s how to make your ‘This or That’ questions visually appealing:
* **Images:** Use relevant images to accompany each option. Visuals make the questions more engaging and easier to understand. Use high-quality images that are visually appealing and relevant to the choices being presented.
* **Graphics:** Create custom graphics with your brand colors and fonts to reinforce your brand identity.
* **Layout:** Ensure the questions are easy to read and navigate, especially on mobile devices.
* **Color Scheme:** Use a visually appealing color scheme that aligns with your brand and makes the options stand out.
* **Font Choice:** Choose a readable font that is easy on the eyes and complements your overall design.
**Step 6: Analyze the Results**
Don’t just ask the questions – analyze the responses! This is where you gain valuable insights.
* **Track Responses:** Monitor the number of votes, comments, or shares for each question.
* **Identify Trends:** Look for patterns in the responses. What are the most popular choices?
* **Segment Your Audience:** Identify different groups within your audience based on their preferences.
* **Use Data to Inform Your Strategy:** Use the insights gained from ‘This or That’ questions to inform your content strategy, product development, and marketing efforts.
* **Share Your Findings:** Share the results with your audience in a blog post or social media update to show that you value their input and keep them engaged.
**Step 7: Promote Your Questions**
To maximize participation, promote your ‘This or That’ questions:
* **Social Media:** Share the questions across your social media channels with relevant hashtags.
* **Email Marketing:** Include the questions in your email newsletters.
* **Website:** Feature the questions prominently on your website.
* **Cross-Promotion:** Promote the questions on other platforms or with other influencers.
* **Paid Advertising:** Consider using paid advertising to reach a wider audience.
## Examples of ‘This or That’ Questions
Here are some examples, categorized by niche:
**Food Blog:**
* ‘Sweet or Savory?’
* ‘Coffee or Tea?’
* ‘Pizza or Pasta?’
* ‘Chocolate Cake or Vanilla Cake?’
* ‘Eating In or Eating Out?’
**Travel Blog:**
* ‘Beach Vacation or Mountain Adventure?’
* ‘City Break or Countryside Escape?’
* ‘Luxury Hotel or Budget Hostel?’
* ‘Road Trip or Fly?’
* ‘Exploring Ancient Ruins or Vibrant Modern Cities?’
**Fashion Blog:**
* ‘Jeans or Dresses?’
* ‘High Heels or Sneakers?’
* ‘Classic Style or Trendy Style?’
* ‘Statement Jewelry or Minimalist Accessories?’
* ‘Shopping Online or Shopping In-Store?’
**Tech Blog:**
* ‘Android or iOS?’
* ‘Laptop or Desktop?’
* ‘Cloud Storage or Physical Storage?’
* ‘Gaming Console or PC Gaming?’
* ‘Working From Home or Working in the Office?’
**Lifestyle Blog:**
* ‘Early Bird or Night Owl?’
* ‘Reading a Book or Watching a Movie?’
* ‘Spending Time Alone or Spending Time with Friends?’
* ‘Living in the City or Living in the Countryside?’
* ‘Cooking at Home or Ordering Takeout?’
## Tools and Plugins for Creating ‘This or That’ Questions
Here are some tools and WordPress plugins that can help you create and manage ‘This or That’ questions on your blog:
* **WordPress Poll Plugins:**
* **WP-Polls:** A simple and easy-to-use poll plugin.
* **Polldaddy:** A more advanced poll plugin with features like multiple-choice questions and custom styling.
* **Forminator:** A versatile form builder plugin that can also be used to create polls and quizzes.
* **Modal Survey:** A premium plugin for creating engaging surveys and polls.
* **Social Media Polls:**
* **Twitter Polls:** Built-in poll feature on Twitter.
* **Instagram Story Polls:** Poll sticker in Instagram Stories.
* **Facebook Polls:** Native poll feature on Facebook.
* **Survey Tools:**
* **SurveyMonkey:** A popular online survey tool.
* **Google Forms:** A free and easy-to-use survey tool from Google.
* **Typeform:** A visually appealing and interactive survey tool.
* **Graphic Design Tools:**
* **Canva:** A user-friendly graphic design tool for creating visually appealing images and graphics.
* **Adobe Spark:** A tool for creating social graphics, web pages, and video stories.
## Advanced Tips for Maximizing Engagement
* **Gamification:** Turn ‘This or That’ questions into a game by awarding points or badges for participation.
* **Personalization:** Tailor the questions to your audience’s specific interests and preferences.
* **A/B Testing:** Test different variations of ‘This or That’ questions to see which ones perform best.
* **Timing:** Post your questions at optimal times when your audience is most active.
* **Follow-Up:** Engage with users who respond to your questions by asking follow-up questions or sharing your own opinions.
* **Trends:** Use trending topics as the basis for “This or That” questions to ride the current wave of interest.
## Potential Pitfalls to Avoid
* **Overdoing It:** Don’t bombard your audience with too many ‘This or That’ questions. Use them sparingly to avoid overwhelming them.
* **Irrelevant Questions:** Make sure your questions are relevant to your audience and your blog’s niche.
* **Biased Questions:** Avoid phrasing questions in a way that subtly favors one option over the other.
* **Ignoring the Results:** Don’t just ask the questions – analyze the results and use them to inform your strategy.
* **Lack of Visual Appeal:** Make sure your questions are visually appealing and easy to read.
* **Not Promoting the Questions:** Promote your ‘This or That’ questions to maximize participation.
## Conclusion
‘This or That’ questions are a powerful tool for boosting engagement, gathering audience insights, and sparking conversations on your blog. By following these steps, you can create effective questions that resonate with your audience and help you achieve your blogging goals. Remember to define your goals, brainstorm creative ideas, refine your questions, choose the right delivery method, analyze the results, and promote your questions to maximize their impact. Embrace the power of ‘This or That’ questions and watch your blog engagement soar!