Polls are a standalone tool available to all publishers, whether you're currently using Disqus Comments, another comments tool, or no comments at all.
For New Users: Registering for Disqus Polls
If you're new to Disqus, you can follow these easy steps to get up and running with Polls.
- Sign Up for Disqus
Head to the Disqus Pricing Page to get started. - Choose Your Polls Plan
Select the Polls plan that best fits your needs. For the Ad-Supported and Business plans, you'll need to submit a form to proceed, while our Pro plan is completely self-serve. - Log Into Your Disqus Publisher Admin Page
If you have chosen the Pro plan, you'll go through the Disqus account creation process and you'll be able to access your Polls admin and get started. Publishers looking to choose the Ad-Supported plan will have to undergo review to determine eligibility, while publishers interested in the Business plan will be contacted by a member of our team to continue the conversation.
For Existing Disqus Users: Adding Polls to Your Account
For existing Disqus publishers, there are two ways to add Polls, both described below. Please note that Polls require a separate subscription from Comments - you aren't automatically able to access Polls if you use Disqus Comments.
- Log Into Your Disqus Publisher Admin Account
Use your existing Disqus account credentials to log in. - Navigate to Your Subscription & Billing Page
You can access it either through the Pricing Page on the Disqus website or the Subscription & Billing tab under Settings on your Publisher Admin page. In the Other Subscription Plans section of the page, click Polls to see different plan options for Polls that you're free to choose from to get access to Polls. - Navigate to the Polls Tab
Once you've added Polls to your subscription, the Polls tab will now be accessible at the top navigation bar in your Admin page, and you can create and manage your first poll!
How to Create a Poll
Once you've subscripted to Polls, creating your first poll is easy! Simply follow these steps to create your first poll.
- Log into Your Publisher Admin
Go to the Polls tab and click My Polls. - Create a New Poll
Click the + Poll button to get started. - Set Poll Title and Duration
Name your poll and select the start and end dates. You can decide whether users can retake it after 1, 7, or 30 days, and also require login before a user can submit the poll. - Select Poll Format
For each poll you can include a maximum of 3 questions, and each question can have up to 4 possible answers. Choose the question-and-answer format that best suits your poll:-
Single Choice: Users can select one answer, with options appearing in a fixed order.
-
Multi-Select: Users can choose multiple answers.
-
Single Choice Random: Answer options appear in a random order each time.
-
Single Choice Random + Anchor: Answer options are randomized, but one specific option (like “All of the Above”) stays fixed at the bottom.
-
- Save or Publish Your Poll
Always save your poll first. When you're ready, click Publish. Once published, the poll cannot be edited.
How to Install a Poll on Your Website
Installing a Poll on your website is just as easy as creating it!
- After clicking Publish
Once you've published your poll, the Publish button will change into a Tags button which can be used to copy the code snippet for that poll for installation on your site.
- Copy the Embed Code
Click the Tags button to generate the embed code for your Poll.
-
Paste the Code in Your Site's Source Code
Paste the code where you want the poll to appear within the <body>. It will adjust to fit vertically or horizontally. Tags for any poll can also be copied from your Polls Editor page by clicking the computer code icon under the Actions section.
Use Universal Tags for Automated Polls
To easily cycle through multiple active polls, use the Universal Tags option. This allows you to install a single block of code to your site, which eliminates the need to update the code for each new poll. Once the Universal Tags are installed on your site, all active polls will be shown (aside from any Polls which have the "Exclude from Universal Tags" option selected.
Managing & Analyzing Polls
Once your poll is live, access Poll Insights for real-time data:
- Total Impressions: The number of times the poll was viewed.
- Total Responses: The number of users who submitted answers.
- Average Response Rate: The percentage of users who engaged with the poll.
Use filters to analyze performance over specific date ranges and export data for deeper analysis.
Tracking Metrics & Revenue for Ad-Supported Polls
If you're using the Ad-Supported plan, you can track your poll revenue performance in your Revenue Analytics Dashboard. This will provide insights into your overall ad revenue, including earnings from Polls. Key metrics include:
- Ad Revenue: The total revenue earned from ads displayed alongside your polls.
- Viewable Impressions: The number of times the ads next to your polls were viewed and counted as a viewable impression.
- Viewability Percent: The percentage of ads that met the viewability criteria (i.e., the percentage of ads seen by users for a defined time).
- RPMv (Revenue Per Thousand Viewable Impressions): The revenue earned per 1,000 viewable impressions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Do I need a Disqus Comments subscription to use Polls?
A: No, Polls is a standalone product. You don’t need to be subscribed to Disqus Comments to use Polls.
Q: What happens if I need to change a poll after it’s published?
A: Once a poll is published, it is locked and cannot be edited. If you need to make changes, you must recreate the poll with the desired updates and publish a new version. Make sure to carefully review all settings before clicking "Publish."
Q: Can I use Disqus Polls to collect first-party data?
A: Yes, Disqus Polls supports first-party data collection. By enabling the “Require Login” option, you can require users to log in before submitting their answers, helping you gather valuable user information.
Q: How do I earn revenue with the Ad-Supported Polls plan?
A: If your site is approved on the Ad-Supported plan, ads will automatically be displayed alongside your poll. You can track ad impressions and revenue directly in your Revenue Analytics Dashboard. This gives you insight into how much revenue your polls generate over time.
Q: How do I know if my site qualifies for the Ad-Supported Polls plan?
A: To qualify for the Ad-Supported plan, your site must undergo review to determine if your site adheres to certain eligibility requirements. Once your site is approved, you can run polls with ads and start generating revenue. Contact the Disqus team for more details on eligibility.
Q: How are poll results displayed to users?
A: Once users submit their responses, they can immediately see the poll results. If you require users to log in before submitting answers, they must log in first before viewing results.
Q: Can I run multiple polls on my site at once?
A: Yes, you can run multiple polls at the same time by using Universal Tags, which automatically cycle through all active polls on your site. You can also embed multiple polls on individual pages using Poll-specific tags.
This guide provides step-by-step instructions for both new and existing Disqus users, along with key information on creating, embedding, and analyzing polls, as well as tracking ad revenue.