How to Create and Set Up a Poll in a MAX Channel

What a poll in a MAX channel gives you

A poll in a MAX channel helps you quickly gather subscriber opinions: choose the topic of your next post, evaluate an idea, learn your audience's preferences, or gauge the reaction to a content format. A subscriber only needs to tap the option they prefer, so a poll usually collects more responses than asking people to write a separate comment.

A poll in a channel can be created by any user who is allowed to post messages. If you don't see the "Poll" option, first check that you've opened a channel rather than a personal chat or group, and that you have owner rights or admin rights with posting permission.

Before opening the form, decide what decision you want to make based on the voting results. One poll should solve one task. A question about the stream time and a question about the stream topic are better split into two messages: that way the answers are easier to read and use.

How to prepare the question and answer options

A good question is clear without additional explanation. Instead of a short "What do you think?", write "Which topic should we cover in the next post?" or "What time should we hold the Friday stream?". The subscriber should immediately understand what exactly they need to choose.

Keep answer options short and in the same style. If you're asking about time, list several specific time slots. If you're choosing a topic, the option names should be comparable in length and meaning. Two options that are barely different from each other will make the results harder to interpret.

If needed, add an "Other" option and invite people to share details in the comments if discussion is enabled for the channel. Don't add this option automatically: if the audience only needs to choose from the prepared answers, it can blur the result.

Check whether the order of the options suggests a desired answer. The first option shouldn't look like a recommendation. For important decisions, decide in advance what you'll do if the results are close and how many responses you consider sufficient to draw a conclusion.

How to create a poll in a MAX channel

Open the MAX app and go to the channel you need. At the bottom of the screen, next to the new message field, tap the paperclip icon. In the attachment menu, select "Poll".

In the form that opens, find the "Question" field and enter the polling text. Below, add options in the "Answer option" fields. To create an additional line, tap "Add option". Check that each option can be selected independently of the others and that it contains no unnecessary explanations.

Once the form is filled out, configure the voting parameters. MAX uses the toggles "Anonymous poll", "Multiple answers", and "Limit voting time". It's best to decide their purpose before publishing: after voting starts, changing the conditions may be unavailable or may confuse subscribers.

When the question, options, and parameters are checked, tap "Create poll". The voting card will appear as a new message in the open channel.

Which settings to choose before publishing

The "Anonymous poll" toggle hides information about who chose a particular option. It's suitable for sensitive topics, evaluating content quality, and questions subscribers may not want to answer openly. Anonymity doesn't change the result itself: channel participants still see the voting results on the poll card.

The "Multiple answers" setting allows selecting more than one option. Turn it on when the answers aren't mutually exclusive: for example, subscribers may watch several content formats or use several platforms. For choosing a single time, topic, or winner, this setting doesn't need to be enabled.

The "Limit voting time" toggle lets you set a deadline after which responses stop being accepted. Turn it on if the decision is tied to a specific stream, post, or event. Select the end date and time in the fields that appear and keep in mind the time zone shown by the app.

If no deadline is set, subscribers can vote for longer, and the result may change after you've already made a decision. In that case, state in the message text up to what point you'll count responses. Don't call a poll urgent if the automatic time limit isn't enabled.

How to review and publish a poll

Before tapping "Create poll", reread the message through a subscriber's eyes. The topic, options, and voting deadline should be clear. Remove wording like "the first option" or "as usual" if the person doesn't see the context of the previous post.

Check the selected toggles separately. "Anonymous poll" controls the visibility of participants, "Multiple answers" controls how many selections one person can make, and "Limit voting time" controls when responses stop being collected. These settings serve different purposes and don't replace one another.

Make sure the new message is being sent to the right channel. If you run several channels, check the name and avatar before publishing. In a poll that has already started, it's best not to change the conditions or ask the audience to vote again without explaining why.

After publishing, open the poll card from the channel side and check that the question is displayed in full, the options aren't cut off, and the deadline is shown correctly. If subscribers can leave comments, add a separate message asking them to explain their choice if needed.

How to pin a poll in a MAX channel

If the poll should stay visible, pin it after publishing. Open the message menu via the three-dot icon next to the poll card and select "Pin". In the confirmation window, tap "Pin message".

Pinning doesn't change the voting settings and doesn't extend its deadline. It only moves the post to the pinned messages area so subscribers can quickly find the question after new posts. For a time-limited poll, check the end date first, then pin the post.

The "Pin" option is visible to users with the appropriate rights in the channel. If the command is missing, check the account role and the permission to manage messages. There's no need to republish the poll just because you couldn't pin it.

How to work with voting results

The result shows the opinion of the subscribers who took part, not necessarily the entire channel audience. With a small number of responses, don't draw a final conclusion from a few votes. For important decisions, supplement the poll with comments or a separate feedback form.

Also consider the wording of the question itself. A poll with multiple-choice options can't be directly compared with a vote that allows only one answer. When analyzing, note whether the responses were anonymous and whether a time limit was in effect.

After voting ends, let subscribers know how you used the result. You can publish the chosen topic, schedule a stream for the most requested time, or explain why the decision turned out differently. This kind of feedback shows that the poll was part of working with the channel, not a formality.

What to do step by step

1. Open the MAX channel you need and check that you have permission to post messages.
2. Tap the paperclip icon next to the new message field and select "Poll".
3. Enter one clear question and add options via "Add option".
4. Configure "Anonymous poll", "Multiple answers", and "Limit voting time" according to the purpose of the vote.
5. Check the text, options, deadline, and channel name, then tap "Create poll".
6. If needed, open the message menu, select "Pin", and confirm the action.
7. After completion, gather the results and tell subscribers what decision was made based on them.