A step-by-step guide to running an on-screen live poll — writing the question, letting the audience vote by QR or link, showing results live, and driving it over OBS or vMix.
A live poll is the fastest way to turn viewers into participants: a question, a few options, and a result that fills in on screen as people vote. It gives you instant audience data and a natural talking point on air. This guide walks through writing a good poll, collecting votes, and driving it live. It's part of our guide to audience engagement for live streams.
Write a poll that works on air
- One clear question. Polls are for a snap response, not a survey. Ask one thing.
- A few distinct options. Two to four is the sweet spot — enough choice, easy to read on screen.
- Make options short. They have to be legible over video at a glance.
- Pick the right moment. Predictions before a result, opinion after a talking point, "which one" during a segment.
Let the audience vote
Voting has to be effortless or people won't bother.
- A QR code on screen is the lowest-friction route — viewers scan and vote in seconds. See using QR codes for audience interaction.
- A short link works for audiences reading on a second screen or in chat.
- No app, no account. The vote page should open straight in a phone browser.
Show results live
The payoff is the on-screen result. A good poll overlay:
- Shows the options and the live tally (bars or percentages) updating as votes land.
- Has a transparent background so it composites cleanly over your video.
- Can be taken on and off on cue — reveal the question, let it run, then bring up results.
Drive it over OBS or vMix
A poll is an overlay, so it runs like any other graphic:
- Build the poll and its question/options ahead of time.
- Add its URL as a browser source in OBS or a web browser input in vMix.
- Live, take the poll on, let voting run, reveal the result, then take it off.
Live-poll checklist
- One clear question, 2–4 short options
- A QR code and/or short link for voting
- Vote page opens in a phone browser, no app
- Results overlay with a live, legible tally
- Added to OBS/vMix and driven on/off live
How Show Runner handles it
Show Runner's poll builder produces an on-screen poll overlay with a built-in QR code for instant voting and a background you can style to match your show. Build the question and options, drop the overlay URL into OBS or vMix, and drive it live — bring the poll on, watch the tally fill in, and take it off on cue.
FAQ
How do viewers vote in a live poll?
They scan an on-screen QR code or open a short link, which loads a lightweight vote page in their phone browser — no app or account. Their vote updates the on-screen tally in real time.
How many options should a live poll have?
Two to four. That's enough to give a meaningful choice while keeping the options short and legible over video. More than four gets hard to read on screen and slower to vote on.
Can I show poll results on screen as they come in?
Yes. Show Runner's poll overlay displays a live tally that updates as votes land, with a transparent background so it sits cleanly over your video, and you can take it on and off on cue.
Want a play-along format instead? See how to run a live quiz. Or start for free.