Today, social media has become an integral part of society and people cannot think of communication without thinking of online networks. Traditionally, consumers have utilised the Internet to obtain content, but people are increasingly using it to exchange information, communicate and buy or sell products and services.

New information technologies are changing behaviour in the use of the Internet. Particularly, businesses have realised the power of social media, and this has become a critical game-changer in terms of marketing and communicating with target consumers at a personal level.

Businesses that use social media platforms strategically continue to widen their success gap. Getting customers to not just view the information of one's business, but also interact with them, is critical in reaching a great percentage of the audiences.

Here are four ways that Instagram quizzes can be used as a marketing strategy:

1. Use Instagram's quiz feature as a polling option to gauge customer feedback

Instantaneous interaction has become the holy grail of today's business and entrepreneurs who seek to monetise their online presence. As social media platforms continue to advance their specific features, it is becoming more easier for prospective clients to discover businesses.

"Essentially, marketers can use interactive quiz features as a polling option to gauge customer feedback regarding a particular brand," says Jeff Williams, senior marketing consultant at ConfidentWriters and SolidEssay. This is more satisfying than the usual polls considering the competitive element it brings and the sense of achievement in getting the answers right.

Naturally, people tend to be self-absorbed, as they tend to consider themselves above other factors. In marketing, this can be used to appeal to the audiences. Creating Instagram story quizzes about customers is one way to captivate their interest.

This way, they get a sense of belonging. For instance, if it's a high-end automobile company, ask, 'How do you like to roll?' or maybe 'Where should you retire?' when marketing a real estate. The quiz should be about the intended audience.

The questions should be specific and align with the business goal strategy. For example, one could ask, 'What's the best gift to pick at the Apple Store?' or 'What about a new pair of shoes from Zappos.com?' The questions should be centered on making the audience think about the brand and nothing else.

2. Instagram story quizzes can help gather information about the target audience

To make the most out of Instagram story quizzes, businesses need to gather critical information about their target audience. One could use marketing tactics such as offering incentives and options for soft signups when sharing quiz results.

This allows the business to get customers into their email list to keep them updated on their brand. The results could also be shared through a link that provides more information about the products or services being offered.

For example, 'What sushi flavor are you? Take the quiz in the following link to find out!' Also, if people are not getting your products or services right in the quizzes, one can easily write content to create more awareness.

Personality quizzes can be used to ask revealing questions about the audience, which enables the business to segment its customers. It is possible to find out pretty much anything about the audience, as long as it is relevant to the quiz.

Tracking the completion of the Instagram quizzes allows the business to evaluate the interest and value it creates in the audience. If the brand is not getting at least an 85% completion rate, it is a potential sign that the business should re-strategise its goals.

3. Quizzes can be used to build excitement around service promotion campaigns

One way to achieve this is by offering deals or vouchers to audiences who answer the questions correctly. This is more fun and engaging than just posting the offers in the profile. Notwithstanding, it increases the business online presence by gaining more followers.

You do not want to overwhelm your followers with a post that they may end up hitting the unfollow button because you're constantly in their face. This is where Instagram quizzes come in handy.

Instagram stories are designed to last for 24 hours before they disappear. They do not reflect permanently on the user's profile. This creates suspense, which makes the followers want to engage more with the brand. Businesses can use this feature to create diverse content aimed at marketing the business in numerous ways.

4. Instagram story quizzes can be a creative way to connect with followers

Instagram story quizzes are a marketing goldmine that has taken a new dimension in today's business world. Due to increased online presence, people want to be seen participating in the products they consume.

As such, quizzes are a great way to share content and build customer trust without hitting prospects over the head. They keep the conversation going which creates more awareness about brands.