Need some advice on polling a live audience via text message.

November 19, 2010 9:35 AM

Need some advice on polling a live audience via text message. Thinking of using Google voice, but have some questions.

I am producing a talent competition in front of a live audience of apx 700 people. We want to offer an "audience award" where each person can text their vote for one performer. The idea is that people would send the messages during the show, and they would go to an email address or website. Someone would count the results and try to eliminate any duplicates from the same number, and the award would be announced at the very end of the show.

I've signed up for Google Voice, and it's working fine - texts come into my email and are also accessible on my iphone and on the Google voice site. My concern is how it will work when I get 700+ text messages within an hour. I've thought about posting the number online - maybe Reddit or Mefi - to ask everyone to send me a text, but then I'm putting my phone number on the internet, which doesn't seem like a great idea.

Any thoughts? Any other services that might be a better option? I don't mind paying for something if it's inexpensive (>$50).

posted by kdern to computers & internet (4 answers total)

here's a $20 option... http://www.smspoll.net/packages.php

try googling "free sms poll" for other ideas...
posted by HuronBob at 9:40 AM on November 19, 2010

That site is down but this one looks good. Thank you.
posted by kdern at 9:54 AM on November 19, 2010

I was just coming to suggest PollEverywhere. I've seen it used at various events, and it's pretty slick to see a realtime graph of responses.
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 10:43 AM on November 19, 2010

You could whip something up Twilio pretty easily.
posted by dmd at 1:36 PM on November 19, 2010