How to get anonymous messages worth answering

Post a bare link and you'll mostly get "hi", "who's this?" and the odd emoji. Post it with a reason to write and you'll get stories, questions and confessions. Here's what makes the difference.

Choose a mode that asks for something

Your link opens on a prompt, and the prompt does most of the work. Each mode sets a different one:

• Tell me anything: the most open. Good when you're happy with surprises.
• Ask me anything: questions for you to answer. Great if you'll share the answers.
• Confessions: people tell you something they've been keeping in.
• Secret crush: for the brave and the curious.
• Honest opinion: what people really think of you. Only if you can take it.
• Roast me: jokes at your expense. See how to roast without being cruel.
• Advice box: people bring you a problem and you help. See running an advice box.
• Campus / class: questions and feedback for a class or group. See anonymous feedback for a class.

You can have several on at once in Settings, under Link. Visitors see them as choices and pick the one they want. If you're just starting, two or three is plenty: too many choices and people pick none.

Write a caption that gives people a start

When you share your link, the words around it matter as much as the link. Some captions that work:

• "Ask me anything about moving to a new city. Answering the best ones tonight."
• "Tell me something you've never said to my face. Nice things only, please."
• "Confess something. I'll post my favourites, names hidden."
• "Rate my week out of 10 and tell me why."
• "Need advice? I'm good at relationships, terrible at money. Ask anyway."
• "Honest opinion of me in three words. Go."

Each one does two things: it tells people what to write, and it tells them what you'll do with it.

Answer in public

Nothing brings messages in like seeing other people's answered. Share a few of the best to your story as images; sharing a message to your story shows how. Choose ones that are funny, kind or interesting, and hide any letters that could give someone away.

When people see you read and answer, they write more, and they write better.

Post at the right time

• Evenings and weekends are when people have time to think of something good.
• Right after something happens, like a trip, a birthday, results day or a big match, people have something to say.
• Not every day. A link in your story every night stops being interesting. Use a Drop when you want a fresh wave.

Reply to the good ones

Every message on DropAsecret is a conversation. A short reply to a thoughtful message often gets a longer one back. People who feel heard come back, and some of the best conversations start with a second message, not the first.

Keep it a place people want to be

• Delete what you don't want, and block anyone who keeps sending it.
• With Plus you can block words, so messages containing them go to your Filtered folder instead of your inbox.
• If things get out of hand, pause your link. Nobody can send new messages until you resume it.

A link full of kind, funny, interesting messages attracts more of the same. A link where cruelty gets attention attracts more cruelty. You decide which one yours becomes.