Direct Questions vs Blasts: How They Work on Qerios

Qerios gives you two main ways to ask a question. You can ask one specific person, or you can send a blast, one question that reaches many people at once. They look similar when you write them, but they behave differently once they leave your hands. Understanding the difference helps you pick the right one, and helps you be a considerate asker.

This guide explains how each works, what the recipient sees, and some etiquette worth following. If you are new to the app, what Qerios is and your first week on Qerios are good starting points.

Direct questions: one person, one inbox

A direct question goes to a single person. You usually send it from their profile or their personal Ask link, and you can choose whether to send it anonymously or with your name.

What happens next:

• It lands in that person's inbox. The inbox has separate views for direct questions and blasts, so a direct question is easy to tell apart.
• They choose what to do. They can answer it, decline it, or delete it. Nothing is published unless they decide to answer.
• The answer is public. If they answer, the reply appears as an answer on their profile, and the question shows with it.
• Length is limited. A question can be up to 300 characters, so it is best to be clear and specific.

Direct questions are the right choice when you are curious about one particular person: their experience, their opinion, their taste in music. Because only one person receives it, a thoughtful direct question usually feels personal rather than random. Apps like Saraha and NGL helped popularise this one-to-one anonymous format; on Qerios it works through each person's Ask link.

If you change your mind, you can take back a direct question you sent, as long as it has not been answered yet. Once someone has answered, the answer exists as public content and the question stays with it.

Blasts: one question, many people

A blast is a single question sent to many people at once. It is useful when you want a range of opinions, such as "what is one thing you wish you had known before starting university?" or "which song never gets old for you?". Instead of asking one person, you hear from several.

Qerios offers two kinds of blast:

Random blast. Your question goes to a group of people you do not necessarily know. The group is made up of users who have been recently active, up to a maximum of 50 recipients. This is a good way to hear from people outside your circle.

Followers blast. Your question goes to the people who follow you. This suits questions meant for your own community, like "what should I post more of?".

Some practical notes:

• You can send a blast anonymously or with your name, the same way as a direct question.
• Blasts have limits. Random blasts are rate-limited, so you cannot send a large number in a short time. If you reach the limit you will be asked to try again later.
• Content rules apply. Blasts are checked against filters for inappropriate language, and the same 300-character limit applies.
• People you have blocked, and people who have blocked you, are excluded from the recipients.

How a blast looks to the people who receive it

To a recipient, a blast arrives as a question in their inbox, in the blast view. They can answer it, decline it, or delete it, just like any other question.

That means a blast is, from the receiver's side, nothing unusual. It deserves the same courtesy as a direct question: a recipient owes nobody an answer, and a blast is easy to ignore. Do not read silence as rejection. Many people simply do not answer every question they get.

How replies come back to you

When recipients answer your blast, their answers are public, like any other answer on Qerios. You can then open the blast in your own blast history, which shows the questions you have sent, how many people received them, and how many have answered. From there you can read the answers that came in.

Do not expect every recipient to answer. A modest number of thoughtful answers is a good result. A blast that gets three great responses has done its job. And if you are the one answering on the other side of the inbox, our guide to writing answers people actually want to read can help.

Deleting a blast you sent

If you send a blast and then regret it, because the wording was off or you realize you shared something you did not intend, you can delete it from your blast history.

Deleting a blast removes it everywhere. The question disappears from recipients' inboxes, and any answers made to it are removed from the feed and profiles as well. This is useful, but think about what it means for people who took the time to reply. Deleting a blast that has received lots of friendly answers will remove all of them, so it is best used when something is genuinely wrong, not as a way to hide a result you did not like.

Etiquette: asking well

Whether you send direct questions or blasts, the same principles apply.

• Ask something answerable. "What is your favourite way to study?" is easy. "Tell me about your whole life" is not.
• Be kind, even when anonymous. Anonymity is a tool for honesty, not permission to be harsh. If you would not say it to someone's face, think twice.
• Do not send the same question repeatedly. Repeating yourself to the same person feels like pressure.
• Do not use blasts to harass or embarrass. Sending something hurtful to many people is still hurtful, and moderation and reporting tools exist for exactly this reason. If you are on the receiving end, read what to do when you get a hurtful anonymous question.
• Respect silence. No answer is an answer.
• Keep private details out. Never put your phone number, address, or other personal information in a question.
• Say thank you if someone answers. A short reaction or reply makes asking more welcoming for everyone.

Which one should you choose?

Use a direct question when:

• You want a specific person's view.
• The topic is personal to them.
• You want to start a one-to-one conversation.

Use a random blast when:

• You want many perspectives from people outside your circle.
• The question is general, such as music, study habits, or life advice.

Use a followers blast when:

• You want input from your own community.
• You are choosing between options and want a quick poll of opinions.

The takeaway

A direct question is a conversation with one person, and a blast is a way to hear many voices. Both give recipients full control over whether and how to answer. Choose the format that fits your question, keep it short and kind, and remember that your question lands in someone's real inbox. Asked well, either one is a good way to learn something new.

Ready to try both? Open Qerios and send your first question.

Need ideas for what to send? See fun questions to ask friends anonymously, and if you change your mind afterwards read how to delete or take down what you sent.