Do your conversations lack chemistry? Are you a good texter who gets tongue-tied when chatting in person? Wondering how to make a good impression quickly? You’re not alone. To help you express yourself better, we spoke to the team behind voice chat app Goodnight to get a few tips on putting your best voice forward.

What’s the ideal length for a first conversation?
Goodnight: After interviewing our users about their experiences, we found that seven minutes turn out to be just the right amount of time for people to decide whether they’re keen on learning more about their new connections. That’s why our Random Match mechanism puts that time limit on the initial conversation.

What can I do to make my chats more engaging?
Goodnight: Start by identifying key points from your match’s profile and asking relevant questions, or begin the conversation by bringing up titbits from your life. Something like “I’m planning a trip to Taiwan next month. Do you have any recommendations?” will disclose just the right amount of information about yourself, pique the curiosity of your match, and get your chat off to a good start.

What are some topics to bring up or avoid?
Goodnight: Icebreaker jokes are usually quite well-received. Voice chatting is an excellent way of conveying emotions, and a dose of humour helps people relax and open up. That’s key to making the most of your seven minutes.

Refrain from asking invasive questions such as “Where do you live?” or “What do you do?” right off the bat – they can be off-putting to new acquaintances. Make sure to respect the fact that your match might not want to talk about certain things. Simply adding a considerate “It’s OK if you don’t want to talk about it” to your question will earn you some bonus points.

There seems to be a lot to watch out for when it comes to voice chats. Do you have any advice in terms of talking skills?
Goodnight: The most important thing about voice chatting is to make sure your match feels like you’re just as prepared to listen as you are to share. Your communication has to go both ways.

There’s no need to stress yourself out over the phone; try to speak clearly and just loudly enough for the other person to hear. When they’re done talking, wait a beat before you respond to make sure they’ve finished and show respect.

What should I look out for when choosing a nickname and writing about myself?
Goodnight: Most people steer clear of ordinary nicknames, but ordinary isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Frivolous or silly names, especially ones that poke fun at others, will make people lose interest immediately. The same applies to your About Me section. You want to make yourself stand out, but don’t forget that your sense of humour might not be understood by complete strangers.

When’s the best time for a chat?
Goodnight: Our users tend to be active between 10pm and 3am, when they’ve finished dinner but are not quite ready for bed. We also found that these users can be split into two separate groups.

Those who are active from 10pm to 12.30am are generally looking to chat about their day. If you want to share your thoughts or talk a few things out, then this is a good time to find that listening ear. The second group stays online between 12.30am and 3am, and their conversations are usually on the meandering side. Instead of talking about a certain topic, they’re looking for that sense of intimacy and companionship that’s unique to voice chats.

I’ve matched with someone. Now what?
Goodnight: As you start getting to know one another better, you can either try switching to text messaging or continue to voice chat. Just remember that out-of-the-blue calls are not the way to your match’s heart.

Try to bring up things that you talked about in a previous chat. For example, “I went to that restaurant you recommended today, and it was great. Are there any other places on your must-go list?” This is a great way to pick up where you left off, and can help build your relationship organically.

What are some other features that Goodnight users might find interesting?
Goodnight: Try inviting friends to your audio stream room for a group chat using the Sofa feature. We also launch themed activities every now and then, in line with holidays or trending topics. Our audio Forum builds on the idea of anonymous voice chats, and you can choose to share whatever you want about yourself there.

With these pointers from Goodnight, you’ll be less likely to get tripped up by awkward moments in conversation. Once you’re ready, why not start a chat and see where it takes you?