Discord has risen to become one of the foremost platforms for creating and managing online communities.

Whether it’s a gathering of video game enthusiasts, a collective of freelance writers, or an online study group, Discord provides an intuitive and versatile platform to cater to your community’s needs. But how does one navigate the myriad of options and features to create an engaging and dynamic Discord community? This guide on how to make a Discord server will lead you step by step into building a Discord server that truly resonates with your audience.

What we will explore together:

• Establishing a successful Discord server begins with a proper setup, involving downloading the app, signing up for an account, and carefully configuring server settings, roles, channels, and permissions for a smooth member experience.
• The customization of a Discord server is key to its success, including the creation of specific user roles for identification and management, organization of channels to improve member communication, and setting permissions to maintain a safe community space.
• Advanced tools like Disco, with features such as AI-powered automation for administrative tasks, deep Slack integration, and a flexible modular design, can significantly enhance the functionality, management, and engagement of a Discord community.

Quick Overview: How to Make a Discord Server?

1. Download the Discord App
2. Sign up/Log in with your Discord Account
3. Click on the "+" icon on the left-hand side
4. Choose to either ‘start from scratch’ or ‘choose a template’
5. Give your server a unique name
6. Upload a photo to serve as the server’s icon
7. Click "Create"

What is a Discord Server?

A Discord server operates as a free digital hub, similar to a clubhouse, where individuals with shared interests can come together, converse, exchange ideas, and engage in discussions. Think of it as a virtual community center where you can establish different rooms (channels) for a variety of topics or activities.

Whether you're a group of gaming enthusiasts discussing the latest releases, a study group pooling resources, or a book club dissecting the latest bestseller, a Discord server offers a structured and flexible platform for all your community interactions.

The importance of a Discord server cannot be overstated. It not only provides a space for communication and collaboration but also fosters a sense of community among its members. It bridges geographical gaps and allows real-time interaction, making it an indispensable tool for building and maintaining online communities.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Discord

Discord servers offer a multitude of benefits as community tools, including real-time communication, collaboration, and community building. They allow for the creation of diverse channels for different topics, customizable roles and permissions for efficient management and security, and support for various media types.

✔️ free of use, unlimited servers, calls, and messages

✔️ real-time communication

✔️ creation of diverse channels for different topics

✔️ customizable roles and permissions

✔️ support various media types

However, they can also present challenges, such as a steep learning curve for new users, demanding server moderation, inconsistent call quality, and potential data privacy and security concerns.

🛑 steep learning curve for new users

🛑 demanding user moderation

🛑 inconsistent call quality

🛑 potential data privacy and security concerns

Despite these drawbacks, the advantages of Discord servers often outweigh the disadvantages, making them a popular choice for online communities.

Creating Your Own Discord Server: A Step-by-Step Guide

Naturally, the first step in constructing your own Discord server is to create a Discord server. Think of it as laying the foundation for your online community. It’s where your members will meet, interact, and form the bonds that will keep your community thriving.

The success of your Discord community depends on the correct setup of the new server— the heart of your community. Proper server settings are crucial to ensure a smooth experience for your members.

Step #1: Downloading the Discord App

Embarking on your journey to craft a vibrant community starts with downloading the Discord app. This app is your portal into the realm of Discord servers and is compatible with a wide range of devices including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.

For those who prefer not to download an app, Discord also offers a web-based version that can be accessed directly through your preferred browser. This version also supports voice chat, allowing you to communicate with your community members in real time.

Step #2: Signing Up for a Discord Account

After getting the Discord app or website operational, you should proceed to create your Discord account. This account is your passport to the diverse world of Discord servers. It’s a straightforward process: provide your email, choose a unique username, and create a secure password. Just remember, Discord stipulates that users must be at least 13 years old to create an account.

If you already have an account, then log in instead of signing up.

Step #3: Setting Up Your Discord Server

After setting up your Discord account, the next step is to create your server. Your server is the central hub of your Discord community, so it’s essential to set it up correctly. Here’s how:

1. Click the plus sign icon.

2. Choose to either ‘start from scratch’ or ‘choose a template’.

3. Choose whether the server will be for yourself, your friends, or for a club or a community.

4. Give your server a unique name. You could also read Discord's community guidelines to ensure you are informed about their rules.

5. Upload a photo to serve as the server’s icon at the same pop-up. This is an essential step in the process, as your server name and server icon will be the first things potential members see when they come across your own community.
6. Then click "Create".

Viola! Now, you have created your Discord public server successfully!

How to Structure a Discord Server? Roles, Channels, and Permissions

With your new Discord server now live, the next course of action is to optimize it to suit your community’s needs. Discord provides a plethora of customization options to ensure your server meets the unique needs of your community. Whether it’s creating user roles, organizing channels, or setting permissions, tailoring your server to your community can make the difference between a good server and a great one.

Creating and Managing User Roles

User roles are a crucial aspect of server management on Discord. They not only help identify different members of your community but also streamline the process of assigning permissions. Whether you’re running a gaming server and need to identify team leaders or a book club server with a rotating discussion leader, user roles are a powerful tool in your server management arsenal.

How To? To create user roles, first, navigate to your server settings by right-clicking on your server icon and selecting "server settings". Once there, click on "roles". This is where you will create and manage user roles.

You can customize each role according to specific permissions, display settings, and member assignments. In the "manage members" section, you can add or remove members for each particular role. This allows you to precisely control who has what permissions in your server, ensuring a smooth and organized community experience.

Organizing Channels for Better Communication

Another key aspect of server customization is channel organization. Channels are where your community members will communicate, and organizing them effectively can greatly enhance the experience of your members in a community server.

By learning how to organize channels, including voice channels, you can create dedicated spaces for different discussions, making it easier for your members to navigate your server and find the conversations that interest them.

How To? To structure your Discord server, organize important channels at the top, main chat channels in the middle, and less important, off-topic ones towards the bottom. Aim for four to five channels per category for an efficient setup.

What we recommend for communities is to start with these channels:

• #announcement
• #intro-yourself
• #ask-community
• #share-resources
• #social-chats (for voice channel)

However, the optimal arrangement of channels may vary depending on the type of your online community. As a general rule of thumb, it's advisable to begin with a handful of essential channels, and then progressively add more as the need arises.

Setting Server Permissions

After setting up your roles and channels, the next step is to configure your server permissions. Permissions control what each role can and can’t do on your server. This is an essential step in maintaining control over your server and ensuring it remains a safe and welcoming space for all members.

How To? There are two ways to set up your permissions: channels and category.

Channel permissions dictate how users can interact with a specific channel. To set these, right-click a channel and click "edit channel" to access settings. Under the 'Permissions' tab, you'll see the default settings for @everyone. Adjust these permissions by ticking or unticking boxes. To manage permissions for specific roles or users, click the plus sign and select the desired role or user.

On the other hand, category permissions apply to all channels under a category. To adjust these, right-click a category and select 'Edit Category', then choose 'Permissions'. Here, you can alter permissions and add roles, just like with channel permissions. Remember, channel permissions will override server permissions.

Congratulations! You are ready to engage your Discord community by learning these initial steps. Now, let's move on to designing a successful and engaging community server.

Tactics to Successfully Engaged Your Discord Community

The tone for a new member’s experience in your community can be set by a warm welcome. From a friendly greeting to a rundown of server rules and an overview of channels, a well-designed welcome experience can help new members feel at home and encourage them to participate more in your community.

Adding Bots and Apps for Improved Functionality

The functionality of your Discord server can be significantly enhanced by adding bots and apps. From automating tasks to adding new features, bots, and apps can enhance your server in numerous ways. They can make server management easier, increase user engagement, and even add a bit of fun to your community.

How To? Just click the drop-down menu beside your community server name. Then you can choose whether you want a "server boost" or you want to check the app integration feature.

If you want to boost your server, remember that you need to pay for a subscription to Discord's Nitro. Discord Nitro is a premium subscription service that offers a range of perks including server boosting. Server boosts improve the overall functionality of your server by providing benefits such as better audio quality, more emoji slots, and higher upload limits.

To boost your server, you can navigate to the server you wish to boost, click on the server name in the top left corner, and select "Server Boost" from the dropdown menu. From there, you can choose the level of boost you want, with each level offering more enhancements. Remember, the more boosts your server gets, the more benefits it will have!

Inviting, Onboarding, and Managing Community Members

The success of a Discord server largely depends on the effective invitation and management of members. Fortunately, Discord makes it easy to invite people to your server using an invite link, whether they’re already on your friend list or not. Once they’ve joined, Discord also gives you plenty of tools to manage your members, from assigning roles to monitoring user activity.

How To? To invite members to your server, simply right-click the server icon and select the "Invite People" option. If you're already connected with the individuals on Discord, you can search for their account names to add them to your server. If not, you can just as easily send a server invite link to them. All you need to do is copy the invite link and send it their way.

Joining a Community of Community Leaders

Establishing a thriving Discord community involves more than merely setting up a server and sending invitations to members. It requires careful planning, continuous effort, and a willingness to adapt to your community’s needs. From organizing your server effectively to fostering a positive atmosphere, there are numerous strategies you can employ to build a thriving community in Discord.

You can start by joining a community of community leaders to exchange best practices on community engagement. One of the best communities for community managers is Thrive by Disco, where you can connect, learn, and grow with the world's best online communities, not just from Discord.

Maximizing Free Useful Community Resources

Together with your community, you can tap into a wealth of free, valuable resources available on our blog. These resources cover a wide range of topics, including community management, engagement strategies, and marketing insights.

For those who wish to delve deeper into the art of community building, Disco has collaborated with industry experts to craft an ultimate community playbook. This playbook unveils insightful strategies such as the community flywheel, the blueprint of success, the pyramid of community engagement, and the member growth journey, among others. It's a treasure trove of knowledge for any aspiring community manager. Download your free copy today!

Discord VS Disco: The Key Differences

To sum this up, let's review the key differences between Discord and Disco, so you can choose effectively between the two. Discord and Disco serve different, yet complementary roles in the realm of online communities.

Discord excels as a communication platform, providing a space for real-time interaction among community members. It offers features like voice channels, text channels, and various user roles, making it a versatile tool for community interaction. However, it primarily focuses on communication and lacks some of the more advanced community management features.

On the other hand, Disco is an all-in-one community platform designed to manage, engage, and scale communities better than Discord alone. It integrates with Discord and other platforms to bring all your community management tools into one place.

With Disco, you can do much more such as automate community management tasks, track member engagement, and access detailed analytics to understand your community better. While Discord provides the space for your community to interact, Disco ensures that interaction is meaningful, engaging, and scalable.

If you're looking to take your community management to the next level, we invite you to explore what Disco can offer. Start with our 14-day free trial and interactive product tour today!