So last time we went over if it's still worth starting a new server and picking a theme. Now you've decided to give it a go. Let's get started.
Don't Overthink It
Starting a new server usually means starting with just one member: You. That's when the work of turning a ghost town into a bustling city begins. Meanwhile you're both parts hopeful and dreading how it'll go. Maybe it'll get super popular, get lots of members and be known as the place to be on Discord. Maybe nobody will join and you'll have to go back to the drawing board. More likely you and your server will end up somewhere in the middle. Whichever the case may be, those first few days are crucial. Let's assume success and get you started!
There are servers for everything under the sun so don't worry about being original. The main ingredient for success for your server is how much work you as the server owner are willing to put in. That work doesn't stop after creating it; you have to build and interact with your community, keep the server staffed, moderated and functioning properly. The theme is only part of what draws people to come and take a look. Your effort in advertising it, and how you run your server is what makes people stay. So pick a server theme you like and just run with it.
Server Creation
First things first. Click the button in Discord to create your server. You'll find the +-button on the left at the bottom of the server list. Discord has a few helpful templates you can use for servers about gaming, friend groups, study groups, school clubs, local communities and artists & creators. These come with a few channels already setup that servers about such topics are likely to need. You can always move, chance or deleted these channels, so don't worry if it doesn't immediately look like what you had in mind. If none of those themes suit you, or you just like to do everything yourself, pick the top option to create your own. Whichever option you choose, you will have to spend some time setting up your channels so they are just right!
Channel setup
There are a few channels that every server should have, and those are:
- Rules
Every server needs a list of rules for the members to abide by. Discord has it's Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. You can reference them and add your own set of rules on how you want your members to behave. - Guidelines
If your server has a theme where members can carry out certain activities (say posting content, posting advertisements, etc) you need a channel with the rules of engagement revolving around these activities. - General chat
Every server, regardless of what it's theme or purpose is, needs a place where members can gather and just chat about anything and everything. This is where most of the socializing will be done and where new members will likely look first.
The channels below aren't exactly mandatory but you definitely don't want to go without. These are channels that add flavor to your server:
- Activity channels
Question of the day, Server Events, Meme posting, Gif's only, Bot activity channels; all good places for members to spend time and have fun. - Theme-specific channels
Music servers will need channels dedicated to bands, playlist, specific genres or whatever the case may be. Art server will need art channels, like study group servers will need study group channels per topic, etc. - Community contribution channels
Channels for suggestions, polls and bot requests can help you gauge what your community wants. This will allow you to make the appropriate changes, showing the community that you care about their input.
Server Setup
More important than having the right amount of channels are the server setup options. This is where you determine what roles your server has, what their permissions are, what steps new members have to go through during their onboaring and where you manage your Safety Setup. Discord has a lot of built-in safety features, but you will have to enable them and set them up correctly for it to work. Without doing all this you run the risk of getting raided by new members looking to start trouble. Taking care of this step might sound daunting, but there's no need to worry. There are tutorials available on places like YouTube and Reddit to help you along.
Still unsure? We can help! Check out aysdiscord.com for our Premium Server Review or Custom Server Modification!
