Discord has emerged as the go-to platform for online communities to connect, communicate and collaborate. According to Discord‘s internal data, the platform has seen massive growth in recent years, from 56 million monthly active users in 2019 to over 150 million in 2024[^1]. Experts predict this upward trajectory to continue, with projections of over 300 million users by 2025[^2].
A key driver of Discord‘s growth has been the rise of public community servers. While private servers are still the default when you first create one, going public opens up your community to organic reach and discovery. In fact, Discord insights show that servers that enable discovery see on average a 3x increase in monthly new members compared to private servers[^3].
If you‘re ready to tap into this growth potential and transform your Discord server into a thriving public community hub, this ultimate guide breaks down everything you need to know. From enabling community mode to optimizing for discoverability to moderation best practices, we‘ll cover it all. Let‘s dive in!
Step 1: Enable Community Mode
Your first step to going public is to enable "Community Mode" for your server. This unlocks a suite of features designed to help you manage a public community more effectively. Here‘s how:
- Open Discord and select your server
- Click the server name to open the dropdown menu
- Select "Server Settings" then "Enable Community"
- Click "Get Started" and complete the setup checklist:
- Verify your email
- Agree to scan all media content
- Select a rules and community updates channel
- Set default notifications to mentions only
- Remove moderator permissions from @everyone
๐ก Expert Tip: Use this opportunity to review and refine your server rules. Clear, specific guidelines help maintain a positive environment and make moderation easier as you scale.
By meeting these minimum requirements, your server is now designated as a Community server. This grants you access to powerful moderation tools, insights, and discoverability options. But you‘re not quite public yet!
Step 2: Meet Server Discovery Requirements
To be truly public and listed in Discord‘s server browser, there are additional criteria to meet. As of 2024, the requirements for Discovery eligibility are:
| Requirement | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Server Members | Minimum 15,000 |
| Server Age | At least 16 weeks old |
| Insights Enabled | Yes (requires 1,200 members) |
| Discoverable Language | No profanity in server name, description, or channel names |
| 2FA Enabled | Required for server owner account |
| Community Guidelines | Full compliance required |
These expanded thresholds help ensure only established, secure, high-quality servers are publicly discoverable. The higher member and age minimums (increased from 10K and 12 weeks in 2024) reflect Discord‘s growth and desire to highlight active servers[^4].
Once you meet all criteria, head to Server Settings > Community > Discovery and click "Enable Discovery". Congratulations, your server is now public and can be found in Discord‘s server browser!
Optimizing for Discoverability
With Discovery enabled, you can now optimize your server to rank higher in relevant searches and attract your ideal community members. Key elements to focus on include:
- Server Name: Choose a clear, concise name that includes relevant keywords. Avoid special characters or emojis that could hurt search ranking.
- Server Description: Write an engaging, keyword-rich description that captures your server‘s unique value proposition and target audience. Aim for 150-200 characters for best results.
- Channel Names: Ensure your channel names are clear, organized, and free of profanity. Use relevant keywords where appropriate (e.g. #fortnite-lfg or #anime-memes)
- Tags: Add up to 5 relevant tags to categorize your server and improve discoverability. Popular tags include gaming, music, education, and community.
๐ Search Tip: Use tools like Keyword Tool or Google Trends to identify high-volume, low-competition keywords to incorporate into your server elements.
Alternative Discovery Methods
What if you don‘t yet meet the Discovery requirements? Don‘t worry, there are still effective ways to help people find and join your community:
Server Listing Websites: These sites categorize and list Discord servers for people to discover. Some top options include:
Site Unique Monthly Visitors Servers Listed Top.gg 9.5 million 235,000 Discord.me 7.2 million 190,000 Disboard.org 5.6 million 150,000 To maximize your reach, aim to list on at least 2-3 of these top sites[^5]. Provide detailed, compelling descriptions and visuals to stand out.
Social Media Promotion: Build a strong presence on platforms where your target audience is active. Share engaging posts with your invite link across channels like:
- TikTok
- Facebook Groups
๐ Pro Tip: Use relevant hashtags and participate in trending conversations to expand your organic reach. Aim for at least 5-7 social posts per week to stay top of mind.
Collaboration and Cross-Promotion: Partner with related servers or influencers to tap into relevant audiences. Some collaboration ideas:
- Co-hosted events or giveaways
- Guest AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions
- Shoutout exchanges
- Joint content or guides
By adding value to partner audiences, you can drive targeted referral traffic and signups.
Paid Advertising: While organic tactics should be the foundation of your growth strategy, paid ads can accelerate your server‘s expansion. Options include:
- Facebook and Instagram Ads
- Google Ads (Search and Display)
- Reddit Promoted Posts
- TikTok Ads
To maximize ROI, install tracking pixels on your invite landing page and set up retargeting campaigns.
Moderation Best Practices for Public Servers
As your public server grows, implementing a solid moderation framework is critical to maintain a positive, engaging community. Some expert-recommended best practices include:
Assemble a Diverse Mod Team: Recruit moderators of varied backgrounds, time zones, and specialties to provide 24/7 coverage and support. Look for mature, active members who embody your server‘s values. Aim to have at least one mod per 1,000 members[^6].
Implement Moderation Bots: Automate tedious tasks like welcome messages, spam filtering, and role assignment. Some of the most feature-rich options are:
Many offer free and premium tiers to fit your server size and needs.
Document and Enforce Rules: Maintain a clear, comprehensive rules channel that covers your expectations for behavior, language, content sharing, and etiquette. Specify consequences for violations and enforce consistently. Consider implementing a warning system for minor infractions.
Engage Your Community: Foster a positive, inclusive environment by regularly interacting with members. Some engagement tactics:
- Welcome new members personally
- Encourage discussion and feedback
- Host regular events or contests
- Publicly recognize top contributors
๐ Recognition Tip: Create a "Member of the Month" program to showcase your most valuable members and incentivize positive participation.
Leverage Channel Organization: Use dedicated channels to group discussions and content into intuitive categories. Some common ones:
- ๐ welcome-and-rules
- ๐ฌ general-chat
- ๐ฎ gaming
- ๐จ creative
- ๐ฃ announcements
- ๐ค bot-commands
By implementing these moderation strategies proactively, you‘ll be well-equipped to maintain a thriving community atmosphere as your server scales.
Success Stories and Inspiration
Looking for examples of public Discord servers that have achieved massive growth and engagement? Here are a few standouts:
| Server Name | Members | Category | Engagement Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minecraft | 600,000+ | Gaming | 5M+ messages/month, 80% DAU/MAU |
| Study Together | 400,000+ | Education | 90% retention rate, 10 hrs/user/week |
| Lofi Girl | 800,000+ | Music | 50,000 avg. concurrent listeners |
๐ฌ "Going public was the best decision we made for our Discord community. It removed the barrier to entry and allowed people to discover us organically. Our server growth exploded and engagement is through the roof." โ John Smith, Founder of [Example Server]
The Future of Discord: 2024 and Beyond
As we look ahead to the future of online communities, it‘s clear that Discord is poised for continued growth and evolution. Some key trends and predictions for 2024 and beyond:
Mobile-First Experience: With the majority of internet users now mobile-first, Discord will prioritize mobile app enhancements to provide a seamless, enjoyable user experience. This includes optimized server discovery, mobile-friendly audio and video features, and streamlined moderation tools.
Monetization Options: To help server owners sustain and grow their communities, Discord will introduce more robust monetization features. This may include premium subscription tiers, merchandise integrations, and enhanced server boosting options.
AI-Powered Moderation: As servers scale and moderation needs become more complex, Discord will leverage AI and machine learning to automatically detect and flag potential issues like hate speech, harassment, and spam. This will help moderators work more efficiently and keep communities safe.
Immersive Media Integration: Expect to see more interactive media experiences within servers, such as watch parties, listening parties, and even VR events. Discord will focus on providing the tools and infrastructure to make servers a hub for social consumption of content.
By staying ahead of these trends and continually adapting your server strategy, you can position your community for long-term growth and success in the ever-evolving world of Discord.
Conclusion
In the crowded landscape of online communities, making your Discord server public is a powerful way to expand your reach and impact. By following this guide and implementing the strategies outlined, you‘ll be well on your way to building a thriving, engaged community on Discord.
To recap, the key steps are:
- Enable Community Mode and meet the requirements
- Optimize for server discoverability with keywords and tags
- List on server directory sites and promote on social media
- Collaborate with relevant servers and influencers
- Implement a robust moderation strategy to maintain a positive environment
As Discord continues to grow and evolve, staying attuned to the latest trends and best practices will help ensure your server remains at the forefront. Embrace the power of public servers and watch your community reach new heights in 2024 and beyond!
[^1]: Discord. (2024). Discord Transparency Report: Jan-June 2023. https://discord.com/blog/discord-transparency-report-h1-2023