Stage Channels are a new voice channel type on Discord that introduce additional ways to host entertaining and engaging events for your server members.

Rather than using channel permissions to configure who has the ability to speak like in a regular voice channel, with stage channels moderators have access to built in controls that make it simple to decide who can talk at any given time. Stage channels also allow everyone in the room to easily see who is currently talking. As for listeners, users in the audience can seamlessly join and leave stage channels without alerting others. Stage channels make it easier than ever to host lots of people listening in at once.

However, because stage channels operate differently from regular voice channels, the approach when it comes to running and moderating these spaces should be different as well. These are just some best practices to keep in mind when figuring out what’s the best way to make sure your stage channel event goes off without a hitch. As a reminder, all Stages must follow the Stage Channel Guidelines in addition to Discord’s Terms of Service and Community Guidelines.
‍

Do an audit of the permissions set on your stage channel itself as well as any role permissions that are related to stage channels.

The first thing you should do is double check your stage channel permissions and role permissions related to the stage channels. Roles created prior to the release of stage channels may have this permission automatically enabled, so be sure to remove this permission from roles you don’t want to be able to speak. You should also verify that the members moderating the stage channel have the required permissions to do so, as they are the ones who can both speak and control who has the ability to speak while in the stage channel.

We’d recommend doing a small test run to cross your t’s and dot your i’s before officially opening the stage channel to the general public to ensure that your moderators have the correct permissions and that they’re the only ones with these permissions.
‍

Decide on a clear name and topic for the stage channel to keep everyone focused and to set the tone for the event.

A formal agenda or program may not be strictly necessary, but the more you can outline how the stage channel event will proceed, the easier it will be to keep track of things during the event for both those who are speaking and those who are listening.

For example, a stage channel for “Karaoke Room” with the channel topic “Sing your favorite songs up on stage!” gives a clear idea of the purpose and flow of the stage channel event.

You can even create an accompanying text channel for people to request songs to sing and establish a queue, or even just to talk amongst themselves while the person speaking in the stage channel is performing. These related text channels are great for keeping the audience engaged while the speaker is up on the stage.
‍

Delegate the various tasks involved in moderating a stage channel event to different moderators.

It’s important that you have multiple moderators on during your stage channel event in order to properly address any hiccups that might happen over the course of the event.

Attempting to juggle facilitating the stage channel event as a speaker, managing who is able to speak during the event, and keeping an eye on the accompanying text chat is a difficult, if impossible, task for any singular moderator to handle.

Dedicating at least one mod to each task will help ensure all aspects of the stage channel event proceed smoothly and that your moderator team doesn’t miss any questions from the audience that come up. Lastly, depending on how active your server is, make sure that you have enough moderators to cover any activity in the regular, non-stage channel event servers.

Running a stage channel event is a spectacular way of engaging your server members and can be a fun and rewarding experience for everyone involved. By keeping these moderation considerations in mind, you’ll be well on your way to a successful, safe, and stress-free event!

Special thanks to NaviKing#3820 for their help in writing this article.