Your Server, Your Space

Your Discord server is your own unique space to design, decorate and make however you like! There are tons of ways to approach building and customizing your community, but the best creator servers build something that feels representative of you and your audience. In today’s lesson, we’ll be giving you a few pointers to get you on the right path.  

Before you roll up your sleeves and begin shaping your server, it’s important to take a step back and get a bit philosophical (just a little bit). Before you start reading tea leaves regarding how you should build your server,  we have a few guiding questions that can help you figure out just that!

Why Build A Discord Server?

Whether you realize it or not, every time you create content, you’re starting with a “why”. So… why? Is it to entertain, educate or inspire? The same thought process goes for building a Discord community. Why do you want to build a community in the first place? Is your intention to help your fans connect deeper with you? To make loadsamoney? Or something totally unique? Whatever your reason, knowing the “why” will guide you throughout your server creation journey.

Who Exactly Is Your Discord Server For?

Now that you have your “why” (congrats btw), you’ll want to be clear on who you’re building your new space for. There’s a good chance  you already have an understanding of your own audience, but who within your audience is your server for? Whether it’s for your entire audience, a particular segment of your audience members, or using your server as a paid-only space, having your answer allows you to better-tailor your server’s experience to your community’s needs.

How Will Your Discord Server Come To Life?

Typically as a creator, the content you create is how you reach your “who” and meet your “why.” But as a future Discord community admin, your goals will look a bit different, so you’ll want to be prepared accordingly.

Before you create your server, figure out how you personally will want to participate and how much time you have to dedicate to it. Be honest with yourself and don’t overpromise, as this will help you set clear expectations on how much involvement things will take, both with your audience and with yourself.

Once you feel confident with your answers to these questions, it’s time to bring it all to life!Let’s review a few of the ways you infuse your brand into your server.

What’s the Name of Your Server?:

From the name of your server to each channel, you can get pretty creative with your server. You might already have some jargon or language you use with your fans, like a term you use to describe your audience as a whole. Bringing your catchphrases to your server is a great way to make your community feel right at home from day one!

Banners, Icons and Artwork: Your server banner and icon are visual ways to bring your identity to your server. Creators tend to either leverage assets they already have, or use their server as an opportunity to build something new. Some may even shape their server around a special theme, like “Camp Cozy”, to guide their server’s branding. You can find all of the details on specs for banners here.

Promo Page: If your server offers a Server Subscription, your Promo Page is a public way to show what your server is all about. It’s a public entry point into your Discord space, so you want it to feel right. You can select a color theme and have a field day writing descriptions that speak to your specific audience; after all, you know them better than anyone else!

With these  questions answered and your design decisions decided upon, you’re on your way to making your Discord community feel totally your own — we can’t wait to see what you create!

Looking to get started right away? Check out our Help Center article all about guiding you through the creation steps. Don’t forget to take a peek at even more articles on the Creator Portal below!