Discord, a platform that started off as a chat space for gamers, has become increasingly popular among brands and non-brands alike. 

Specifically, nearly every web3 brand is adapting Discord as their digital campfire to build their own community. Therefore, community builders, creators, and marketers wanting their share of the market should reflect for a moment – How to get started on this digital campfire? 

What is Discord?  

Discord is not a social platform, it is a community platform where like-minded people get a place to share ideas and thoughts. Treating Discord as a traditional social platform will give your brand a downhill path to start off with. 

Henceforth, It is essential to focus on providing a deeper sense of connection that is more dialogue-driven. The most interactive Discord communities are the ones that have chats happening across multiple channels regularly. The pace may vary from one community to another, but the quality and regularity of the chats build a deeper relationship between the brand and the community. 

More importantly, Discord offers an unparalleled level of customizability compared to other social media platforms. Brands have countless options to customize their Discord server and succeed at community building. 

How to Build and Maintain a Discord Community ? 

Before you start with your community building on Discord, there is a necessity to find out whether or not Discord will suit your brand’s community. For that, you can contemplate these factors: 

Industry 

Discord is more suitable for B2C brands rather than B2B. It is a casual platform meant for interacting about topics. 

Funnel Stage 

Discord works well for customers who are at the bottom of your sales funnel. It is where you will nurture your customers into brand followers. 

Interests 

The general demographics of audiences that use Discord are 18-32 and with specific interests. For example, Discord is a hangout platform for gamers, comic readers, podcasters, geeks, cinephiles, and techy people. Even though there are users of other demographics, the population is significantly low. 

Messaging Interval 

Discord communities live and breathe engagement. If your brand lacks the resources to interact with the community members throughout the day, then you should assign the necessary resources or look elsewhere to build your community. 

Now let’s get to the most important part of this post – 6 steps to build an engaging community on Discord: 

Decide Goals 

Setting goals for your community building will give you a basic guide for design and moderation. Some popular goals followed by brands include: 

  1. Connecting with customers 
  2. Sharing updates 
  3. Offering support 
  4. Building loyalty 
  5. Humanizing your brand 
  6. Goals will also help you set milestones for your community-building process. 

Identify The Initials 

You need inaugural members for your Discord server. These members will define the type of communication you will have on the server. Brands can call them brand evangelists – ideal members who regularly engage on social media and promote them. 

Assigning initial members is also a great way to boost loyalty towards your brand since you can also offer exclusive perks to these inaugural members. 

Conversation Starters 

Once you have your objectives and initial members, it is time to activate them. Planning conversations in advance will make your community more admirable to the members. You can do daily activities, discussions, and events to entertain the members. Brands can also leverage celebrities or influencers to do AMAs or music parties. 

Test and Refine 

It is plausible for you to make mistakes during the initial stages of your community building. However, these mistakes also provide you the opportunities to get feedback from your community and fix them accordingly. Ultimately, your brand can develop a meaningful community. 

Summing Up 

Discord isn’t for anyone who is looking for instant results—you need time and resources to invest in long-term community building. With time, you will get people who can amplify your brand. Therefore, set your goals, find resources, and customize accordingly to build a loyal community for your brand.