Discord used to be a hot spot for gamers until Web3 brands entered the chat. No longer just beneficial to the gaming world, crypto companies are finding favor with Discord’s community-focused aspects.
Knowing how to promote your Discord server to capture interested fans and spark meaningful conversations and actions is key.
Easier said than done!
With tons of Discord servers, how do you stand out and get users to join and engage? These actionable, no-fluff strategies can help you grow and engage your Discord community.
Optimize Your Discord Server for Growth
Appearances mean everything for community growth. It’s the first thing your audience sees and sets expectations for what they’ll find within.
Before you focus on promotion, take some time to optimize your server for growth. That means:
- Have clear branding, including the server name, logo, and a custom invite link.
- Set up easy onboarding, such as welcome messages, auto-roles, and simple navigation.
- Communicate your value points — the things that make your server worth joining, like alpha leaks or exclusive content.
Every visitor should be able to know immediately who you are, what you do, and why they should care. Otherwise, you risk driving quality traffic away because you haven’t set the right expectations.
Having these in place before you start promoting will help you turn curiosity seekers into active users.
Leverage Social Media for Promotion
Social media can be a goldmine for visibility and brand-building. Investors, degens, KOLs, and pretty much everyone else in Web3 are already hanging out on platforms like Twitter/X, Reddit, and even Tiktok, so you can meet your audience where they are.
Let’s look at some platform-specific strategies for Discord server growth.
For Twitter/X, you can:
- Post invite links to your Discord server
- Host Twitter Spaces, which lets you host livestream discussions and audio chat rooms
- Announce early NFT drops and other exclusive content
- Use pinned posts to communicate essential information upfront
Use Telegram and Reddit for:
- Cross-promoting your Discord server in crypto/NFT subreddits and relevant groups (but don’t shill too much 🙂
- Finding influencers in your niche to help you grow your community
- Answer questions and share links to your owned assets
Effective TikTok strategies include:
- Conducting Ask Me Anything sessions to learn what your audience wants to know
- Using short-form videos to highlight your community and perks
- Craft teaser content with text overlays
- Participate in viral sounds and trend challenges with a crypto twist
Use Instagram to:
- Create Reels that showcase your Discord community
- Give sneak peeks or behind-the-scenes content
- Find influencers using hashtags related to Web3 and crypto
- Add a link to your Discord community on your profile
Social media isn’t one dimensional. Take advantage of each platform’s unique strengths and features (e.g., pinned posts, Instagram Reels, forums) to expand your reach.
Above all, end your content with a strong call-to-action, like “Comment ‘Discord’ and I’ll DM you the link.” Make it easy for your audience to take that next step.
Partner with Influencers & Communities
Social media platforms like TikTok, Reddit, and Instagram are powerful places to find crypto influencers. When you know who’s leading the conversations in your niche, you can leverage their audience to grow your own.
Why work with influencers when you’re trying to become one yourself? It’s simple:
- Influencers have a ready-made audience.
- Their audience knows and trusts the influencer.
- The influencer has put in time and effort to figure out what their audience likes and responds to.
- Influencers can give you instant street cred simply by associating with you.
Partner with crypto influencers to mention your server on their channel. Some might do a link drop, while others may prefer to craft demo videos. Give them the creative freedom to promote you — it’s what they do best.
A similar approach is to run collabs with other projects. These are mutually beneficial because you can tap into each other’s audiences. It’s a win/win, and can be highly cost effective since you’re sharing the process.
Incentivize & Reward Engagement
Discord communities are unique in that they’ve traded passive doom-scrolling in favor of real, live engagement. Users come here to learn, discuss, and participate, not just be entertained.
Offering incentives and rewards for engagement can help you turn an already-active audience into loyal brand fans.
For example, you can use airdrops, giveaways, and contests to newcomers as thank-you gifts, then offer higher tiered incentives for those who continue to engage.
Early members who join might enjoy exclusive perks or content, such as OG roles or whitelist spots. For example, your first 100 members might earn an Early Adopter badge, while your most active fans can earn a VIP member badge.
Refer a friend? Offer an incentive. Make it worthwhile for them to bring guests to you — it’s less effort on your part, and a prize can encourage them to share often.
Other ideas include:
- Engagement-based contests (e.g., React to this post for a chance to win!)
- Members-only channels and resources
- VIP access to strategy calls or insider news
- Recognition or shout-outs on your channels
- Limited time events
- Ask me anything sessions
These elements make users want to participate, which will keep your server thriving.
To make referrals and engagement tracking easier, use a Discord bot like Mee6 or Arcane to see your most engaged followers.
Use Paid Promotion (Optional but Effective)
The tried-and-true method of pay-to-play applies to Discord community growth, and there’s no shame in it. Paid ads give you control over marketing budgets, let you target your efforts, and measure impact with real data.
Consider using Discord ads and promoted posts on social media channels like Twitter/X to send relevant traffic to your server.
Crypto-native ad networks like AADS and Coinzilla can also support your strategy. They can give you targeted reach, ensuring your content appears to people who are interested in crypto and all things Web3. You can choose from a variety of ad formats, like banner ads or native ads, to promote your Discord server your way.
You can also sponsor posts in relevant crypto newsletters, blogs, and media.
Growing Your Discord Community with Content Marketing
Each of the above strategies shares a common thread: content.
Content marketing serves as a vehicle to take your Discord growth strategy up any avenue you choose. It provides something for people to interact with, learn from, and share with others, and there’s no limit as to how many times your content can work on your behalf.
Need help navigating the art of content marketing for Discord? Trust a dedicated Web3 content marketing agency that’s been where you are. Reach out to learn more today.
