
Discord has become the go-to platform for creating communities around gaming, hobbies, and shared interests. While many people dream of owning a large Discord server with thousands of members, the reality of managing one can be far from easy. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover every aspect of owning and growing a large Discord server, from choosing your niche to managing server drama.
Starting a Discord server is easy, but managing one? That’s where the real challenge begins.
Before diving into the technical aspects of server management, it’s important to reflect on why you want a Discord server.
Do you want a small, cozy space where your friends and like-minded people can interact, or do you want a massive, vibrant server with thousands of members?
This is the first fork in the road. If you’re building a server just for fun—a space where you and your friends can hang out—you may not need to worry about growing your server or attracting new members. You can focus on the people who are already there and ensure they have a great time.
However, if your goal is to create a large, bustling server, you need to approach it differently. Running a large server isn’t just fun and games; it can often feel like managing a business. You’ll need to plan for growth, monitor engagement, and resolve conflicts as they arise.
When starting a server, it’s tempting to envision having a massive member count right away. But growth takes time, and it’s often better to have a small, active community than a large, inactive one. Setting realistic goals for your server is key to avoiding burnout and maintaining enthusiasm. For example:
If you browse Disboard, you’ll notice that there are 184,000 Discord servers under the “Community” tag alone. Most of these servers are trying to be the next big hangout spot, offering nothing unique or memorable. The reality is that these general-purpose servers are doomed to fail unless they cater to an existing community or celebrity.
Think of it this way: Discord already has millions of servers where people can chat, share memes, and play games. What will make yours different? Trying to create a “chill, fun hangout” server isn’t enough anymore—there’s simply too much competition. In most cases, your server will get lost in the noise.
Instead of creating another generic server, aim to build something around a specific interest or hobby. Maybe it’s a server dedicated to crocheting, rare video game collecting, or discussing independent films, having a focus will attract like-minded individuals who are genuinely interested in engaging.
Example: Let’s say you love retro arcade machines. Instead of creating a general gaming server, you could focus on retro arcade enthusiasts. There are fewer servers in this niche, meaning you’ll stand out more easily, and members will be passionate about the topic. You’ll also likely build stronger relationships with your members because they share a common interest.
Once you’ve identified your niche, it’s time to set up your server. The initial setup plays a huge role in how new members perceive your community. A well-organized, professional-looking server will encourage people to stick around.
Creating the right structure for your server is crucial. Here’s a checklist to ensure that your server is set up for success:
Roles serve two purposes: they help define who does what in the community, and they can provide a sense of progression for members. Some tips:
Setting up role permissions can get complex. Make sure to:
Bots automate tasks, improve user experience, and can even serve as entertainment. For a successful server, you’ll need:
Now that you have your basic bot setup, let’s dive deeper into advanced bot management. As your server grows, the need for more sophisticated bots will arise.
Moderation bots are essential for ensuring your community stays civil, especially as your server scales. Dyno, Sapphire, or Mee6 are excellent examples of bots that can automate moderation by:
Fun bots can drastically increase engagement by making the server a more interactive place. For example:
Custom bots offer flexibility that out-of-the-box bots cannot. While most servers don’t need custom bots early on, larger servers may benefit from having bots tailored to their needs. For instance, a custom bot could:
However, unless your server reaches 20,000+ members, most default bots can handle all your needs without requiring a custom bot. So take care.
Growth is one of the trickiest parts of running a Discord server. While many resort to spamming advertising servers or Discord listing websites, these tactics often fail.
Servers dedicated to advertising are rarely effective for growing a community. Why? The people who join these servers are usually other server owners looking to promote their communities. This creates a cycle where everyone is promoting, but no one is joining to engage.
Instead of advertising servers, focus on the following:
One of the most effective ways to grow your server is by building relationships in larger, already-established servers. Here’s how:
Discord servers often thrive when integrated with a broader social media presence. Here are some platforms you can use:
Twitch & YouTube: If you’re streaming games or creating content, embed your server link in your bio or video descriptions. You can even host events where viewers join the Discord server for special perks or interactions.
Twitter: Engage with your niche community and post content related to your server’s topic.
Reddit: Subreddits related to your niche can be an excellent place to subtly promote your server. Just make sure you’re adding value to the conversation.
Getting people to join your server is only half the battle. Once they’re in, you need to keep them engaged and active. Without regular interaction, even the most popular servers can become ghost towns. Here are some strategies to keep your members involved and excited to participate.
Running events is one of the most effective ways to increase engagement in your Discord server. Events give members something to look forward to and foster a sense of community. Here are some event ideas:
Discord’s server boost feature allows users to contribute boosts that enhance the server’s features (e.g., better audio quality, more emojis). This is a powerful tool not only for improving server quality but also for rewarding engaged members. You can incentivize members to boost your server by offering special perks, such as:
User-generated content (UGC) can drive engagement in ways that you, as the server owner, never could. By fostering an environment where members feel comfortable sharing their own creations, opinions, or contributions, you’ll see natural community growth.
As your server grows, you’ll inevitably run into issues involving drama, conflict, or even malicious behavior. Managing this effectively can make or break your server’s atmosphere.
No matter how well you moderate your server, trolls and raid attacks are a constant threat, especially for larger communities. To protect your server from unwanted behavior:
Conflicts between members are common, especially in large communities where personalities inevitably clash. Here’s how to address this:
In a large server, rules serve as the foundation for smooth interactions and engagement. Without them, chaos ensues. However, avoid making rules that are too vague or too strict.
BTW, you could also use AI (or a tool) to generate your rules. :)

Once your server reaches a substantial size, you might be tempted to monetize it. However, before diving into server monetization, you need to carefully consider whether it’s worth the time and effort.
While Discord allows you to set up premium memberships, paid features, or exclusive content for paying members, the amount of money you can make will generally be low unless you have a massive community.
If your server is tied to a specific niche, you might be able to attract sponsors that cater to your audience. For example:
You can set up premium membership tiers to reward paying members with exclusive benefits. Here’s how to structure it:
While monetizing your Discord server can seem appealing, always consider whether it’s worth the effort. Many server owners find that the financial return is small, and managing paid memberships adds a layer of complexity that takes away from the joy of running the community.
In my own opinion: No, it is not worth it to monetize your Discord server.
Your moderation team is the backbone of your server. Without them, you’d be hard-pressed to manage a large community on your own. However, with great power comes great responsibility—and that includes protecting your moderators from security risks and ensuring they’re motivated to do their jobs well.
The success of your server hinges on selecting the right staff. Here’s how to ensure you pick the best:
In large servers, staff members often become targets for hacks and impersonation attempts. Hackers may try to steal accounts or trick staff into handing over permissions. Here’s how to protect them:
Moderating can be a thankless job, especially in large servers. It’s important to show appreciation for your moderators and create an environment where they feel valued.
After growing your Discord server to thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of members, you might find that it’s not quite the experience you imagined. Owning a large server is exciting, but it can also feel like a full-time job.
The larger your server gets, the more time and effort you’ll need to dedicate to moderation, events, conflict resolution, and community management. Some server owners spend hours every day dealing with issues ranging from bot setups to interpersonal conflicts.
Many server owners find that managing a server with over 100,000 members can be more stressful than fun. You might face constant complaints, server raids, or disputes among staff members. If you’re not careful, what started as a hobby can quickly turn into a source of burnout.
While growing a server to a massive size may seem appealing, it’s important to ask yourself if that’s really what you want. As mentioned earlier in the file you provided, the “sweet spot” for many owners is around 3,000 members. Beyond that point, the level of personal connection diminishes, and managing the server can feel overwhelming.
If you find that your server has grown too large to handle, don’t be afraid to scale back. Consider trimming inactive members, or even closing membership temporarily to regain control over the community.
At the end of the day, running a Discord server should be enjoyable. If the responsibilities are starting to outweigh the fun, it might be time to delegate more tasks to trusted moderators or make adjustments to the server’s structure.
Remember: A Discord server should be a reflection of your passion and interests. While growth is exciting, maintaining a healthy, engaged community that shares your enthusiasm is more important than sheer numbers.
Building and managing a large Discord server can be incredibly rewarding, but it’s not without its challenges. From finding a niche and growing your member base to managing drama and protecting your staff, the journey requires time, dedication, and strategic planning. Whether you’re just starting out or already managing a large community, remember that the most important aspect of your server is the experience it offers to its members.
By following our tips in this guide, you’ll be well on your way to owning a successful, thriving Discord community—whether it has 100 members or 100,000.