How To Create And Set Up A Discord Server In 2022
Discord continues to grow rapidly in 2021 because more and more people are learning how many different purposes the platform can serve. Discord is no longer a gaming platform. It has become a hub for professional groups and teams, sports fans, family chats, and more.
The popularity of Discord stems largely from its ease of use. You only need a Discord Account, a list or groups of people to invite, as well as some knowledge about the setup process. Here are the steps:
1. Use a template, or start from scratch. Make Your Channels and Categories
3. Complete settings and create Roles
4. Add Your Graphics
5. Invite members
Step 1: Use a template or start from scratch
If you log into Discord, you will see a plus sign button at the bottom left of your server list. When you select this, you''ll immediately get a pop-up window prompting you to choose whether you want to start with a template or start from scratch.
If you don''t have a clear vision of the server layout, I recommend using one of Discords preset templates.
Step 2 - Make your Channels and Categories
Although this may seem to be the most important step in creating your Discord server it is actually the easiest. To create a brand new channel, click the plus (+ button) next to the type channel (text/voice) you wish to create. Enter a name to your channel and choose whether you want it public or private.
You can also organize your channels into several categories. For example, if you have a server for artists collectives, you may need categories for Sharing and Learning, Critique, or Just For Fun. Your server will start with categories for Voice and Text channels. However, you can add additional categories by clicking the dropdown arrow next your server name and clicking Create Category.
For the time being, I recommend naming and categorizing your channels and adding a Channel Topic to each one. This is basically a description about the channel''s purpose, how to use it, as well as what you can expect from it. Once you''ve created your Roles and permissions, it''s important to save specific permissions as well as server attributes.
Step 3: Complete Settings and Create Roles
Now that you have a basic understanding of your server''s channels, it''s time to get into the nitty-gritty details of how your server will operate. Click on Server Settings from the dropdown box to the right.
You will only need to deal with a few items here for your basic server configuration. Overview is my preferred starting point. Here, you will only need adjustments to a few things. The System Messages section of this tab is the most important. If you want automatic messages to be sent when people join the server for the first time or boost the server, check the top two toggle and make sure the System Messages Channel is set to the correct option. I recommend that you use a Welcome or Rules channel to ensure your server experiences high growth. The welcome messages won’t interfere with other people’s chats.
Next, go to the Roles tab. How do you want responsibilities and permissions to be divided among your server''s members? You can give different permissions to each role that you create. While you may not be familiar with the final structure of your server, I recommend at least creating a Moderator position. It will have its own color, allow members to change their nicknames, ban others, and can make official posts.
The Moderation tab contains the last settings that I recommend you pay attention to. This tab allows you to set the server''s overall verification level. I recommend keeping it at a minimum of Low or Medium verification to avoid unwanted raids, troll accounts, and other undesirable behavior. Just below verification, you can also adjust your explicit media filter. It''s your choice, but if you have multiple people on your server, and don''t have reliable moderation or bots, I recommend the middle option.
Step 4: Add your graphics
Once you''ve established the basics of server settings, it''s now time to give your new server personality. The server icon, which is displayed in the users'' server list to the left, is one of the most important elements of your server’s identity. Kapwing is the best tool to design, edit and download your server icons. They should be 512x512 squares or circles. Upload images and use the Images tab to create your server icon. You can also search through more than 5 million stock photos with the Plugins tab.
Go back to the Overview tab of your Server Settings menu, and click on the placeholder for your server icon near top. You can find the Kapwing image and upload it to your Discord server immediately.
DISCORD SERVER
The other graphics you can add to your server no matter what are its emojis. There''s no requirement for your server to have its own emojis, but I recommend adding just a few to give your server a sense of identity. These emojis should be 128x128 squares or circles, and can be either transparent PNGs or typical JPGs. I recommend using Kapwing to create these, too, since most images you''ll find are far too large to use, and most simple photo editors won''t give you the option to reduce your image size or erase its background to create a transparent PNG.
To create and download your Discord Emojis, follow this article.
Step 5: Invite Members
Once your Discord server is up and running, it''s now time to send your invites. Click on the dropdown arrow beside your server name, and then click Invite People. This will create an invite link unique to your server that you can send out to people.
If you boost your server to Level 1 (which you can do by upgrading your account to Nitro and spending both your server boosts on your new server), you can add a 960x540 banner image to your server invites for some extra flair. While it requires more boosts to add a wide banner image, once you reach Level 2, you can still add one to your server invites. However, this may not be worth the cost if you are just starting your server.
