Discord - How we are using it to provide added value
What is Discord?Discord
is a free app that allows people to connect through voice, video and text. Discord allows you to create a space where you can invite your friends, family, clients or any group of followers that you wish. Larger open communities are also available. Conversations are opt-in, so everyone has control over who they are interacting with. Leading to a better experience overall. With no algorithm, determining what you will or won’t see, Discord allows you to converse with others based on shared interests. Below is a brief glossary of terms that are associated with Discord:Server:
A server is a space on Discord, these are the communities or groups in which you can be invited to be a part of, although there are some larger public servers. Anyone can start a server and invite others to join.Channel:
The servers are organised into text and voice channels and they have different rules too.- A text channel allows users to post messages, upload files and share images for others to see whenever they want.
- A voice channel allows users to connect through voice or video call in real-time. Users can share screens (Go Live).
DM’s & GDM’s:
A Direct Message (DM) is a private message that users can send to others, it can be sent either by text, voice or video call. They are usually one-on-one but there is an option to invite up to 9 others - creating a private Group Direct Message (GDM).Go Live:
This is where users share their screen with other people in the server or through a DM with them. Joining is easy, you can use Discord on your desktop or download the free app which is available for Android, iOS, Linux, Windows and macOS. Once you have an account, you can start your own server and invite people or you can join another server by accepting an invitation.How The Web Guys are using Discord
We have created our own server and we want you to join us there. On our server, you can talk directly with us, ask any questions and communicate with other like-minded business owners too.
Communication is important to us and we want all of our customers and followers to feel that they can ask us questions anytime they want. That’s why we are creating this community through Discord.
We are on Discord… will you join us? As it’s invitation-only, you will need to receive an invitation from The Web Guys before you can join our server. But we think it will be a great asset to our business and be valuable to you as a Web Guys customer. Once you have registered for a Discord account, you can CLICK HERE to join our server.
If you would like to know more about how to get started with an Ecommerce website then please take a look at www.thewebguys.co.uk or even book in a meeting directly with Brian to discuss how to get started using this link https://thewebguys.zohobookings.eu/#/customer/brianlynggaard
How a Discord Server Delivers Tangible Value to Customers
Moving beyond general communication, a well-structured Discord server provides value by creating dedicated spaces for specific business functions. This direct, real-time interaction model can significantly enhance the customer experience and provide you with invaluable feedback.
- Immediate Customer Support: Create a dedicated #support or #help-desk channel where customers can ask questions and get rapid responses from your team or knowledgeable community members, reducing support ticket volume.
- Direct User Feedback Loop: Use channels like #suggestions and #feature-requests to gather ideas directly from your most engaged users. This creates a powerful, ongoing focus group to guide your product or service development.
- Exclusive Content and Early Access: Reward your community members by sharing exclusive content, such as behind-the-scenes updates, tutorials, or early access to new features, in a members-only channel.
- Live Events and Workshops: Utilise voice channels and the 'Go Live' screen-sharing feature to host live Q&A sessions, product demonstrations, or interactive training workshops at no extra cost.
Frequently Asked Questions About Using Discord for Business
- Is Discord secure enough for business communication?
Yes. Discord provides robust moderation tools and granular role permissions. You can create private, invitation-only channels for sensitive discussions with specific clients or internal teams, keeping them completely separate from public community areas.
- What is the cost of running a business community on Discord?
The core features needed to create, run, and manage a server are completely free. Optional paid upgrades through Server Boosting provide cosmetic and quality-of-life perks like higher-quality video streaming and more custom emojis, but they are not required to operate a successful community.
- How is Discord different from Slack for building a community?
While functionally similar, Discord is built for community engagement and excels at fostering a more informal, interactive environment. Slack is primarily designed as an internal productivity tool for teams, with a more formal structure and a different focus for its integrations.
5 Steps to Launching Your Customer-Facing Discord Server
Setting up a professional Discord server is a straightforward process that can be completed in under an hour. Following these steps will ensure you have a solid foundation for building your community.
- Create the Server: In the Discord app, click the plus icon in the server list. Choose the 'Create My Own' option and give your server a name and icon that reflects your brand.
- Establish Key Channels: Start with a few essential text channels. A #welcome-rules channel is crucial for setting expectations, along with a #general-chat for conversation and an #announcements channel for your official updates.
- Configure Roles and Permissions: In 'Server Settings', create basic roles like 'Admin', 'Moderator', and 'Member'. Assign permissions to each role to control who can manage the server, delete messages, or invite new people.
- Generate a Permanent Invite Link: Create a non-expiring invitation link. This allows you to place a permanent link on your website, in your email signature, or on your social media profiles.
- Announce and Onboard: Let your audience know about your new community. When new members join, have a clear welcome message that guides them on how to participate and what value they can expect.
Connecting Discord to Your Existing Business Workflow
You can automate tasks and bring information into your Discord server by connecting it to other platforms using bots and webhooks. This turns your server into a central hub for your community and business updates.
- Automation with Zapier: You can use a service like Zapier to create connections without any code. For example, you can set up a 'Zap' to automatically post a message in your #news channel every time you publish a new article on your WordPress blog.
- Membership Platform Integration: If you use a platform like Patreon or Memberful, you can use their official bots to automatically grant special roles to paying members, giving them access to exclusive, subscriber-only channels.
- Social Media Alerts: Configure a bot like MEE6 or a webhook to automatically post links to your latest tweets or YouTube videos in a dedicated channel, keeping your community up-to-date with all your content.
