With over 150 million active users, Discord has quickly become a go-to communications platform, especially among startups and small businesses looking to build an engaged community.
One of Discord’s most useful features for entrepreneurs is the ability to create announcement channels – dedicated spaces to broadcast important updates, promotions, events, and other news to your members.
As an entrepreneur myself, I rely on our announcement channel to connect with our over 1,500 Discord community members. It has become the primary way we interact with our audience.
But setting up an announcement channel isn’t enough. You need to use it effectively to see real benefits.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share step-by-step instructions, best practices, and tips to help you create and leverage an announcement channel to boost engagement and growth for your startup or small business.
Why You Need an Announcement Channel
Before we dive in, let’s look at why an announcement channel should be a priority:
- Increase reach and visibility for your updates. Unlike regular chat messages, announcements stand out and are impossible to miss.
- Broadcast real-time notifications about time-sensitive news like new product releases, sales, or events.
- Cut through the noise and separate important notices from casual conversations.
- Improve organization by consolidating announcements in one place. This also makes it easier for members to find and reference.
- Boost engagement with your audience by giving them valuable, exclusive content.
- Discord has over 150 million active users – that’s a massive audience you can tap into. [Source]
According to Discord, channels dedicated for announcements see 22% more active conversations than non-announcement ones. [Source]
Let’s look at how to create and optimize your own announcement channel.
Step-by-Step Guide to Creating an Announcement Channel
Here is an in-depth walkthrough on how to add an announcement channel in Discord for desktop and mobile:
First, launch the Discord app and open the server you wish to create the announcement channel in.
On desktop: You’ll see a list of your existing text and voice channels in the left sidebar.
On mobile: Tap the hamburger menu icon in the top left corner to reveal the channel list.
2. Click the “+” Icon to Create a New Channel
Look for a “+” icon above your channel list, and click it to reveal options for creating a new channel.
3. Select “Create Announcement Channel”
From the menu that pops up, click “Create Announcement Channel” to create a space solely for announcements.
4. Name and Describe Your Announcement Channel
You can now customize your announcement channel:
- Give it a clear, descriptive name like #news, #announcements, #updates, etc. Avoid vague names.
- Add a channel topic explaining this channel is for official announcements from mods/admins. This sets expectations.
5. Tweak Permissions (Optional)
By default, only admins can post in announcement channels. You can change this if desired:
Desktop: Right click channel > Edit Channel > Permissions
Mobile: Tap the settings gear icon > Permissions
For example, you may want to allow mods or certain roles to also post announcements for flexibility.
6. Start Posting Announcements
You’re all ready to begin posting! Here are some announcement ideas to engage your community:
- New product features or updates
- Events, contests, and promotions
- Policy or terms of service changes
- Company news and milestones
- User-generated content spotlights
- Industry-relevant articles or analysis
Be sure to make use of formatting like bold text, lists, and embeds to make announcements visually interesting.
Tips for Running an Effective Announcement Channel
Now that you know how to create an announcement channel, let’s look at some best practices to ensure yours is optimized for engagement and conversion:
Post at Least Once a Week
Don’t create an announcement channel only to leave it sit dormant! Aim to post at least once a week to keep it active and provide value.
Keep Posts Scannable
Announcements should be skimmable, with key info up front. Use formatting like bullets and bolding strategically.
Organize into Threads
Separate different announcement types into threads for easier navigation, such as "Product Updates," "Events," etc.
Remind Users How to Mute
Let members know they can mute the channel if they don’t want notifications. Don’t assume they know how.
Pin a Summary Message
Pin an overview summarizing recent announcements for quick reference. Update it bi-weekly.
Monitor Engagement
Track reactions, comments, and traffic to see which announcement types get the most traction. More of that!
Promote Your Channel
Remind members about your announcement channel in other channels too. Cross-promote!
As a startup founder myself, these tips have helped me build an extremely active and engaged announcement channel that our community loves.
Example Announcement Channel from My Startup‘s Discord Server
To give you an idea of an effective announcement channel in action, here is a screenshot from my startup’s Discord server:
[Insert Image]As you can see, we have announcements categorized into threads, pinned overview messages, use engaging copy, and imagery while also keeping it scannable.
This organization and effort has increased our open rate and engagement dramatically.
Key Takeaways
Here are the major points to remember when creating and leveraging your Discord announcement channel:
- Increase visibility for updates by separating into dedicated channel
- Use clear, consistent naming/branding: #news, #announcements, etc.
- Post regularly – don‘t let it sit unused!
- Format posts for visual interest and skimmability
- Organize relevant announcements into threads for easier navigation
- Analyze performance and double down on what works
- Promote your channel and remind users to subscribe
Prioritizing your Discord announcement channel is a highly effective yet straightforward way to boost engagement and connect with your customers and community members.
As a fellow entrepreneur, I hope this guide gave you ideas and strategies to create an announcement channel that converts! Let me know if you have any other questions.
