Week 3 | Course 4

Introduction

Discord is the one channel in this course where your community talks back, talks to each other, and, over time, becomes something closer to genuine word-of-mouth infrastructure than a follower count.

Lesson breakdown

Lesson 1: Why Discord Specifically - Recognize Discord as the space where your most engaged players and future advocates actually gather and talk to each other.
Lesson 2: Server Structure Basics - Start with a lean, purposeful channel set instead of an elaborate structure that reads as a ghost town.
Lesson 3: Avoiding Empty-Server Syndrome - Seed conversation yourself early with questions, behind-the-scenes shares, and a small recurring event.
Lesson 4: Roles and Moderation Basics - Set a simple role structure and baseline auto-moderation before you actually need it.
Lesson 5: Converting Visitors Into Discord Members - Add a clear, low-friction Discord link everywhere your project already has a presence.

Try this now

Recognize Discord as the space where your most engaged players and future advocates actually gather and talk to each other.
Seed conversation yourself early with questions, behind-the-scenes shares, and a small recurring event.
Add a clear, low-friction Discord link everywhere your project already has a presence.

How this week works

Discord is the one channel in this course where your community talks back, talks to each other, and, over time, becomes something closer to genuine word-of-mouth infrastructure than a follower count.

Video segment plan

Use one focused segment per part, then pause to implement and validate before continuing.

Implementation evidence

Keep short notes, screenshots, and links to what you published so this week's work is reusable in later polish passes.

Interactive lesson parts (6-10 min each)

Part 1: Why Discord Specifically

Watch Build Check

6 min Part video

Video part 1: Why Discord Specifically

Complete the focused task for this part before moving on.

Recognize Discord as the space where your most engaged players and future advocates actually gather and talk to each other.

Part 2: Server Structure Basics

Watch Build Check

7 min Part video

Video part 2: Server Structure Basics

Apply and validate this technique in your project artifact.

Start with a lean, purposeful channel set instead of an elaborate structure that reads as a ghost town.

Part 3: Avoiding Empty-Server Syndrome

Watch Build Check

7 min Part video

Video part 3: Avoiding Empty-Server Syndrome

Cross-check this part against your actual store page and channels.

Seed conversation yourself early with questions, behind-the-scenes shares, and a small recurring event.

Part 4: Roles and Moderation Basics

Watch Build Check

8 min Part video

Video part 4: Roles and Moderation Basics

Draft or build the concrete piece this part asks for.

Set a simple role structure and baseline auto-moderation before you actually need it.

Part 5: Converting Visitors Into Discord Members

Watch Build Check

9 min Part video

Video part 5: Converting Visitors Into Discord Members

Finish with a validation step and one clear next action.

Add a clear, low-friction Discord link everywhere your project already has a presence.

Hands-on milestone

A live, structured Discord server with a lean, purposeful channel set
Baseline roles and moderation configured, with posted community rules
Real seed activity posted by you across the first days
Discord invite links added to Steam, itch.io, and all social bios

Weekly checkpoint

Use this checkpoint marker to confirm this week's deliverables are actually done, not just planned.

Checkpoint checklist Week 3

# Checkpoint for Week 3: Setting Up and Growing a Discord Community
[ ] A live, structured Discord server with a lean, purposeful channel set
[ ] Baseline roles and moderation configured, with posted community rules
[ ] Real seed activity posted by you across the first days
[ ] Discord invite links added to Steam, itch.io, and all social bios