NFT Marketing Strategy on Discord

So you launched your Discord server. Congrats on making it so far! I assume you have successfully transitioned from targeting an audience on Twitter to a real-life community marketing experience on your Discord server. You got some members online, time is running, and you need to start working on promoting your NFT collection. Let’s talk about how you can do it by focusing all the attention on your Discord server because that’s basically the only tool you need to sell out 100%.

FYI: Everything I talk about in this post can be handled with Google Docs, Google Drive, and ChatGPT for free.

1. Team Chat

Team chat is a locked channel on your server that is accessible only to team members. It’s a must-have feature, and I recommend it for every project. Mods should be advised to avoid DMs whenever possible when talking about work and share everything in this team chat channel, where the Community Manager (CMM), their supervisor, can read everything and respond. The CMO, the supervisor of all marketing personnel, should also check this channel.

2. Set Instructions/Guidelines for Discord Moderators

Prepare comprehensive instructions to set quality standards for Discord moderators. This will help them do their job better. It’s important to keep these instructions as an open document that needs further updates. Things happen in web3, and you have to respond fast.

Instructions/guidelines deal with all the responsibilities of moderators. They define what mods should do and what is expected from them. For example, how to handle new tickets, play games with the community, and talk to new members in general chat.

TIP: Contact me, and I will prepare instructions for your moderators within 4-5 days.

3. Set Templates for Discord Tickets

Discord tickets are a central part of customer support on a Discord server. It’s important to respond fast and in the best possible way. Your goal should be to identify all possible categories of tickets and set templates for each category, such as whitelist claims or job applications. Keep links to these templates in the instructions/guidelines for moderators.

4. Update Collab Template and Distribute It to All Collab Managers

Now that you are finally running your Discord server, you have one big update to make to your collab template. Add a requirement for new raffles: participants must join your Discord server using a custom link. Then distribute the new template to all Collab Managers (CMs), and ensure that each CM uses their own invite link set to never expire. Explain this clearly. You don’t need wallets; you need Discord roles—active people waiting for mint—so you can communicate with them effectively.

5. Update Server Structure

This usually means identifying and removing redundant channels. Which channels are redundant? It’s simple: you need only a handful of channels to explain everything, interact with the community, and use all the features of Discord, such as roles and bots. Any other channels are redundant. Simple as that. Remove them. More channels mean more things can go wrong, leading to people leaving your server and never returning.

6. Notification Rules

When you announce something, you can notify the role(s). It’s a ping for everyone with that role who is currently online. But you should do exactly the opposite. Do not overuse announcements. The most important role—@everyone—should be used only for critical updates and major announcements.

I recommend customizing roles such as @project-updates for announcements, @raid-tweets for new official tweets, etc., so you can send updates only to those community members who have opted in for this type of content.

7. Define Your Brand with ChatGPT and Create a Template to Finalize Any Content

The majority of your competitors don’t care about defining their brand and communicating according to those definitions and rules. That’s a huge opportunity for you.

Open ChatGPT now and ask: Which definitions should be created to build a strong NFT brand, such as brand values, brand mission, brand personality?

Put together all these key definitions for your branding. It is boring work, but you need this to create your own unique style of communication for literally everything, even comments.

The last three definitions I mentioned—personality, tone, and voice—should be saved in ChatGPT as a variable called brand_template. That means you can use all this data just by specifying the name of the variable in the future. At least in the same chat.

Here’s a prompt you can use:

Save all the data below from brand personality, brand tone, and brand voice to one variable called “brand_template.” I will work with this variable in the future, so remember everything.

Each time you work on any content, use ChatGPT to call this variable and ask the AI to finalize your content according to the all-powerful brand_template. ChatGPT will consider all the brand definitions and adjust your content to match your brand.

And that’s how AI can help you build a unique and strong brand.

8. Prepare Templates for Communication

It can be just a little comment in chat, text in a channel, or some announcement. What matters is that you adjust your copy and finalize it according to the brand template or special ready-to-use configuration templates created by me.

Download them from my Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1A3F6O56jD-uxzs1TACfPPypaJCVnqt2R?usp=sharing

9. Set Instructions/Guidelines for Collab Managers

Collab managers play a critical role, as they are responsible for the growth of your Discord server. When everything works as intended, CMs bring in new community members daily. These newcomers should find the server appealing (the onboarding experience is discussed below) and be encouraged to explore further.

You must provide complete instructions/guidelines for your CMs. Think of it as “uploading and installing” all the essential marketing knowledge about your brand and product into their minds. They need to understand everything in detail. Ensure your CMs excel in marketing your project at all times and under any circumstances.

Avoid creating locked channels for CMs on your server; instead, communicate with them individually via private messages. Do not add them to group conversations; address them directly. This approach worked best for me.

TIP: Contact me, and I will prepare instructions for your collab managers within 4-5 days.

10. Optimize the Onboarding Experience

New members who land on your server should first see a dedicated channel designed for onboarding. This channel should market your project and reduce the likelihood of members leaving without engaging.

Let’s call this first channel “START HERE.” Be direct, avoid excessive details, and focus on your USP—what sets you apart. Include a button labeled “Go to Verification” beneath this content.

The second visible channel is “VERIFY,” a standard channel where members confirm they are not bots. I recommend using the Pandez Guard Discord bot for this step.

Once verification is complete, new members gain access to the full server. The next channel in your Discord structure should be “HOW-TO-WL,” explaining how to get whitelisted, followed by “SET-ROLES,” where new members can assign custom roles such as @project-updates for announcements or @raid-tweets for updates on official tweets.

With this setup, you should be able to minimize Discord member churn.

11. Install and Configure Recommended Discord Bots

There are hundreds of Discord bots available. I recommend the nine listed below. They are verified, well-supported, and offer functions that enhance the Discord experience for both the community and your team. All are free, though some offer premium versions:

• Statbot
• Engage Bot
• Invite Tracker
• Dyno
• Alphabot
• Subber
• Tickets
• Pandez Guard
• Rumble Royale

12. Brainstorm Basic Roles for Your Server

• VERIFIED: Assigned after successful verification
• FCFS WL: First-Come, First-Serve Whitelist
• GTD WL: Guaranteed Whitelist
• OG: “Original Gangster”

Achieving these roles takes effort. Progression from FCFS to GTD and finally to OG should require significant time and dedication. Some may argue that grinding is outdated in 2024, but the essence of Discord is rooted in such efforts.

13. Set the Value of FCFS and GTD WL

Once your reward system is established, define the value of FCFS and GTD roles. Consider time invested, points earned in the reward system, or even a monetary equivalent. Be sure to set values appropriately—not too low, not too high.

14. Brainstorm OG Role Benefits

After members upgrade their whitelist to a guaranteed spot, they can unlock the prestigious OG role. This status is legendary in the NFT space. Focus on offering additional benefits to motivate members to pursue OG status:

• Early access
• Exclusive access
• Bonuses
• Special locked channel
• Community spotlight

The OG role is vital for maintaining motivation, even after members achieve whitelist status.

15. Set the Value of the OG Role

Once you’ve defined the OG role and its benefits, assign it a value. This can be expressed in points, time, or monetary terms. This clarity will be crucial for the next step.

16. Create Your Reward System

The reward system should be simple, logical, fair, and balanced. It should encourage the community to participate in activities and work toward higher roles.

Suggested activities:

• Raiding tweets
• Participating in Discord activities
• Winning Rumble games
• Inviting new members
• Engaging in general chat
• Taking part in Twitter campaigns

Assign points to each activity based on its value. Ensure balance and fairness. If the OG role can be achieved in just a month, revise the system—it’s too easy. Members should feel a sense of accomplishment and pride for the time and effort spent.

The same logic applies to whitelisting. If it’s too quick and easy, members won’t value it. However, don’t set the bar unrealistically high, as this could lead to criticism.

17. Use Math to Validate the Reward System (Optional)

To ensure fairness and balance, consider using mathematical calculations to validate your reward system.

18. Set Up a Community Analytics Excel Sheet

Track the following metrics:

• Discord joins and leaves
• Joins/leaves ratio
• Online members
• Active OGs
• Total messages
• Contributors (members sending messages)
• Messages and contributions in general and OG chats
• Moderators’ activity (number of messages)
• Ratio of total vs. moderators’ messages
• Number of members with specific roles (WL, OG, etc.)

19. Create a Content Plan for the Discord Server

Post 1-2 announcements weekly. One should be of gold standard, while the second is for additional important updates.

Create a 30-60 day content calendar. Use your whitepaper (if available) to identify key topics, prioritize them, and start with the most critical messages. Stick to brand templates for consistency across all communications.

20. Create a Calendar Dashboard for the Discord Server

Use a Google Sheet to organize your content plan, activities, and analytics. This single file will serve as a comprehensive resource for your team and founder(s).

21. Prepare Activities

Once your reward system is in place, begin organizing activities to engage your community. Ideas include:

• Writing poems
• Drawing
• Riddles
• Sharing quotes
• Word scrambles
• Meme contests
• General chat challenges
• Trivia

22. Prepare a Monthly Community Feedback Loop

After 30 days, launch your first feedback loop using a Google Form with 10-12 questions. Reward participants with points. Use tools like ChatGPT to craft effective and relevant questions.

23. Prepare the First AMA/Discord Town Hall

Host an AMA on Twitter or a Discord Town Hall. Be transparent and align with your brand template while communicating updates.

24. Limit Sneak Peek Reveals

Post sneak peeks sparingly to create excitement. As wallet submissions approach, increase the frequency of sneak peeks. Early on, use mystery to build anticipation.

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Launching an NFT collection is hard work. Every day. Get in the trenches and study my blog posts with all the important knowledge. Learn how to start NFT marketing and NFT marketing mistakes to avoid.