By Dominic Klopsch – Co-Founder TIVAN Consulting
For some Discord is the best solution for Web3- and NFT-Communities. For others it’s the worst possible platform. But what are the alternatives and what could the future look like?
This opinion-peace was part of an experiment I did jointly with Björn from NFTMunich. We both put down our thoughts on the same topic and then compared the result. Check it out here: Björn’s opinion on Discord – and also make sure to check out what Björn does with NFTMunich!
WHAT IS DISCORD?
Simply put, Discord is like ICQ or IRC on steroids.
It’s a chat room which enables large groups of people to communicate in different channels on a multitude of topics. Nearly all relevant Web3-projects run their own Discord-Server with several channels, some open for all, some with exclusive access and some are purely for shits and giggles. The general layout and UI is identical in all servers. But then, with bots and lots of customization potentials, each server has its differences. It is a very powerful tool for real-time exchange in large groups and it definitely has it’s perks and benefits.
BUT…
…Is it suitable for mass adoption?
❌ The User Interface is definitely not lovable. It was built for gamers but it doesn’t cater to artists and is not really visually pleasing. Oftentimes it feels overloaded, especially in larger servers.
…Does it provide the necessary security features?
❌ The fact that EVERY projects recommends you to turn off DMs (Direct Messages) due to scams and fraud and the constant news about compromised or hacked servers indicates that there is a high risk involved.
…Is it intuitive to use?
❌ Not really. Compared to other social networks, Discord lacks a simple and easy-to-understand user journey and the variety of features and functionalities is often overwhelming and also in most cases not necessary.
What are the alternatives and what could the future look like?
For now, it seems Discord is an inevitable tool for most projects. However, many companies, VCs, start-ups and project teams have lined up to develop their own version of a web3-native messaging tool. There is a variety of possibilities such as wallet-to-wallet communication, marketplace-integrated communities, token-gated servers and many more. While it is certain that huge amounts of funding will be spend in order to develop the future communication- and community-tool for the web3- and NFT-space, it remains uncertain on who will come out on top of this. In the meantime, one can assume that Discord will remain one of the most important platforms.
At TIVAN Consulting, our major service is Community Management in Discord, so this topic is quite important to us – in my opinion, it’s only a matter of time until we see a new or existing Blue-Chip-Project either adopt a new platform or develop it’s own tool and thereby force massive amounts of users to adopt the usage of this platform. Until then, I think the headline remains accurate: „Discord is dead, long live Discord“
If you want to learn more, check out the other Insights-Articles!
