Can you use Discord securely as a small business?
Discord isn’t a household name, but that’s changing. The social media platform has become one of the most popular ways gamers chat online since 2015, with over 150 million monthly active users.
It allows you to talk to people over video, audio, and text, blending a Slack-style interface with voice tools.
It’s not only for gamers, though, as creators and businesses use it to build communities where you can discuss everything from NFTs to dating.
You can also use Discord to promote your business. Here we’ll show you where to find it, why it matters, and how you can use it securely.
What is Discord?
Discord is a free voice and messaging app that enables online communities to grow on servers. You can use it to send direct messages (DMs) to friends, make video calls, voice chat, and even share your screen.
Once you’re on a server, you can join a voice chat channel to talk to other members.
Crypto projects love the app, and it’s become a favorite marketing platform alongside Telegram for businesses wanting to grow their ecosystem.
Discord users are passionate about their interests, making it the perfect social-listening tool for marketers.
Chipotle, the American fast-food chain, uses Discord, creating servers where customers can talk, form relationships, and share ideas. They even hosted a job fair on their server after announcing they raised their wages to $15/hour.
With servers discussing burrito bowls and quesadillas, you can see the potential for talking about your products and services.
Discord vs Slack
Both Discord and Slack offer free and paid plans, have video chat and voice chat features and allow you to share your screen. Slack is the best-known messaging tool with its stylish interface, integration apps, and multilingual customer service.
However, there are differences between them.
Discord Free has more features than Slack Free, as you’ll receive unlimited messages, video calls with up to eight people, and 8MB file uploads. If you’re on a budget, Discord is the most cost-effective tool.
Discord’s strengths lie in its voice and video call functionality. It supports voice calls for two to 5,000 users (depending on your plan), push-to-talk features, and bot integrations that enhance voice and video calling.
Slack has the upper hand regarding file-sharing and professional communication.
When you upload a file from your device, Slack lets you share 1GB, while it’s limited to 8MB on Discord Free and 100 MB on Discord Nitro and Discord Nitro Classic.
How can I use Discord?
You can download Discord for free on your computer or phone, including iOS and Android. It’s also available on Xbox One, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X.
You can run it on your web browser or download a desktop client to use Discord’s more advanced features.
After downloading Discord, you’ll need to:
- Create a username
- Start or join a server
Discover servers are community forums with different users, rules, and in-house vocabulary depending on which one you use.
You can join up to 100 servers and have a different username for each one.
Each server houses multiple channels that have hashtag keywords to distinguish their content.
Some are publicly available, while others are private and require an invitation to join. There are servers for almost every topic, from gaming, music, and sausage dog memes.
Whatever you’re into, there’s probably a Discord server for you.
Using Discord as a small business
Here are a few reasons why Discord is giving Slack a run for its money:
- Free text, voice, and video chats.
- It’s easy to set up and free to use. Simply sign up for an account, create a new server, invite your coworkers, and get started.
- Share your live screen in a voice or video chat, so your team can respond in real-time.
- Servers can support up to 250,000 users in 500 separate channels, making it easy for you to organize conversations by topic.
- Bots allow you to share music and content from YouTube and Spotify.
- Discord is free, but there are tiered membership plans that grant you access to premium screen sharing and higher file-sharing limits.
Is Discord safe to use?
Discord uses two-factor authentication (2FA). Any login attempt you make with a different IP address must be verified by email.
Members can only join your server if they’ve received an invite link that you generate and send.
However, there’s always a security risk when using social media apps with open chat technology.
If you use Discord and want to ensure your data is secure, using a paid VPN can help keep your Internet activity encrypted. You can even get a 30-day free trial as an additional layer of security before deciding.
Use a VPN and turn off your DMs
Spam has become a real problem on Discord, with hackers trying to access your payment wallets.
Hackers will send DMs to new users, often pretending to be a moderator, spamming you with malware that steals your private information.
Using a virtual private network can help ensure you have a safe Internet connection, which is highly recommended on public Wi-Fi.
Meanwhile, disabling your DMs can help stop the spam tide.
- Go to Settings and click on Privacy and Safety on the left-hand side.
- Scroll down to “Server Privacy Defaults.”
- Turn “Allow Direct Messages From Server Members” to OFF.
Hackers can’t spam you once your DMs are off, so you can have a more enjoyable Discord experience.
Building communities on Discord
With the right privacy settings, it’s easy to use Discord securely, making it an exciting app to connect with young, tech-savvy users.
What began as a gaming platform has evolved into a new social frontier for creators and businesses. Discord has obvious potential as a marketing tool. Millions of users are logging into servers to talk about their favorite things.
Businesses that want to build communities can steal a march on their competitors by using it.
If you want to work securely while using Discord, you can use FastVPN free for one month. We accept Bitcoin, Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, and American Express.
