In the age of digital communities, Discord has emerged as a powerhouse platform for connecting people with shared interests. With its robust features and user-friendly interface, Discord has become the go-to choice for gamers, hobbyists, professionals, and communities of all kinds. If you're looking to create an EPIC Discord server in 2023, this guide will provide you with a step-by-step process and a free template to help you get started.

To create a Discord server quickly, follow these steps:
- Click on "Add Server" on the left side of Discord and select "Create My Own" or "For Me and My Friends."
- Choose a recognizable name for your server, preferably your own name if you're an influencer or content creator.
- Select a suitable profile picture that represents you or your brand.
- Customize the server's aesthetic by using emojis, symbols, or color-coded categories.
- Edit the default text channels and create new categories and channels based on your server's purpose.
- Make sure to consider the visibility and organization of channels within each category.
- Set up roles for different members, such as moderators, VIPs, regular members, newbies, and bots.
- Assign appropriate permissions to each role, allowing them to view channels, send messages, or perform specific actions.
- Review and adjust permissions for each category and channel if necessary.
- Optionally, set up an AFK (Away From Keyboard) channel and configure other server settings as desired.
Remember to save changes and test the permissions of different roles to ensure they are working correctly.
Step 1: Create a Server
- Open Discord and click on the "+" button on the left side of the screen.
- Select "Create a Server" and choose the option that best fits your purpose, such as "For me and my friends."
- Name your server with a recognizable and relevant name, especially if you're an influencer or content creator.
- Choose a profile picture that represents your brand or identity effectively to make it easily recognizable for users.
Step 2: Set Up Categories
- By default, Discord provides text channels and voice channels as categories. You can modify or create new categories to organize your server effectively.
- To edit a category, right-click on it and select "Edit Category." Choose a distinct name and consider using visual elements like emojis or symbols to make it stand out.
- Use websites that offer symbols or text generators to find unique characters or styles to enhance the aesthetics of your categories.
Step 3: Create Channels
- Right-click on a category and select "Create Channel" to add channels within each category.
- Consider the purpose of each channel and choose names that are concise and relevant to their function.
- Use emojis or symbols in the channel names to improve visibility and aesthetics.
- You can copy symbols or text from websites that offer such resources to add them to your channel names.
Step 4: Set Up Roles
- Click on the server name and go to "Server Settings" in the dropdown menu.
- Select the "Roles" tab and click on the "+" button to create new roles.
- Assign a name and a distinct color to each role. Light colors are often preferred for readability.
- Set permissions for each role based on the level of access and responsibilities you want to grant them.
- Give moderators (mods) the necessary permissions to manage the server and handle moderation tasks.
- Create roles for VIP members, regular members, newcomers, and bots, customizing their permissions accordingly.
Step 5: Adjust Category and Channel Permissions
- Navigate to each category and edit its permissions by right-clicking and selecting "Edit Category."
- Adjust the permissions for each role to control their access and actions within the category.
- Consider limiting permissions for channels like rules and events, allowing only certain roles (e.g., mods) to send messages.
- Use the "View server as role" option in the Roles settings to test the permissions for each role.
Step 6: Customize Additional Settings
- Set up an AFK (Away From Keyboard) channel by going to Server Settings > Overview and selecting an inactive channel.
- Adjust system message settings to control when Discord sends messages about events like server boosts.
- Customize other server settings as per your preferences, such as moderation, verification, or community-specific features.
Step 7: Adding Bots
- To add a bot to your server, you'll need to find the bot you want to use. I will provide you with two examples: BMO and ATOMCAL.
- Similarly, for the Atomcal bot, which is an events management bot to create recurring events for your server which will guarantee to increase engagement for your server... you can visit the website "atomcal.com" and look for the "Sign-in" button to setup the bot for your server.
- For the BMO music bot, you can search for "BMO Discord bot" and find the website or platform where you can invite it.
- Follow the authorization steps and grant the necessary permissions requested by the bot. Make sure to choose the correct server when prompted.

Step 8: Configuring Bot Permissions
- After adding the bot to your server, it will create a role for itself. You may need to adjust the role's permissions to ensure it can function properly.
- Locate the role created by the bot in your server's roles settings. Typically, the role will have the same name as the bot.
- Review the permissions for the bot's role and ensure it has the necessary permissions to perform its functions, such as sending messages, joining voice channels, or managing reactions.
- If required, you can also adjust the position of the bot's role in the role hierarchy to give it appropriate priority.
Here is an in-depth guide on how to create recurring events in Discord

Step 9: Setting up Bot Commands
- Once the bot is added and its role permissions are configured, you can start using its commands.
- Refer to the documentation or guides provided by the bot's developers to learn about the available commands and their usage.
- With the BMO music bot, you can use commands like "!play" to play a specific song or provide a YouTube link to play music in voice channels.
Step 10: Testing and Troubleshooting
- After setting up the bots and their respective commands, it's essential to test their functionality and ensure they work as expected.
- If you encounter any issues or need further assistance, refer to the bot's documentation or support channels for troubleshooting steps or reach out to the bot's developers or community for help.
Remember to periodically check for updates or new features released by the bot developers, as they may enhance your server's functionality or provide additional options for customization.