r/tumblr

I miss forums

Discord

Real-Time Interaction: Discord excels in providing instant communication. "I tend to sway more towards Discord because you are able to tap into that community instantly... It also feels like you are able to really cultivate an ongoing conversation with your community to keep them engaged as a lifestyle instead of one-off comments."
Dynamic and Engaging: Discord is ideal for real-time discussions and more casual interactions. "Building a community on Discord is more dynamic and in real time..."
Community Features: Discord offers various features like voice channels, bots, and integrations that can enhance the community experience. "Forums are a community server feature exclusively"

Forums

Organized Discussions: Forums are better for long-form discussions and keeping information organized. "Forums are better for certain channels where organization is important or there are often multiple separate discussions at the same time."
Searchability and Documentation: Forums are superior for creating searchable documentation and persistent records. "Being publicly searchable is so much better"
Historical Value: Forums can serve as a valuable repository of knowledge over time. "I am so sad to lose all the forum posts already out there that already answer my questions."

Pros and Cons

Discord Pros:
- Real-time engagement
- Dynamic community building
- Rich feature set
Discord Cons:
- Less organized for long-form discussions
- Poor searchability
- Potential for overwhelming notifications
Forum Pros:
- Structured and organized discussions
- Excellent searchability and documentation
- Persistent record of information
Forum Cons:
- Slower response times
- Less dynamic interaction
- Can feel outdated compared to modern platforms

Conclusion

Choosing between Discord and forums depends on the specific needs and goals of your community. If you prioritize real-time interaction and dynamic engagement, Discord is the way to go. If you need organized, searchable documentation and long-form discussions, forums are the better choice.

Subreddits for Further Questions

These communities can provide more personalized advice and insights from experienced community managers and Discord users.

See Answer

Creating forums within Discord

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