First: be ready for the players you attract
Promotion only works if new players stay. Before you advertise, play the first ten minutes as a stranger would: Is it clear where to go? Does the server run smoothly? Is there a first goal? A short list of rules and a way to reach staff matter more than a long plugin list.
1. Server lists: the channel that keeps working
A listing on a server list keeps bringing players while you sleep. What decides the click is the listing itself: icon, name, MOTD, banner and the first two sentences of the description.
- List on several lists, because players use different ones.
- Write what players do on the server, not which plugins you run.
- Use an icon that still reads at 64×64 pixels. The server icon maker exports the right size.
- Keep version, edition and language correct, so filters show you to the right players.
On BestMCServerList a listing is free, every server is checked by a person, and the order follows votes and a complete listing, not money.
2. Votes with rewards
Votes move servers up on lists, and players vote more often when they get something for it. Connect NuVotifier with a reward plugin, then remind players with /vote, a line in your MOTD or a scoreboard entry. The NuVotifier guide and the VotingPlugin guide walk you through it.
Never buy votes or let one person vote for many names. Fake activity hurts trust faster than it brings players.
3. Discord, Reddit and forums
- Your own Discord: a few active channels, announcements, events and a link to your vote page. Five busy channels feel better than thirty empty ones.
- Advertising channels and partner servers: many Discord communities have a channel for server ads. Read the rules, post rarely and keep the ad short.
- Reddit and forums: communities for server ads exist, usually with strict rules on format and frequency. A clear post with screenshots works better than capital letters.
4. Short videos and content creators
A 30-second clip of a real moment on your server, a build, a boss fight or an event, explains more than any description. Post short clips regularly on the platforms your players use.
Small creators answer more often than big ones. Offer them an early look, a custom event or a build area, and let them show the server as it is.
5. Your own website, events and friends
- Website: a simple page with the address, rules and a live status widget shows visitors that the server is online. Players who search for your server name find it too.
- Events at fixed times: a build contest or a launch evening gives players a reason to join at the same moment.
- Friends invite friends: a small cosmetic reward for players who bring a friend costs you nothing and works on every server.
A sensible order
- Get the first ten minutes right.
- List your server and set up vote rewards.
- Open a small Discord and post updates there.
- Add short clips and one event per week or two.
- Measure what brings players, and do more of that.
For a longer plan with Bedrock support, SRV records and common mistakes, read the guide to getting players.
