How to Make a Welcome Channel on Discord

Discord has become the go-to platform for online communities looking to interact via chat and voice. With customizable text and voice channels, engaging bots, and unlimited members, it‘s no wonder Discord servers are popping up for gaming groups, fandoms, clubs, businesses and more.

As a server owner, making new members feel welcome should be a top priority. That‘s where welcome channels come in handy! A dedicated welcome channel allows you to greet new users automatically with a friendly, informative message as soon as they join your server.

In this comprehensive guide, you‘ll learn how to easily set up your own welcome channel to help new members get acquainted.

What is a Welcome Channel?

A welcome channel is a dedicated text channel that sends an automated greeting to each user when they join your Discord server. It‘s a great way to:

Give new members a warm welcome and introduction to your server
Share rules, guidelines and other key info upfront
Point users to important channels and roles
Start conversations and engagement

By setting up a welcome channel, you ensure every new user gets the same helpful onboarding when they join, no matter if it‘s one member or 100 joining at once.

Why Use a Welcome Channel?

Here are some of the key benefits of welcome channels:

Onboarding: Gives you a chance to inform new users about your server, rules, roles, channels, etc right away
Engagement: Sparks conversation and makes new members feel welcomed
Consistency: Ensures all users get the same greeting and information
First Impressions: Lets you put your server‘s best foot forward to new users
Reduces Repetition: Minimizes admins having to manually greet each new member
Customizable: Tailor the exact messaging you want new users to see
Automated: Greets new joins 24/7 without any effort

Step 1: Install MEE6 Bot

To set up your welcome channel, you‘ll need to use a handy Discord bot called MEE6. This free bot has a module specifically for automatic welcome messages.

Here‘s how to add it your server:

Visit the MEE6 website and log in with your Discord account
Click "Add to Discord"
Select the server you want to install MEE6 on
Authorize the bot when prompted

Once added, you‘ll see MEE6 appear in your server‘s member list. Now we can configure our welcome messages!

Step 2: Configure Welcome Plugin

Visit the MEE6 Dashboard
Select your server from the sidebar
Click "Plugins"
Find the "Welcome" plugin and click the dot to enable it
Toggle on "Send a message when a user joins"
Click the edit icon to customize your welcome message

Step 3: Customize Your Welcome Message

The welcome message box allows you to enter any text you want new members to see. Here are some things to include:

A warm greeting mentioning the user by name with {{user}}
Server name reference with {{server}}
Brief server description
Channel references
Role references
Rules or guidelines
Images, emoji and links

For example:

Welcome {{user}} to the {{server}} Discord server! 

This is the channel for all things related to affordable pet care. Make sure to check out the #rules, #faq and #introductions channels!

To start chatting and posting photos of your furry friends, select the Member role in #roles. Have fun!

<image of cute pets>

Use Markdown formatting to make links, lists, headings and more to polish the formatting.

Step 4: Set Channel Permissions

To avoid cross-talk, it‘s best to limit sending messages in your dedicated welcome channel to admins and bots only.

Go to Server Settings > Roles
Select your admin role
Enable "Send Messages" in the welcome channel
Disable that permission for non-admin roles

Now only your greeting will display to welcome new members.

Tips for a Polished Welcome

Making a great first impression goes a long way. Here are some tips:

Be concise – Include key info without overwhelming users
Stay friendly – Use a warm, conversational tone
Add images – Visually engaging and fun for users
Link to resources – Guide new users to key channels and roles
Avoid walls of text – Break into sections and bullet points
Give roles – Auto-assign roles like Member if applicable
Update frequently – Keep your welcome message fresh

Troubleshooting Issues

Here are some common welcome channel problems and how to fix them:

Bot is offline – Check @MEE6 status, follow status channels, or contact support
Message not sending – Review bot permissions, user roles, channel settings
Message sending but not visible – Check channel permissions for new roles
Errors about undefined user/server – Double check your message variables
Welcome not reaching new users – Ensure channel visibility and member role permissions

Alternative Welcome Options

While MEE6 is a popular choice, there are a few other options for welcome messages:

Custom Discord bot – Code your own bot with welcome features
Webhooks – Post welcomes via webhooks integrated into other platforms
Automod – Use AutoModerator to send automated welcomes
Zira – Another dedicated welcome bot with advanced customization
Carl-bot – General purpose bot with welcome module add-on

Interactive Welcome Ideas

Plain text welcomes work fine, but you can spice them up with interactive elements like:

Reaction roles – Auto-assign roles when new users react to your message
Trivia bots – Quiz new members on server info as an introduction
Self-assign roles – Bot-controlled menus for picking roles/colors/etc

Getting new users engaged right away helps them feel invested in your community!

Create the Perfect Welcome Today!

Welcoming new members with an automated, customized message is a great way to introduce Discord users to your server. With MEE6, setting up a tailored welcome channel is quick and easy.

Focus on making a stellar first impression by highlighting your server‘s personality and key information new users need to know. A thoughtful, friendly welcome goes a long way to getting members active and engaged with your community.