Replacing Chatbox with Discord server

[isuru]

Hi all, did anyone have a Chatbox addon previously and replace it with a Discord - if so what were your experiences? was it a smooth transition?
Or does anyone have a forum with both a Chatbox and a Discord? or is a Chatbox superior to Discord in your experience?

Our forum has a much loved Chatbox that regular members really like ad has been a feature of the site for many years. In addition regular users need a certain number of posts before they get access to Chatbox.

However some other members have migrated towards Discord - this has pros and cons asa Discord offers more functionality but also more difficult to moderate.
We are probably going to with an initial plan of having both a Chatbox and a Discord add on but that would be essentially duplicating functionality for the same purpose.

Would be keen to hear other people's experiences

 

[Hotfix]

I've seen some forums have both. I only have the chat, and I wonder if I'm missing out on something. The biggest competitor I have is a Discord server.

 

[HJW]

I wouldn't. Discord is competition

So many times I get disgruntled users (that have no clue how difficult it is running a forum well for everyone) set up their own discord and try to get people to migrate over there. Anyone can create their own discord in a few seconds.

 

[Fait]

I personally don't see Discord as competition for starters Google doesn't index it.

 

[M@rc]

I personally don't see Discord as competition for starters Google doesn't index it.

That's not entirely true unfortunately

I was surprised by it but when I google "minecraft forum", I get a Discord invite link on the first page:




Also, I'm not sure how true or when it's planned, but I heard Discord is working on a forum sort of feature and it will let Google index those pages. But I don't believe that was what @HJW was trying to point out. I think their point was how Discord takes away activity from the forum and how it isn't connected to the site in question, real people would go to Discord instead of going to the forum itself to chat.

 

[Fait]

That's not entirely true unfortunately

I was surprised by it but when I google "minecraft forum", I get a Discord invite link on the first page:

View attachment 271574


Also, I'm not sure how true or when it's planned, but I heard Discord is working on a forum sort of feature and it will let Google index those pages. But I don't believe that was what @HJW was trying to point out. I think their point was how Discord takes away activity from the forum and how it isn't connected to the site in question, real people would go to Discord instead of going to the forum itself to chat.

well, that's new, In the past, they never used to

If this Discord is linked to the owners of MinecraftForum.net, their forum still seems semi-active so I am hoping it depends on the niche.

Such a shame though because chat content is rich IMO.

 

[StarArmy]

I noticed on my Discord server I can now make actual forum threads in the Discord. It's a recent feature. I haven't enabled it because Discord has sucked away most of my forum's posting activity already and I don't want to kill my forum. I strongly prefer to host the content instead of relying on a third-party system with no ability to easily export content.