Running a game server is hard work. You spend hours fixing bugs, tweaking balance, keeping things online… but if nobody knows about your server, what’s the point? Marketing is usually the last thing server owners think about, and it shows.
We have seen a lot of good servers disappear because of simple mistakes that could have been avoided. Let’s go through the biggest ones.
1. Relying only on word of mouth
Sure, players can spread the word. But here’s the truth: most won’t. A handful might bring in a few friends, but that’s not enough to keep a server alive in 2025.
? What to do instead: share your server in the right places. Discord communities, forums, and yes, toplists (like ours). Encourage your players to vote—it costs them nothing and it helps you get noticed. Large toplists like RULOCUS receive lots of traffic – consisting of your competitor’s players – making us the perfect place to list your game.
2. Forgetting about first impressions
Players are picky. If your website look interesting, or your toplist description is just a name, people click away.
? Fix it: keep it clean and simple. Highlight what makes your server different in the first two sentences. Have a website that actually looks like someone cared. Think of your website as the front door to your community—if it looks broken, people won’t step inside.
3. No real community hub
One of the biggest killers of new servers is silence. If players log off and have nowhere to talk, trade, or plan events, they drift away.
? Solution: set up a Discord. Doesn’t have to be fancy. Just a few channels for updates, support, and general chat can make a massive difference. Active staff and a few chatty members do more for retention than any paid ad campaign.
4. Overhyping features that don’t exist
I’ve seen too many servers promise “unique systems” or “custom everything” when in reality it’s just a few tweaks on the same base as everyone else. Players join, see the hype doesn’t match reality, and leave.
? Be real: talk about what’s actually in your server right now. Future plans? Sure, mention them—but don’t make them the selling point. Players respect honesty more than buzzwords.
5. Chasing new players but ignoring the old ones
This is huge. Some owners are obsessed with getting new players every week. They forget about the people who are already playing. And when those players leave, the server never really grows.
? Focus on your current community: run events, do seasonal stuff, give small rewards for loyalty. The longer players stick around, the more likely they’ll bring friends.
Final thoughts
Marketing doesn’t mean spamming links everywhere. It just means making sure the right people actually find you—and that the players you already have want to stick around.
A good server with smart marketing doesn’t just survive. It grows.
Want more players? List your server on our toplist and encourage your community to vote daily—it’s one of the easiest growth hacks you can use right now.