How to Write Discord Community Guidelines That People Actually Read

Most server rules are walls of text that nobody reads. Here's how to write guidelines that are clear, enforceable, and actually read.

Principles of Good Guidelines

Short and scannable — Use bullet points, not paragraphs
Specific, not vague — "No harassment" is vague; "No personal attacks, slurs, or targeted insults" is specific
Positive tone where possible — "We love respectful discussion" alongside "No hate speech"
Consequences listed — Members need to know what happens when rules are broken
Living document — Date it and update it when situations reveal gaps

Structure Template

## [Server Name] Community Guidelines
Last updated: [Month Year]
Our Community
[2-3 sentences on what this community is and values]
Core Rules

[Rule]
[Rule]
[Rule]

(5-8 rules maximum)
Content Guidelines
[What's allowed, what's not — be specific]
How We Moderate
[Strike system summary — 3 sentences max]
Appeals
[How to contest a decision]

Writing Individual Rules

Weak rule: "Be respectful" Strong rule: "Treat all members with respect. Personal attacks, slurs, and targeted insults are not tolerated regardless of context or intent."

Weak rule: "No spam" Strong rule: "Don't post the same message more than once per 5 minutes. Don't post more than 4 messages in a row. Use the #bot-commands channel for bot interactions."

Making Guidelines Accessible

Post in a read-only #rules or #guidelines channel
Link to them from your welcome message
Reference them in moderation decisions ("This violates rule 3")
Keep them updated when new situations arise

What to Avoid

Rules that are impossible to enforce consistently
Rules so vague that any behaviour could violate them
Rules that only apply to some members
More than 10 rules — prioritise the most important ones

Clear guidelines make your community feel safe and professional. Mention them in your Discords.ai listing.