Is This The End for Discord Bot Listing Websites?
For ages, we got used to using sites like Top.gg and DBL to add new bots to our Discord servers. However, Discord have just flipped the game with this new feature...
The end of Discord bot list websites may be near...
With the recent announcement of the Discord App Directory, it's likely that top.gg and other similar websites will soon be obsolete. The Discord App Directory is a new way for Discord users to find and add bots to their servers. It's a curated list of bots that are approved by Discord, and it offers a much simpler way to find and add bots than using a website like top.gg.
This is bad news for bot list websites, but it's good news for Discord users. The Discord App Directory will make it easier for users to find and add high-quality bots to their servers. It will also help to reduce the spread of low-quality and spam bots.
What is the App Directory?
With Discord's new burning desire to bake in many bot features, such as Slash Commands and the rumoured baked-in option for Premium bots, they are certainly trying to make all aspects of bots easily accessible to new users. The all-new App Directory seems to be a step in this direction.
The App Directory is essentially a place where Discord list bots they recommend and endorse, so users can easily search for and add bots to their servers within Discord itself.
Accessing the App Directory
The App Directory can be found in the menu that appears upon clicking the server name.
Using the App Directory
The App Directory, in true Discord spirit, is very easy to navigate.
If you are looking for a specific bot, MEE6 for example, you can use the Search box at the top of the page to find it. The results of your search will show and from here, you can then click on the bot and add it to your server. After clicking "Add to Server, you will be redirected to the bot's website to add it from there.
Alternatively, if you do not have a specific bot in mind and are just browsing, you can use the tags under the Search box to filter down bots to the category you are looking for.
You can also browse the Featured bots on the App Directory homepage.
Getting on the App Directory
To be listed on the App Directory, bots must comply with a strict set of requirements set by Discord.
These requirements are a bit controversial, however but I'll save that discussion for a dedicated article coming soon 👀
App Directory = Bad News for Bot Listing Sites
Bot listing sites like Top.gg see the App Directory as a threat. Allow me to explain with a simple anecdote:
Imagine yourself as a new Discord user who has just made a server to talk with your friends. A friend suggests that you add a music bot to the server so you can all vibe out together in a voice channel. As a new user, you are unfamiliar with where to find Discord bots and you are now met with two options: the official Discord App Directory, or a third-party site like Top.gg.
New users are much more likely to trust the official App Directory, as it is monitored by Discord, a trustworthy company. It's a well-known fact that people favour things they've heard of over a new thing.
The App Directory is likely to push bot listing sites to closure as they are likely to no longer see enough traffic to fund the site, due to all this potential traffic migrating over to the Discord App Directory.
It's no secret that Discord bot list websites have been on the decline in recent years. Many popular bots have been shut down or removed from these websites, and it's become increasingly difficult to find new and innovative bots to add to your Discord server, so the App Directory aims to switch this up.
So what does this all mean for the future of Discord bot list websites? Are they destined to become a thing of the past? Only time will tell, but it's certainly looking like the game is up for bot listing websites...
If you want to learn more about Discord's new App Directory, I'd recommend reading their blog post here:
ClydeOctober 18, 2022
Epic out... ✌️