The server is up, plugins are configured — and the online counter says zero. This guide is a practical plan for using Minecraft-Servera so that players find your server, pick it and come back. Community building and the general principles are covered in how to find your first players; here are concrete steps and tools.
To be honest from the start: no tool guarantees players. A monitoring site gives you visibility; whether players stay depends on your server.
Step 1. Add the server and verify ownership
- Open Add server and enter the address. If the server is already listed (we import from other monitoring sites), don't create a duplicate — use "Verify ownership" in the "Is this your server?" block on its page.
- Verification. You get a code like
FLY-XXXXXX. Either put it anywhere in the server MOTD, or add a DNS TXT record (on the address itself, on_flymc.<address>or on the root domain). - Run the check. You can remove the code from the MOTD afterwards.
Many features require verified ownership: promotion, partner program bonuses, news without moderation. Unverified new servers are not listed and their news goes to a moderation queue.
Step 2. Complete the listing
The Tools tab of your cabinet has a completeness checklist: icon, banner, short and full description (RU and EN), at least 3 screenshots, FAQ, socials, website or launcher, versions, categories, Votifier and video.
- Short description — one sentence on what makes you different, not "the best server".
- Description — modes, rules, features, how to start. Be truthful: a player who doesn't find what was promised leaves fastest.
- Screenshots — real spawn, modes and player builds.
- Versions and platforms — the exact range; add a Bedrock address and port if you run Geyser.
- Categories — only the ones that are really true.
- Socials — Telegram, Discord, VK, YouTube; links are validated automatically.
- FAQ — licence, joining from a phone, next wipe.
Tip: the Competitors block in the Tools tab shows five servers with similar categories and online. See what they have that you don't.
Step 3. Set up vote rewards
Monthly votes are the core of the default ranking, and players vote more when they get an in-game reward.
- Install NuVotifier on the server.
- In the cabinet, enter the Votifier host, port and key (v1 RSA) or token (v2).
- Press Test vote to check delivery.
- Configure a reward plugin and tell players what they get.
Details: how to vote and get rewards and how the ranking works.
Step 4. Post news and events
Each server has a news feed: posts are imported from Telegram and VK, and you can post in the cabinet's News tab (up to 5 per day). Set a category (wipe, opening, event, tournament, giveaway, update) and a date — dated events appear in the wipes and events calendar. No news for 30+ days is one of the cabinet's tips.
Step 5. Free monitoring tools
Partner program
Put a link, an 88×31 button or a banner leading to your server page on your official website. While our bot finds the link, the server gets a "Partner" badge, a small bonus to the vote multiplier in the ranking (only while online) and owner rewards. Codes are in the Partner program tab; see the partners page. Hidden links don't count.
Widgets
The Widgets tab offers a 468×60 banner with live online, a userbar, a ranking badge and a Vote button for your website and Discord.
Companion plugin
The plugin sends signed online reports. The server gets an online verified mark and is skipped by the fake-online detector. The key is in the cabinet.
Analytics and the monthly report
The cabinet shows card views, IP copies, clicks and traffic sources. On the 1st of each month you get a report: average and peak online, uptime, votes and ranking positions.
Step 6. Paid promotion — what it really does
All formats and current prices are on the promotion page. Promotion is only for servers with verified ownership.
| Format | Effect |
|---|---|
| PREMIUM | The home page "Featured servers" block (fair rotation among all PREMIUM servers every 10 minutes), gold frame; in the default ranking: vote multiplier ×1.30 and +6 positions |
| VIP | VIP badge and card outline; in the default ranking: vote multiplier ×1.15 and +3 positions |
| Highlight, blurred IP background, animated icon | Looks only; no effect on position |
| Home banner | A daily auction for the top banner of the home page |
| Short link, "Similar" placement | A clean link for ads and slots on similar servers' pages |
- VIP and PREMIUM bonuses work only while the plan is active and the server is online.
- Bonus positions are based on the real vote gap between neighbouring places.
- The honest rankings — by monthly votes and by online (top by online) — are not affected.
- Promotion brings impressions, not retention. Do steps 1–5 first.
Step 7. Don't fake online or votes
- The fake-online detector checks online every 6 hours: flat values for hours, no daily rhythm, round numbers, "multiplied" online, disagreement with other monitoring sites and more.
- A flagged server gets a warning on its card, drops out of the online sort, "Growing" and "Featured", and its online is ignored by the ranking.
- Confirmed cheating leads to the public blacklist with evidence.
- Votes are protected: one per account and per IP per day, a delay for new accounts and VPN network blocks.
And a player who joins "500 online" and finds an empty spawn never comes back.
Step 8. Retention
- The first 10 minutes: a clear spawn, a tutorial, a starter kit, staff who answer.
- Goals: seasons, events, tournaments, leaderboards — announce them in news and the calendar.
- Reviews: reply to reviews on your server page, especially critical ones.
- Uptime: frequent crashes show on the chart and in 7/30-day uptime; below 95 % is a reason to fix hosting.
- Feedback: ask players who left why.
Checklist
- Server added and ownership verified.
- Listing complete: RU and EN description, 3+ screenshots, FAQ, socials, versions, categories.
- NuVotifier works, the test vote arrives.
- News is posted, dated events are in the calendar.
- Partner link and vote button on your website.
- Paid promotion only after all of the above.