Using Social Media to Grow Your TTRPG Community

A thriving Tabletop Roleplaying Game (TTRPG) stream, podcast, video series, etc. has more than just awesome content. To really take things to the next level, you’ll probably want to focus on building a thriving TTRPG community. With a little strategy, a lot of engagement, and a bit of diligent work, you can set yourself up to start things off right. As a bonus, many of the things you can do are completely free (well, except for time!). If you’re a Game Master (GM) looking to build your player base or maybe a streamer or content creator looking to reach a bigger audience, social media for TTRPGs can be a powerful tool. In this blog, I want to explore some strategies (strats), platforms, and tips to help grow an engaged TTRPG community. Whether you’re focused on finding a community to join, building up your own, or promoting your indie RPG content, these TTRPG engagement strategies will help you get started. While this isn’t an exhaustive blueprint, it’s a solid resource to help you take your first steps toward building a thriving online presence.

Why Social Media is Essential for Building a TTRPG Community

The Growth of Online TTRPG Communities and How Social Media Changed the Game

For decades, TTRPGs have largely been in-person games. From conventions, libraries, after-school groups, or the occasional gaming weekend at a friend’s house, if you wanted to play that newest module, you needed people around you. Anyone that’s been a victim to managing 4 or 5 different player’s schedules can tell you that it easily can be a nightmare. As the internet grew and speeds got faster, the idea of meeting up online became commonplace and social media changed the game. Today, online RPG communities thrive on social media, making it easier than ever to find players, share resources, and grow your audience. From livestreamed D&D sessions to homebrew content and memes, social media has become a central hub for building a TTRPG community. No longer limited by geography, GMs and players alike can now connect with like-minded enthusiasts worldwide.

First and foremost, the biggest feature of social media is its ability to bring people and interests together. GMs can share their campaign ideas, ask advice, and show off their setup and game-enhancing tools. Players, on the other hand, can find games, get character building ideas, talk strats, and chat with experienced GMs. Small publishers, homebrewers, and content creators can shout out their new books and adventures, art, maps, music, etc. For streamers, podcasters, and video creators, it’s almost essential to use social media to strengthen an audience and reach new viewers.

 The Benefits of Building a Digital Presence

A strong social media presence can help you:

• Find Players – Need a cleric for your party? Social media makes it easy to recruit.
• Share Resources – Homebrew content, maps, or GM tips? Put them out there!
• Engage with your Community – Create and jump into discussions, share experiences and behind the scenes stories, and define what type of community is growing up around you.
• Grow Your Brand – If you are trying to get a show or stream up and running, this is the perfect place to get the word out and define what your brand and voice are. This is essential to attracting a new audience. It’s important that people know who you are for them to decide to be a part of your community.
• Promote – From an actual play series to your newest portfolio additions, social media is a great and cost-effective way to boost your visibility.

Best Platforms for TTRPG Communities and Why

The perfect adventuring party is made up of different classes (unless you want to go all rogue…. in which case, let me know. I might join if there’s room) because each one has a strength to contribute, and the same can be said of social media platforms. Each platform has its strengths and the ones you choose depends on what you’re looking to get out of it. Whether you’re looking for the best places to start a TTRPG community, or scrolling social media looking to join an existing one, this guide will help you navigate the options. While this isn’t an exhaustive list, it’s a great starting point for finding the right platforms to check out. By no means is this list meant to discourage you from trying something different. This is just meant as a basic guideline to pay attention to.

Reddit: Discussion and Advice

• Perfect for long-form storytelling, especially if you’re looking for advice or sharing homebrew content.
• Subreddits can save the day. Subreddits are a great place to find players, GMs, and community chat. Some examples include (but not limited to): r/DnD, r/TTRPG, r/callofcthulhu, r/lfg, and SO many more.
• Reddit’s upvote system is an amazing way to vet the information you’re reading. The community is pretty good at spotting a troll or inaccurate info and letting everyone know.

Instagram: Storytelling with Images

• A great place to show off stream stills, book art, maps, and minis.
• Reels and videos are an incredible way to show off video clips, animated maps, and audio.
• Engage with artists, creators, and others in the industry to broaden your reach.
• Hashtags still matter but don’t overdo it—place a few relevant ones in the caption or first comment.

TikTok: Short-Form Creativity

• Great for storytelling, GM tips, and campaign ideas.
• A great place to possibly show off your ‘lighter side’ with funny TikToks or potentially embarrassing mistakes you made at the table.
• Make it quick, make it to the point, and make it entertaining!
• If you’re a streamer or other content creator, a quick TikTok post during a break is a great way to bring fans “behind the scenes.”

Facebook: Group-Based Interaction

• Facebook has really worked to focus on finding and organizing events. If you’re planning to do something that your community can join in on, this is a good place to post about it.
• Best for communication to TTRPG groups as opposed to individual discussion. Facebook is still good to communicate announcements, events, and news.
• Facebook is a great place to showcase photos or video clips by using folders. Carousel photo posts are also a good way to get a lot of visuals across to your TTRPG community.

Discord: The Ultimate Community Hub

• Real-time discussions, game scheduling, and community-building in one place.
• Great for running games, organizing events, and fostering deeper connections.
• Create different channels for specific discussions (e.g., rules debate, memes, game announcements).
• Separate channels for multiple games! You can make a different voice/video chat channel for all the different games you’re in. The text will stay in those channels as well, so group notes are definitely on the menu here.

TTRPG Engagement Strategies for Social Media

1. Create Consistent and Engaging Content

One of the most effective TTRPG engagement strategies is posting consistent, high-quality content. Your audience will stay engaged if they know what to expect and when. Here are some social media tips for Game Masters and players to get started:

• Game recaps – Summarize your latest campaign sessions.
• Polls and questions – Questions like, “What’s your favorite homebrew rule?” will spark conversation.
• Behind-the-scenes content – Show your GM prep, dice collection, upcoming homebrew ideas, or your newest character build.
• Live Q&A Sessions – Answer questions and interact with your community.
• User-Generated Content – Share fan art, character backstories, or player-created maps.
• Streaming & Podcast Highlights – Share clips from your latest actual play or gaming podcast to reach new viewers.

2. Hashtags Can Help Reach a Wider Audience

Strategic hashtags can help new followers discover your content:

• #TTRPG, #DND, #GameMaster, #TTRPGCommunity, and more are good ones to start with
• Niche hashtags like #IndieRPG, #TabletopRPG, or #HomebrewContent can help you dial in on specific communities
• Seasonal or event-based hashtags like #DnDOneShot, #HalloweenTTRPG, #GenCon are good ways to be a part of a bigger event. Just make sure that if you use the hashtag, you’re actually doing something related to the event. You don’t want to get called out!
• On Instagram, put hashtags in the caption or first comment to keep things clean.

3. Collaborate with Other TTRPG Creators

Cross-promotion and collaboration is an excellent way to grow your audience. Consider:

• Guest appearances on other streams, podcasts, or panels
• Giving your collaborators and friends shoutouts and content shares
• Co-hosting events, panels, or shows

4. Engage With Your Community

Engagement is a two-way street. Instead of just posting content, actively:

• Respond to comments and messages.
• Join discussions in relevant groups.
• Let other members of your community show off their own creations and content on your channels.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback from your community! They might have something in mind that you never thought about.
• Pose interactive questions, like “What’s your most memorable critical failure?” to spark conversations. This can be a little meme-y, but it’s also a great way for folks that don’t feel comfortable posting to get involved.

5. Finding the Balance of Promo vs. Community Engagement

Promoting your content is important but you’ll want to be careful of how often you do it. Too much self-promotion can make your profile feel like an ad rather than a community hub. Instead:

• Remember the 80/20 rule. If 80% of your posts are entertaining, informative, or engaging, then you can use the other 20% to promote your content. It’s a good idea to make sure other folks in your community do the same.
• Promote AND entertain! Make fun and creative content that is promoting your content at the same time. One behind-the-scenes video of the chaos before going live can be a fun video and act as a reminder that you’re going live. If done right, these posts won’t be intrusive and won’t push anyone away.

So, What’s Next? Start Building Your TTRPG Community Today

Social media is a powerful tool for Game Masters and content creators that are trying to create and grow an engaged TTRPG community. If you’re looking to share GM tips, showcase your latest campaign, or promote your stream or podcast, the right TTRPG engagement strategies can help create an amazing audience and strengthen community.

Looking for more tips? Explore other posts on our blog for in-depth strategies on enhancing your TTRPG experience! Have questions or need guidance? Join the conversation in our Syrinscape Forums, where fellow Game Masters and content creators are ready to help!