At this point, most businesses are going online at a rapid pace. The hustle culture and the ever-growing demand to make some money on the side have led to a massive array of different online activities with the intent of making passive income. From drop shipping to Youtube ad revenue to hosting gaming servers with monetization, the options are endless. But it is the latter case that makes the headline for today’s article. Hosting a game server can lead to a lot of potential income if it is advertised, promoted, and monetized correctly. But which game is the best one to host?
Minecraft is arguably the most popular video game of all time in both the single-player and multiplayer format, meaning that the ceiling of potential for monetization for this game is considerably higher than average. A Minecraft server is a server with dedicated resources that acts as a host for multiplayer gaming sessions of Minecraft. There are lots of ways to make money using it and even more ways to generate publicity from it. Do you want to host a Minecraft server of your own? Then consider Cloudzy’s elite Gaming Server VPS package, featuring more than 15 locations worldwide! Now let’s get to the important requirements and ways to monetize Minecraft.
3 Important Things to Consider Before Hosting a Minecraft Server
There are definitely a lot more factors to consider for hosting a Minecraft server and making money out of it than the three that I have named here. There are factors such as server version, port forwarding, DDoS protection, and much more, but I have selected the three most essential things to consider before hosting a Minecraft server. Do note that while these will be enough to cover the basics of running a Minecraft server, they are by no means all that you need to consider. It’s always good to keep learning more about the details.
Hardware Requirement
Essentially speaking, hardware is the bread and butter of every server. But especially when hosting a game like Minecraft that can potentially lead to a massive number of players from all around the world logging in to play, you definitely need to look after the best hardware you can get. As a point of reference, a Minecraft server should have base-level DDoS protection, automatic backup, sufficient RAM (1 GB if outsourced, 6GB if hosted on your own computer), and a CPU of 8Ghz. Missing any of these factors or having a subpar alternate piece will severely hamper the attractiveness of your server by lagging and low quality of play. Cloudy has you covered here, as their Minecraft server hosting package comes with all of these requirements already built-in and configured!
Dedicated IP and Ports
When you want to set up your server, you will be given an IP address and a port number that acts as the address of the server you’re trying to establish. As any person with principal knowledge of marketing knows, you probably want to name your server and have it reflected in the address. So instead of the IP number and the port, the players will join the server by entering the name of the server as part of a domain. To do this, you will need dedicated IP. This is not integral to your success, but still really important if you want to advertise effectively. Make sure to open the correct ports and forward others as necessary.
Latency
Latency is the metric of how long it takes for a user to send and receive data from your server. The higher this number is, the higher the lag and the lower the quality of the gameplay will be for your gamers on the server. Latency comes down to two factors on your end. These are the quality of your server infrastructure and the location of your server. Make sure that your server has high quality when establishing it, and choose a specific player demographic so you can choose a location with suitable latency for all of them.
Tebex
Tebex is an online tool that is connected to your gaming server and allows you to easily and concisely monitor its monetization process, accounting and payments all in one convenient place. Tebex offers a host of different features, including a really straightforward control panel, accounting pages, auto-renewal, tier rankings for paying players, two-factor authentication, top-notch security, and analytic tools. Tebex does not require a license or subscription to use; however, it does take a share of each transaction. Still, for what it does, I would say it is an incredible tool and well worth the 1 or 2 percent of commission that they take.
Membership Fee
Essentially, this is the bread and butter of making money using a Minecraft server. If your server guarantees quality connection as well as a fun and entertaining gameplay experience for its audience, then you can easily start charging a small membership fee for your server on a monthly basis. It is advised, however, to not start the server with an integrated membership fee but to instead wait for a substantial gamer base to form who will value your server and then implement a membership fee to maximize your gains. You can even keep the base server access free and simply charge for select items or access levels.
Game Play Streaming
Streaming has become one of the most profitable ways to make money online. Minecraft is already one of the most popular games in the world, so if your server has some online traction and its members actively partake in activities that may be considered entertaining and fun to watch, then a great way to monetize the server further will be to stream the gameplay and the process of your Minecraft projects being done. Not only does streaming involve a lot of donations and other boons, but you also directly advertise your server in this way and get more players in.
Donations
Already in the section above, I mentioned donations. While those specific donations are part of the streaming process, you can also actively call your players by asking them to donate to the server in order to keep it up and running. Donations are always a great way to make some money, but consider the fact that donation as a business strategy relies on all or the majority of your services being free. So choose between this option and the aforementioned membership fee.
Cosmetics
Cosmetics are items in games that modify the appearance of the player’s character or the surrounding environment. They have no bearing on the gameplay and offer no advantage, but the appearance alone is enough to make many gamers want to pay money. You can mod your own server with beautiful cosmetics for your players and sell them for a process in order to generate income from your server.
Conclusion
Running a Minecraft server alone is rather complicated, let alone successfully monetizing the whole thing. So if and when you want to host a Minecraft server with the intention of making money, make sure to arm yourself with all the necessary base-level knowledge you can get to minimize your chances of failure!
