Understanding Grivio's Auction System: Built Different for a Reason

Why we built an advertising system that works for communities of all sizes

After years of running Discord.me and watching thousands of communities grow, we noticed something: the tools that work great for established communities don't always fit communities just getting started. That first Discord server with 10 members, hoping to grow. The niche hobby group that hasn't found its audience yet. The passion project that's all enthusiasm but no budget.

We built Grivio's auction system to create options that didn't exist before.

Why This Exists

Let me be direct about what we're trying to solve here.

We've seen how premium visibility services help established communities thrive - predictable costs, guaranteed placement, premium features. That model works brilliantly when you've got an active member base and steady growth. But what about before that? What about when you're still figuring out if your community will take off?

That's the gap we're filling.

We believe two things:

1. Every community should have a path to visibility, regardless of its current size

2. Pricing should reflect actual competition, not fixed tiers

That's why we built a continuous auction system that adjusts the price based on what the market actually requires. When there's no competition, claim spots completely free - not as a trial, not as a teaser, just free. When competition exists, pay only what you need to win, often just cents per month.

As your community grows, you'll have options that match your growth stage. But you shouldn't need to be established to be discovered.

Because sometimes the best communities are the ones that haven't been found yet.

How It Actually Works

Our auction system runs 24/7. No bidding windows, no auction end times, no "sorry, you missed it." Here's what makes it different:

The Free Claim Window

See that empty spot in the Reddit Communities section? When nobody's bidding on a keyword, you can claim it free for 24 hours. No credit card, no catch. Just grab it.

Update: We now allow 5 days with a 2-day cooldown as the site is still growing.

After 24 hours showing, there's a 24-hour cooldown before you can claim it again for free. This gives other communities a chance to discover it too. Fair is fair.

Smart Pricing That Protects You

Look at the Discord Communities page. Seriously Geeks is currently winning that spot, and because they're the only bidder, they're paying just 1g/day—that's $0.30 per month.

Here's why that matters: once anyone places a bid (even just 1g), the free claim option disappears. So, for thirty cents a month, you can secure a keyword continuously instead of rotating through 24-hour free claims.

But if competition shows up? The price adjusts automatically. If someone bids 5g and you bid 10g, you only pay 6g/day—just 1 Grivie more than what you needed to win. You never overpay, even when competing.

Finding Your Keywords

Your Advertising Dashboard is where everything starts. You can search for any keyword—tags like "gaming" or "roleplay," categories like "Technology," or platform connections like "Discord" or "YouTube."

See those Trending Keywords on the right? That's showing you where competition already exists. Gaming has 2 bids. Those are opportunities to compete if they matter to your community, or signals to look elsewhere if you want free claims.

Placing Your Bid

When you click into a specific auction, you'll see keyword performance data—how many times it showed up in searches over the last 90 days. This helps you make informed decisions.

If someone's already winning, you can see who and how much they're winning. To beat them, you need to bid at least 1 Grivie more than they're currently paying. The system shows you exactly what that is—no math required.

The system will only charge you daily while you're actually winning. Get outbid? Charges stop automatically. Come back anytime to adjust your bid up or down.

Getting Grivies

Grivies are our platform currency. 1 Grivie = 1 cent. Simple math, no confusion.

Click "Topup" from any auction page to see your Grivies Dashboard. You can track what you've earned, what you've spent, and purchase more anytime.

When you buy Grivies, larger purchases earn bonus credits—our way of saying thanks for investing in the platform. But you can start small. Even 500 Grivies ($5) can win you multiple keywords if competition is light.What This Means for You

Let's be real about what we're building here.

If you're running a small community that's just getting started, you might not have a budget for traditional advertising yet. Free 24-hour claims let you grab relevant keywords and rotate them strategically. Or bid just 1 Grivie per day on low-competition tags—that's $0.30 per month to secure a keyword continuously without the free claim rotation. Even bidding on multiple keywords stays incredibly affordable.

If you're running a larger community with some budget, the smart pricing means you're never overpaying. Bid what the visibility is actually worth to you, and let the system figure out what you actually pay based on competition.

And here's the part that matters most to us: as more casual users earn Grivies through platform engagement (we'll write about that separately), many will donate those earnings to small communities they want to support. That creates a redistribution mechanism that lets grassroots communities compete for visibility without spending money they don't have.

Getting Started

Ready to try this? Here's your path:

1. Click "Advertising" in your sidebar to reach your dashboard

2. Search for keywords relevant to your community

3. Look for empty spots you can claim for free

4. For competitive spots, place honest bids about what they're worth to you

5. Check back occasionally to adjust bids or claim new free spots

The auction never sleeps. Neither does opportunity.

Start with free claims. See if the visibility helps. Then decide if competitive bidding makes sense for your community's growth stage.

We built this to give every community a fighting chance at being discovered, regardless of budget. Whether you use it for free claims or competitive bidding, you're part of building something different.

Questions about how auctions work? Visit our Grivio page to find our links. We're here to help.