Growing your server

The best way of growing you're server is keeping it up to date with things like addons and see if it has crashed lately and having staff memebers

Not having everyone admin, this scares new players away

This might not be very helpful, but I've noticed that gamemode is key.
DarkRP doesn't get much players because there are so many servers, CloneWarsRP players like to stick to one community, etc.
But JvS gets tons of players and ImperialRP gets a lot but not as much as CloneWarsRP. To someone starting a community, I advise JvS.

Actually, the best way to grow your server is to be active on it, as well as respecting your members. If you have a bunch of terrible admins, you will not have a very good server.

I know from experience.

(Edit: Also, try gamemodes that don't have a lot of servers, because then more players end up seeing your server and could get interested.)

i agree with Mikkel2 having bad admins slash moderators on your server is a good way to not have someone join back, so don't just give all your friends admin they might be your friends but its your server and no one likes a admin slash moderator abuser.

The way in which most servers get popular is if you do youtube or know someone who will advertise your server on their youtube channel.