9 Hacks To Find + Join The Best Pinterest Group Boards Quickly

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Are you considering looking into how to find and join Pinterest group boards? Did you know they can often be massively time-consuming to track down?

Well, before we dive in, I’d like to point out that Pinterest group boards are less important compared to your own personal boards. And that the majority of your time and effort should be spent on developing your own boards.

So, if you have the mindset that all you need to do as a new blogger is join a ton of Pinterest group boards and your traffic will explode. Then you might be in for a nasty surprise.

But whilst some may argue that joining Pinterest group boards are a complete waste of time due to recent changes. And that good Pinterest SEO, including in your Pinterest description is the only thing that matters.

If you can find high quality and niched group boards they can still be beneficial to grow your reach and blog traffic. In fact, pins you add to group boards can still get ranked high up in Pinterest search.

So, if you’re still interested in finding some group boards to compliment your own. Then keep reading below for my top hacks to find Pinterest group boards that you can join fast.

Because the last thing you want to do on top of the mountain of new fresh pins Pinterest expects us to make all the time. Is spend tons of time looking for Pinterest group boards. By using ineffective and out dated methods.

After all, Pinterest rapidly changes, and what worked a few months ago might no longer apply to today.

But first let’s go over the basics of Pinterest group boards. Including:

• What are Pinterest group boards?
• How to create your Pinterest group board
• How can Pinterest group boards help your Pinterest Marketing

What Is A Group Board On Pinterest?

On Pinterest there are two types of boards. Often referred to as regular Pinterest boards and Pinterest group boards.

Pinterest group boards are exactly the same as regular boards. Other than the fact that they have multiple contributors adding pins, all to that one board.

How To Create A Group Board On Pinterest

If you want to create your own group board. Then create a new board like you would any regular Pinterest board.

Once you have a Pinterest board you want to make into a group board. Click on the pen icon for that board.

This board can then be turned into a group board. Simply by adding other usernames or email addresses to the Contributor box and clicking Invite. These collaborators can then add their pins to the board, after accepting your invite.

You can even use this method with your existing boards to turn them into a group board.

In fact, using an already developed personal board to create your Pinterest group board. Is a good way to increase it’s chances of success.

Because it avoids issues like there not being enough content for your collaborators to share to maintain their repin ratio. Or your board being super new that Pinterest doesn’t really trust it yet.

How To Add A “Request To Join” Button To Pinterest Group Boards

Did you know, you can also add a Request to join button to your Pinterest group boards? This button will let other Pinterest users request an invite to your board. Without the need to setup fancy forms or fill up your email’s inbox with requests.

It’s surprising how hidden this feature actually is! But it will work on both your normal Pinterest boards and group boards. Any board with this button is automatically converted to a group board. Without the need to do the steps I mentioned above.

So where should you start?

Firstly, go to your Boards list on your profile.

Next, find and click into the Pinterest board you want to add a Request to join button. (Do not click the pencil icon, just open the board like a normal Pinterest user would instead.)

At the top of the Pinterest board, in the right corner. There should be an + icon button next to your profile image. Click on it.

Then towards the top right of the menu that pops up is a setting button. That you’ll need to click.

To enable the Request to join button on your Pinterest group boards the below setting needs to be toggled on:

Once this is toggled on and you click on Done to save your changes. The Request to join button will now appear like this to other Pinterest users:

And that’s it! Your Pinterest group boards will be able to accept requests through this button.

I don’t know about you. But this simplified Request to join button seems like a win-win for both group board owners and those looking to join groups.

Note: You will not be able to see this button on your Pinterest group board unless you are logged in with a different account.

What Are The Benefits Of Pinterest Group Boards?

Whilst many bloggers claim to have seen a decline in the results they get from group boards. There are just many bloggers who continue to see beneficial results from them.

Group boards are still beneficial for new Pinterest accounts that don’t have an established audience yet. As they can help get your pins get more eyes on them.

But also more established Pinterest business accounts too. Because they are still able to rank in search results too.

The key aspect here, is to join quality group boards. Rather than just anything you can get access to.

Not only do you want to join quality group boards but you also want to join niche, topic specific boards. So that Pinterest doesn’t get confused about what your Pinterest pins are about.

How Do I Tell If A Pinterest Group Board Will Be Beneficial To Me?

There are plenty of suggestions as to what counts as a quality group board and how to evaluate them. From the range of contributors, to the number of followers or even what niche the group board owner belongs to.

However, the only 100% way to tell if a board is beneficial to you. Is to join it, regularly add your own pins to it. As well as repin from the group board to your own personal boards. Because your pins will perform differently depending on the group boards you join.

After at least 2-4 weeks. Check your Pinterest group board for clicks using Pinterest’s analytics. Under Analytics > Overview > Top boards and changing from Impressions to Link clicks. You’ll be able to quickly tell how this board compares to your others for a range of dates.

What Alternatives Are There To Pinterest Group Boards?

If you really don’t want to deal with group boards then there’s only one close alternative to them called Tailwind Communities (previously called Tailwind Tribes).

Some bloggers have seen some amazing results just from using Tailwind Communities. So they can definitely be a powerful tool, which don’t have the disadvantages of Pinterest group boards.

Oh and did I mention? They are much easier to find and join!

Whilst you can consider them an alternative. They can be used in addition to group boards too. And as such you shouldn’t limit your options, especially when just starting out.

Everyone can get access to the free plan of Tailwind Communities. Which lets you join 5 Communities and contribute 30 pins per month. At no cost to yourself. A nifty little boost if you ask me!

Also, if you sign up through this link you can get a bonus credit of $15 towards Tailwind. Which can get you an entire month of their paid plan for free. On top of their free trial of 100 pins.

But if you are not familiar with Tailwind. Then you should check out this Tailwind review first. As it will show you whether it can really save you time and whether it is worth the cost.

How Do I Find A Group Board On Pinterest?

So, here’s the main reason you are probably reading this post! Below you’ll find the best methods on how to find group boards.

And as an added bonus, at the end of the post, I’ll even show you a neat trick to help speed up sending off those Pinterest group board invites. So keep reading to learn all about it!

Pinterest Search Bar

Did you know? You can use the Pinterest search bar to look for Pinterest group boards, by entering keywords relevant to your niche.

If you didn’t know. Then here’s how to search Pinterest for group boards.

Type in your keywords such as blogging into the Pinterest search bar. Then press the enter key on either your desktop keyboard or mobile keyword.

The right-hand side of the search bar will have changed. Click the new drop-down that appears here and select Boards. This will filter your search to only list boards that relate to your search phrase.

Unfortunately, this method will list both regular Pinterest boards as well as Pinterest group boards. To distinguish between the two. You will have to click into each Pinterest board to see if it is a group or regular one.

Look for Pinterest boards that have the most pins. As these are significantly more likely to be a Pinterest group board.

Once you’ve clicked into the Pinterest board. Check to see if there are multiple contributors, which shows just below the Pinterest Follow button. If there are, then congratulations you just found a Pinterest group board!

When you do find a group board, always check the description to see whether it is accepting contributors. If it isn’t then it’s best to skip it, as often the time spent trying to contact the owner will just be wasted. I’ve wasted plenty of time doing this, so don’t make the same mistake I did.

The Pinterest Search Bar Method Is Slow

But, here’s the thing. Whilst this method may give you all the possible Pinterest group boards for your keywords. This process is extremely time-consuming as you have to sift through all the regular Pinterest boards and group boards.

Even when you eventually find a Pinterest group board, there is little information to tell you the quality of the board. Or whether the author is active and will respond to your join request.

Popular Pinterest Profiles

With a new Pinterest account. You ideally should follow others in your target niche that are more established than you. These popular Pinterest profiles likely already have a host of regular Pinterest boards and group boards for you to gain inspiration from.

Find a few popular Pinterest accounts in your niche. And then check out what Pinterest group boards they are part of. You can easily recognise the Pinterest group boards on their profile by those with a circular icon, in the bottom left corner. That is divided into multiple profile avatar images.

Click through any of these that may be of interest to you and check out the board descriptions to see if they are accepting contributors. And hopefully any additional details you need to join.

Keep a list of any that catch your eye to apply to them later. Which I’ll cover using a neat time-saving trick later.

This method is also time-consuming, but is more efficient than searching through all the regular Pinterest boards and Pinterest group boards using the Pinterest search bar.

Most importantly, the chances are that many of these boards that popular pinners are using have been well-established for a while. But the effect of this can be two-fold.

By being well-established and used by popular pinners in your niche. There is a high chance these are quality, niche specific, and active group boards. Ones that you’re new account would definitely benefit from!

The flip side to this is that many of these groups already will likely have many contributors and are likely to no longer be accepting new members. Which can potentially waste some of your time.

Facebook Groups

Another method you could try is Facebook groups. Often there can be some exclusive invites and hidden gems here.

Whilst you might find Pinterest group boards invitations in any Facebook group related to your niche. It is far more effective to look for them in Facebook groups made specifically for finding and sharing Pinterest group boards.

Like these:

• Pinterest Group Boards
• Pinterest Group Boards (another group)
• Pinterest Group Boards | Pinterest Repins | Pinterest Followers | Traffic
• Pinterest Group Boards by Lynne
• Pinterest Group Board | Pinterest Repin & Follower | Pinterest Traffic Hack

If you need more Facebook groups. Then simply type in Pinterest group boards into the Facebook search bar. As the list above barely scratches the surface.

Because of this, the method depends on your luck, niche topic, amount of time spent and which Facebook groups you join. Basically, this means it can vary on how time-consuming it is.

Facebook groups are notorious for taking up a lot of time. Whether you manage the group or are just an active member. But the main benefit of this method is that you can find some group boards you may have missed elsewhere.

And not to forget that these Pinterest group boards are actively seeking new members. Meaning the time and effort you spend to find them and send a request to join. Is far more likely to get you an actual invite out of it.

Google Search

Next up, if Facebook groups aren’t your thing. Then you could try the good old Google method. That’s right! Just try searching for your niche keyword with the keywords Pinterest group boards.

Why? Because often people create blog posts that centre around their favourite Pinterest group boards. And these posts are often optimized to appear when you type in certain keywords into google.

Here’s an example of some lists you can get by typing in Pinterest blogging group boards.

With this method, you can get curated Pinterest group boards, specific to a certain niche. Or several different categories depending on the blog post. This can result in some high-quality boards you’ve not come across before.

But these groups can also fill up fast depending on the popularity of the post. As well as the information can quickly become stagnate and out dated. Which could end up wasting a lot of your effort.

The best thing about this method though. Is that it takes out the need for you to search and find these boards. All that time-consuming searching is done for you. So, if you find a recent list of Pinterest group boards for your niche then it can help you join some new boards faster than most other methods listed here.

PinGroupie

PinGroupie is a tried and tested method that is quite popular among many bloggers. And is often recommended as the one-stop shop for finding many new group boards.

Something the Pinterest search bar should have been able to do ages ago. Yet never did and probably never will.

Finding group boards is quick and simple. With options to search using keywords in the board title and description. Plus filters to sort by Pinterest followers, pins, average repins or collaborators.

These powerful search options make it quick and easy to find many boards that meet your requirements. That you likely would have missed using other methods.

And more recently PinGroupie seems to have got much better at regularly keeping its information updated!

The New PinGroupie Alternative PinSprout

An interesting PinGroupie alternative that I’ve discovered is called PinSprout.

If you go their Group Boards > Find Group Boards from the top menu. You’ll quickly find yourself at their search screen.

If you, for example, typed in blog. You’ll get a ton of results back. In fact, I got 1061 results. That’s an almost unbelievable amount.

Whilst the search options are a bit more simple in comparison to PinGroupie. You still have powerful options to to sort by category, contributors, followers and repins.

PinSprout Has Even More Powerful Analytics Compared to PinGroupie

In fact, PinSprout is far more powerful in terms of analytical information. Because if you click into the details of each Pinterest board. You can see even more stats, like how many pins where added to the board in the last week. Plus how many repins from the board where also created in the same time period.

This provides you with an amazing insight as to how healthy these Pinterest group boards are. Before you even bother to spend time applying to them. Though a 30-day analysis would be arguably more accurate.

You can even get an idea of how many out of the total contributors are actually active. And how many pins on average are added to the board each day. Each of these are useful metrics you can use, to make sure you aren’t on boards that move too fast for anyone to really see your pins consistently.

On the other hand, a slower moving board is harder to distinguish just by these metrics. As a new contributor, your activity if done correctly could boost the overall quality of a slower board.

The New PinSprout Metrics Make It Easier To Prioritize Joining Pinterest Group Boards Compared To PinGroupie

The metrics are a great way to prioritize which boards you want to aim to join first. But just because the metrics don’t look as good at you want them. Doesn’t mean they are not worth trying out.

After all, even though you can see the number of repins over the past week. These can fluctuate a lot in my experience. Perhaps the pins that week just weren’t very enticing. Or maybe it was a quiet week with many pinners being on holidays like for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

You also can’t tell, which pins were repinned. As small repin numbers on a single pin could be the cause. Which might make that Pinterest group board worthwhile for that particular Pinterest user. But the same might not be true for you.

Either way, it’s always worth taking these Pinterest group boards metrics with a pinch of salt. If the quality of pins on the board are high, the board doesn’t flow too quickly (lots of active collaborators) and it is very niche specific. It might be worth just giving the group board a trial run yourself. As every board works differently for each person.

After all, we all have different pin designs, use different keywords, pin at different times and have different ideal audiences. So the only way to know if certain Pinterest Group Boards work for you is to try it yourself.

How Best To Use PinSprout Analytics to Find The Perfect Pinterest Group Boards

Join, contribute your pins to the board and make sure you are sharing content from the board to your own personal boards. It will only make your pins more likely to succeed on this new board. By not resharing content from the group board you are only hurting your own viral pin chances! Remember this!

Keep track of how many pins you add to the board within a certain time frame. A month of 1 pin per day to the group board and meeting the repin rules of the board is an excellent baseline.

Check your Pinterest board analytics to keep a tally of how many repins you get from your new Pinterest group board. (Analytics > Top Boards.)

Ideally, if you also regularly keep track of your other Pinterest group boards. Then you’ll have an accurate idea of how well the new board performs compared to your old boards.

Use this information to weed out lower performers and consider leaving them. Or you can even Archive Pinterest group boards. To safely remove them from your profile.

Don’t worry though, you won’t accidentally delete the board for everyone else.

This way, if you find your stats drop significantly after leaving a particular Pinterest group board. Then you have some peace of mind that you can potentially un-archive the board and start contributing again. Providing the owner hasn’t removed you for inactivity. In which case you’ll need to reapply to the group board.

The Benefits of Using PinSprout Over PinGroupie & Other Methods

Overall, PinSprout’s Beta website has tons of information about the metrics of individual boards. It is more updated than PinGroupie and finding more boards is much quicker.

But all this information can come at the cost of decision overwhelm. There is so much information that trying to figure out which boards are the best. Can result in you not getting around to actually applying to those Pinterest group boards.

So, try to keep things simple. Aim for boards that are very niche specific. And consider those that don’t have too many or too few contributors. Those with more followers are ideal but smaller boards can also be beneficial.

The fact that you’ll find tons of options to apply, also means you could spend a significant amount of time just applying to Pinterest Group Boards. This is why it is important to prioritize which Pinterest boards to join first.

Don’t be fooled by the Request to join board button on PinSprout though. As it just sends you to the group board on Pinterest. This button does nothing to make it easier to join group boards. Sadly, you’ll still have to jump through the various hoops just to join any of them.

PinSprout 7 Day Analysis Can Be Slightly Misleading

Since some of the metrics are based on a 7 day analysis rather than 30 days, this can sometimes skew the results a fair bit. I’ve seen a couple of boards on PinSprout with a super high Repin Reality of 2.0.

But these boards just got lucky with getting a lot of traction that particular week. Whilst the overall quality of the board for the remainder of the month was terrible! No one wants an inconsistent repin rate. So keep this in mind!

I’ve also noticed that not all group boards actually appear on it. Even though it shows a massive amount compared to PinGroupie. So all the other methods mentioned in this post, can still be valuable to find those more elusive Pinterest group boards.

Quick Hack To Help Speed Up Applying To Pinterest Group Boards By Email

OK, so using the above methods you might end up with a long list of Pinterest boards to join. But applying to all these could potentially take forever.

But here’s a neat little trick. Ever heard of Mail Merge? If you’ve ever used Word in an office environment to personalize letters then you might have come across it.

Even if you haven’t heard of it before. All you need to know is that a Mail Merge can help remove the manual process of replacing certain words in a document. Or in this case an email.

If you’ve ever sent several Pinterest group board requests by email. Then think of all the time you spent changing the email address, Pinterest board names and the board owner’s name. For each and every single Pinterest group board request you sent.

Mail Merge can help you skip some of this process and save you time. Sounds interesting, right?

So what do you need? Not much at all! All you will need is this:

• Google Mail Account
• Google Sheets
• Yet Another Mail Merge Add-on

How To Set Up Your Google Sheet For Sending Pinterest Group Board Requests

The first thing you want to do, is setup your Google sheet.

You’ll want columns for the board owners name, the name of the board you want to join and the email address you want to send to. Fill in these columns with the Pinterest board details as you find them when using one of the methods above.

Your sheet will look something like this:

Install The Yet Another Mail Merge Add-on

Go to the Chrome Store download page for the add-on Yet Another Mail Merge. And click on the Free button.

A blank Google sheets will open and after a few moments you’ll be asked to give the add-on permission to run. When this happens click Continue.

If you have multiple Gmail accounts then you might be asked to confirm which account the add-on will use.

A list of features Yet Another Mail Merge needs access to will be displayed. Click Allow if you are happy to give it access.

After a brief amount of time the add-on will finish installing. If the install opened a blank sheet then you’ll want to close it.

How To Set Up The Pinterest Group Boards Draft Email Template

In Gmail, compose a new email. Lay out your email something like the below, which has worked for me previously:

It is important to note that the text between the << >> matches exactly to the column headers in the Google sheet I showed you earlier. So make sure to use the headers you have in your Google sheet if you wrote them differently to mine.

You’ll also want to update the Pinterest Email, Pinterest Profile and Blog URLs to match your own.

Final Settings For Sending Pinterest Group Board Email Requests

Open the Google Sheet you created earlier. Once opened, from the top toolbar click on Add-ons > Yet Another Mail Merge > Start Mail Merge.

Note: That you can only send 50 emails max per day.

Click Continue on the pop-up box.

Another screen will appear. Make sure that the emails will be sent using the correct column.

Set your Sender Name. Then select the Email Template from the drop down list. You should see the drafted email you compiled earlier.

Make sure you set the From email address to the one that is associated with your Pinterest account. (You can check what this is under your Pinterest profile settings.)

In order to set this click on Alias, filters, personalized attachments… And set the Send from field to the email address you want to use. Click Back once done.

You will then want to click Receive a test email. This will send a test email to your inbox using the first line of details in your Google Sheet.

Double check everything looks correct! If everything is set up the way you want it. Then you can go back to your Google sheet and click Send 5 emails button or however many emails you have in your sheet up to 50.

And that’s it! Once you have everything set up, it is much quicker to reuse.

Recap Of How To Find & Join Pinterest Group Boards

Overall, PinGroupie is still the best way to find Pinterest group boards. As while PinSprout.com looks like it could shape up to be an amazing way to look for new group boards in one centralized place. Sadly the website appears to be down.

As they make searching and finding group boards super easy. And with a few more search filters it could be a really powerful method that saves Pinterest users tons of time.

Whilst the other methods covered here are still useful. They all have the issue of being time consuming. Which is mostly because of how awkward and long winded it is just to request to join. (Unless you use the inbuilt Request to Join button that Pinterest has added.) Because certain requirements have to be met by both sides.

Now, that you have a host of methods to help you join more Pinterest group boards. It is over to you to try them out and see which works best for you. Just keep in mind that not all Pinterest group board are high-quality so make sure you monitor the results you get from each one you join.

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