You’ve probably been wondering about the mysterious (or overly saturated) Pinterest group boards you’ve been coerced into joining or seen floating around the blogger community. But the real question is, are they actually good for your Pinterest account?
The short answer is yes, you CAN join group boards and you CAN get a steady stream of traffic from them. However, the long answer is a little more complicated.
What is a Pinterest Group Board?
A Pinterest group board is a board with many members or ‘collaborators.’ Typically, the board has a general or niched topic that the collaborators pin their relevant content to.
Group boards can have nearly unlimited members and don’t necessarily always niche down (more on that later), which can be their downfall. The key is finding a group board that is using Pinterest’s best strategies AND following Pinterest’s intention of group boards – not a board with 300+ members that you see all too often.
The Pros and Cons of Pinterest Group Boards
Pinterest group boards can be an amazing source of traffic for bloggers. I mean – your content is floating around on a board filled to the brim with other bloggers in your niche (hopefully).
It can generate link clicks, be suggested to other Pinterest users who show interest in the other board collaborators, and result in saves that can help your pin go viral.
The downside is that group boards can quickly become overrun and extremely saturated with irrelevant content. Bloggers who have nothing to do with the niche join and just start pinning, and admins will often ignore this type of rule-breaking since they’re just hoping for members.
When Should You Join Group Boards?
I recommend only joining a Pinterest group board after you’ve nailed down your own boards. You should already have at least 10 boards set up and pinned to as well as an optimized profile.
Publishing a pin without the proper SEO support will just lead to your pin crashing and burning – the opposite of what you want it to do.
An exception would be group boards that are also communities because they are typically more interactive and will boost your pin because the community cares. Still, the community should be relevant to your niche and blog as you don’t want to mess up your profile’s SEO.
What Group Boards Should I Join?
I’ve already covered the basics, but here’s a quick list of things to look for (and to avoid) when joining a Pinterest group board:
- Look for boards with less than 20 members, and avoid any with 99+
- Check the description. What do they require? Are they SEO-friendly?
- Make sure they have a niche-friendly board title.
- Double-check for relevant content; don’t join if the board just has random pins.
- Check the accounts in the group board. Are their sites claimed? Are they active?
If the group board doesn’t meet the criteria listed above, or it just seems sketchy (some things just do ya know) – don’t join it!
Should I Join a Pinterest Group Board for Bloggers?
First, take a step back and evaluate your Pinterest account. If you’ve already joined a bunch of group boards, check to see how much traffic you’re ACTUALLY getting from pinning your content.
Don’t have any group boards? That’s fine! You don’t NEED them; they’re just a fun little bonus! If you would like to join a group board (and feel confident in your SEO skills), simply create your own!
Keep it small and only invite five to seven bloggers in your niche that you know personally. Let them know your pinning rules and have fun!
Looking for more ways to grow your Pinterest Account? Check out the Pinterest Content Kit – the 30 day guide to success on Pinterest!
P.S. Don’t forget to give me a follow! @TheCommaMamaCo
