Many online entrepreneurs have a love-hate relationship with Pinterest group boards and for good reason. Pinterest’s algorithm updates over the past few years have led to an overhaul in online entrepreneurs’ Pinterest strategy to grow an audience and drive traffic to websites. With a focus on fresh content does this mean that Pinterest group boards are dead? Well… not necessarily. Like anything, group boards on Pinterest can totally have a place and a key function in your marketing strategy. It just might not be what you think.
You may have heard that Pinterest Group Boards are dead…
The biggest problem so many bloggers, service providers and online entrepreneurs seem to face with Pinterest is understanding how the algorithm works and leveraging it to skyrocket your own success. The most essential thing you should be doing with your account is creating fresh, engaging pins that are added to your boards on a regular and consistent basis. While creating new content regularly will give your account a boost it is just one side of the Pinterest animal.
Group boards were introduced to allow Pinterest users to collaborate easily with each other. I use group boards on my Pinterest to connect with my friends when planning trips away, with my Husband for home decor and renovation projects as well as with my business besties to share our latest work or inspirations.
But not everybody gives as much love to Pinterest group boards as I do, with many suggesting they are a waste of time, producing low-quality results and even damaging your account.
And I get it.
Finding value-driven, reliable group boards in the first place can be a tricky task when you’re looking for high-quality content and engaged, collaborative users.
In years gone by, the main reason online entrepreneurs were advised to join group boards on Pinterest was to increase their exposure and aid their growth. The idea of business group boards in particular is that when you add one of your own, fresh, dazzling pins, you then repin other members’ content to your boards – you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours, so everyone grows!
Great in theory, but it can be very much luck of the draw. Pinning your content and repinning others doesn’t guarantee that yours will be shared in the same way, which could lead to a drop in engagement, downranking of your account and your reach stalling.
Bummer.
Pinterest Group Boards aren’t a one stop solution but they can become a key piece of your Pinterest Strategy
Here’s the thing. The consensus on group boards right now seems to be that they should be used as part of your growth strategy, to get more eyes on your goods and expand your audience. While this can be a great benefit of group boards on Pinterest, I want to move the goalposts.
Instead of using group boards as my top strategy to boost how much my content is reshared, I use them as my own high quality, curated library of repinnable Pins that are relevant to my people and will support the cracking content I’m already churning out from my own goods.
By being a part of group boards, I don’t have to hunt Pinterest in the hope of finding niche and topic specific pins to repin on my own account – and yes repinning should absolutely still be a part of your strategy! I have a whole pool of amazing value right at my finger tips. If my own content gets a boost from collaborators sharing it to their own boards, that is just the cherry on top of the icing!
For too long people have been blinkered by the effect using group boards can have on their analytics, focusing too much on how many shares they receive (or in many cases don’t receive) rather than the knock on effect sharing other creators content has on your own numbers. Switch the focus to how group boards can make your life easier and support your own content, and suddenly the value group boards give seems a lot more appetising!
Imagine the time you’ll be able to save if instead of hunting for repinnable content every week on Pinterest, you can just click into one of your value packed group boards and select the most relevant content for that week! Awesome right?!
Repinning 3-5 high quality pins a week will give your own account a boost too, driving more users to your profile and content. Did someone say winning?!
Now I know, you’re probably thinking ‘But Sam, how do I find these awesome high value group boards you’re raving about?’. Fear not my love. I got you.
Here’s how I find and use Pinterest group boards to support my Pinterest Strategy, save time and boost my stats!
1 – Make your goal to use group boards as an easy pool of high quality pins, relevant to your niche, that you can easily use in your repinning strategy
2 –To find great group boards in your niche, check out your competitors’ accounts. Have a nose at the group boards they started or are a part of as these are usually full of relevant and high value pins.
3 – Make a list of the boards you’d like to join and spend some time watching to see if the content aligns with your own account.
4 – Apply to the group boards you’re loving. Do your research here to connect with the board owner, as you’ll often have to send them an email or DM explaining why they should let you into their oh so sacred space!
5 – Aim to pin 1 – 2 of your high quality pins a week to group boards, then stagger your repins of others members pins through the week, scattered in with your own fresh pins. (You don’t have to repin 5 pins in the 5 minutes after adding your pin to the group! Maximise the use of this content)
And suddenly, using Pinterest group boards will get a whole lot easier!
Group boards are still relevant and definitely have a place in your marketing strategy. Utilizing group boards to find high value content you repin throughout the week will save you so much time and searching on Pinterest. So you’ll have more time looking at those home reno pins or fashion tutorials instead!
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