How to Collaborate on Pinterest

Collaborating on Pinterest is one of the most effective ways to expand your reach, discover fresh content, and manage creative projects with a team. This guide breaks down exactly how to use collaborative features, from joining your first Group Board to streamlining your workflow with clients and colleagues.

What is Pinterest Collaboration (And Why It Matters)

At its core, Pinterest collaboration lets multiple users pin to the same board. This simple feature unlocks several powerful strategies for brands, creators, and marketers. You're not just organizing your own ideas, you're creating a shared space for inspiration, planning, or content distribution.

So, why bother? Collaboration can completely change your results on the platform:

• Expanded Reach: When you pin to a Group Board, your content is seen by the followers of that board, not just your own. Finding a few active, niche boards can put your Pins in front of thousands of new people.
• Consistent Content Flow: Feeling stuck in a content rut? Collaborating with other creators in your niche provides a steady stream of high-quality, relevant Pins for you to share, keeping your own profile active and engaging.
• Team & Client Alignment: For agencies, social media managers, and in-house teams, secret collaborative boards are a game-changer. Use them as private mood boards, content approval queues, or brand guideline repositories to keep everyone on the same page.
• Build Community & Authority: Creating and managing your own Group Board positions you as a leader in your community. You set the tone, gather a community of creators, and become the go-to resource for a specific topic.

Getting Started: The Power of Pinterest Group Boards

Group Boards are the most common way to collaborate on Pinterest. They are simply standard boards owned by one person who has invited others to contribute. Think of them as a themed potluck, where everyone brings their best dish (or Pin) to share.

How to Find the Right Group Boards to Join

The goal isn't to join hundreds of boards, but to find a handful of high-quality, active ones directly related to your niche. A board with 50 engaged collaborators is far more valuable than one with 5,000 who don't interact.

• Use Pinterest Search Strategically: Search for your main keywords followed by phrases like "group board" or "collaborative board." For example, if you're a food blogger, search for "vegan recipes group board." Filter your search results to "Boards" to make it easier to browse.
• Spy on Your Competitors (In a Good Way): Visit the Pinterest profiles of influencers, creators, and brands in your niche. Look at the boards they've created and contributed to. Boards with a small profile icon showing multiple users are Group Boards. If they're a good fit for influential accounts, they're likely a good fit for you, too.
• Check Board Descriptions for Clues: When you find a promising board, read its description carefully. The board owner will often leave instructions on how to join, along with the rules for pinning. If the description is empty or vague, the board may not be actively managed.

How to Request to Join a Group Board

Once you’ve found a board you'd like to join, follow the owner's instructions precisely. Most owners are flooded with requests, so making it easy for them is the best way to get accepted.

1. Follow the Board Owner & The Board: Most board owners will state this is a requirement. It’s a simple sign of good faith and shows you’re interested in their content. Their profile is usually the first one listed in the collaborator icons at the top of the board.
2. Find Their Contact Method: The board description should tell you how to ask for an invite. Some ask for a direct message on Pinterest, while others provide an email address or link to a contact form on their website. Do not comment on their Pins asking to join, these requests often get lost.
3. Send a Clear and Polite Request: Your message should be short, professional, and contain all the information they ask for. Example Request Message:
4. "Hi [Owner's Name],
6. I'm a big fan of your Pinterest board, "[Board Name]," and have been following you for a while. My content focuses on [Your Niche, e.g., sustainable home decor], and I think my audience would love what you share.
8. I've read and agree to the board rules. Could you please send an invite to my account?
10. My Pinterest profile URL: [Link to your Profile]
    My email associated with Pinterest: [Your Email]
12. Thank you!
    [Your Name]"

Be patient after sending your request. Board owners are busy people, and it can take days or even weeks to get a response. If you don't hear back, move on and find another board.

Creating and Managing Your Own Group Board

Starting your own board gives you full control and helps establish your authority. It’s perfect for community-building projects or creating a resource hub for a specific topic.

1. Create a normal board with a very clear, keyword-rich title and a detailed description.
2. In the description, lay out the rules of the board. Be specific. How many pins per day are allowed? Is self-promotion okay? What topics are off-limits?
3. Clearly state how to join. Do you want people to email you? Message you on Pinterest? This will prevent your comment sections from getting cluttered with requests.
4. Start populating the board with 15-20 of your own high-quality Pins to set the tone and show potential collaborators what you're looking for.
5. Invite a few trusted creators in your niche to get the collaboration started.

Beyond Group Boards: Advanced Ways to Collaborate

While Group Boards are fantastic for reach, some of the most valuable collaboration on Pinterest happens behind the scenes using secret boards.

Collaborating with Brands or Partners on Campaigns

Imagine you're a fashion creator partnering with a sustainable clothing brand on a "Fall Lookbook" campaign. A secret collaborative board is the perfect place to manage this entire project.

• Use It as a Mood Board: Both you and the brand can pin images, color palettes, and other inspiration to align on the visual direction of the campaign before a single photo is taken.
• Use It as a Content Review Queue: Once you've created your Pins for the campaign, you can upload them to the secret board. The brand partner can then review each pin and leave feedback directly in the comments. This is much more organized than juggling feedback over email.
• Co-Launch a Public Board: Once the campaign is ready, you can create a public collaborative board together, inviting each other as contributors. You can both pin your campaign content to this shared board, doubling its initial reach.

Internal Team & Client Collaboration

If you're managing a Pinterest account for a client or working with a social media team, secret boards are essential for a smooth workflow.

How to Use a Secret Board as a Content Calendar & Approval System:

1. Create a new secret board named "[Client Name] - Pinterest Content for Review."
2. Invite your client or team members as collaborators. Make sure they know this board is not visible to the public.
3. Schedule your upcoming content by uploading your created Pins to this secret board. You can even add the proposed description in the comments below each Pin.
4. Your client or manager can easily log in, review the Pins visually, and approve them by leaving a comment like "Approved" or request changes by asking for specific edits.
5. Once a Pin is approved, you can move it to the appropriate public board. This process is visual, intuitive, and keeps all communication organized in one place.

The Technical Part: Inviting & Managing Collaborators

Actually inviting someone to a board is simple once you know where to look. The process is similar on both desktop and mobile.

How to Invite Someone to a Pinterest Board

1. Navigate to the board you want to add a collaborator to.
2. At the top of the board, next to your profile picture, you'll see a white circle with a "+" and a person icon. Click it.
3. A pop-up window will appear. You can search for a person by their Pinterest username or email address. You can also copy an invite link to send directly.
4. Find the person you want to invite and click the "Invite" button next to their name. They will receive a notification prompting them to accept.

Leaving or Removing Collaborators

• To leave a board someone invited you to: Go to the board, click the collaborator icons, find your name, and select "Leave."
• To remove a collaborator from your board: As the board owner, navigate to the board, click the collaborator icons, find the person you want to remove, and select "Remove." This is useful if someone is breaking board rules or pinning off-topic content.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to collaborate on Pinterest moves you from simply saving ideas to actively building a network, expanding your audience, and streamlining your creative process. Start by finding a few great Group Boards, and then consider how secret boards can make working with partners, clients, and your internal team easier.

Once your Pinterest collaborations are planned and approved, keeping the rest of your social media schedule organized can feel like the next big challenge. We built Postbase to bring that same sense of clarity and collaboration to your entire content strategy. With our visual calendar, you can see everything scheduled across Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and more in one view, making it easy for your whole team to stay aligned without the clutter.