Joinable access groups let your members pick their own path inside your community. Think of it like “choose your own adventure” — perfect for:

• Interest groups (e.g. coaches, marketers, creators)

• Experience levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced)

• Optional spaces (book clubs, accountability pods, feedback circles)

When someone joins a group, they instantly unlock channels, events, documents, and more — and they can leave anytime, too.

Want to explore all group types? Check out our full Access Groups Overview →

🛠 Step-by-Step: Set Up Joinable Groups

1. Create a “Parent” Group (Optional, but helpful)

This is just for organizing your joinable groups — members won’t join this one.

1. Go to Settings → Access Groups

2. Click Create Group

3. Name it something like Experience Levels or Interest Groups

4. Set it to Admin-controlled

2. Create Joinable Subgroups

Now build the actual joinable groups underneath that folder.

1. Click the ⋮ menu next to your parent group → Create Subgroup

2. Name it (e.g. Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)

3. Toggle Joinable

4. Assign any content they should unlock (channels, docs, courses, etc.)

🛑 Remember: Any content assigned here should be private and only tied to this group — so only members who opt in can see it.

3. Add to Onboarding

Let new members choose their group as soon as they join:

1. Go to Settings → Onboarding

2. Add a Group Selection question

3. Select your parent group

4. Make it single select (or multi-select if needed)

Members will see this during signup and can opt into the right group immediately.

4. Add In-Community Join Buttons

Make it easy to switch groups later. Use join buttons in a post or doc:

1. Create a read-only channel (e.g. #change-experience-level)

2. Add a post with clear instructions

3. Use join [group name] with a dollar sign ($) to embed buttons:

   • $join Beginner

   • $join Intermediate

   • $join Advanced

5. Members Can Switch Anytime

Members can manage their joinable groups from:

• The onboarding flow

• In-community posts with join buttons

• Settings → My Groups

They can join or leave as often as they like — and will automatically gain or lose access to the associated content.

💡 Tips for Success

• Use Parent Groups as folders to keep joinable groups organized

• Give clear names so members know what they’re opting into

• Limit visibility of assigned content to avoid clutter/confusion

• Pair with a document or DM explaining why these groups exist

Need help designing your group strategy or embedding your first join button? Just reach out — we're here to help at support@heartbeat.chat