Joinable access groups let your members pick their own path inside your community. Think of it like “choose your own adventure” — perfect for:
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Interest groups (e.g. coaches, marketers, creators)
-
Experience levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced)
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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.
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Go to Settings → Access Groups
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Click Create Group
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Name it something like
Experience Levels
orInterest Groups
-
Set it to Admin-controlled
2. Create Joinable Subgroups
Now build the actual joinable groups underneath that folder.
-
Click the
⋮
menu next to your parent group → Create Subgroup -
Name it (e.g.
Beginner
,Intermediate
,Advanced
) -
Toggle Joinable
-
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:
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Go to Settings → Onboarding
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Add a Group Selection question
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Select your parent group
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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:
-
Create a read-only channel (e.g.
#change-experience-level
) -
Add a post with clear instructions
-
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:
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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
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Use Parent Groups as folders to keep joinable groups organized
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Give clear names so members know what they’re opting into
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Limit visibility of assigned content to avoid clutter/confusion
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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