Introduction
Local political conversations increasingly take place online. Neighbourhood Facebook groups, Nextdoor threads, and community forums have become informal public squares where residents discuss local issues, share news, and form impressions of the people who represent them.
Campaigns that participate constructively in these spaces can build familiarity and credibility long before election day. Done well, social media campaigning functions as a form of “digital door knocking”, allowing candidates to listen to concerns, respond publicly, and shape local narratives in real time.
However, the best evidence still suggests that field campaigning remains the most effective tool available to local campaigns. Doorstep canvassing should remain at the centre of your campaign strategy. Social media is most effective when used as a complementary channel that reinforces and amplifies activity taking place on the ground.
How to Camapaign Online
Campaigning in the digital space means engaging in local online forums where residents already discuss their communities. This involves sharing updates, responding to concerns, and participating in conversations about local issues.
These online communities rarely follow electoral boundaries. Residents tend to organise around neighbourhood names, estates, parks, or local high streets. Campaigns that want to be seen as genuinely local need to participate in those organic community spaces rather than relying solely on official campaign pages.
1. Identify Platforms
Not all social media platforms are equally useful for local campaigning. Focus on spaces where residents already discuss neighbourhood issues rather than platforms designed primarily for broadcasting.
Facebook groups and Nextdoor are usually the most important channels for hyperlocal conversations. Local Facebook groups often act as informal community noticeboards where residents share news, ask for advice, and discuss local problems. Nextdoor can be particularly valuable in areas where neighbourhood identity is strong.
Other platforms can also play a role. Local WhatsApp groups, estate forums, or neighbourhood mailing lists sometimes function as small but highly engaged communities. The goal is to identify the places where local conversation is already happening and ensure your campaign has a presence there.
Prioritise platforms that allow discussion rather than one-way communication. Digital campaigning works best where residents are already talking to one another.
2. Map and Join Local Groups
Once you have identified relevant platforms, map where local conversations are happening online. Search for neighbourhood names, estates, parks, shopping areas, and landmarks. A single ward may contain several distinct community groups online.
Join relevant groups respectfully and read the rules before posting. Some groups prohibit explicit party-political content, meaning posts may need to focus on civic issues rather than direct campaigning.
3. Listen Before Posting
Spend time observing discussions before posting. What issues appear repeatedly? Are residents discussing parking, planning applications, anti-social behaviour, or local services?
Listening prevents tone-deaf posts and allows campaigns to align messaging with community concerns. It is also useful to integrate insights from other sources such as canvassing returns or local community engagement.
4. Select your Messanger
In social media campaigning, the messenger can matter as much as the message. Posts about your campaign are often more persuasive when they come from other residents rather than directly from the candidate.
As a general rule, the more political the content, the more effective it can be when shared by a neutral or community voice, provided it is authentic.
Local news can also be an effective messenger. Research suggests that local news stories are frequently shared within neighbourhood groups and often act as a primary source of information in these spaces. Campaigns may therefore find it effective to issue press releases around key issues and then share or amplify the resulting coverage.
Campaigns should also be cautious about relying too heavily on identity-based messaging. Campaign Lab research indicates that issue-focused messaging often performs more strongly than messages centred on candidate identity or background.
5. Go Hyperlocal
Successful posts usually centre on recognisable local places or issues. Remeber people are part of the group because they care about the place they live in. Campaign Lab research suggests that posts featuring static images of familiar local locations consistently outperform generic political messaging.
Examples of effective posts include:
photos of recognisable streets, parks, or landmarks
updates on local issues raised by residents
updates on concrete local wins
explanations of council decisions affecting the area
community events or neighbourhood news
The more recognisable the location or issue, the stronger the engagement. You can find some example of good posts you can make here.
6. Encourage Third-Party Validation
Supportive activists, community figures, or local residents sharing positive experiences can provide powerful social proof. This “cheerleader effect” can significantly increase credibility within local groups.
Tone in groups
Online campaigning requires you to think about the tone you are using. Arguments, sarcasm, or confrontational replies rarely persuade readers and can damage credibility. Respond calmly, acknowledge concerns, and avoid escalating conflict. Remember that you are not only speaking to the individual replying, but also to the many people silently reading the conversation.
Rember taking part in an online forum is like walking into a knitting circle in a community centre, if you start by shouting about Nigel Farage people will ignore you but if you pick up some kneedles and start knitting and then have a gentle conversation people will listen.
Facebook Ads
If you don’t have many volunteers or much on the ground capacity (and are happy to spend some time setting up an authorised ad account and a page) you may consider running Facebook Ads as a quick way to get your message out there. Here is guidance on setting up a page and being authorised to run ads. If you are within a political party there may be digital specialists who can help you too.
Early on in the campaign focus on lead generation and gathering people’s contact details. You can do this by running lead gen adverts – these are short contact forms or surveys you can run within Facebook and Instagram. We recommend running a survey on an issue which people will recognise and want to engage with as the subject of your ad, as well as using a clearly recognisable picture from the local area, evidence from pilots we have run shows this is more effective for generating leads. Make sure to include a question of who are they likely to vote for the local elections with a scale and also ask for contact details like email or phone number. You then will need to take time to contact them and have a conversation about what you will do on the issue. If you can gather enough contacts with this method you can ring them again before polling day and remind them to vote. Remember to ensure you have the correct privacy policy and consent opt ins included in your ad to ensure you are able to collect and store people’s data. Some guidance can be found here.
In the run up to polling day your mainly want to run ads reminding people to vote and referring them to where they can find their polling stations. You can link to this website which helps people work out where they can vote. You may want to target these ads to people who have liked or interacted with your page.
Finally you may also want to run A/B test on your ads to work out what is working best. There is a full guide to this available here.
Conclusion
Digital campaigns work best when they are consistent, local, and responsive. Campaigns that participate constructively in neighbourhood online spaces can build recognition, demonstrate responsiveness, and shape local conversations.
Social media should not replace doorstep campaigning, but it can significantly strengthen it. Used well, it allows campaigns to listen to residents, communicate local action, and reinforce the sense that someone is paying attention to what is happening in the community.
This guide is one of six short briefings designed to help progressive campaigners build effective local campaigns. You can explore the full Winning in May series for more practical guides, tools, and research.