How social media impacted the local elections

1.Scale

Over just one week, the UK local elections generated:

• 3.79 million posts
• 713,000 users
• 5.5 million interactions
• 32 billion impressions

Analysis: This positions social media as a primary visibility channel for elections, not a secondary commentary layer. In practical terms, narratives form very quickly, scale fast, and are shaped hugely by the number of people participating in content (sharing, watching, liking and commenting). However…

• Fake content makes it harder for accurate information to cut through
• Echo chambers reinforce existing views rather than changing minds
• Targeted political advertising fragments the conversation

2. Sentiment

Data shows 39.2% of conversations are negative, signalling a discourse that is notably critical in tone. This negativity is driven by several overlapping factors:

• Criticism directed at Keir Starmer
• Ongoing scrutiny of the Labour Party
• Broader distrust towards political and public institution

Analysis: Rather than policy‑led debate, social conversation is driven more by emotion. Negative content is more likely to be shared, so it travels faster and further than neutral or constructive posts. This helps explain why moments of high visibility are often also the most negative. Online conversation also centres on individual leaders rather than detailed policy. This personalises criticism and accountability, making narratives easier to follow and quicker to escalate.

What this tells us about social media’s role?

Social media doesn’t just show what people think during elections, it plays a big role in shaping the conversation. Emotional content spreads faster, which means attention and tone rise together. When targeting policy makers or key political stakeholders we should take into account the following:

• Clarity: Lead with simple, clear takeaways before detail, complex policy messaging struggles to land in fast‑moving, crowded feeds.
• Emotion: Emotion drives sharing, even for policy audiences. Acknowledge public concerns and impact, not just facts or process.
• Trust: Transparency builds credibility. Explaining decisions openly and showing accountability helps counter distrust.

Main data source: https://www.visibrain.com/blog/uk-local-elections-2026