Overview.
An independent residents’ group in Guildford.
Residents for Guildford and Villages (R4GV) is an independent, residents-led group that stands candidates in Guildford Borough Council elections. Its message is simple: putting people before politics.
R4GV needed a social media presence that introduced its candidates as real local people and gave residents a reason to listen, ahead of council by-elections in Guildford and the Horsleys.
The Challenge.
Starting a new Instagram account during election season.
R4GV came to us with an Instagram account that had just one follower and elections only weeks away. Candidates needed to be introduced quickly, and every post had to follow the rules on published and promoted material.
Delivered Social filmed, edited and published short candidate videos around Guildford and the villages, alongside branded candidate profiles and campaign graphics across Instagram, Facebook and X.
The Results.
From a single follower to videos reaching 1,400+ views.
Instagram grew from 1 follower to more than 50 in its first year, with candidate videos regularly reaching hundreds of local people. The strongest video was watched more than 1,400 times in the run-up to the May 2026 Horsley election, well beyond the account’s own audience.
For a small, volunteer-led group, video gave each candidate a face and a voice, and turned a brand new account into a useful campaign tool.
