Last week, I sat down with a café owner in Watchet who was frustrated. "Marcus," she said, "we make the best coffee on the coast, but nobody can find us online." Sound familiar? She's not alone. I've heard this from dozens of business owners across Somerset this year.

The good news? Getting noticed online in 2026 doesn't require a massive budget or a degree in computer science. What it does need is a clear plan and consistent effort. Here's what's working for my clients right now.

Master Your Google Business Profile (It's Free!)

If you only do one thing after reading this, make it this: claim and optimise your Google Business Profile. It's still the single most powerful tool for local businesses, and it costs nothing.

I recently helped a plumber in Taunton triple his enquiries just by sorting out his profile. Here's what made the difference:

Quick tip: Use your smartphone to take before-and-after photos of your work. Real photos outperform stock images every time — Google's AI can tell the difference.

Don't forget to add your business attributes. That B&B in Minehead I work with saw bookings increase 40% after adding "dog-friendly" and "electric vehicle charging" to their profile. Small details matter.

Create Content That Answers Real Questions

Here's something that hasn't changed: people use Google to find answers. The businesses that provide those answers win the visibility game.

A shop owner in Bridgwater started blogging about "How to care for vintage clothing" and "Best fabrics for Somerset weather". Within six months, she was getting customers from Bath and Bristol who found her through these posts. You don't need to write Shakespeare — just be helpful.

What Should You Write About?

Start with the questions customers actually ask you. Keep a notebook by the till or your phone. When someone asks "Do you deliver to Dulverton?" or "Can you fix Samsung phones?", that's a blog post waiting to happen.

I've seen this work brilliantly for:

73%

of local searches on mobile devices result in a visit within 24 hours

Speed Up Your Website (Or Lose Customers)

In 2026, patience is extinct. If your website takes more than three seconds to load, you're losing customers. I tested 50 Somerset business websites last month — only 12 passed Google's speed test.

Run your site through Google's PageSpeed Insights right now. It's free and tells you exactly what needs fixing. Common culprits I find:

One client's bookings jumped 25% just by moving to better hosting and compressing their images. Sometimes the simple fixes have the biggest impact.

Get Smart with Social Media

You don't need to be on every platform. Pick one or two where your customers actually spend time and do them well.

Facebook Groups remain gold for local businesses. Join groups like "Taunton Noticeboard" or "What's On in West Somerset". Don't spam them with ads — be genuinely helpful. Answer questions, share local news, become part of the community.

What's Working on Social in 2026

Short videos showing your work process beat polished marketing videos every time. That carpenter in Williton who films 30-second clips of restoration projects? He's booked solid through March. People want to see the real person behind the business.

Instagram Stories and Reels still drive significant traffic for visual businesses. But here's the key: use location tags religiously. Every post, every story. It's how locals find you.

Platform tip: LinkedIn isn't just for corporates anymore. I know three Somerset tradespeople getting high-value commercial contracts through LinkedIn. Worth considering if you want business clients.

Build Real Relationships (Online and Off)

The best SEO trick? Other local businesses linking to your website. But you can't fake this — you need genuine relationships.

Partner with complementary businesses. That wedding photographer working with local venues, florists, and cake makers? They all link to each other's websites and recommend each other to clients. Everyone wins.

Get involved in community events and document them online. Sponsor the local football team, support the carnival, join the chamber of commerce. Then write about it on your website. Local relevance signals are huge for visibility.

Track What Works

You can't improve what you don't measure. Set up Google Analytics 4 (GA4) if you haven't already. Yes, it's more complex than the old version, but you only need to check three things monthly:

I helped a Watchet restaurant discover 60% of their website bookings came from one blog post about their gluten-free menu. They'd have never known without checking the data.

Budget tip: Microsoft Clarity is free and shows you exactly how people use your website with session recordings. It's like looking over your customers' shoulders.

Take Action This Week

Feeling overwhelmed? Start here:

  1. Claim your Google Business Profile (or check it's up to date)
  2. Test your website speed on PageSpeed Insights
  3. Write down five questions customers often ask you
  4. Take photos of your next three jobs or products
  5. Join one local Facebook group related to your business

Online visibility isn't about tricks or hacks. It's about consistently showing up where your customers look for you, providing helpful information, and making it easy for them to choose you.

The café owner I mentioned at the start? Six months later, she's turning away bookings for her new monthly coffee tasting events. All because she started with her Google profile and built from there.

Your competitors might have bigger budgets, but local knowledge and genuine customer care beat corporate polish every time. That's your advantage — use it.

Sources

Need Help With Your Website?

Whether you need a new website, a redesign, or help with SEO — I'd love to have a chat about how Exmoorweb can help your business grow online.

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No obligation. No sales pitch. Just honest advice.

About the Author: Marcus Knapman has been designing websites since the mid-1980s. Based in Williton, Somerset, he runs Exmoorweb — helping small businesses across Minehead, Watchet, Taunton, Bridgwater, and the wider South West build their online presence. With a BSc (Hons) and over 40 years of hands-on experience, he combines technical expertise with practical business sense.