I kind of ignored link leveling for a long time because it felt boring, but I finally started grinding it a bit. And yeah… it actually helped a lot. My team feels way more consistent now, especially with ki and damage. Still not maxed out or anything, but even getting some links to level 5-7 made noticeable difference.
If you’ve been putting it off like I did, it might be worth doing a little each day.
I've been doing local SEO for small businesses for the last six years, think mom-and-pop restaurants, plumbers, dentists, and HVAC companies in mid-sized cities. Every forum and group is now flooded with advice on "optimizing for AI" so you get cited in ChatGPT or Perplexity answers and watch your local pack rankings explode. After pulling GA4 data, Google Business Profile insights, and server logs from 19 different local clients over the full 2025-2026 period, I'm calling it straight: the numbers show zero real impact.
Across every single one of those businesses, AI tools combined sent less than 0.7% of total website traffic. On a busy local Italian restaurant site that gets mentioned in AI responses almost daily for "best pasta near me" type queries, AI referrals never topped 140 sessions in any month. Their Google Business Profile calls, directions, and website visits all stayed flat while traditional local pack clicks still drove 68-79% of the actual foot AI traffic and reservations.
I ran a four-month test on a plumbing company's site that ranks top three in its city for emergency services. We added clear source links, structured local schema, and everything the "AI SEO" guides recommend. Result? Zero extra calls or form submissions traceable to AI. Customers read the chatbot summary and either call the number listed there or just move on. Same flat line on a dentist office and an auto repair shop, no bump in appointments or walk-ins.
All the success stories getting posted here collapse when you look at the real analytics. They count mentions or impressions instead of actual visits, calls, or revenue. The few tiny spikes we saw were just normal local search noise.
Has anyone running local SEO actually seen measurable growth in calls, bookings, or foot traffic from AI tools this year? Or are we still chasing hype while the data shows it's basically nothing?
I’ve tried a few different brands and a lot of them either look cute but fall apart after a few washes or feel too restrictive. I’ve been really happy with Energetiks lately. Their leotards, crop tops, and bike shorts are comfortable for long classes and hold up well.
What do you wear to adult ballet or contemporary? Any brands or specific pieces you keep going back to?
my bike has all the modes (rain, road, dynamic, etc.) and honestly… i mostly just leave it in one or two.
i get why they’re there, but day to day i don’t find myself switching that much unless conditions really change.
curious how others use them - do you actively switch depending on the ride, or just set it and forget it?