1. Start with the right geographic boundary
Mount Vernon is a municipality in Jefferson County, Illinois. The 2020–2024 ACS five-year estimate records 14,090 residents, with a margin of error of 361. That figure describes the city’s population; it does not establish legal-news demand, search volume, competition, lead volume or revenue. Legal News should therefore be evaluated against the firm’s actual service area, not against the population number alone. Ask whether the stories selected for the firm concern Mount Vernon, Jefferson County, other Illinois communities, or a broader area the firm legitimately serves. A page about an event outside the firm’s accepted geography may attract attention without producing a useful inquiry.
Recommended approach
Define an editorial map before reviewing topics. Separate Mount Vernon and Jefferson County coverage from statewide Illinois developments, and identify any additional areas the firm intentionally serves. Require each proposed page to show why its location and legal issue fit that map.
