1. Set the geographic boundary before choosing stories
Ashton-Sandy Spring is recorded as a CDP in Montgomery County, Maryland. That exact relationship should shape editorial review. A firm serving Ashton-Sandy Spring may want coverage relevant to Maryland, Montgomery County, or a broader service area, but those are not interchangeable audiences. A Maryland statute may matter across the state; a Montgomery County enforcement action may need a more local explanation; an incident elsewhere may be irrelevant even if it concerns the firm’s practice area. The population estimate of 5,630 does not establish how many people search, how many legal matters exist, or whether a particular story will produce an inquiry.
Recommended approach
Define the geographic scope your firm is willing to serve before approving pages. Review whether each proposed article clearly identifies the relevant Maryland or Montgomery County connection without implying that an Ashton-Sandy Spring resident is affected when the facts do not say so.
