1. Define St. Johns as a service area, not a demand forecast
The Census record identifies St. Johns city as a municipality in Clinton County, Michigan, with an estimated population of 7,715 in the 2020–2024 ACS five-year period and a margin of error of 45. Those facts help distinguish St. Johns city from Clinton County as a whole. They do not establish how many people search for a lawyer, which legal issues they have, how many firms compete for them or whether a page will generate an inquiry. Bosseo’s public product description allows a footprint to be scoped to a whole state or to selected counties. For a St. Johns firm, the practical question is whether the firm wants to address St. Johns city, other communities in Clinton County, or a broader Michigan footprint—and whether each selected place reflects an area the firm genuinely serves.
Recommended approach
Bring a precise service map to the consultation. Separate St. Johns city from Clinton County and from any other Michigan locations. Ask Bosseo to explain how the proposed footprint would be selected and what evidence, beyond population, would be used to prioritize pages.
