1. Start with the geography your firm actually serves
Thief River Falls is recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau as a municipality in Pennington County, Minnesota. The 2020–2024 ACS five-year population estimate for the city is 8,823, with a margin of error of 31. That figure describes the city’s population; it does not establish search demand, legal need, competition, lead volume, or revenue. For reputation work, the distinction matters. Your firm may serve clients in Thief River Falls, elsewhere in Pennington County, or another area, and those audiences should not be treated as one undifferentiated market.
Recommended approach
Define the service area before selecting review-request language or evaluating competitor profiles. Decide whether the relevant audience is the city, Pennington County, Minnesota, or a broader area your firm can ethically and practically serve. Then review whether your Google Business Profile, website, directory listings, and consultation messaging describe that coverage consistently. Bosseo can review the geographic questions with you; the location and scope should come from your firm’s actual practice.
