1. Start with the geography your firm actually serves
Niagara is a municipal town in New York, recorded in Niagara County. The 2020–2024 ACS five-year population estimate for Niagara town is 7,797, with a margin of error of 25. That is useful context for defining a local service area, but it does not establish search demand, case volume, competition, staffing requirements or language needs. A Niagara firm should therefore decide whether its Video Intake flow is intended for people in the town, people elsewhere in Niagara County, or a broader New York service area. The intake should not imply that every visitor qualifies merely because the visitor is local.
Recommended approach
Before reviewing a build, write the geographic eligibility rule in plain language. Use the visitor’s matter details and service area as review questions rather than using population as a forecast. If location affects acceptance, escalation or referral, make that decision explicit in the intake and confirm how your team will handle answers that fall outside the firm’s scope.
