Find the searches with buying intent

Not every local search is a customer. 'How to unclog a drain' is someone about to do it themselves. 'Emergency plumber near me' is someone reaching for their phone with a flooded kitchen. Same topic, opposite value. Chase the second one first.

The words that signal a wallet

Buying intent shows in the modifiers: 'emergency', 'open now', 'near me', 'best', '[service] cost', 'book', 'same day', a brand or product name. When these show up, the searcher is close to calling. Urgency terms especially, in local, an 'emergency' or '24 hour' search is often a customer within the hour.

The learning searches come later

'How', 'what', 'why', 'DIY', 'guide', those are people educating themselves, sometimes to avoid hiring you. They can still be worth content (they build authority and can catch someone who gives up on DIY), but they're not where you start. Rank for the ready-to-buy searches first, then work backwards.