Study reveals which business terms confuse UK workers most in 2025

Digital marketing agency MRS Digital released findings on September 24, 2025, revealing the extent of confusion surrounding business terminology across the United Kingdom. The research analyzed search volumes through Google Ads Keyword Planner to identify which corporate terms leave British workers seeking definitions most frequently.

The data demonstrates that "what is a stakeholder" generates 13,650 monthly searches, representing 163,800 annual queries from UK users attempting to understand this fundamental business concept. This figure significantly exceeds other business terms by a factor of two, establishing stakeholder definitions as the primary source of corporate language confusion nationwide.

Four additional terms share second place with 6,900 monthly searches each: "what does B2B mean," "what is a business model," "what is a KPI," and "what is a value proposition." The equal search volumes suggest these concepts represent core knowledge gaps across professional environments, with each generating 82,800 annual searches from confused workers.

Geographic patterns reveal regional disparities

According to the research methodology, MRS Digital ranked cities by both total search volumes and searches per 1,000 residents to identify geographic patterns in business literacy. Inverness emerged as the UK's least business-literate city, recording 21 searches per 1,000 people monthly for basic business terminology including stakeholder, KPI, and business model concepts.

Wrexham follows closely with 20 searches per 1,000 residents, while Derry/Londonderry records 13 searches per 1,000 people. Dundee and York complete the top five with 9 and 8 searches per 1,000 residents respectively. These figures indicate substantial knowledge gaps exist across diverse geographic regions, extending beyond traditionally less commercial areas.

When examining absolute search volumes rather than per-capita rates, London dominates with 13,000 monthly business terminology searches. This translates to approximately 156,000 annual queries from London residents seeking clarification on fundamental business concepts. Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, and Bristol each generate roughly 2,100 monthly searches, demonstrating that confusion spans major metropolitan areas throughout England and Scotland.

Marketing terminology creates additional confusion

The study expanded beyond general business language to examine digital marketing jargon comprehension. "What is SEO" leads marketing-related searches with 13,940 monthly queries, making Search Engine Optimization the single most misunderstood marketing term across the UK. This finding carries particular significance for the marketing industry, as PPC Land has extensively documented the critical importance of understanding fundamental digital marketing concepts.

"What is affiliate marketing" generates 4,890 monthly searches, followed by "what is PPC" with 2,990 searches. Pay-per-click advertising confusion is notable given the term's centrality to digital marketing strategies. Recent analysis by PPC Land highlighted how evolving search optimization requirements create additional complexity for marketing professionals attempting to understand foundational concepts.

Landing page definitions attract 2,000 monthly searches, while backlink explanations generate 1,940 queries. These figures indicate that even basic website terminology remains unclear to thousands of UK residents, creating potential barriers to digital marketing effectiveness.

Regional marketing literacy mirrors business patterns

Marketing terminology confusion follows similar geographic patterns to general business language gaps. Inverness again ranks as the most confused city, with 3.4 marketing-related searches per 1,000 residents monthly. Wrexham records 3.2 searches per 1,000 people, followed by Derry/Londonderry at 2.4 searches per 1,000 residents.

Larger cities show lower per-capita confusion rates but higher absolute volumes. Edinburgh and Dundee both register 1.5 searches per 1,000 residents for marketing terminology clarification. London generates 5,740 monthly marketing searches, while Birmingham produces 1,140 queries, Edinburgh 700, Manchester 530, and Liverpool 500.

These patterns suggest marketing jargon comprehension challenges persist across urban centers despite greater exposure to digital marketing concepts through professional networks and educational institutions.

Implications for business communication

The research identifies substantial communication barriers within UK professional environments. When fundamental terms like stakeholder and KPI require tens of thousands of annual definition searches, organizations may face significant internal alignment challenges. The equal search volumes for B2B, business model, KPI, and value proposition concepts suggest these represent core knowledge deficits rather than niche terminology confusion.

Marketing departments encounter additional complexity layers. PPC Land's coverage of industry developments demonstrates how rapidly expanding digital marketing terminology creates ongoing education requirements for professionals attempting to maintain current knowledge.

The geographic disparities reveal uneven business literacy distribution across UK regions. Cities with lower per-capita search rates may benefit from stronger business education infrastructure or higher concentrations of professionally experienced populations. Conversely, areas showing elevated confusion rates might require targeted professional development initiatives.

SEO terminology confusion carries particular significance given search optimization's increasing importance across industries. With 13,940 monthly UK searches for SEO definitions, organizations implementing digital marketing strategies may encounter substantial internal knowledge gaps requiring systematic addressing.

Methodology and data collection

MRS Digital utilized Google Ads Keyword Planner to analyze average monthly search volumes across UK locations for predetermined business and marketing terminology lists. The agency ranked cities using both total search volumes and searches per 1,000 residents to provide comprehensive geographic analysis.

The research examined specific query patterns including "what is," "what does," and similar definitional searches to isolate genuine comprehension gaps from broader informational queries. This methodology ensures the data reflects actual confusion rather than casual research or academic assignments.

Monthly search volume data provides consistent measurement baselines, while annual extrapolations offer perspective on the cumulative scale of business literacy challenges across the UK professional workforce.

Timeline

• September 24, 2025: MRS Digital releases comprehensive business terminology confusion study
• Analysis period: Research encompasses average monthly search volumes across 2025
• Geographic scope: Study covers UK cities with sufficient search volume data
• Methodology development: Google Ads Keyword Planner provides search volume analysis
• Data processing: Rankings calculated using both absolute volumes and per-capita rates
• Digital marketing evolution context: Industry publications document expanding terminology complexity
• SEO framework updates: New optimization approaches increase professional education requirements
• B2B video marketing trends: LinkedIn data shows 55% ROI from short-form content strategies

Summary

Who: UK workers across diverse geographic regions searching for business and marketing terminology definitions, with research conducted by digital marketing agency MRS Digital.

What: Comprehensive analysis revealing "stakeholder" as the most misunderstood business term with 163,800 annual searches, followed by B2B, business model, KPI, and value proposition concepts generating 82,800 searches each.

When: Study released September 24, 2025, analyzing average monthly search volumes throughout 2025 using Google Ads Keyword Planner data.

Where: Geographic analysis spanning UK cities, with Inverness identified as least business-literate location recording 21 searches per 1,000 residents monthly, while London generates highest absolute volumes with 156,000 annual business terminology searches.

Why: Research addresses substantial communication barriers within UK professional environments, revealing knowledge gaps that may impact organizational alignment and digital marketing effectiveness across industries adopting increasingly complex terminology frameworks.