Hiscox has launched an interactive quiz on business jargon after research showed strong UK search demand for technology and workplace acronyms.
Terms including SaaS, SEO, ERP and API continue to attract tens of thousands of Google searches each month in the UK. Hiscox's analysis ranked KPI as the most searched business acronym at 60,800 monthly searches, followed by DEI at 45,590 and GDPR at 43,480.
SaaS, or Software as a Service, recorded 25,200 monthly searches, while SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, drew 24,300. ERP, short for Enterprise Resource Planning, generated 19,800 searches, and API, or Application Programming Interface, attracted 18,500.
The findings come alongside wider evidence of uncertainty about starting a business. In a survey of 1,000 people in the UK, 52% said they would like to own their own business one day, but 65% said they do not feel confident about starting one. More than a quarter, 26%, described themselves as very unconfident.
Knowledge gaps were a significant factor in that hesitation. Some 45% of respondents said a lack of business knowledge affects their confidence, behind only access to funding and fear of failure, both cited by 47%. Economic stability followed on 43%, with market demand at 32% and personal motivation at 31%.
Search habits
Hiscox also surveyed 350 UK business owners and directors and 350 UK employees to examine how people deal with unfamiliar business language at work. Search engines were the main source for both groups, used by 69% of business owners and directors and 62% of employees.
The research also showed differences in where people turn next. Employees were more likely to use artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT and Perplexity, with 26% saying they relied on them, compared with 15% of people in the C-suite. Business owners were more likely to use social media platforms including TikTok and LinkedIn, at 16%, compared with 8% of employees.
TikTok was one example of people seeking business information outside traditional sources. According to the company's data, the #businesstips hashtag has more than 1.5 million videos on the platform.
The quiz is designed to let users test their understanding of common acronyms used in business and technology. It focuses on the terms generating the highest search volumes and is aimed at aspiring founders as well as people already in work.
Most searched terms
Beyond the technology-focused acronyms, the broader top 10 list highlighted the range of concepts people continue to look up. CRM, or Customer Relationship Management, ranked fourth with 42,800 monthly searches, while EBITDA, or Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortisation, came fifth at 33,200. VAT completed the top 10 with 17,500.
The rankings were based on combined UK Google search volumes for phrases including "what is [term]", "[term] definition" and "[term] meaning". Hiscox analysed more than 500 business acronyms and phrases before compiling the list.
The results reflect how specialist language from technology, finance, management and regulation has become part of routine working life. At the same time, they suggest many people still need to check meanings in real time, whether they are considering a start-up or dealing with jargon in an existing role.
That matters because business terminology is often treated as a basic requirement in entrepreneurial and office settings. The findings suggest unfamiliar language can become a practical barrier to confidence rather than a minor inconvenience.
Nick Thornhill, Direct and Partnerships Director at Hiscox, said: "Business terminology is part of everyday working life, but our research shows that many people are still having to look up what these terms actually mean. When people don't feel confident in their understanding, it can hold them back - whether that's contributing ideas at work or taking the first steps towards starting a business. Improving understanding of these core concepts can help people feel more confident, ask the right questions and make informed decisions."