An IT expert (Ertul Topuzoglu) has named Oxford the UK’s tech confusion capital, as the city’s residents make almost 1,000 IT-related Google searches per 100,000 people each month. Topuzoglu’s company, the IT training provider tecnovy Academy, looked at over 400 common IT-related Google searches across 78 UK areas, and scaled the average monthly queries against local populations to determine the search rate per 100,000 residents.
Worcester is close to Oxford in seeking online help, with 883 IT-related searches per 100,000 residents. Reading completes the top three with 725 Google searches per 100,000 residents.
The statistics show that smaller areas analysed in the study consistently generated high search volumes. Many residents in these areas may have limited access to in-person tech support services. For example, Bolton ranks sixth with 687 searches per 100,000 residents. The north-west industrial town generates more IT help searches than larger cities like Manchester and Liverpool when scaled against local populations.
The 10 UK areas searching for IT help the most
| Rank | Area | Google Searches per 100,000 Residents |
| 1 | Oxford | 983.42 |
| 2 | Worcester | 883.53 |
| 3 | Reading | 725.94 |
| 4 | Dundee | 718.20 |
| 5 | Cheltenham | 716.88 |
| 6 | Bolton | 687.34 |
| 7 | Middlesbrough | 682.06 |
| 8 | West Bromwich | 674.48 |
| 9 | Maidstone | 670.15 |
| 10 | Eastbourne | 662.89 |
Monthly average search volume data was taken from Google Keyword Planner based on searches over the past 12 months to reveal the rankings for the most Googled IT questions. A list of 397 unique and relevant keywords was collated and then processed through GKP. This list included examples such as “What is the cloud?’ and “What does VPN mean?”
Using this data, the total search volume for the listed terms can be seen at a national level and per individual area, as well as the top 5 most searched-for keywords in each area and the most searched-for term nationwide.
London sits near the bottom at 74th place. The capital records just 326 Google searches per 100,000 population, while Rotherham placed last with 194 searches. Cambridge placed second-last, with an average of 220 searches per 100,000 residents, closely followed by Nottingham, at 257 searches per 100,000 residents.
Internet connectivity questions dominate the IT help-related searches, as “Why is my Internet so slow” and “How to fix Wi-Fi connection” were among the most asked questions. Operating system queries also ranked highly. Concern around scams was also prevalent, with “What is phishing’ attracting an average of 4,660 Google searches each month.
