2 in 5 fear investing due to lack of knowledge: 10 most Googled investment questions answered by experts

Poor financial literacy is costing 23.3 million UK adults an average of £20,000 compared to their more financially savvy peers. Over two in five (44%) cite a lack of knowledge as their biggest barrier to investing, while 38% find deciding how to invest their money one of life’s toughest choices—second only to buying a home (42%).^1,2

As searches for “how to invest in stock market for beginners” surged by 250% over the past month, forex broker experts at BrokerChooser set out to uncover which investing questions are confusing people the most. They analysed global search data to reveal the most Googled investing queries, and provided expert answers to help decode the world of investing. 

Expert answers the most googled investment questions of 2025 

Rank	Questions	Average monthly search volumes
1	Why is the stock market down today	82,700
2	How to calculate return on investment	42,150
3	What is the best way to invest money	37,550
4	What is the best long-term investment	26,700
5	What to invest in right now	20,800
6	What is passive investing	13,000
7	How to diversify investments/portfolio	11,500
8	Is now a good time to invest	10,200
9	How to pick the best stocks	10,100
10	What is a pip in forex	9,200

For the complete data, please click here.

1. Why is the stock market down today? (82,700 monthly searches)

Topping the charts with nearly double the searches of the next most Googled question on ROI, a significant number of investors are seeking answers amid market uncertainty. 

“Stock markets naturally fluctuate in response to a wide range of factors, including global events, investor sentiment, and economic data. Short-term dips are a normal part of this process. Trade policy shifts—such as tariff announcements, which have a history of triggering market volatility—are a well-known example. While such headlines often lead to immediate market reactions, for long-term investors, the key is to stay focused on fundamentals, maintain a diversified portfolio, and avoid making emotional decisions based on daily news cycles,” explains Adam Nasli, Head Analyst at BrokerChooser.

2. How to calculate return on investment? (42,150 monthly searches)

“Return on Investment (ROI) is one of the first metrics any investor should understand. In simple terms, it tells you how efficiently your money is working for you. The formula is simple: ROI = Net Investment Gain/Cost of Investment x 100. For example, if you invest £1,000 and it grows to £1,200, your ROI is 20%. However, ROI has its limitations—it doesn’t factor in time, risk, or inflation. Two investments might have the same ROI, but one could take a year while the other takes five. For a more complete picture, investors should also consider metrics like the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) or risk-adjusted returns like the Sharpe Ratio.” 

3. What is the best way to invest money? (37,550 monthly searches)

“There’s no one-size-fits-all answer as it all depends on your goals, risk tolerance, and investment horizon. For beginners, a diversified portfolio of low-cost index funds or ETFs is often the smartest place to start, as it offers broad market exposure with lower risk. More experienced investors might branch into individual stocks, thematic ETFs, or alternative assets like commodities or private equity. Ultimately, the best investment strategy is the one you fully understand, can stay committed to during volatility, and aligns with your personal financial goals,” says Adam Nasli.

4. What is the best long-term investment? (26,700 monthly searches)

Receiving nearly 6,000 more searches than the next most-asked question, this question reflects investors’ growing preference for stable, long-term growth options.

“Historically, the S&P500 has been one of the most reliable long-term investments, featuring some of the world’s largest companies such as Apple, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. Since 1957, it has delivered an average annual return of 10.33%, or about 6.47% when adjusted for inflation, weathering recessions and crashes. For example, if you’re 35 with $1,000 invested in SPY, and add $250 monthly for 30 years, your investment could grow to over $500,000 by age 65—assuming a 10% annual return. In contrast, a savings account at 1% would grow to about $100,000 over the same period.³ Its regular updates keep the index diversified and competitive, providing wide market coverage without the risks of individual stock picking.”

Ranking as the seventh most asked question, “how to diversify a portfolio” receives an average of 11,500 monthly searches.

“Never put all your eggs in one basket. Investors are encouraged to spread their portfolios across different asset classes, such as stocks, bonds, real estate, and cash, as well as different industries and geographic regions. This means that if one sector or market underperforms, others can help offset those losses. Adding index funds can provide broad market exposure by tracking diverse market indexes, while fixed-income funds can enhance diversification by offering a hedge against market volatility due to their typically smaller drawdowns compared to equities. Regularly rebalancing your portfolio is key to maintaining your desired asset allocation and keeping your diversification strategy on track.”

“What is a pip in forex” rounds out the top ten, with a monthly search volume of 9,200.

“Understanding pips is key in forex trading, as they are essential for measuring price movements and calculating profits or losses. A pip, or “percentage in point,” typically equals 0.0001 for most currency pairs, such as EUR/USD or GBP/USD, and 0.01 for yen pairs, like USD/JPY. Forex spreads—the difference between the bid (sell) and ask (buy) price—are usually quoted in pips. For example, if EUR/USD has a bid of 1.1550 and an ask of 1.1552, the spread is 2 pips. Lower spreads generally mean lower trading costs, which is especially important for frequent or high-volume traders,” says Adam Nasli.

[1] FT Adviser | Nearly 24mn UK adults have poor financial literacy

[2] Barclays | Decision paralysis: two in five say investing is one of life’s toughest decisions 

[3] Nasdaq | How Much You’d Have If You Invested $1,000 in the S&P 500 10 Years Ago