The smartest people in your industry are already doing this one thing.

You know things about your job that no report or search engine can tell a company. That’s why you should take part in market research. Companies rely on insights from professionals like you to decide what to build, how to price it and how to make it better. In fact, your input is so valuable, they’ll pay you for the time you spend sharing your thoughts and opinions.

Key points

• Companies around the world spend more than $150 billion a year to learn what their customers think.
• Your day-to-day experience is something a company can't find in a report or a search engine.
• Even with AI tools, most B2B buyers still want a real person to check the answers.
• Your input shapes the products, services and decisions that affect your whole industry.
• You get paid for your time, and you get an early look at where your field is heading.

Why do companies want to hear from professionals like you?

Big decisions at companies start with a simple question: what do the people who'll use this need? A product team can guess, but guessing is expensive. That's why companies put real money behind finding out. ESOMAR's Global Market Research 2025 report estimates that the global insights industry passed $150 billion in 2024.

Companies can't learn what they need from just anyone, though. A study about hospital supply chains needs people who run hospital supply chains. A study about cloud security needs people who protect real networks every day. Your title, your years in the role and the problems you solve each week are exactly what these companies are looking for.

Can't AI answer these questions instead?

AI can summarize what's already been written. It can't tell a company what it's like to roll out new software to a team of 200 nurses or why you switched vendors last quarter. Those answers live in your head and nowhere else.

Buyers know this too. A Gartner survey of 645 B2B buyers found that 69% prefer to check AI-generated insights with a real person. Companies want the same thing when they make their own decisions. They want to hear from someone who has done the work.

What kinds of decisions does your input shape?

Your input shapes more than you might think. The answers you give in a 15-minute survey or a 45-minute interview can help a company do the following:

• Decide which product or feature to build next.
• Set a price that makes sense for buyers like you.
• Fix the parts of a product that frustrate the people who use it.
• Write messaging that speaks to the problems you face.
• Choose which markets or industries to focus on.

When a tool in your field gets better, there's a good chance someone like you helped make that happen.

What do you get out of taking part?

• You get paid for what you know. Research studies pay you for your time and expertise, and specialized roles usually earn more per study.
• You get a say in your industry. Your feedback helps shape the tools and services you and your peers will use for years.
• You see what's coming. Studies often ask about new ideas before they launch, so you get an early look at where your field is heading.
• You learn from your own answers. Explaining how you make decisions to a researcher can sharpen how you make them on the job.

Why does your honest opinion matter so much?

Companies make decisions based on what you tell them, so your real experience is what makes the research worth anything. If something about a product frustrates you, say so. If an idea sounds great but wouldn't work in your day-to-day, explain why. Your honest take is the most valuable thing you can give, even when it's critical.

How can you start participating in paid studies?

Join Polis, Emporia Research's community of verified professionals who get paid to share their experience in research studies. Polis matches you to studies based on the role and experience in your profile, so the companies you hear from are looking for exactly what you know.

Frequently asked questions

Do companies really use the answers from research studies?

Yes. Companies pay for research because they use it to make decisions about products, pricing and messaging. Your answers are combined with answers from other professionals in your field, and the patterns help the company decide what to do next.

Do I need to be a senior leader to take part?

No. Studies need people at every level. A company building a tool for nurses wants to hear from nurses, and a company building software for analysts wants to hear from analysts. Your hands-on experience is what matters.

Is my information kept private?

Reputable research platforms protect your identity and report answers in combined form. Read a platform's privacy policy before you join so you know how your information will be used.

How much time does it take?

Most surveys take 10 to 20 minutes, and interviews usually take 30 to 60 minutes. You choose which invitations to accept, so research fits around your schedule.