What Social Media Influencers Worry About Most…

From free merchandise to all-expense paid vacations — being a social media influencer sounds like a dream job. But how do you really make it as an influencer?

Influencer marketing firm Open Influence surveyed more than 400 influencers who have followings between 75,000 to 500,000 people to uncover surprising information about the social media world.

Related: How to Create a Successful Influencer Marketing Campaign

Unsurprisingly, if you want to find social media fame, turn to Instagram. A whopping 88 percent of participants reported that they were most active on that photo sharing network.

Of course, being an influencer is not all fun and games. In fact, communicating and working with brands can get tricky. Forty percent of respondents identified working with brands on budgeting as one of their biggest challenges. Almost a quarter said that following a brand’s creative requirements was the most difficult aspect, and 21 percent found communicating with advertisers to be the toughest area.

Related: The 5 Biggest Influencer Marketing Myths That Won’t Die

In a sense, influencers are just like entrepreneurs — most take it upon themselves to find work. Over three-quarters of surveyed influencers say they are self-managed or do not have third-party representation. That means they’re going out on their own to find gigs — and most seem to do a pretty good job. On average, these mid-level influencers are getting five or so sponsorship deals a month.

Related: A Guide to Working With Instagram Influencers: What to Look For

So what do most influencers look for when they’re thinking about taking a gig? Rather than getting free stuff or comped travel, most just want to make sure the brand is a good fit with their image. On top of brand fit, influencers focus on compensation and cultivating a good relationship with the people and companies they world with. In fact, free merchandise and travel is the last thing on their lists.