First, it's worth noting that the vast majority of bloggers they surveyed (72 percent) write for fun and do not earn any income from their work. Even of the 28 percent who derive some income from their [...]]]> Technroati's "State of the Blogosphere" report is rolling out this week. Today's release deals with bloggers who get "paid."

First, it's worth noting that the vast majority of bloggers they surveyed (72 percent) write for fun and do not earn any income from their work. Even of the 28 percent who derive some income from their blog a scant 17 percent of THOSE indicate that blogging is a primary source of their income.

From Technorati

So starting a blog about cute things falling asleep isn't going to make you rich with only ads. In fact, in situations where people are getting "paid" it's not about writing for money:

Most bloggers who are making money from their blogs are generally doing so as entrepreneurs by hosting advertising on their own sites and by using their blogs to drive speaking engagements and traditional media assignments. Some bloggers are even reporting profits that place them squarely in the middle class, so the rise of the professional blogger is clearly underway, but still evolving.

In other words, the "payment" isn't always direct.

So, wither corporate blogging? Well, Not that many of the respondents to this particular survey talked about corporate blogging. Excluding the 72 percent of hobbyist bloggers, only 14 percent of those remaining blog for a company. However, those who do see significant benefits, both for themselves and for the company:

71% of all respondents who maintain blogs for a business – their own or one they work for – report that they have increased their visibility within their industries through their blogs. 56% say that their blog has helped their company establish a positioning as a thought leader within the industry.

And therein lies the biggest benefit of a content program for any small or medium sized business. It allows you to set the tone in your industry and own a conversation. That sort of thought leadership is exactly what many PR programs are designed to do, so if you sync up your content strategy with your influencer outreach strategy, you can increase the overall benefit.