Blogs are the third most likely online platform to influence a purchasing decision (behind retail sites and brand sites), and yet brands are spending very little on getting these powerful bloggers onside.

The findings come from Technorati Media’s latest Digital Influence Report, which shows that blogs and blogger outreach initiatives only obtain 5% of overall advertising budgets allocated to social. Facebook, meanwhile, commands 57%.

Furthermore, brands aren’t paying any attention to the likes of Klout, meaning that the bloggers that are reached out to by brands are found via less relevant channels. Audience index scores from Comscore and Nielsen, Twitter, Facebook and basic blog statistics are brands’ preferred method of finding influential voices.

Other findings include the fact that the majority of top influencers make revenue from blogging. Admittedly, the majority (52%) make less than $1,000, but that still leaves 48% earning between up to $100,000 from their pursuits. These bloggers are not musing wannabe writers, then, but individuals active and respected in their fields.

Blogger outreach presents an excellent marketing opportunity but brands are overlooking this lucrative market to their detriment.