WebProNews

A CNN/Gallup Poll finds that more than three-quarters of Americans - 76 percent - said they use the Internet, but only 26 percent said they were "very familiar" or "somewhat familiar" with blogs.

This is hardly surprising.

But don't for a second let it fool you into thinking that blogs aren't important. The fact is blogs have a major influence on the press. Just look at MarketWatch's Frank Barnako, for example, He lives in the blogosphere because he knows there's news in thar hills. So even though most Americans don't read blogs, they do read/watch/listen to the media and THEY are certainly influenced by bloggers.

Net, blogs are a force of influence on the American psyche. They just may not realize it.

Steve Rubel is a PR strategist with nearly 16 years of public relations, marketing, journalism and communications experience. He currently serves as a Senior Vice President with Edelman, the largest independent global PR firm.He authors the Micro Persuasion weblog, which tracks how blogs and participatory journalism are changing the public relations practice.