WebProNews

Here's a not-to-subtle reminder that not all online users are as savvy as we may think.

AP reports that only 1 in 6 users of Internet search engines can tell the difference between unbiased search results and paid advertisements, according to a new survey by The Pew Internet and American Life Project.

I bet they also have difficulty differentiating blogs from professional news stories as well, while Googling. Note, for example, how high blogs rank when searching Google for Netflix.

These findings show that Walmart may be onto something when they took out Google Adwords ads as part of their latest PR effort. I think we'll see more of this in the near future.

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.