Hitwise reports that UK traffic to blogs is on the rise.

That point of quantitative insight is supported by my own discussions with bloggers and figures from the business and political worlds, all of whom observe that the significance and impact of blogs in the UK appears to be on the rise.

For example, just last week, conservative bloggers like Guido Fawkes -- not the traditional media -- broke the story about Den Dover, the Conservative MEP who allegedly misspent his expense allowances.

Meanwhile, several London-based bloggers mentioned to me at a recent meet-up that their traffic had seen a steady uptick over the last few months.

The traditional media is getting into the act, too. One reporter friend told me that his major national daily routinely combs blogs and social networking sites for story ideas and leads. Meanwhile, their own blogs, updated frequently throughout each day, are a major source of repeat traffic, which in turn drives online ad sales.

That's not to say that blogs are the next big thing. Indeed, my advice to businesses and other institutions is that it's essential to look at social media beyond just blogs. To be sure, blogs are the right avenue for some businesses to begin to engage the online conversation, but for others, social networks might be more appropriate. And for still others, traditional forums might be best.

The key principle remains finding individuals with whom you have a genuine shared interest and bringing something of value to the conversation.