Had the unique opportunity to hear Robert Scoble speak this morning at the WOMBAT conference. Robert is one of the most influential bloggers working today, and more than that he really gets how the channel can be best used and leverage to communicate new thoughts and ideas to the masses.

Robert's blogging philosophy works so well because he doesn't really care about circulation. Doesn't care about marketing his products. Doesn't spend time worrying about his channel distribution strategy, or things like that.

He simply stays connected with current conversations in the marketplace, and blogs about what he cares about. And because he's so well connected with other conversations ongoing in the blogosphere, he's writing about what others care about as well. And that's the secret to his success.

In many ways, Scobleizer represents the un-media. It's conversation without pretense, without promotion, without hype. But it's extremely authentic, and it connects with others in a way that feels real.

Robert focuses on the story and conversation, not the marketing. And in focusing on what matters most (the product), he's pioneering a very differentiated media channel that works.

Blogs aren't going to replace "traditional" media anytime soon, but social marketing channels clearly have a prominent place in every marketing plan as a means of clearly and directly communicating products and ideas.