Not one to miss out on an opportunity to stay in the loop with all things social media, I have decided to keep a very close eye on new social networking site Zurker. Since the name first started circulating around in February, there has been much speculation and interest in the new start-up and it has only continued to grow.

The name Zurker will frequently come up in conversation or I’ll stumble across another article on my internet travels.   I can safely say that I am both curious and fascinated in Zurker. Here’s why:

Zurker is owned by their members

The first thing that comes to mind is some sort of secret members society. This is not too far from the truth actually. For a start, you need an invitation to become a part of the network which already gives it that exclusive element. Okay, so this is not exactly a new idea (you also need an invitation to join Pinterest) but you do get the impression that the network wants their members to be serious about signing up.

They promise that the network will be driven and steered by its members. Basically, there’s not even a trace of a VC or venture capitalist sniffing around. All investment will come from the members.

Shares

Becoming a member of Zurker automatically makes you an owner and investor in the site. By inviting friends to join the network you earn a vShare. Now, these don’t count as real shares until Zurker becomes a publicly traded company but it’s still a pretty good start.

Obviously, you’ll want to refer as many friends as you can so that you get more shares, which in turn allows the social network to expand. You can also purchase vShares so you can invest as little or much as you want.

Zurker Vs Facebook

As soon as any new social networking site is released, it will instantly be compared to the almighty Facebook.   With the announcement that Facebook is to become a publicly traded company, it has definitely got us all thinking about who is making all the money from this?

As Facebook has grown so have the investor’s bank balances. However, it really does go to show how much a small start-up can come in a few years and the amount of money that is continuing to be invested in the world of social media. What’s to say that the users can’t be the ones to profit from social networking? Now that the question has been thrown out there, it’s hard to avoid.

Can it work?

On paper this seems like the best idea. We’re all going to be multi-millionaires by 2016! Before we get too carried away we need to remember the facts. It doesn’t yet have a mobile app or a developer API. From using the site, I can see that it is still in its early stages.

While the interface is simple to use, it doesn’t have an overly attractive design. However, I think this can be improved as the site continues to grow. After all, does anyone remember the initial Facebook design?

While it’s still in its early stages I can’t help but be intrigued by Zurker. Yes, the whole Facebook thing has already been done and many would argue that it would be difficult to see another social network have the same level of growth and success. But the beauty of social media is that anything is possible and you’re never 100% of sure how the general public will react.

Maybe it’s the thought of seeing democracy being put into practice through the web or the possibility that the whole thing could just take off leaving the Zurker members with the last laugh.

Small businesses can also benefit from the site as it’s the chance to meet with more like-minded people. No doubt, brand and company pages will be rolled out in the future too. I’ve already seen a wide range of professions on the network who obviously want to stay one step ahead.

Even just from fear of missing out alone, I have already signed up for my account.  I feel it’s time for a revolution in social networking and this could be just the ticket.

About The Guest Author:   Alex Woods is an online writer and blogger at BaseKit,   an online website builder. She enjoys finding interesting topics to write about and sharing them with others.