I'm a LinkedIn user - it serves a useful purpose. I am also on Facebook, MySpace, Friendster, Orkut and plenty of others. I like the idea of a social networking tool but I'm not really into the idea of working my ass off for the perfect Friendster profile and not getting something out of the deal.
My friends at Gizter have, on the other hand, made it profitable to blog and play in the social networking game. Gizter is a social network site built on early tech adopters who evaluate the latest in tech gear, and get paid for it in Google AdSense Dollars. While I won't be quitting the day job, as an objectivist I like the idea of value being exchanged for value.
Gizter offers all the basics such as messaging, chat, galleries, profiles, blogs, and so on - by registering with Gizter you become a publisher of Google AdSense ads. What that means is that you have obtained for yourself your own webspace earning you money 24/7 from Google ads even when you are not online and fast asleep. Whenever any of your pages are visited, you get paid. When someone clicks on a Google ad on any of your pages, you get paid. Gizter has developed credit tracking software that splits the revenue pie with the user base. A very nice touch...
While Gizter is just getting started, over time it should be as slick as Friendster. If I am going to invest value into a social networking site, I'd rather feel like a valued business partner than a statistic.
