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MARQUETTE -- You may be familiar with the tweet and the poke, social networking jargon that's invaded our vocabulary, but now there's the "m-sock".  The buzz word is from Marquette County's new online network, Marquette Social.

"It's really our private internet peninsula.  It's just a little place for us," said founder of Marquette Social, Jason White.

White launched the site out of his Marquette home last March, and since then it's taken off.  It's already attracted more than 500 users.

"The thing that sets it apart is its commitment to community," said White.  "We do not allow users from outside the community unless they have a specific direction."

While most people have living rooms right in the center of their homes, White has his headquarters for Marquette Social.  He spends about 12 to 16 hours a day in his chair connecting people with blogging, chatting and media sharing.  The site is a tactical tool and free advertisement for local businesses.

Richard Pascoe used Marquette Social to get the word out about his new convenience shop, Marquette's East Side Spot.

"It's like handing out a party thing on a Thursday night.  Everybody knows by Friday that the party's going on," said Pascoe.  "With this social networking you can release something and 3 to 500 people know about it, just like that, sales have almost doubled."

The site is a mix of both business and pleasure, and users can reconnect with long lost friends who have moved in and out of the area.

Performer Bobby Glen Brown travels constantly for his career, but Marquette Social keeps him connected.

"A lot of people think of me as Marquette's social butterfly," said Brown.  "A lot of friends that hadn't seen me in 15 or 20 years all a sudden are, 'Oh my god, Bobby, you're in Marquette again.'"

Whether for work or play, Marquette Social has bonded the community, and the concept has a future.

White has already launched a sister site for Mackinaw County, and now plans to create one for each U.P. county and eventually one that he'll call U.P. social.