Send Invites from mobile

[Magnus Jern]

 

We are looking at building a mobile app using the NING APIs. We are quite happy with what we can do in terms of functionality but there is one major missing capability or feature. Currently there doesn't seem to be any way of inviting contacts without logging in on the web. This means that customers have to go to a computer or log-in to the web via the mobile to be able to invite friends. Is there anyway of getting around this?

[Devin]

Magnus,

 

You are correct, there isn't a way to send invitations at this time using the Ning API. I've added a feature request to our internal tracking system for this feature.

 

One workaround is to use an outside email service and have the mobile application send the network's invitation link. That link only expires when you a generate a new link.

 

[Devin]

You could also launch the phone's email client with a pre-populated message that contains the invitation link. Then the only thing the member has to do is search through their address book for the people they want to invite.

[Magnus Jern]

Devin, thanks for this. The issue with the proposed solution is that this would then only be a general invitation link for the whole network and not for the individuals personal network (i.e. friends). The purpose of the community that we are creating is that you are both a member of the greater community but only share more personal things with your friends.

[Devin]

Magnus,

 

Good point, a personal invitation does result in you being friends once the invitation is accepted. I've passed along your needs.

[Magnus Jern]

Devin,

Any news on when this could be supported? This is a really essential feature to make a community go viral. An interim solution is that we set up a script that "scrapes" the web interface and logs in on behalf of the user and sends the invite but this is clearly not very pretty. We actually have the same challenge with registrations as we would prefer to allow registrations to be done from the mobile.

Thanks
Magnus