• by David Berkowitz , June 14, 2011

Ever since Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), the coverage I've read has been far more excited about the forthcoming alert upgrades in iOS, Apple's mobile operating system, than the iCloud launch or hundreds of other updates. As more prominent alerts lead to even faster adoption of various mobile services and technologies, mobile social media should be disproportionately affected.

If you wonder why, remember that the Internet was always designed to be for communication above any other purpose. Mobile devices are similarly designed around communication first. We're social creatures, and we'll always pay the most attention to what other people are doing above all else.

To get an appreciation for the potential for how alerts can be used through Apple's mobile devices for social purposes, here are 101 possible examples. These are largely culled from current use cases, or potential use cases for existing apps -- but with a little more time and creativity, this list could reach 1,001 examples before long.

Here are 101 types of mobile social alerts:

1.     Someone is calling you

2.     You miss someone's call

3.     You receive a text message

4.     You receive an instant message

5.     You receive email

6.     A friend starts a video chat with you

7.     You're invited to a group chat

8.     A group chat's information has been updated

9.     A friend joins a group chat

10.  A friend leaves a group chat

11.  A friend is near you, based on their mobile device entering your area

12.  A friend explicitly checks in near you

13.  Someone with whom you share mutual friends checks in near you

14.  A friend plans to attend the same event you're planning on attending

15.  A friend plans to be in the same city as where you are or where you're going

16.  A friend follows multiple stages of an itinerary you have shared

17.  A friend earns a badge for their check-in activity

18.  A friend becomes the mayor, duke, or other leadership title of a venue

19.  Someone steals the mayorship or other leadership title of a venue you used to "own"

20.  A friend responds to an event you posted

21.  A friend sends you a recommendation

22.  A friend shares a recommendation with you based on a product they scan

23.  A friend seconds your recommendation

24.  A friend adds a recommendation to somewhere you've been

25.  Your status jumps to a new level because people like enough of your recommendations

26.  Your recommendation leads someone to purchase what you recommended

27.  A friend requests your recommendation on something they're considering buying or doing

28.  Responses arrive for a recommendation you're seeking

29.  A friend proactively shares a tip to help with a program or project you're involved with

30.  Someone responds to a question you asked through a question and answer service

31.  Someone rates your answer as helpful

32.  You become an expert for a given topic or location through a Q&A service

33.  Someone responds to a poll you asked

34.  Someone requests that you answer their poll

35.  You receive a photo or video

36.  You are tagged in a photo or video

37.  A friend updates their photo

38.  Someone posts a photo of the event or location where you are

39.  A friend takes a photo of the same person, place, or thing you previously shot

40.  A friend likes one of your photos or videos

41.  Someone responds to one of your photos or videos with a photo or video of their own

42.  A friend invites you to listen to their music playlist

43.  A friend sends you an application

44.  A friend sends you an e-book

45.  A friend sends you a virtual gift

46.  Someone tweets you

47.  Someone direct-messages you on Twitter

48.  Someone you follow tweets

49.  Someone on a list you follow tweets

50.  Your tweet is retweeted

51.  Someone tweets using a search term or hashtag you're following

52.  Someone follows you

53.  Someone sends you a friend request

54.  Someone accepts a friend request

55.  Your friend shares a status update in their social network profile's feed

56.  A friend likes your status update

57.  A friend comments on your status update

58.  Someone has viewed your profile

59.  Someone invites you to play a game

60.  A friend makes a move in a game you're playing

61.  A friend reminds you to take a turn in a game you're playing

62.  A friend beats you in a game

63.  A friend beats your high score in a game

64.  A friend reaches or surpasses your level of achievement in a game

65.  A friend helps you out in a game

66.  Someone shares a deal with you

67.  A friend invites you to take part in a deal that can only be redeemed if you both participate, whether virtually or in-person

68.  A friend sends you a progressive coupon that becomes more valuable the more it's shared

69.  A friend buys you a drink or another gift you can redeem in-store

70.  A friend offers to split a bill or tab with you

71.  A friend's contact information is updated

72.  Someone shares a contact with you

73.  It's a friend's birthday

74.  A friend becomes an expert of a product or category based on their barcode scanning behavior

75.  A friend invites you to collaborate on a document

76.  A friend updates a document you're both working on

77.  A friend sends you a file

78.  Someone updates traffic information in your area

79.  Someone updates weather information in your area

80.  A friend records having a better night's sleep than you did

81.  A friend comments on the page of a brand you like

82.  A friend likes a photo of a dish you ate

83.  A friend changes their relationship status

84.  Someone has a crush on you, such as through a dating site or app

85.  A potential relationship match is in the same venue or general vicinity as you

86.  A food truck or other mobile business you follow enters your area

87.  Your friend tunes into the same TV show that you're watching

88.  Your friend posts a comment to a TV show you're watching or interested in

89.  You or a friend earns a reward for regularly watching a TV series

90.  A friend joins you virtually for a run or another exercise program

91.  A new potential relative is discovered via shared connections on a family tree or genetic matches

92.  A certain number of your friends shared the same link

93.  A blog you read is updated

94.  Someone comments on a blog you read

95.  Your social influence ranking changes

96.  A friend installs the same app you're using

97.  Someone contributes to a crowd-sourced program you're running or participating in

98.  A friend bookmarks something you shared

99.  A new friend is added into your search engine's social search results

100.    A friend searches for something you've recently searched on as well

101.  The public sentiment of a trend you're following materially changes

Remember, this is just the beginning. Also keep in mind that not all mobile alerts are social. Alerts will tell you about sales, travel updates, game updates, and plenty more, but the ones that will really get people to pay attention are those focused on other people. If your mobile program includes communication at its core, you're setting yourself up for success.

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