Nike launched the Nike+ Running application on Facebook last week, with mobile integration for iOS and Android. The app implements Open Graph and incorporates the best practices suggested by Facebook Developer Blog, as reported in our article, ‘Why should you have an Open Graph application?‘, introducing incentives for users to share their actions.

It has differentiated itself from the several other fitness apps in the market by introducing several features that make the actions in the app share-worthy. In addition to being able to share their running goals, maps of their runs, and track their progress, users can also tag friends that they run with. Although friend tagging has been enabled for Open Graph, not many applications have incorporated this action. This simple action is one of the most effective ways to get people to share their activites.

Another unique feature is the rewards integration. The app enables users to let their friends know they have begun a run and then receive feedback in the form of cheers as they go. Whenever friends Like or comment on a user’s Nike+ post, the user hears cheering sounds through his headphones or phone speakers as he runs.

Other new features are:

• NikeFuel: Runners can earn NikeFuel points for their runs and compare their activity level with the rest of the Nike+ community. There are city-wise leaderboards and heat maps as well.

• Next Moves: This features a personalised content engine that provides training tips, helps with goal setting, and suggest activities based on users’ running data.

• Levels: There are various levels based on the kilometres run, and milestones are added within levels, along with an elite level – Volt, for runners who have logged more than 15,000 kilometres.

The application also provides a Timeline summary for each user, which contains information like distance run, speed, frequency of running, and running buddies – based on the friends that are most often tagged within the app.

This offers an attractive view that also offers runners insights into their running habits. Additionally, the application also prompts the user on each run, so he can decide whether or not to share. Thus it isn’t invasive, and gives the user full control over sharing.

What features of Nike’s application do you like and think you can incorporate for your brand? What other innovative Open Graph apps have you seen? Share with us.