Alec

McNayr

A friend emailed me today with two Twitter-related questions, so I thought I’d include my answers here:

1) Can you request someone to follow you on Twitter without posting it on the wall for everyone else to see?

Nope — you can’t “request followers” like you do in Facebook. Think of Twitter like a blog. If someone wants to follow you, they will. And if you want someone to follow you, you have to ask for it out in the open (or via an email). (PS — asking someone to follow you in Twitter is looked down upon — it’s better to participate in a conversation they’re already having or RT some of their tweets. If they notice you and like your content, they’ll follow you. Easier said than done, but there you go.)

2) Can you direct message someone without them following you?

Again, no. When you follow someone, you give them the permission to DM you. If they don’t follow you, can’t DM them.

Always good to be thinking about both technological possibility AND etiquette when it comes to your personal online brand.

On the heels of the all the Mad Men twittering business of a few months back, I created a new web site called HistoricalTweets.com.

The simple concept was to capture the twitter messages of historical figures, and in doing so, create a funny and compelling new type of content.

Together with Alan Beard of Wave Strategies, we wanted to combine a hot new technology (Twitter) with the boring old history books to showcase how content can create a new conversation (and hopefully generate some laughs along the way).

I always wanted to enter the sleek, stylish world of AMC’s multi-Emmy nominated series “Mad Men.” And I just did! (That’s me in the suit.)

The show’s Web site lets you “Mad Men Yourself” — create your own “Mad Men” (or Mad Women?) avatar. Choose your body type, hair color, clothing, accessories and drink of choice. Then, put your character in a scene and set the image as your background. This. Is. Awesome. It’ll tide you over until the 10 p.m. Aug. 16 season three premiere.