The Obama administration has made excellent use of technology to engage with the American people – and tonight’s State Of The Union address seeks to take that engagement to a whole new level.  Here are a few digital angles the White House will be using:

• Broadcasting the speech online live through several channels including an “enhanced broadcast” which includes supplemental charts and graphs
• Using the hashtag #SOTU for discussion during the President’s delivery
• Offering the ability to submit questions via Facebook, Twitter, Whitehouse.gov or YouTube.
• The President will participate in a Google+ Hangout on Jan 30, responding to questions from YouTube.

The White House is capitalizing on a few big trends that healthcare organizations should be watching:

• Consumers don’t just watch TV on TV – YouTube, Netflix, Hulu and others have made PCs, tablets and smartphones TV program delivery devices.
• We don’t just watch TV when we watch TV – Today, viewers are using Twitter and Facebook to chat with both friends and total strangers about the programs they’re watching.
• We want to be involved – Sure they’ll be answering about 12 questions in the Google+ Hangout out of the hundreds that get submitted, but anyone who would like to has a chance to be heard with the knowledge that someone reasonably close to the President is going to listen to their concern.
• We all go social in different ways – Most importantly, the White House recognizes that the American people have embraced social networking, but they all go about it in their own way.  Some people use Facebook, others Twitter or Google+.  Some will just watch the banter while others will share comments, ask questions and post videos.  The thing that the President’s team is doing particularly well is that they’re catering to most of the major social channels with a nuanced strategy that plays to the ways each platform is used.

So tonight, break out the remote control, laptop, tablet and smartphone and enjoy the State of The Union address.