Tuesday night, MWW Group and our partner in MWW Entertainment, Kevin Liles were invited by the White House to take part in a post-State of the Union “tweet up” that enabled our Twitter followers to get their questions answered by senior administration officials. You can follow our coverage at @MWWGroup and @KevinLiles1.

This was just one example of how Tuesday night’s speech was more than just a blueprint for our nation’s future – it was a blueprint for the future of our democracy.

I’ve made the point in previous posts, but it bears repeating: digital tools are revolutionizing not just how citizens engage with their democracy, but how decision-makers and government can engage with constituencies. It’s a two-way dialogue, and never has that been as prominent as it was before, during, and after the President’s address.

This isn’t the first time – the administration is highly active on Facebook and Twitter, and I was just down in Washington a couple of weeks ago to do a tweet-up with Jon Bon Jovi on the importance of summer jobs for youth. But Tuesday night, the White House took these efforts to the next level, offering an enhanced viewing of the State of the Union on Whitehouse.gov that included graphics and highlighted statistics. Next Monday, President Obama will take part in a Google+ hangout. You can see other opportunities for engagement here.

This is a blueprint for how government officials and politicians can more effectively engage their constituents in the digital age. But it’s also a pertinent example for how executives and speechmakers of all stripes can activate their audience and reach new ones. If you’re a CEO, think about how you could offer enhanced viewing to engage consumers, investors, employees – all stakeholders – around important announcements and milestones.

Speeches will never go out of style, but smart social media strategies can make your words matter more.