The format of the State of the Union has changed little over the last few decades, but the way it is both broadcasted and discussed has rapidly evolved from year to year, especially with the recent widespread adoption of social media. These changes have complicated the already difficult field of politics, and presidents and senators alike have found that delivering speeches on television is no longer enough.

“The mainstream media still matters a great deal, but you can’t just do that anymore,” said White House communications director Jennifer Palmieri. “You have to work harder to reach a larger audience. It’s so disaggregated that you have to put more effort into it. The good news is there’s ways to reach people who really care about a particular issue.”

While mainstream media has seen a decline in its audience, social media continues to grow with hundreds of millions of people using services like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The conversation surrounding the State of the Union has moved from the dinner table to the internet, and now it happens in real-time during the speech.

The trending president

President Obama’s initial presidential campaign in 2008 was noted for its savvy use of social media to connect on a more personal level with voters, which drew comparisons to some former presidents who were quick to adopt new technology. In the weeks leading up to the State of the Union, the White House communications staff devoted a significant amount of resources toward engaging people through social media.

According to Palmieri, the benefit of social media in politics is the direct line of communication with the American people. “We’re trying to make sure as many Americans know about [President Obama’s] proposals as possible,” Palmieri said. “And you have to make sure that people who really care about a particular issue know what his proposals are and what he’s done.”

Technology has shaped the conversation between the American people and their government since the early days of train-car campaigns over 100 years ago, and while social media may be one of the latest communication innovations to change politics, but it is definitely not the last.