Normally, I find “This site has moved” messages annoying. There are better ways to divert people from an old site to a new one. But I was glad to see a message on President Barak Obama’s Change.gov website. Now you can follow him on WhiteHouse.gov. Welcome back, White House website!

My favorite feature is the blog, where you can keep tabs on policy updates and calls-to-action, like the national day of service. A great site for non-profits to watch to keep up on policy changes that affect them, but also as a solid example to emulate.

[This week, the blog is looking at the way technology is used by President-elect Barack Obama. It's a good learning experience, no matter who you voted for. Check out these other presidential posts.]

[Image: Flickr user Barack Obama]

One of the things I’m frequently telling our clients to do online is to create a community, and one way to bring people together is through images. I love Flickr for this. It’s a great way to share pictures with people who were at an event, and also help others who didn’t attend experience what it was like. I’ve recommended Flickr groups for public rallies and congregations that are trying to drum up interest in future events.

President-elect Barack Obama’s Flickr account is interesting for showing a behind-the-scenes look at a campaign. I especially like to look at the Election Night slideshow. His campaign photographer David Katz snapped pictures backstage all night of the Obama family waiting for the election results to come in.

It’s remarkable not only because of how amazingly cool and calm everyone looks, but also because it feels so intimate. You feel like you’re there with them, waiting backstage for the big Yes or No moment to arrive.

The next time you have a charity run, fundraiser or other event that you’re hoping to draw interest to, put it up on Flickr.

This week kicks off a special presidential edition of Talance’s Friendly Web Tools Blog, celebrating the first time in eight years that the White House has participated in the technological revolution that’s been exploding everywhere else on the planet. We love how the President-elect has used technology to reach so many people, raise so many funds and create a powerful, galvanizing campaign. They’re all techniques that people at nonprofits should be studying and copying whenever possible – no matter who you voted for.

If you love gadgets, you’ll have to love how many Barack Obama has. To wit:

• He’s a BlackBerry addict – did you see him giving speeches with it clipped to his belt?
• He uses a Mac notebook
• Michelle Obama said he wouldn’t leave home without his webcam to stay connected with his family
• He uses a Zune at the gym (or at least did one time)
• He plans to have a laptop on his desk in the Oval Office. This makes him the first president to have Internet access in the famous room. Sadly, however, he may have to give up e-mail, because they can be hacked into and subpoenaed.