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Content strategy

The management of 

text, rich media, audio 

and video content aimed 

at engaging customers 

and prospects to meet 

business goals published 

through print and digital 

media including web 

and mobile platforms 

which is repurposed and 

syndicated to different 

forms of web presence 

such as publisher sites, 

blogs, social media and 

comparison sites.

Characteristics of digital media communications

Focus on

In this section, we explore the main differences between marketing communications in the 

traditional media such as TV, print and radio and new digital media such as websites, inter-

active TV and mobile commerce. This section is based on the summary presented in Chaffey 

(2000). Recognising the differences between the Internet and other media is important to 

achieving success in channel promotion and channel satisfaction, and will lead in turn to 

positive channel outcomes and profitability.

A useful summary of the differences between the new media and traditional media has 

been developed by McDonald and Wilson (1999) as the ‘6 Is’ of digital marketing. These 

highlight factors that apply to practical aspects of Internet marketing such as personalisa-

tion, direct response and marketing research, but also strategic issues of industry restructur-

ing and integrated channel communications. By considering each of these facets of the new 

media, marketing managers can develop marketing plans that accommodate the character-

istics of the new media. This presentation of the ‘6 Is’ is a new interpretation of these factors 

using new examples and diagrams to illustrate these concepts.

1 Interactivity

Deighton (1996) was one of the first authors to explain that interactivity is a key charac-

teristic of the Internet which enables companies to communicate with customers in a new 

way. Figure 8.16(a) shows how traditional media are predominantly push media where the 

marketing message is broadcast from company to customer and other stakeholders. During 

this process, there is limited interaction with the customer. On the Internet, it is usually a 

customer who initiates contact and is seeking information on a website. In other words it 

is a