Is a Seperate Internet Marketing Plan Needed?

This is a question that I've been thinking about for the last few days. When I started to research, my focus was solely on internet marketing. However on Saturday, I realised that internet marketing does not take place in a vacuum. It takes place in the context of the overall communications plan. The Internet extends the traditional communications mix. However when we look at the way that the Internet offers new opportunities for innovation and requires dedicated skill sets, the question arises of whether a seperate Internet marketing plan is required.

As I read some of the Integrated Marketing Communications literature (Jenkinson, & Sain, Pickton & Broderick), the thought crossed my mind that the Internet is another medium for implementing marketing communications mix activities. In developing your integrated marketing communications strategy, shouldn't you match the best media with your marketing goals - whether that best medium is online or offline? Look at what you want to achieve, the relative merits of the media available to you and develop a plan accordingly.

I was reading Chaffey et al's (2009) book Internet Marketing this evening and a part of the text considered this very question. Their position is that if digital communications are to be effectively harnessed, then a distinct digital marketing plan is initially essential. At this stage a seperate e-marketing plan should be used to define strategies to increase the contribution of digital to the business. Their rationale for this is that online channels "...have had and will have dramatic effects on how customers select and use products."

Chaffey et al suggest that in the longer term, once the company has defined it's approaches to Internet marketing, then it is likely that they will not need a separate digital marketing plan as the Internet can then be considered as any other communications medium.

My own view is that the potential for digital integration coupled with the rapid changes we are witnessing in this mean that companies definitely need a plan to stay on top on developments. Has anybody stopped running to catch up with digital yet? I think that there is potential for linkages and cross-channel communications in digital in ways that never really existed in traditional media.This networked effect is what is unique about the Internet as a medium. I am of the opinion that some sort of separate strategy is required for digital, primarily for this reason.

Perhaps the need for a seperate digital strategy with the overall communications strategy merits further research...