A new certification scheme from 24/7 Real Media promises to improve results for rich media adverts

Online marketing specialist 24/7 Real Media has launched a new certification scheme to boost the quality of code for rich media adverts and improve reporting on advertising campaigns

The Rich Media Certification Programme requires firms involved in advertising to complete a four-step process before their information can be added to the 24/7 Real Media knowledge base.

Applicants must submit their adverts' rich media code to be checked for errors, before it is run in test labs to ensure delivery times are not too slow, according to the company's publisher sales director, Murly Tiwari.

The final stage is to run the rich media adverts live on the 24/7 Web Alliance network of over 800 web sites, where more checks are made for variables including reporting errors and the position of the adverts.

Tiwari said standards must be raised because discrepancies in counts for rich media adverts currently cost vendors, publishers and advertisers a great deal.

"We're trying to put a quality control system in place and make life easier for the publishers using the scheme," Tiwari added.