The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) have made a joint commitment to encourage best practice in online direct marketing.

Both intend the collaboration to "raise standards" as a facet of online marketing services that has been branded "careless".

Commenting in Precision Marketing, online marketing services stalwart Drayton Bird explained that online direct marketers can be careless because the medium is so cheap.

He highlighted a failure to target the correct internet users with online marketing campaigns as an area where marketers were particularly lazy.

The IAB Email Marketing Council will now become the E-Communications Council and will represent email marketing as well as newer internet marketing tools such as instant messaging or social network sites.

Tink Taylor of the IAB E-Communications Council said: "It's great to see these two professional bodies working together and collaborating over best practice with a commitment to raise standards."