WebProNews

A deal with Movable Type software maker Six Apart has Yahoo offering professional blogging tools with its small business web services.

Reuters reported Yahoo entered an agreement with Six Apart to be the preferred provider of Six Apart's Movable Type blogging software to small businesses. The article noted that Six Apart has optimized the software to be twice as responsive to Yahoo customers than the same software offered by Six Apart.

The deal comes on the heels of Yahoo's acquisition of Del.icio.us, a social bookmarking website. Yahoo has focused on social media and original content with deals this year, as it bought photo-sharing site Flickr and launched two web-only series, 'Kevin Sites in the Hot Zone', and 'Richard Bangs Adventures'.

Yahoo becomes Six Apart's recommended sales channel for small business, Six Apart told Reuters. The service was not listed on Yahoo's small business site as of press time, but with the Syndicāte conference beginning today and Yahoo acting as a cornerstone sponsor, more details should emerge soon.

Pricing will be among those details. Reuters said the service, to include a Web address, email with antivirus and spam controls, and blogging tools will cost under $12 per month.

David Utter is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business.