WebProNews

Microsoft plans to offer a deal to its Office Live customers that will provide site design and search marketing services to those clients. The company announced it will partner with Website Pros for the Office Live-oriented service. Office Live is Microsoft's small business enticement to create a website and buy search ads on Microsoft AdCenter, along with other Microsoft services.

Microsoft said it will offer several services in a package deal for $79.95 per month, with Website Pros providing some of the service fulfillment. The package includes site design and consulting, and a toll-free number with call tracking reports among its other features.

The small business market has been a core focus of adCenter's attentions since Microsoft launched the search advertising service. This new package presents Microsoft's strategy in a nutshell: bring in a client and do everything for them, and create a long-term tie-in to its brand and services.

Website Pros has an indirect link to Microsoft's (and everyone else's) chief search ad competitor, Google. QuickBooks and Website Pros have promotions that link the accounting software company's products and Website Pros marketing with a client's e-commerce initiatives.

QuickBooks 2007 includes a link to Google Marketing Tools within its software. Since the Intuit-branded product enjoys a place with a lot of small and medium business to handle their accounting needs, that link could keep Microsoft from enjoying as much adCenter business as it might like to earn.