Web.com announced today that it will bundle its Web creation and hosting services with MerchantCircle’s online product suite for small and medium-sized businesses. This will include analytics and search engine optimization services for Web sites that SMBs create.

This represents another move by MerchantCircle to beef up its SMB offerings. It seems to further the strategy that began with the company’s August launch of its own Web site development tool, although it’s unclear how today’s move affects that program.

It also comes just one week after Spotzer did something similar by giving MerchantCircle advertisers easier access to video creation. MerchantCircle reaches 600,000 small businesses (about 7,000 paid advertisers), and these deals suggest it’s beginning to be recognized as a high-touch direct sales channel. Expect more.

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