Microsoft Thursday announced the
launch of bCentral, a Web-based business portal created for growing businesses.
Available in the U.S. in beta version since Sept. 30, the site’s purposes
include helping businesses build a Web site, promoting and marketing the
site and managing a business more effectively.
Microsoft’s (MSFT)
bCentral merges the companies
expertise, from the award-winning LinkExchange promotion services and the
MSN.com small business channel, to
business travel products from Expedia.com to offer clients an easy,
affordable Web integration system.
“We talked with lots of smaller businesses to find out how they thought the
Internet could radically help their business,” said Deborah Whitman,
director of marketing for Microsoft bCentral. “Based on their feedback, we
designed bCentral to help drive businesses forward in tangible andmeasurable ways.”