Today we announced that we signed a definitive agreement to acquire Network Solutions, in a transaction that will make us the leading online marketing solutions company focused on small and medium-sized business.

For those of you who are not familiar with Network Solutions, it is a leading provider of global domain name registration and complementary website design and management services focused on SMBs. You can read more about it in our news release.

Here are some of the reasons we’re excited about this announcement:

• It’s a great opportunity to increase the scale of our business and accelerate our growth potential.

• It will position Web.com to be nationally recognized as the go-to provider of online marketing solutions for SMBs.

• We will be able to invest even more into new products and services, such as our new Facebook application, that will help our customers grow.

For our customers, this is what you can expect:

• The same high level of service that you have come to expect, even as we look to opportunities to offer you more.

• An even better customer experience as both companies leverage each other’s strengths.

• Greater opportunities for us to provide you with new products and services to benefit you and your business/organization.

Even as the Internet has been a game-changing resource for consumers and large companies with the scale to tap enterprise marketing resources, we believe there are a great many small business owners out there who could more fully leverage the growing adoption of online local search, social media and mobile devices to grow their businesses, and could use cost- and time-efficient help.

Today’s announcement is all-out building on this focus, and we are committed to continuing to provide the best combination of products, services and know-how to help our millions of small business customers better market themselves in a rapidly growing and changing online marketplace.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email us at support@web.com. Thanks for reading, and we look forward to continuing to serve your needs in the future.

Web.com and Network Solutions to Join Forces as Leader in SMB Online Marketing is a post from Web.com | Blog

Mobile devices and applications are on the verge of becoming even more pivotal in the retail marketplace. Jack Dorsey, the creator of Twitter, has announced a new product that will allow people to make credit card purchases using iPhones and iPods. This new product known as “Square” contains a magnetic strip reader that allows users to swipe and read credit cards, then deduct payment on or offline through a downloaded application that communicates with card issuers in the same way as retailer devices. The device will be available in March 2010.

Read more about the Square, and let us know what you think.

Mobile Commerce Gets “Squared” is a post from Web.com | Blog

If you’ve been putting off making significant enhancements to your business because of financial concerns, President Obama’s recent proposal to increase small business lending might be just the news you’ve been waiting for. The president is proposing increasing the size of loans available through the Small Business Administration, as well as providing inexpensive capital to small banks.

Whether you’ve been feeling skittish about seeking out loans or you’ve had difficulty getting approved by larger financial institutions, these measures, if passed by Congress, would provide welcome financial relief if you need a little extra help growing your business in a competitive economic environment.

Highlights of the president’s proposal include:

• Increasing the size of the SBA’s 7(a) loans from $2 million to $5 million.
• Increasing the maximum size of microloans to $50,000, up from $35,000.
• Providing lower-cost capital to credit unions, community banks, and financial institutions. Eligible banks will be required to explain how the funds will be used and to file quarterly reports on their small business lending practices.

The president’s announcement comes just weeks after it was reported that more than $1 out of every $4 spent on federal Recovery Act contracts has gone to small businesses. As of October 2, nearly 26% of federal stimulus contracting dollars, or more than $4 billion, was awarded to small businesses.

What do you think of the government’s efforts to help small businesses? Do you feel Washington is doing enough or too little? Have you benefited from the Recovery Act in any way? Let us know.

New Government Initiatives to Benefit Small Businesses is a post from Web.com | Blog

When Google™ speaks, people listen.

When Google spoke this week, what they said (and did) promised to change the way we communicate. At least that’s the way it seems, given the buzz that Google Wave has been generating since the search engine giant announced its imminent arrival in May. The introduction of this enhanced, real-time communication platform is being marketed as no less than “email . . . the next generation,” but it’s so much more. It rolls email, project management, and assorted social networking and media tools all into one big, happy Web application.

At the moment, it’s easier to get your hands on an “invitation” to a Kardashian sister’s wedding than to get “an invitation” for an account. But while the learning curve for the Wave promises to be great (what isn’t these days?), it’s worth looking into. We’ll have more to come on Google Wave’s potential for helping to improve the way you do business, but until then, Greg Sterling’s write-up of cool extensions is worth a peek.

Will Google’s Wave Be a Fave for Small Businesses? is a post from Web.com | Blog