Whether you are looking to have a website built, or you are already working with a web designer on a project, here are some specific and critical questions to ask that should help your organization assess your designer’s experience, professionalism and know-how:

Question 1: Are you familiar with web standards?

This question is very important to ask because it will tell you how much experience the designer really has. If they are dedicated to seeking industry-standards and continuing to be educated about new technologies, they will use web standards in their design. It is also important for maintaining websites as well as usability. If you find a designer who is unaware of web standards – or feels they are unimportant – the designer is likely to be an amature.

I spoke with a web designer whose response to, “Do you use web standards?” was avoided and eventually noted that web standards were not necessarily needed. It was obvious that he didn’t know what I was talking about.

The correct response should be something along the lines of: “Yes, I code valid XHTML and CSS.” They might also ask you if you are talking about accessibility. If they can code pages that are accessible it shows they understand the web standards movement.

Read Dustin Brewer’s response to ‘Why Web Standards Are Important’ >

Why?

• It’s expensive to buy a website
• It’s complicated and confusing
• Sometimes people don’t know the value

But with 350 million users hitting Facebook this month, most are coming to realize that social media is not a fad – it is actually a means for people to make their buying decisions. The need for websites has never been greater.

Hosting providers like Godaddy.com and Yahoo offer site builders and overnight websites that are affordable. Unfortunately the price tag reflects the quality of the sites. They look like something from the 1990’s, and they work like it, too. They are so low quality that search engines can’t even find them… making them useful as ugly online business cards, but nothing more.

Well look no further! JailBreak Creative realizes the need for affordable yet high-quality websites that are search engine friendly. Starting January 1st we have payment options for semi-custom and some select custom websites.

Get the website you want at a price you can afford!

Most companies and organizations opt for the cheaper websites because its all they can afford. Well, now you can get the website that you need (or want) at the price you can afford.

Option 1: Monthly Payments

Make monthly payments as low as $50/month depending on the scope of your project. This option requires 10% down and accrues interest.

Option 2: Three Total Payments

Time your website with your payments by making 3 separate payments pending on the timeline of your project! Pay no interest!

Option 3: Pay in Full for a Discount

Pay your website off in-full on the project start date and get 5% off your entire project!

Read more about our commitment to quality custom website services >

Read more about our semi-custom website services >

Seasoned Real Estate Agent Karen Hall has been using the web for years, and knew she needed a site that would reflect her personality and offered her the functionality she needs to sell homes. KarenWHall.com was built using a template that was fully customized and placed into a WordPress content management system so she can manage content on her own.

Canyonville Christian Academy needed a site that would hold information for their domestic and international students and parents. Canyonville.net was built using a Wordpress Content Management System and holds a robust amount of information in an organized fashion.

Bill and Jan Moss are full time distributors with the network marketing company, Xango. BillandJanMoss.com reflects their personalities while offering a multitude of important information for their work. The site also includes articles written to target search engines. Also take a look at RealizetheBalance below, a site in the making for another Xango distributor.

eCounseling is the world’s premier online counseling site. It provides phone and online counseling care as well as quality resources for people to find mental health professionals in their local areas. eCounseling.com is a robust membership and directory system.

YPCV.org is a complex organizational website for the Young Professionals of Central Virginia. The system was custom designed and coded using a content management system so volunteers and staff could control the content.

Gail Eatmon, PHR, needed a website that would encompass both her new human resources business, as well as her personal ministry.

• OnCallHumanResourceServices.com was built as a “blogsite” where Gail could write new articles about important HR issues.
• The website was build to incorporate the new On Call Human Resource Brand
• The On Call site encompasses information about both the HR business as well as ‘Radiant Living Now Ministry’ in a way that was not confusing but offered both services.

Visit the site here >

Tonya Walker, owner and manager of Tonya’s Transcription Services, needed her website to be findable through search engines by potential clients. She also needed a file sharing program where she could share files with clients to meet HIPPA compiance laws.

• TTSmedicaltranscription.com was build in WordPress so Tonya will be able to manage the site herself.
• The site is jam-packed with targeted search key-phrases so she can be found by potential clients.
• A file sharing program was built into the site to meet the needs of her staff and clients.

Visit the site here >

CentralVirginiaLaw.com was built on this platform as well as many other JailBreak sites because of the large community of WordPress developers and designers. Sites like this are an affordable way to get a professional and elegant website designed at a low cost!

Visit the Website Here >

All Jailbreak Clients that sign a contract for a new website before 2010 will receive free hosting on one of our secure dedicated servers.

JailBreak Creative creates stunning websites using hand written code and industrial strength content management solutions. Jailbreak websites are easy to manage and have the attractive appeal you come to expect from a design agency with style. Say goodbye to the website builders that leave your organization’s website looking cheap and hinder your search engine placement. Jailbreak Creative creates websites that will help accomplish your organizations brick and mortar goals on the interenet.

Get rid of your business card website and let Jailbreak create a professional internet marketing solution that even beginners can be successful with!

FREE Yearly Website Hosting

We offer a linux-based hosting solution for website owners. Our server is dedicated, which means it doesn’t share space with lots of other companies’ server, making it more secure! Our server gets backed up on a regular basis, saving the files so they never get lost.

Hosting Includes:

• Hosting for the domain name of your choice
• Up to 500 free email accounts
• FTP access and file storage
• Hosted in the Cloud for Redundancy
• Secure Linux Hosting Environment
• Unlimmited Sub Domains!
• Hosted on Private Dedicated Servers

Normal Yearly Cost: $250
Discounted Cost: FREE

In order to receive free hosting, please select from one of the packages below. (NOTE: Jailbreak Creative does not offer free hosting on packages and contracts not listed in this offer)

Semi-Custom WordPress Website

We use custom themes to build professional websites in a content management system called WordPress. WordPress is a completely free platform that allows the end-user to take the reins on their own website, without having to pay a developer an hourly fee to do upkeep. You take control of your own marketing! Wordpress is also great for Blog websites!

This Package Includes a turn-key website from start to finish:

• Template Licensing and Database Setup
• Logo design from Template Chosen
• Template Customization
• Up to 20 pages of content placed and rewritten for the web
• Contact form, Google Analytics, Permalinks, other features are optional
• Website training so you can perform website upkeep yourself with ease!

Package Cost: $1,500

Custom Developed & eCommerce Websites

Our developers create the most user-friendly, web standards compliant, and cleanly coded websites available on the web, offering ecommerce shopping websites and custom developed sites based on any look and feel you can imagine!

Average Site Cost: $2,000 – $4,000

Search Engine Optimization

There are billions of websites in Google’s index. Is anybody going to find your website?! They are if we use search engine optimization to boost your rankings in Google and Bing. By using the right key phrases in the right places on your website, your site becomes a marketing piece in and of itself!

This Package Includes:

• Detailed research to find the key phrases your target market is looking for
• A list of key phrases and their competing websites
• Detailed instructions on how to write pages and articles to optimize your website
• Website code optimization using key phrases

Package Cost: $1,000

Why Should You Let us List Your Business?

• We have a comprehensive list of websites to list you on
• We know what key words Google listens for
• We have been doing it for a while, and can give you a quick turn around
• We can organize it harmoniously, so you won’t get confused or overwhelmed!

And the main reason is… you will get found in Google! By sprinkling your name, company and services listed all over the internet using the right words, your target market will actually find you on search engines.

“JailBreak got me listed on over 20 free business directories online, and a few days later I was listed on the first page in local Google results!” Said Tom Hodges of Hodges Insurance Agency in Lynchburg, VA.

Sign Up and You Will Get:

• A pre-listings report from Google with your link statistics and ratings
• A minimum of 20 online listings including Google, YellowPages, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
• A report with all of your listings and login information
• A post-listings report from Google with your link statistics and ratings

Needless to say we were thrilled to see her face in the publication, and get the word out about Friday 2.0 which is held at the Muse Coffee Shop in Lynchburg every friday at 9:00 AM.

To read the article please go here, its on page 10.

Jen also talks about Social Media 101 on her blog.