Originally Posted by Magnetron

Just giving this a bump ..... but also want to stress that at the end of the day, it's your site. You have to do what you feel is in your best interest. Not all suggestions can be implemented, especially if you receive conllicting advice.

This industry as a whole suffers greatly from a cookie cutter mentality. If you feel that your presentation is unique enough that it stands out from the rest, then stick to your guns. There are an untold number of sites out there that get treated the same just because they look the same.

It is true that in some cases, it is advantageous to share similarities with other popular sites. But if those sites are banging cards or riddled with malware, yours can be guilty of these practices too merely through the surfer's process of association.