PEOPLE, STOP THE PRESSES I HAVE FANTABULOUS NEWS!

The header is really low and the top of the design looks a bit awkward and uneven. The "Sign up for your free ebook" is hard to read because you basically have white on white. Also the body of the website doesn't really push me to get your ebook. I think you only mention the ebook once in the copy.

If you are going to mention it once, at least do it at the end as a call to action. You should say on your email form that signing up will get me said free ebook. Otherwise, some users may think you forgot a download link in the website because you never tell people they have to sign up.

Lastly, the design doesn't really say "reduce panic attacks" to me. I don't know, an image of ice and a cassette don't tell me that I will feel any better from reading your ebook.

As for your question, people get custom designs to stand out from the crowd. Yes, there are a lot of free templates, and they can work great. But, a custom design usually converts better.

The headers are not working and you need a lot more content.

Why not use Wordpress? Theres tons of great themes out there and personally I think it's easier to change the theme to your liking with Wordpress.

I also agree that the theme is a little off-topic.

All that being said - you have a very nice base and you're off to a great start for your first site.

If your site is a squeeze page then it will be low conversion. A squeeze page has one job and that is to get the email. This is a blog with a email capture form on it. KimboJim made some valid points. You want your visitor to want to rip through the screen to get your benefit. If that is your ebook then you will have to give your visitor one huge benefit to why they need your e-book. Something specific and not generic.

I have to agree. Your tone sounds genuine but the graphics don't really make me think of panic attacks and you haven't told nearly enough about what is so great about this ebook to make me want to give you my personal info. I mean, what's in it? What's it going to do for me? Who are you and what do you really want with my email address? Also second header line is too small. I'm not techy or very knowledgeable about stuff on this forum, just an internet junkie and researcher.

Edited to say that I *love* the enthusiasm from your initial post--motivated me to type your site name and check it out. Plus I love the genuine-ness feeling of your words. So I think you can get there...just needs a little tweaking IMHO. I was using tough love because nothing happens easily on the net it seems.

Also I paid for a program called artiseer (has templates you can modify extensively). I have no idea if I will be able to upload and edit the way I want to (in joomla, which I'm taking a course to understand), but the site looks great. Also I'm not a web designer (obviously) but if you look at websites enough, especially look at web design firm websites, and their examples, and you can just tell that they are a clear major step above templates (which we have used for years). The reason that I chose *not* to use a web design firm was that I read and read about SEO and nothing convinced me that there was a way for me to KNOW that any particular design company would actually have a handle on all of this stuff. Basically once I knew that it was exceedingly complex, I realized it would be very easy for a design firm to create smoke and mirrors and maybe not necessarily deliver on the important things. So I decided, rightly or wrongly, yet to be determined, that the only way to crack this nugget was to learn it myself. Basically I was willing to sacrifice limited design for the ability to control other aspects critical to SEO. But that maybe a huge mistake...we shall see!

Here's my thoughts:

1. Because otherwise, you finish up with sites that look like yours
2. Because they work.

No offense intended at all, but if you want your squeeze page to work, you should pay more attention to what successful marketers are doing.

Will

If this is really a splash page, you should have less content, contrary to what others have stated.

A splash page should have really nothing at all, just a header and a big button.



But, if you intend for this to be something entirely different, then you have a different story.

Ask yourself, "what do I intend?" - what are your intentions?

Thanks for all the great input warriors. I see how my site is all over the place. But I've only been doing this for about a month, so I guess I'm on the right track.

And there's more than a handful of warriors here who make sure that you're always grounded.

I may have found the perfect squeeze page. I am going to let someone else do it for me because I'm convinced (thanks to you guys) that for every way of doing something right, there's 5 ways of doing it wrong.

May be they dont like the available templates. The would like to create their own characteristics. Or it may be belong to the specific of the business.

A squeeze page has to scream "GIVE ME YOUR EMAIL" and persuade the visitor to join your mailing list. Your site fails to attract attention to the newsletter/mailing list sign-up box. When you hire a good designer, you don't make mistakes like this. Now you know why people hire designers. Best of luck.

I think you made the right choice to get someone to do it for you this time round but do not be put off ... Keep trying and do look at what others do
reinventing the wheel in any area just takes up time.
Be original but within the same rules will get you there.

Its ok that you've made a choice to get someone to do it for you. When you hire another person (designer), he doesn't make little mistakes. Oh bro don't forget to learn from him about old lacks you've done. That is my personal opinion to you. Best of luck.

In response to your first question. A unique design certainly has it's attractions, but it only gets you so far. If your content is not unique and does not grab and hold the readers attention the best Look and Feel won't do a bit of good. That being said, You are certainly on the right track but you haven't really built anything to allow for a substantive review. If you are still interested in suggestions, consider looking at some successful models that are already in use. Which is basically an answer to your second question. You don't have to be a trailblazer, you merely have to adapt a similar style with your content. It has to present the problem, stir up the pain, and provide enough hope, just a taste of what is to come- to solve that problem... but only if they fill out that little box. Put the most desired response towards the end of your copy. Good Luck! You can't quit- that's not an option for you anymore, so just get it done.