Desirable features of blog site

I just initiated two blogs, one in google blogspot, the other one in windows live space. Compare these two blog site is kind of interesting.

Windows Live:
1. Better handling photos
2. Template seems to be more beautiful.

Google blogspot:

1. Support group blog which is absent in windows live space.


Both sucks:
1. Can not set the permission for a specific post;
2. Can not change the layout and template freely, like change the background of template.

I am wondering how could these two blog sites to be so successful. Is there any other good ones?