Having a self-hosted blog is always advantageous than using free blogging platforms like Google's blogger.com or Wordpress.com. There's no big Papa Google dictating what should write and link to. Go to Hostgator or Bluehost, sign-up for a low cost hosting account, install wordpress blogging software, install a theme (usually ranging from $20 to $50), and you're set. You can have your very own blog that you control. I have several blogs hosted in Google, in Hostgator, and Bluehost. They are good hosts, and the blogs are up most of the time (99% uptime guarantee). The only problem I had with self-hosted blogs like those I have in Hostgator and Bluehost is that, the process of creating a blog with them is not easily duplicated in network marketing business. I am a network marketing leader. With my recent experience with Hostgator, I have gone through the "eye of the needle" before my newly opened account with them was activated. They have required me to verify my ownership of the credit card I used in paying them, by having me call using my phone Philippines to USA! Plus, after activating my account, when I was about to install a theme, I found out that they have removed the option of looking for a free theme to start with. The link inside the back office is linked to "premium themes" only which you have to pay money again. Realizing that the members of my team will have a very hard time going through the same process Hostgator have pushed me through, I looked for a blogging platform that is suited for network marketers. That's where I found Empower Network. Today, I am using EN's blogging platform, and it is the one I recommend for people without having technical background and are in tight budget, to get started blogging with. For as low as $25 per month, you can get started blogging with our Kalatu Basic Blogging Platform and you will be provided with free themes that are as good as those paid themes recommended inside Hostgator. Plus, there's an added plugin in Kalatu that guides new bloggers in content creation. It's called the "21 Day Blogging Challenge" plugin. With that plugin, all you have to do is answer some leading questions asked by the plugin, and VOILA! your content is created. All blogging platform serve the same purpose of helping us express ourselves online. But not all blogging platforms are created equal. Some are created better than the others.