John Chow has wrote some pretty interesting stuff on making money online. I’ll admit I don’t visit John Chow’s site every day. I don’t even visit it every week or every month but I have read some pretty cool things over there when I’ve got the chance.

I’m not 100% qualified to critique John Chow’s site for this reason. And his goals and mine may be different.

But I’ve discovered one critical flaw to the personality blog model.

Let me explain.

Personality is hard to automate.

And on another note…

John Chow wrote a post called Content Over Ecommerce where he talks about the benefits over having a content money making website over an ecommerce one.

One of his beefs of an ecommerce store is that it can’t be run from anywhere around the world.

I say that any business with the right skills and experience can be automated.

If you get your systems right ecommerce sites can be one of the best ways of money making online.

Too many people getting in the online money making game are doing so in a way that limits their earning potential. They’re not starting an online business, but starting an online job which they own.

Whether you’re doing ecommerce or content you’ve got to find ways to systemize all your processes and then give people the opportunity of employment.

BTW this is one of the main problems of having a personality based blog. People can want the personality more than the content.

Of course you can get a ghost writer or guest writers but if you want to have a blog that you can automate its better to start out with multiple writers and follow the model already laid out by WebBlogs Inc.

If you look to the guys who are making some decent cash like Shawn Hogan from Digitalpoint Forums and Shoemoney.

Shawn Hogan has a subscription and licensed based web services business while Shoemoney is in publishing, affiliates and looking to launch some big sites.

As I understand it Shoemoney has hired some highly skilled people for some aspects of his business so he can focus on his core skills of great ideas and promotion.

You’ve got to get good people.

Any way there’s some great tips at John Chow’s site on how to monetize your sites so check them out. But look at getting a business coach as well from a service like Brad Sugars.