I like automation. I like to set things up once, and have them run themselves with as little human intervention as possible. That's how I like to run my business. I don't directly sell web hosting, but my sites are mostly related enough that I share and learn plenty about advertising at WHT.

Most of my advertising consists of Google, Overture, Searchfeed and 7search automatically deducting money from my credit card as they please. I set maximum CPCs at each site and every month or so run their various utilities for "make me #1 for all my keywords with a max bid of X".

Do any of you do similar things elsewhere? Know of other services that I can set up advertising accounts at and just let things auto-recharge? Perhaps good individual sites with self-serve advertising even?

It's definitely the way to go considering the amount of time and resources it takes to operate a SUCCESSFUL service-oriented business. I am currently developing a network of automated sites as well.