Good post. I've been here just a month and only now is the number of followers and following coming to the point where some automation is necessary.
For me, it isn't to optimise earnings, but to keep supporting the best authors and thus freeing up time to find new ones. I'll announce it once set up.
Absolutely! I wish I would have at least considered earlier. I believe, after this week of experimentation, that going with your gut is the best strategy for automation. It's a small sample size, and I could be proven wrong. But, automating has helped me realize my normal behaviors were mostly optimal.
Never thought about the idea of how automating frees up time to pursue new authors before...may just have to follow that train of thought myself!