26 Best Online Marketing books to level up your marketing strategy

Did you know that 88% of financially successful people read at least 30 minutes per day? Tom Corley figured out and told us this result in his book “Change Your Habits, Change Your Life” about the daily habits of self-made millionaires. He concluded that reading is the key to success.

Reading doesn’t make you a millionaire, but if you want to be a millionaire, reading is important. In your studying, working, or even having fun around, reading enables you to explore a topic and immerse yourself in a deeper way to gain new insights into what you want to achieve.

When it comes to online marketing which seems to be discussed almost online, through websites, forums, or fan pages; smart readers never miss a chance to find paper books that are well-written and open a deeper understanding of online marketing than any social media post.

So if anyone is interested in reading about online marketing, take a look at the following list of top online marketing books. This may be helpful for your next online marketing strategy.

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1. Content Machine: Use Content Marketing to Build a 7-figure Business With Zero Advertising

Content Machine Goodreads: 4.5/5

In “Content Machine,” Dan Norris emphasizes the power of content marketing to build a thriving business. This step-by-step guide, inspired by his approach, shows you how to craft an executive summary that leverages content to grab attention and showcase your content marketing strategy.

Imagine your executive summary as a captivating trailer for your content machine. It should entice readers to learn more about how your content will solve their problems or provide valuable insights.

By following these steps inspired by “Content Machine,” you can create an executive summary that positions your content as the key driver for your 7-figure business dream.

2. Youtility by Jay Baer

Youtility Goodreads: 4/5

“Youtility: Why Smart Marketing Is About Help Not Hype” is a book written by Jay Baer. It explores the concept of “Youtility,” which emphasizes the importance of providing helpful and valuable content to customers rather than focusing solely on promotional messages. Baer argues that businesses can differentiate themselves and build trust by becoming a valuable resource to consumers, answering their questions, and solving their problems.

The book delves into strategies for creating useful content that aligns with customer needs and interests, ultimately driving engagement, loyalty, and sales. Baer’s insights offer a fresh perspective on marketing in the digital age, emphasizing the power of utility and relevance in connecting with modern consumers.

3. Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene M. Schwartz

Breakthrough Advertising Goodreads: 4.6/5

“Breakthrough Advertising” stands out as a top marketing book, possibly the most influential in this category. Penned by renowned copywriter Eugene M. Schwartz, it was first released in 1966.

Numerous entrepreneurs and marketers credit this book with helping them achieve significant financial success. While technically categorized as a “copywriter” book, it delves deeply into customer awareness levels and how to structure marketing messages accordingly.

Rather than a narrative, the book reads more like a reference guide, making it somewhat dense to read through continuously. However, its wealth of insights often prompts readers to pause and take notes.

While it may be pricey on platforms like Amazon, purchasing directly from the book’s website typically offers a more affordable option. If there’s one book to prioritize from this list, “Breakthrough Advertising” is the one.

4. The Social Media Bible by Lon Safko

The Social Media BibleGoodreads: 4.2/5

“The Social Media Bible” by Lon Safko is a comprehensive guide to understanding and leveraging the power of social media for business and personal use. First published in 2008, it has since become a go-to resource for individuals and organizations seeking to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of social media platforms.

The book covers a wide range of topics, including the history and evolution of social media, strategies for building an online presence, tips for creating engaging content, and techniques for measuring success. Safko explores various social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and more, providing insights into their unique features and best practices for using them effectively.

With its practical advice and real-world examples, “The Social Media Bible” offers readers actionable strategies for harnessing the power of social media to connect with audiences, build relationships, and achieve their goals. Whether you’re a seasoned social media marketer or just starting out, this book provides valuable insights and guidance for navigating the rapidly changing world of social media.

5. Hooked by Nir Eyal

Hooked Goodreads: 4.5/5

“Hooked” by Nir Eyal is a seminal work that delves into the psychology behind habit-forming products and marketing strategies. Drawing from extensive research and real-world examples, Eyal introduces readers to the Hook Model, a framework designed to help businesses create products that users cannot put down.

At the heart of “Hooked” is the concept of building habits within consumers, thereby fostering long-term engagement and loyalty. Eyal explores the four key stages of the Hook Model - Trigger, Action, Variable Reward, and Investment - providing actionable insights for businesses seeking to create irresistible products and experiences.

With its practical approach and actionable advice, “Hooked” has become essential reading for entrepreneurs, product designers, marketers, and anyone interested in understanding the mechanics of habit formation and creating products that captivate users. Eyal’s insights offer a roadmap for building successful and sustainable businesses in today’s competitive landscape.

6. The Big Data-Driven Business by Russell Glass

The Big Data-Driven Business Goodreads: 4.3/5

“The Big Data-Driven Business” by Russell Glass offers a comprehensive guide to leveraging big data to drive business success. As an experienced entrepreneur and data expert, Glass provides practical insights and strategies for harnessing the power of data analytics to make informed business decisions.

In this book, Glass explores how organizations can use big data to gain a competitive edge, improve operational efficiency, and enhance customer experiences. Through real-world examples and case studies, he illustrates how companies across various industries have successfully implemented data-driven strategies to achieve their goals.

With its accessible writing style and actionable advice, “The Big Data-Driven Business” serves as a valuable resource for business leaders, managers, and professionals seeking to unlock the potential of big data. Whether you’re new to the world of data analytics or looking to refine your existing practices, Glass’s book offers valuable insights and strategies to help you navigate the complexities of big data and drive business growth.

7. Digital Marketing for Dummies by Ryan Deiss and Russ Henneberry

Digital Marketing for Dummies Goodreads: 5/5

Let’s start the list with one of these most recommended books for anyone interested in and want to start a career with online or digital marketing.

As its title, Marketing for Dummies is readable and easy to digest for anyone, even the beginners. Written with the best marketing interest in mind, this book covers all everything you need to start right with digital marketing from scratch. From current groundbreaking examples and practices in SEO and SEM to the latest content marketing techniques, influencer marketing, social media, advertising, email marketing, and everything in between; Digital Marketing for Dummies helps you to get the best out of your marketing efforts.

The best is that it covers the nitty-gritty of every aspect of digital marketing mentioned in the book. It guides readers on how to use the techniques to its fullest potential from basic steps to handy tips to craft a killer campaign and boost your bottom line.

8. Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk

Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk Goodreads: 4.6/5

Gary Vaynerchuk - The New York Times bestselling - guides us on how to connect with customers, capture their attention, and win the competition with the secret weapon, the right hook in social media marketing. Brands and marketers will know how to improve their “right hook” to captivate customers and build relationships with them, and after all, convert traffics to sales effectively.

Social media has a prominent role to play in modern society, and its massive and sweeping changes shape the way businesses communicate with customers right in the context. Communication is important, but developing and delivering high-quality content perfectly fit specific social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, Tumblr, etc. is the key to success.

You’ll feel different vibes in each social media platform and learn strategies to sell your products effectively on the internet more than just a website. If you’re an inexperienced digital marketer, you’ll find this book useful.

9. Digital Marketing: Strategy, Implementation, and Practice by Dave Chaffey & Fiona Ellis-Chadwick

Digital Marketing (6th Edition) 6th Edition Goodreads: 4.3/5

Written by the specialist for specialist, Digital Marketing by Dave Chaffey and Fiona Ellis-Chadwick is useful for practitioners as it provides comprehensive, practical guidance on how to utilize digital tools and technology to fulfill their marketing goals.

Digital Marketing provides marketing theories and techniques, but it also illustrates them with groundbreaking case studies and interviews from cutting-edge companies such as eBay and Facebook. Readers will learn to develop a digital marketing strategy, put in their pocket key digital marketing techniques, including search marketing, conversation optimization, and digital communications through social media. They will quickly understand how digital marketing is adapted in the real world.

10. Hit Makers: How to Succeed in an Age of Distraction by Derek Thompson

Hit Makers: How to Succeed in an Age of Distraction Goodreads: 4.5/5

Derek Thompson is a journalist, but this book is not like his normal article, and it’s not a dry academic book either. The author accelerates readers’ interest with good storytelling to help them discover why things get popular.

With a lot of stories and anecdotes, this book encompasses many perspectives, approaches, and cultural production that explain the popularity of things and why they gained their status while others do not. Derek Thompson covers a wide variety of pop-cultural blockbusters and the people’s attention. He ties many different hits together to explain why they become hit. You’ll learn how to make your products to the count through this interesting book.

11. Contagious: Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger

Contagious: Why Things Catch On Goodreads: 4.7/5

Another must-read book to answer questions like, “What makes things popular?” and “Why do people talk about certain products and ideas more than others?” or “What makes online content go viral?”

If you think it’s advertising, that’s not enough and even not totally the reason in many cases. This book reveals the secret behind word-of-mouth and social transmission that influence our interactions with a specific product.

Jonah Berger introduces six principles that drive all sorts of anything to become contagious: social currency, triggers, emotion, public, practical value, and stories. You’ll learn how to make your products and ideas catch on.

12. How to Win Friend & Influence People by Dale Carnegie

How to Win Friend & Influence People Goodreads: 4.7/5

How to Win Friend & Influence People is a timeless best-seller book of all time that helps a lot of famous people achieve their goal to succeed in both business and personal lives.

The book provides valuable advice on dealing with people that can be practically applied to how business interacts and communicates with customers. There are three techniques that the book emphasizes in handling people: don’t criticize, condemn or complain, give honest and sincere appreciation, arouse in the other person an eager want. And the only way to influence people is to talk about what they want and show them how to get it.

13. Permission Marketing by Seth Godin

Permission Marketing by Seth Godin Goodreads: 4.3/5

If you’re feeling down because your marketing ideas are ignored or refused by your target audiences, this book is for you.

Permission Marketing will explain a groundbreaking concept that enables you to shape your message in whether TV commercial, video marketing, or traditional marketing so that consumers willingly accept it. Instead of annoying and bombarding customers with a ton of irrelevant content and messages, it’s way more effective to provide customers with incentives to accept advertising voluntarily.

Through this book, you will learn how to build a long-term relationship with your customers, create trust, and build brand loyalty, and significantly boost sales.

14. Epic Content Marketing by Joe Pulizzi

Marketing 4.0: Moving from Traditional to Digital Goodreads: 4.6/5

Written by one of the world’s leading content marketing experts, Epic Content Marketing guides us on how to attract prospects and customers by delivering information and content that they want to engage with. It’s no use to draw customers’ attention with inferior quality content.

This book shows you a step-by-step guide to develop stories that are valuable, entertaining, and compelling enough to persuade customers to take action without actually telling them to. A key you need to remember is that epic content is the content distributed to the right audience at the right time. That’s how your content can capture customers’ hearts and your business wins a competitive position in the marketplace.

Few essential things to do to create epic content: choose a niche, discover and develop your content statement, set up content creating process, leverage social media and emails to grow audience, track and measure the performance of your content.

15. New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott

New Rules of Marketing and PR Goodreads: 4.5/5

You will get to know a benchmarking guide to leverage and skyrocket your business with marketing and PR with the latest updates of social media, digital marketing, trends and tools, and the real-life success examples.

A step-by-step guide to harnessing the power of modern marketing and PR enables you to communicate with customers effectively, build brand awareness, and improve the chances of making sales.

Even if you’re running a small and medium business, you can still tap into every marketing means and tools, utilize them to make your marketing efforts count. As the Internet and online materials are one of the most ways for businesses to reach target audiences, the New Rule of Marketing and PR explains how you can make a worthwhile investment in online marketing with a pocket-friendly budget. You’ll learn the new rule with comprehensive explanations and plenty of real-world case studies.

16. Digital Marketing 2021 by Danny Star

Digital Marketing 2021 by Danny Star Goodreads: 4.6/5

This book is not a bad try to level up your online marketing skills in a new decade. The author shares his insights on digital marketing through his long digital marketing career and self-experience in running and growing his business as well as the businesses of his clients.

Danny Star covers a wide range of topics, including online advertising, social media, email marketing, eCommerce, SEO, Amazon, and more. The author clearly explains how a certain system works, the advantages, and disadvantages of each system, and tells you when to implement to achieve the fullest potential.

17. Marketing 4.0: Moving from Traditional to Digital by Philip Kotler

Marketing 4.0: Moving from Traditional to Digital Goodreads: 4.5/5

This is a useful handbook for every marketer in the modern marketing world when digital technology is influencing and changing the entire industry. Philip Kotler will explain why Marketing 4.0 is imperative for productivity and how you can execute it to make out the best for your business.

The book discovers and examines the shifting power dynamics to find out that customers are changing themselves, not just the marketing rules. Hence, it gives you world-class insights into the new marketing movement and the way to adapt to the changes and make it an integral part of your strategies.

Accordingly, you will dive into the new marketing rules, learn how to stand out, create a “Wow” experience, build customer loyalty, and shape your customer choice’s future.

18. Art of SEO by Eric Enge, Stephan Spencer, Jessie C. Stricchiola

The Art of SEO: Mastering Search Engine Optimization Goodreads: 4.4/5

Your website is well-designed, easy to navigate, and has quality content, but the traffic is poorly-converted, or the reach is pretty low? It might result from a lack of SEO or Search Engine Optimization. Now that you have this useful and practical book in your hand, things will be solved quickly.

Written by the top minds in SEO, the Art of SEO helps you profoundly understand how SEO works and guides you on optimizing your site for search engine visibility. You will be covered with proven guidelines and cutting-edge techniques from basic to advanced to plan and execute an effective SEO strategy.

19. Everybody Writes by Ann Handley

Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content Goodreads: 4.6/5

In a content-driven world, every one of us is a writer. That’s why it’s more and more difficult to write content that drives people’s attention and make them engage with.

In fact, many kinds of content, such as Facebook Livestream, Instagram feeds, stories, and gifs, have been blooming in various areas of eCommerce landscapes. However, it doesn’t reduce the heat and importance of content writing. Your writing tells customers who you are, describes your brand characteristics, and makes you stand out among others.

Everybody Writes gives you expert guidance and insights into the process and strategy of content creation, production, and publishing with practical how-to methods and step-by-step process.

20. The Power of Visual Storytelling by Ekaterina Walter

The Power of Visual Storytelling Goodreads: 4.0/5

We respond to and process visual data better than any other type of data. In fact, the human brain processes image 60,000 times faster than text, and 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual. We can take advantage of this nature to create content that’s visually appealing to attract audiences.

The good news is that all content can be presented in different visual formats, including photography, videos, infographics, presentations, and other media. This book gives you a powerful roadmap and guidance on how to leverage visual elements to tell your brand’s stories that capture customers’ hearts, increase brand awareness, and make profits.

21. Google Adwords for Beginners by Cory Rabazinsky

Marketing 4.0: Moving from Traditional to Digital Goodreads: 4.1/5

If you’re not using Google Adwords, you’re missing out on a powerful tool to drastically increase website traffic and sales. Google Adwords enables you to create pay-per-click advertising for your products and services. This type of advertisement will appear as sponsored links on the search results page when someone searches for content related to ads. You only have to pay when they click on your ads.

This book is a helpful resource for those who are interested in Google Ads and want to create a campaign on their own from scratch. If you have no idea about what to do with Google Adwords, Cory Rabazinsky will teach you the fundamentals of what you need to know about this tool, from how it works, why it works to proven techniques to make it work for your business.

22. The Zen of Social Media Marketing by Shama Hyder

The Zen of Social Media Marketing Goodreads: 4.4/5

Social media is no longer just a tool for everyone to entertain, relax, make friend,s or something else, it’s a crucial weapon for the success of businesses today.

People are using and talking more about everything on social media. Even if you don’t showcase your business on Facebook, customers who bought something from you still talk about you and your products on their status, comment, or messenger with their friends. So if you are a part of the conversation, the chance of connecting and communicating with your customers will increase.

You’ll know what your prospects are concerning, what they’re demanding for through their behaviors on social media. The key is to use social media right and smartly. Creating a social media profile, scheduling, and publishing boring content repeatedly doesn’t help at all. You need an end-to-end strategy for each social media platform. This book contains everything you need to do that.

23. The Age of Digital Marketing by Matthew Bartnik

The Age of Digital Marketing Goodreads: 4.4/5

This book is written to help you leverage Facebook - the most powerful social media platform in the world where assembles an endless pool of customers that you can tap into.

You will be covered with all the different ways to master Facebook advertising and how to use all resources Facebook provides at its fullest potential to achieve the best results. What’s more, you will learn the pros and cons of using Facebook Advertising and Google Adwords, and how you can use both to maximize your campaign effectiveness. This book helps you discover Facebook and how to advertise on this largest platform profoundly.

24. You’re My Favorite Client by Mike Monteiro

Marketing 4.0: Moving from Traditional to Digital Goodreads: 3.9/5

This book is good for someone who has started their career as a designer. It would be very helpful on the client-side. However, the lesson from the book will also be incredibly helpful for your online marketing campaign. Through this book, you will know that understanding customers’ desires are the most important factor not only in designing but also in branding or marketing.

25. Email Marketing Techniques by Paul D. Kings

Marketing 4.0: Moving from Traditional to Digital Goodreads: 4.1/5

If you are a beginner entering the world of online marketing, this book is here to help you understand the fundamentals and practical email marketing techniques. You will get to know the basic techniques for beginners that you might already know but find it confusing and complex to apply to your real-life campaign.

With some common techniques and practice in this book, you can make your email marketing campaign more effective, seamless, and profitable.

26. Hug Your Haters by Jay Baer

Marketing 4.0: Moving from Traditional to Digital Goodreads: 4.6/5

You can never satisfy everyone in life; it’s also the same with your business, advertising, or marketing. You might think that you deliver a quality product and an excellent service, but not all your customers will agree. There will always be those who disagree with you, complain, and criticize and deny your ideas. Sometimes, you just need to let them say what they want, but you can’t ignore them if you’re selling something.

We temporarily call them “haters.” This book will show you how to deal with two types of haters or complainers: offstage haters and onstage haters. Offstage haters simply want solutions to their problems and will complain directly via phone, email, or company website to get the response. For onstage haters, solutions are not enough as before they get your answers; they want to share their unpleasant experience and righteous indignation with other customers. So they usually go to social media, online review sites, or forum discussion boards to complain.

Hug Your Haters enables you to embrace complaints and turn them into good outcomes.

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Final Thoughts

Reading alone can’t make you successful; the key is to practice what you’ve learned through a book. Also, don’t buy too many books and put them in your bookshelf without opening at least once, even if you’re thirsty for discovering a new world of knowledge. It would be best to choose a book that contains information you are looking for and genuinely immerse yourself in it.