Social media changes fast. Remember MySpace from the social media Stone Age? Once you mastered the ins and outs of Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, then Instagram and Snapchat come along. To stay grounded amidst the constant change, I like to take refuge in some classic social media books.
Sure, you could head over to Google and spend hours searching for the latest advice on social media marketing. Or you could go ‘old school‘ and read some social media books from the top social media experts.
Add these books to your reading list for a ‘do-it-yourself’ education in social media marketing.
Top Social Media Books: Start with the Basics
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
By Robert Cialdini
Why is Influence one of the most recommended books by digital marketing experts like Copyblogger’s Brian Clark and others?
Before the birth of Facebook or even MySpace, Robert Cialdini wrote about the effect the opinions of our friends and peers have on our actions and decisions. That’s because it’s a key factor of human nature. We want to know what our friends do, think and say. Influence will help you understand the reasons why social media works.
Content is Still King
Social media starts with great content. In order to stand out from the millions, maybe billions of cat videos and other social media updates online you need to have interesting content to grab your reader’s attention.
Epic Content Marketing
By Joe Pulizzi
Storytelling is the most important tool in your content marketing arsenal. Joe Pulizzi (Content Marketing Institute) gives you the run down on the process of creating an effective and engaging content marketing strategy.
The Art of Social Media
By Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick
We know Guy Kawasaki from his days as the chief evangelist of Apple. Now he has joined Peg Fitzpatrick at Canva, the online design service. This book will help you to create a marketing strategy that attracts followers with social media and blogging. And it also highlights the capabilities of Canva, which helps non-artists create graphics for social posts.
It’s About Marketing
Purple Cow
By Seth Godin
Seth is the godfather of online marketing. As the author of Permission Marketing, The Dip, and All Marketers are Storytellers, he has been a thought leader and changed the way people think about marketing and social media. By using the examples of companies like Apple, Starbucks, and Krispy Kreme, Purple Cow emphasizes the importance of being remarkable.
Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World
By Gary Vaynerchuk
Before Gary Vaynerchuk was a New York Times best-selling author (Crush It) he made a name for himself in the social media world by promoting his family’s wine business with his fast-talking and in-your-face style videos.
In his third book, Gary V shows you how to adapt your current content marketing strategy using mobile and social media platforms, like Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram.
No Bullshit Social Media: The All-Business, No-Hype Guide to Social Media Marketing
By Jason Falls and Erik Deckers
As one of the founders of Social Media Explorer, Jason Falls knows the ins and outs of social media. Along with Erik Decker he serves up a practical guide for both the beginner and the more advanced marketer. You’ll learn that social media is not just for posting pictures of your lunch, but how it can work for your business.
Practice Makes Perfect
Social Media Marketing Workbook: How to Use Social Media for Business
by Jason McDonald, Ph.D.
This is currently one of the best-selling social media marketing books on Amazon.com. In this book, Jason puts his skills to take advantage of free marketing opportunities on various social media platforms as well as posting strategies and free social media marketing tools. A great read for practical and effective marketers of big and small businesses!
But Wait, There’s More!
Finally, these three social media books represent some of my personal favorites.
- UnMarketing by Scott Stratton
- Social Media Explained by Mark W. Schaefer
- And I’ve got to pay tribute to Your LinkedIn Professional Network by Lissa Duty and John J. Nosal, the drivers behind Rocks Digital
What are your favorite social media marketing books?
