If you’ve been searching for the best social media and marketing books to sit down and read this summer, we’ve got you covered.
The world of social media and marketing is constantly evolving, with new features, trends, and platforms popping up all the time.
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With so many changes, it can sometimes be difficult to keep up. And that’s why books written by industry professionals and thought leaders are such valuable resources.
Whether you’re a marketer, small business owner, or the CEO of a large company, it’s always a great idea to upskill and increase your social media and marketing knowledge. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of fantastic books and resources on the topic. But with so much content out there, it can be difficult to know what’s actually worth reading.
That’s why we’ve done the leg work for you. Check out our list of the best social media and marketing books to read this summer. Don’t forget to check out last year’s list of books to read.
No Filter: The Inside Story of Instagram – Sarah Frier
If you loved The Social Network or Steven Levy’s Facebook: The Inside Story, you’re certain to love No Filter: The Inside Story of Instagram by Sarah Frier.
There’s no two ways about it: Instagram has fundamentally changed the way the world looks, quite literally. From filters and stickers, to influencers renting airplane sets for stage travel shoots, the way we look at fame, society, culture, communication, and business will never be the way it was before Instagram.
Who is this book for: fans of The Social Network, and people looking to learn more about one of the world’s most culturally defining apps.
Digital Darwinism: Survival of the Fittest in the Age of Business Disruption – Tom Goodwin
While Digital Darwinism may not be a newcomer (originally published in 2018) it’s certainly stood the test of time and remains as relevant as ever today.
Digital Darwinism takes an outside-the-box approach to disruptive thinking, looking to motivate and inspire people who want to excel at digital transformation.
Who this book is for: anyone interested in how new technology is threatening traditional business models.
Ultimate Guide to Social Media Marketing – Eric Butow with Mike Allton, Amanda Robinson, & Jenn Herman
Are you struggling to create compelling social media campaigns? Lost on your strategy? Unsure about organic or paid marketing? Then Ultimate Guide to Social Media Marketing is definitely worth picking up and not putting down.
Packed full of useful tips and information about the world of social media marketing and how to conquer it, Ultimate Guide to Social Media Marketing offers game-changing insights from multiple perspectives. Whether you’re looking to grow your social media team, build your business, or simply understand today’s social media platforms, there’s something in this fantastic book for everyone.
Who this book is for: Anyone interested in social media marketing, from complete beginners to experienced professionals.
The Age of Influence: The Power of Influencers to Elevate Your Brand – Neal Schaffer
If you work in marketing, run a business, or you’re an influencer, Neal Schaffer’s The Age of Influence: The Power of Influencers to Elevate Your Brand is an absolute must-read book for this summer.
We all know just how powerful influencer marketing can be, but just how do you create, implement, and sustain an effective influencer marketing campaign? It’s a question that leaves even the most experienced marketers scratching their heads. Fortunately, Schaffer is here to open your eyes to a world of influencer strategies and possibilities.
Whether it’s identifying and approaching the right influencers for your brand, managing resources during campaigns, or even turning your brand into an influencer itself, Schaffer offers a definitive guide to help you keep up in the age of the influencer.
Who is this book for: brands looking to create meaningful relationships with influencers and run effective campaigns.
Get Sh*t Done: The Ultimate Guide to Productivity, Procrastination, and Profitability – Jeffery Gitomer
Who among us doesn’t wish they could be more productive and make more money? It sounds great, right? But with some many distractions, and so many ways to procrastinate nowadays, finding that motivation can be difficult.
Jeffery Gitomer’s Get Sh*t Done: The Ultimate Guide to Productivity, Procrastination, and Profitability is here to help you, well, get sh*t done. Discover what actually causes you to procrastinate and how to beat it.
At first glance it may seem easy to dismiss Get Sh*t Done as just another edgy self-help book with a swear word in its title, but Gitomer’s offering certainly does a great job of standing out from the pack.
Who is this book for: people looking to get motivated, get up, and get going.
See You on the Internet: Building Your Small Business with Digital Marketing – Avery Swartz
Got a great idea for a small business? Not sure where to start. Well, fear not, because you’re not alone. Starting a small business is challenging, but the hardest part is taking that leap of faith and getting started. And with the rise of social media and eCommerce platforms, getting started is easier than ever before.
Avery Swartz’s See You on the Internet: Building Your Small Business with Digital Marketing runs you through a sure-fire framework to plan, implement and deliver brilliant digital marketing strategy for your small business. From setting up your website to creating social media accounts, Swartz has you covered from A to Z.
Who is this book for: Those among us stepping out into the digital world of small business.
Facebook: The Inside Story – Steven Levy
From one of the world’s most renowned tech journalists comes the definitive history of one of the world’s most influential and controversial companies: Facebook.
You may think you know the full story of Facebook, but no one knows it better than Steven Levy, who spent years reporting on the tech behemoth, with unparalleled access into the inner (and outer) workings of the company.
Who is this book for: fans of The Social Network looking for a more in-depth (and accurate) account of Facebook’s rise to world domination.
Run with Foxes: Make Better Marketing Decisions – Paul Dervan
If you’re choosing a book to read with the sole purpose of upskilling and expanding your knowledge, it’s important to make sure you’re getting your information from someone who knows what they’re talking about. And with 20 years of experience working in marketing for some of the world’s biggest brands, Paul Dervan certainly knows what he’s talking about.
Run with Foxes: Make Better Marketing Decisions is a fast-paced and shocking collection of real-life stories front the world of marketing, diving deep into some of the harsh reality of decision making in marketing.
Who is this book for: anyone who works/aspires to work in marketing.
Brand Storytelling: Put Customers at the Heart of Your Brand Story – Miri Rodriguez
The customer comes first. We’ve all heard it a million times, and that’s because it’s 100 percent true. In Miri Rodriguez’s Brand Storytelling: Put Customers at the Heart of Your Brand Story, you’ll go on a journey of brand loyalty, customer behaviour, business strategy, and humanity.
Having worked with Microsoft, Adobe, Discover, Walmart, and McKesson, you may think Rodriguez is a little bit out of your league, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. While she’s certainly worked with some of the world’s biggest brands, her message applies to all businesses, regardless of size: put your customers first.
Who is this book for: anyone struggling to really nail their brand’s story.
Myths of Social Media: Dismiss the Misconceptions and Use Social Media Effectively in Business – Ian MacRae & Michelle Carvill
Have you ever found yourself wondering, should my business even be on social media? Well, you’re not alone. Many businesses struggle with the very idea of social media. Some even find it difficult to see the point of being active online at all.
Ian MacRae and Michelle Carvill’s Myths of Social Media: Dismiss the Misconceptions and Use Social Media Effectively in Business looks deeply into the reality of social media, avoiding all the myths, fake news. Instead, MacRae and Carvill focus on the best practices for using social media for business.
This well-written and well-researched book is an absolute must-read for anyone trying to avoid all of the pitfalls and traps that go hand in hand with having your business active on social media.
Who is this book for: people looking to discover the truth around social media and how to use it effectively in business.
How to Handle a Crowd: The Art of Creating Healthy and Dynamic Online Communities – Anika Guptil
Not reading the comments is self-care. Where comment sections were once powerful tools for connection and community engagement, they’ve since become digital seas of negativity, trolling, bots, fake news.
Whether your business has an active community on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or any other social media platform, the ability to create, maintain, and moderate online communities is a crucial part of social media for all businesses.
Anika Guptil’s How to Handle a Crowd: The Art of Creating Healthy and Dynamic Online Communities will walk you through building online communities, encouraging freedom of speech, motivating your audience, keeping members of your online community safe online, and more.
Who is this book for: anyone who moderates an online community, especially special media managers.
