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Mar 24, 202114 min read

Don't have time to read? Some of these books offer free audio versions, so you can listen while doing the dishes or on your way to work!

20 Best Digital Marketing Books 2021

With so much to learn in digital marketing, how can you stay up to date with the latest trends and tactics?

Luckily there are digital marketing books published every year that will help keep you up to date.

And to make your life easier, we’ve rounded up our favorite picks.

Regardless if you're new to marketing, or not, these digital marketing books are sure to help anyone. With all of the books available on Amazon and many on Amazon Audible, you've got no excuse not to read them.

From content marketing to social media strategy, we've picked the best digital marketing books everyone will enjoy. Discover our favorite digital marketing books for beginners and veterans below.

Best Digital Marketing Books

1. Practical Content Strategy

practical content strategy julia mccoy
  • By Julia McCoy
  • 366 pages
  • Published 2017 by Amazon Self-Publishing

Content marketing is one of the biggest and most popular digital marketing channels today, yet very few businesses do it correctly. If you run a business, or you're trying to win bigger clients as a freelancer, then you need to understand the core concepts of a successful content plan.

In her first edition book Practical Content Strategy & Marketing, Julia McCoy the founder of a content agency, explains her approach to content creation and creating world-class quality content.

Containing step by step guides on how to go from ideas and audience research all the way to content creation and promotion, this digital marketing book has plenty of excellent tips for every digital marketer.

2. Digital Persuasion

digital persuasion erin gargan
  • By Erin King
  • 260 pages
  • Published 2017 by Lioncrest Publishing

Did you know that you are 34 times morepersuasive communicating in person than on digital platforms? Persuadingsomeone to do something face to face might be easy for most people, but doingit online can be a tricky challenge. And with marketers spending most of theirtime trying to persuade people via social media, emails and content, how do youmake sure they're listening?

Digital Persuasion: Sell Smarter in the ModernMarketplace by Erin Gargan covers every aspect of digital persuasion with herPUB method used by some of the biggest brands in the world. Learn how to igniteaction from your posts and messages in just seconds, and master the art ofdigital persuasion.

3. Hacking Growth by Sean Ellis

hacking growth sean ellis book
  • By Sean Ellis & Morgan Brown
  • 320 pages
  • Published 2017 by Currency

Unless you've been living under a rock for thepast several years, you've probably heard of growth hacking. Used by some ofthe biggest startups today, such as LinkedIn, Airbnb and Pinterest, growthhacking can supercharge any businesses marketing efforts and lead them toexplosive growth.

What better way to learn about growth hacking than from one of the pioneers Sean Ellis, a digital marketing expert and the CEO of GrowthHackers.com.

Full of practical information designed to help any business increase their customer base and market share, this book takes readers through the process of creating their own growth hacking strategy. A must-read for any entrepreneur or marketer, this book is sure to help anyone reshape their marketing plan for the future.

4. See You on the Internet

see you on the internet avery swartz
  • By Avery Swartz
  • 216 pages
  • Published 2020 by Page Two

For many small businesses, the idea ofadvertising online can be very daunting. Is it worth the time and effort? Willpeople take notice? The answer is a resounding yes!

See You On The Internet by Avery Swartz, one of America's top tech leaders, gives any business owner a step by step framework to plan and execute their brand marketing strategy. In just five simple steps, business owners will learn how to build their brand, increase their customers and ultimately generate more revenue.

Covering digital marketing topics such as social media, website development, email marketing and more, this marketing book is an essential handbook for any business that wants to thrive in the digital world.

5. 300 Email Marketing Tips

300 email marketing tips meera kothand
  • By Meera Kothand
  • 132 pages
  • Published 2019 by Amazon Self-Publishing

The concept of email marketing is often verymisunderstood by digital marketers. Inconsistent email scheduling, lacklusteremails, and no sales are just some of the things that happen when you don'thave an email marketing strategy.

Thankfully, Meera Kothand and her book 300Email Marketing Tips is going to fix all your problems and worries with herhandy how-to guide. No matter if you've never sent a marketing email before,this book covers everything from setting up your initial welcome email toplanning an editorial email calendar.

No longer is email marketing just building anemail list, in the book, you'll learn how to engage with subscribers and turnthem into buyers quicker than ever before.

6. Digital Marketing

digital marketing planning annmarie hanlon
  • By Annmarie Hanlon
  • 416 pages
  • Published 2019 by SAGE Publications Ltd

In a world of social media, email marketing, content marketing, Google ads, and SEO, which platforms do you focus on, and how do you ensure they all work together?

Digital Marketing: Strategic Planning & Integration by Annmarie Hanlon helps anyone answer that exact question. An early adopter to inbound marketing herself, Annmarie has worked with various large businesses to both plan and execute digital marketing strategies.

By outlining various digital strategies and templates, this book provides plenty of real-world examples and case studies that readers can use and learn from. Complete with PowerPoint slides, quizzes and links to free tools, this marketing book will help anyone implement a successful digital marketing strategy into any business.

7. They Ask, You Answer

they ask you answer marcus sheridan
  • By Marcus Sheridan
  • 352 pages
  • Published 2019 by Wiley

Selling to buyers is so early 1990's. In today'sworld, the sales funnel has changed dramatically. Customers want answers, not to be told what they shouldbe buying. In his book They Ask, You Answer, Marcus Sheridan will change yourmindset from trying to sell to customers, to answering their questions instead.

To be successful, businesses must focus on the questions, concerns and problems buyers have. With millions of users using search engines to find answers, having quality content to answer your target audience's questions is what makes businesses stand out.

Filled with practical tactics and insights for transforming your SEO strategy, this books has plenty of essential elements every website should possess.

8. One Million Followers

one million followers brendan kane
  • By Brendan Kane
  • 256 pages
  • Published 2018 by BenBella Books

For many businesses starting social media profiles for the first time, it can be incredibly challenging to grow your social media following. But without a strong social media presence on Facebook or other platforms, many businesses can often feel ignored and not able to get their message across to users.

In his book One Million Followers, Brendan has the answers to all your social media worries and problems. A wizard of influencer marketing, Brendan has helped plenty of celebrities and businesses grow their social media following including Taylor Swift, MTV, Sketchers and IKEA.

No matter if you want to grow your Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media platform, this book will teach you everything you need to know to build an authentic following on any platform.

9. The One Hour Content Plan

one hour content plan meera kothand
  • By Meera Kothand
  • 148 pages
  • Published 2017 by Amazon Self-Publishing

Even for experienced content creators,planning out what to write can be a difficult and tiresome task. If youstruggle to come up with content ideas that have a strong link to your productsand services, then Meera Kothand is here to help.

In this book The One Hour Content Plan, Meerateaches you the secret to generating hundreds of content ideas with ease thatwill help boost sales. But it's not just content ideas this book covers. Meeraalso shows you the five different types of content that will convert any readerto a buyer, as well as how to determine your own brand voice.

For anyone who dreads thinking up new contentideas, then this book is sure to help make your life easier.

10. Email Marketing Demystified

email marketing demystified matthew paulson
  • By Matthew Paulson
  • 254 pages
  • Published 2019 by American Consumer News

Although many marketers may believe that emailmarketing is dead as social media takes over, that's actually far from thetruth. Plenty of businesses are currently utilizing the power of emailmarketing to generate impressive results, and mostly for free!

If you've not invested the time and resourcesinto building an email marketing list, then now's the time to start.

In Email Marketing Demystified, Matthew Paulson, an email marketing expert who has grown a mailing list to over 900,000 people, shares his top strategies every email marketer should use. The book specifically covers over 15 different proven strategies to grow your mailing list, while also teaching you how to write compelling sales copy to generate important sales revenue.

Best Digital Marketing Books Online

11. How To Write Copy That Sells

how to write copy that sells ray edwards
  • By Ray Edwards
  • 186 pages
  • Published 2016 by Morgan James Publishing

Writing copy is an essential part of everydigital marketer's job. No matter if you work in email marketing, pay perclick, social media or content marketing, the ability to write copy is anessential skill. But writing good copy without seeming too "salesy"is always one of the biggest problems for many marketers.

If you're looking to sell without comingacross as too salesy, then this is a must-read book. How to Write Copy ThatSells is a step-by-step guide to writing fast and easy to read copy that bringsin the cash.

Ideal for any marketer looking to improvetheir copywriting skills, you're bound to pick up plenty of tips and techniquesin this awesome book.

12. Crushing It!

crushing it gary vaynerchuk book
  • By Gary Vaynerchuk
  • 288 pages
  • Published 2018 by Harper Business

If you haven't heard of the mysterious Gary Vaynerchuk (or simply Gary V) by now, then you must have been living under a rock. A New York Times bestselling author and influencer, Gary has utilized the power of social media and internet marketing over the years to grow his personal brand, and now he's showing you how he did it!

In Crushing It! Gary outlines a set of principles that will help anyone or business utilize the power of social media and get their message out there. In this practical book and inspiring book, Gary dissects every social media platform and gives unique tips and tricks on how anyone can amplify their message to millions and dominate the influencer marketing game.

A fun read, any social media marketer is sure to enjoy this essential social media marketing book!

13. The End of Marketing

the end of marketing book carlos gil
  • By Carlos Gil
  • 240 pages
  • Published 2019 by Kogan Page

If you haven't realized that social media isthe future of digital marketing, then you will do after reading this book. Astraditional marketing methods slowly get replaced and provide less return oninvestment, many businesses are slowly adapting to the new technology andopportunities out there.

The End of Marketing by Carlos Gil, Carlosexplores exactly how brands, agencies and marketers should be approachingmarketing in this new digital age. Discover bold content ideas while hearingfrom some of the world's largest brands and how they build smarter paid searchstrategies.

Learn how to put the "social" aspectback into social media and interact with consumers who don't want to be soldto, but engaged. Shortlisted at the Business Book Awards 2020, this book issure to be an eye-opener for many marketers.

14. The Content Fuel Framework

the content fuel framework melanie deziel
  • By Melanie Deziel
  • 204 pages
  • Published 2020 by StoryFuel Press

Have you fizzled out your content ideas aftermonths or years of working with a client? Are you desperately waiting for yournext "big content idea" to show up and save the day? Don't leaveanything to luck or chance, take your content ideas to new heights with theContent Fuel Framework book.

Written by trained journalist andaward-winning content marketer Melaine Deziel, this book teaches anyone how tomaximize creativity by systematizing it. Her simple framework catalyzes thebrainstorming process and makes idea generation effortless and almost automatic.This system allows storytellers from any industry to produce fresh story ideaspractically on-demand at any time.

A must-read for any content marketer, you can say bye-bye to your content worries.

15. Copywriting Secrets

copywriting secrets jim edwards
  • By Jim Edwards
  • 328 pages
  • Published 2019 by Author Academy Elite

Nobody is born a world-class copywriter, infact, it takes decades of practice and experience before you start bringing inthe big bucks. But what if you could cut down the learning process from decadesto years? In his book Copywriting Secrets, this is exactly what Jim Edwards isgoing to help you to do.

Whether you're a content marketer, direct mailwriter, email marketer or social media manager, your ability to create salescopy that drives people to buy determines your paycheck. And this book teachesyou how to get the best results today.

Suitable for any type of beginner orexperienced copywriter, Jim covers the best words that make people buy andplenty of other techniques to make your copy bring in more money.

Best Digital Marketing Books For Beginners

16. Building a StoryBrand

building a storybrand donald miller
  • By Donald Miller
  • 240 pages
  • Published 2017 by HarperCollins Leadership

For any digital marketer working at a brand,getting the brand's message across to customers can be a lot harder than itsounds. Not to mention that customer's don't generally care about your brand'sstory, as they only care about their own. The traditional customer hero storymay have worked for decades, but as they say, the times they are a-changin'.

In his bestselling book Building A StoryBrand,Donald Miller, the CEO of StoryBrand lays out his seven-step framework that hashelped thousands of businesses grow exponentially. By shifting the customer tobe the hero of the story and not your brand, this will dramatically change theway you do business for the better.

A great read for any digital marketer, thisbook will definitely give you lots of actionable insights for your ownbusiness.

17. Traffic Secrets

digital marketing traffic secrets russell brunson
  • By Russell Brunson
  • 352 pages
  • Published 2020 by Hay House Business

Familiar to millions, Russell Brunson is the CEO of Click Funnels and has grown his company to a $100M powerhouse in just a few short years. By utilizing the power of digital marketing and SEO (search engine optimization), Russell managed to attract millions of visitors to his business, and he's going to show you exactly how he did it.

In Traffic Secrets, Russell guides youstep-by-step on understanding who your dream customer is, discovering wherethey hang out online, and how to grab their attention. By helping you find theright people to target, you'll suddenly realize how much easier it is to makethe sale.

Taking his first-hand experience from runninghis own business, this book is sure to be an eye-opener for many digitalmarketers.

18. The Art of the Click

art of the click glenn fisher
  • By Glenn Fisher
  • 238 pages
  • Published 2018 by Harriman House

If you haven't pondered "what makespeople click?" then are you even a digital marketer?

It's no secret that more click equals moresales, but how exactly do you write copy that will encourage people to clickand buy from you? This entertaining and highly readable book has all theanswers you need.

Written by copywriting expert Glenn Fisher, Glenn dissects his decade of experience to present you with techniques, tactics and strategies that will boost both your clicks and sales. Not only will you discover the single thing every writer must do if they want to improve, but you'll also learn how to avoid waffle and make your copy more concise.

Perfect for improving your Facebook ads, landing pages and emails, this book will help anyone improve their online business.

If your click-through rate isn't looking too good, then the Art of the Click will surely help change that and boost your digital marketing success.

19. Marketing Rebellion

marketing rebellion mark schaefer
  • By Mark Schaefer
  • 318 pages
  • Published 2019 by Publisher Services

Compare any business twenty years ago to today,and things have changed a lot. Therelentless pace of technology and digital marketing has left many marketersfeeling irrelevant and lost. In today's constantly evolving world, MarkSchaefer sheds light on what businesses must be doing to succeed and stay onestep ahead.

In his book Marketing Rebellion, Mark coversvarious topics, including why businesses must be built on human impressions andnot advertising impressions and why customer loyalty is dying. He also covershow to help your customers do your marketing for you and the best steps toprovide a course-correction for any business of any size.

With so many forward-thinking marketing tipsand strategies, you'll feel safe knowing your businesses marketing plan isfully future-proofed.

20. Everybody Writes

everybody writes ann handley
  • By Ann Handley
  • 320 pages
  • Published 2014 by Wiley

With so many blogs and so much content online, how do you stand out from the crowd and attract the right customers to your website? And with attention spans decreasing, YouTube videos and GIFs taking over, who wants to read content anymore? Marketing veteran Ann Handley has been through it all and is here to give you her expert guidance into the process of creating shareable and noteworthy content that your target audience will to read.

For solopreneurs and content publishers, thisbook covers plenty of techniques to make your content stand out while alsointroducing essential content tools.

With the lessons and rules applying across allonline assets, every digital marketer will benefit from these tips to createridiculously compelling content.

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Sam Carr
Sam Carr is a content marketer with 10 years of digital marketing experience. With a keen interest in ad fraud, Sam shares all his insights on the Lunio blog.

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