4 Must-Read Books to improve social media
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4 Must-Read Books to Improve Your Social Media Skills

4 Must Read BooksBoosting your social media skills is a constant process. I've been asked how I learned social media marketing and one of my favorite ways that I've learned is by reading books. Hosting a book club on Twitter for several years with a focus on social media and marketing books was a master class for me and the people who participated. I wanted to share four books that you should pick up to boost your skills for 2014.

First, I want to note that social media is at its heart social so working on being the best version of you is the place to start. Second, there's no fast track to learning social media. Time spent on the platforms using them is really the best way to learn but reading books can help you learn more quickly. Reading books doesn't replace the time that you need to put in to build a social media platform but it does help you figure out what to do.

Here are my book recommendations:

1. The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. The Four Agreements are: don’t take things personally, always do your best, be impeccable with your word, and don’t make assumptions. Learning that the world doesn't revolve around you and that you should always do your best seems simplistic but that's the beauty of all great advice. It seems like common sense because it's explained concisely.

“Personal importance, or taking things personally, is the maximum expression of selfishness because we make the assumption that everything is about “me.”

2. Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and more) that Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business by Ann Handley and C. C. Chapman

“A critical step in developing great content is to develop your own distinct voice.”

3. The Huffington Post Complete Guide to Blogging by the editors of the Huffington Post

Visiting The Huffington Post was one of my highlights of 2013. Arianna Huffington is one of the most classy and gracious people I've ever met and I was inspired by the team of people that she has working with her.

This book gives advice on getting started, best practices, getting noticed, building communities, and finding your voice.

4. Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions by Guy Kawasaki

“Competence means that you have progressed beyond knowing what to do, to doing what you know.”

Full disclosure: I work with Guy. Enchantment was my first book club book and was a great primer for me when I started in social media. I use much of the advice from the book on a daily basis. If you're interested in marketing or social media, it's a must read. It's also just a good read.

Some bonus choices:

Instagram Power: Build Your Brand and Reach More Customers with the Power of Pictures by Jason Miles

Fascinate: Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation by Sally Hogshead

Youtility: Why Smart Marketing is about Help, Not Hype by Jay Baer

If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland

What books have you found to be helpful with your social media marketing? I'd love to hear about them!

15 Comments

  1. Great suggestions. My two additional rrecommendations would be Optimize by Lee Odden and Jay Baer’s Youtility.

  2. Great list! I’ve read each of those except for the Four Agreements and the HuffPo one. I’d also add Epic Content Marketing by JoePulizzi

  3. I’ve read Content Rules and it is a wonderful book. I often refer back to it and I lend it out to colleagues. Every blogger needs to have this tome at his/her desk. Can you believe it that I still have’t read Enchantment? I know, I know. It’s on my list. I would also add to this list The Science of Marketing by Dan Zarrella. Wishing you a wonderful 2014, Peg!

  4. Great list Peg – The four agreements are so important for people using Social Media, as it is easy for people to worry about what they share and what others will say or think about them.  That is for me one of the key factors of being successful – understanding that negative feedback is really never personal 🙂
    So many more books that I would love to add to your list too – One in particular is Bob Burg’s …. The go-giver

    Oh and of course, being very cheeky –  There is a also the #1 best selling A DivaPrenuers Guide To Gplus 🙂

  5. CaballoFrances I have The Science of Marketing in my book pile to read. I was going to add books in my stack but last time I did that people bought them and I didn’t want to recommend things I hadn’t read yet.

  6. CarolDodsley1  This is one of the best lessons “negative feedback is really never personal.” And very important for social media.

    I’ll have to check out A DivaPrenuers Guide To Gplus. 🙂

  7. Great list!  Just an FYI: your title for #2 is missing the ER at the end of Kill.  Thanks for sharing this with us.

  8. Peg- Thank YOU! I’ve heard nice things about Content Rules. 

    Do you know if any of these titles are recorded on audiobook? I find my “reading” time lately is audiobooks in the car. (And I love to hear the author’s voice, AND I can’t skim over or speed-read the book, too!)

    Best,
    Loretta | EcoHappy Style

  9. I just read a new one for a class I’m in, Taking Your Brand from the Bench to the Playing Field, by Tracy Sestili. It was super helpful.

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