12 Social Media Books Website Owners Should Be Reading In 2021

If you want to increase traffic to your website, social media is invaluable. It puts your potential readers (and customers) one click away from content or products you know they’ll love. And beyond that, social media gives you a way to spread your brand, listen to what customers are saying and provide stellar customer service.

While you may already have profiles on the major social platforms, you may not be harnessing their true power. These business-minded marketing books will help you get more out of the time, effort and advertising money you put in. Plus, many of them will help website owners in other areas. You’ll also learn how to create a personalized customer journey and ways to use super-new methods like artificial intelligence.

Pricing is for the lowest-cost version of the book, not including audiobooks. It’s rounded up to the nearest dollar.

1. 500 Social Media Marketing Tips: Essential Advice, Hints and Strategy for Business by Andrew Macarthy

While the date on this book is 2018, the description says it was updated in late 2020. And either way, with 500 bite-sized tips across the major social media platforms, there will be plenty to try out that are still relevant and effective today. Don’t have a ton of time to devote to social media marketing? Want to supplement your current strategy with a few new tactics that are worth a whirl? This book is an excellent buy (especially at just $5 for the Kindle version).

Price: $5 | More Information

2. The Age of Influence: The Power of Influencers to Elevate Your Brand by Neal Schaffer

This book is much more niched down than the others on this list. If you’re looking to get involved in influencer marketing, this how-to guide covers all the basics so you can start leveraging influencers in your field. It also delves into word-of-mouth marketing, particularly when it comes to fans and happy customers who have the potential to be influencers or advocates themselves.

Price: $10 | More Information

3. Content Chemistry by Andy Crestodina

Content Chemistry is a smart must-have for website owners who are just getting started with online marketing. It’s also helpful for longtime marketers who want to brush up on new best practices and tactics. There’s also a workbook component to it, which makes the book more actionable than most. And if your website is content-focused – like a blog – you’ll get even more out of this book, since much of it talks about content creation.

Price: $9 | More Information

4. Crushing It!: How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business and Influence – and How You Can, Too by Gary Vaynerchuk

If you’re brand new to the world of social media marketing, get used to hearing Vaynerchuk’s name – he’s a leader in the field. In Crushing It!, he helps any entrepreneur, regardless of their industry, use social media to showcase and boost their brand. On top of talking about the usual networks, he also dives into podcast platforms.

Price: $11 | More Information

5. Fanocracy: Turning Fans Into Customers and Customers Into Fans by David Meerman Scott and Reiko Scott

Okay, so this isn’t exactly a social media marketing book. However, it’s still a should-read for website owners (and business owners in general). It’s about creating relationships with customers, and many of the strategies are classic and time-tested instead of cutting-edge and trendy. You can then take what you learned and use it in your social media engagements.

Price: $15 | More Information

6. Faster, Smarter, Louder: Master Attention in a Noisy Digital Market by Aaron Agius and Gian Clancey

This is a good choice if you like reading firsthand experiences from business owners who found their way to success. The authors discuss what they did to buoy their tiny digital marketing agency. They go far beyond ad and SEO strategies, too. Instead, this book focuses on how to be an authentic brand, provide value to your audience and genuinely connect with customers.

Price: $7 | More Information

7. Likeable Social Media by Dave Kerpen

The third edition of this book came out in 2019, with updated information about and case studies from the major social media networks. There’s also advice delivered by social media pros, who always seem to have the high-performing and unique tips you don’t get anywhere else. Plus, there’s information about marketing types, not just platforms. Learn about mobile, paid media and video, which you can then adapt to your preferred social platform.

Price: $16 | More Information

8. Marketing Rebellion: The Most Human Company Wins by Mark Schaefer

In Marketing Rebellion, the author goes in-depth on the topic of developing an authentically human company. Why? For the sake of improving customer loyalty. Recent marketing trends are covered, as are ways to truly deliver a customized experience. You can go beyond quick fixes and value-less consolation prizes.

Price: $10 | More Information

9. The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use Content Marketing, Podcasting, Social Media, AI, Live Video, and Newsjacking to Reach Buyers Directly by David Meerman Scott

This is the seventh edition of the book, which is frequently updated to include the newest marketing strategies. On top of learning social media strategies, you’ll also dive into topics about live video, A.I. and podcasting. All of that can be used in conjunction with social media. Plus, related topics are covered, like customer service and public relations, making this one of the more well-rounded business and marketing books on this list.

Price: $14 | More Information

10. One Million Followers: How I Built a Massive Social Following in 30 Days by Brendan Kane

If you’re looking to quickly grow your Instagram following, pick up this book. You’ll learn how to create the type of engaging content that will score you a larger fan base, and fast. On day one, set your 30-day goal. See how close you come to reaching it – or how far you surpass it.

Price: $20 | More Information

11. Social Media Marketing Workbook: How to Use Social Media for Business by Jason McDonald

The 2021 version of this workbook includes what you should know right now about the most up-to-date marketing methods, including those for TikTok. Aside from that, the author walks you through marketing steps for the other major platforms. And in addition to worksheets that take you through the process, there are companion videos to illustrate the book’s points even more.

Price: $23 | More Information

12. Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith

Instead of just giving you advice on how to craft content and post on social media, Trust Agents tackles a more specific goal: how businesses can use social media to create or improve their reputation with customers. There’s still plenty in here about social media marketing strategies and tips for using different apps and platforms, but it’s all with the intent of building a more trusting audience. There are also case studies and targeted strategies for distinct industries, like hospitality and nonprofit.

Price: $9 | More Information

Final Thoughts About Social Media Books

Since the world of social media is ever-changing, we chose only books published in very recent years. However, make sure that the specific tactics you choose to use are relevant to your specific audience and still suitable for the platform’s algorithm. Even a book published in 2021 can become outdated quickly if an algorithm or guidelines changes.

It’s always best to vary your approach on social media and test which strategies have the best results. Our quick guide to social media holidays will help you plan some of your content for those days you just don’t know what to post about.