Top 25 Books Every Blogger Should Read

It might seem backward to read a book about blogs instead of doing all your research on the internet, but books are still some of the best ways to immerse yourself in a subject and get a thorough overview. Plus, a blogger needs to at least be knowledgeable in copywriting, advertising, marketing, organization, design, and (oh yeah!) writing. That’s a lot of research!

Thankfully, we’ve distilled a number of subjects down to just 25 books that every blogger should read, in alphabetical order. Check out the comments to see which ones we’ve missed, or add your favorite!

Blogging for Business: Everything You Need to Know and Why You Should Care by Shel Holtz and Ted Demopoulos

A lighthearted look at business blogs, both internal and external, with plenty of advice for the technologically-challenged.

Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene M. Schwartz

Advertising strategies to set you apart from the pack and master successful copywriting and marketing.

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

Most of these books are for more than just blogs, but this one in particular: if you’re creating any kind of online content, you need to make it right.

The Corporate Blogging Book: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know to Get It Right by Debbie Weil

If your company is ready to start a corporate blog, try out this book as a first primer to truly connect with customers.

Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuk

Take charge of your passion, turn it into a business, and grow it with social media.

Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability by Steve Krug

Start thinking about your website the way that your users think about your website.

The Economics of Attention: Style and Substance in the Age of Information by Richard A. Lanham

What do people pay attention to? How can you get more attention from people by making your work easier to consume and understand?

The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber

If you are striking out on your own as a business owner, figure out how to solve the problems outlined in this book before you run into them yourself.

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen

Seldom has one simple, practical book met such acclaim, but millions now swear by the productivity practices in Getting Things Done.

Hot Text: Web Writing That Works! by Jonathan and Lisa Price

If you just want to get down to writing without worrying how it will turn out, learn how to write for the web.

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini

You need to understand how people think before trying to communicate with them or sell them anything.

Method Marketing: How to make a fortune by getting inside the heads of your customers by Dension Hatch

A great lesson in direct marketing, with a number of examples of things that worked and things that didn’t.

Naked Conversations: How Blogs are Changing the Way Businesses Talk with Customers by Robert Scoble and Shel Israel

Blogs connect with customers directly and constantly – take advantage of that and leverage it for your own blog and business.

Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz

Your blog, your business, and your success is built on relationships, so keep getting to know people and leveraging the power of networking.

Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy

The basics of advertising from the best in the business. Old, but still valuable.

On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser

This basic book on writing is a classic that has stood the test of time.

Publish and Prosper: Blogging for Your Business by DL Byron and Steve Broback

A practical book to prepare you for your first business blog, complete with case studies.

Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin

Get ready to stand out and be noticed.

ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income by Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett

This book isn’t just about creating a blog or monetizing it – it walks you all the way through the process.

Raving Fans: A Revolutionary Approach To Customer Service by Ken Blanchard, Sheldon Bowles and Harvey Mackay

Common sense customer service presented in a parable of a company that isn’t satisfied by just having satisfied customers.

The Rise of the Creative Class: And How It’s Transforming Work, Leisure, Community, and Everyday Life by Richard Florida

Bloggers are changing the world – and so are people in a wide range of creative endeavors.

Serious Creativity: Using the Power of Lateral Thinking to Create New Ideas by Edward De Bono

Brainstorm your best ideas yet by learning the best way to think creatively.

A Technique for Producing Ideas by James Young

Another book on creativity and idea generation for copywriters and marketers.

Twitter Power 2.0: How to Dominate Your Market One Tweet at a Time by Joel Comm and Anthony Robbins

Using Twitter to build relationships, have conversations, and grow your business.

Write It Right: The Ground Rules for Self-Editing Like the Pros by Dawn Josephson and Lauren Hidden

Often, one of the hardest things about blogging is being the only person responsible for your content. This includes writing well as well as touching up grammatical mistakes.

Think of any more book suggestions? Add them in the comments: