The best 27 Social Media books

Social Media has become an integral part of our daily lives, shaping the way we communicate, consume information, and build relationships. To navigate this ever-evolving landscape, it's essential to understand its dynamics and best practices. Our curated book list is here to help.

These books offer valuable insights and strategies to help you master the world of social media, whether for personal or professional purposes. From building your brand to fostering authentic connections, we've got you covered. So, let's embrace the power of social media and start exploring these insightful reads!
1
Hatching Twitter

Hatching Twitter

Nick Bilton
A True Story of Money, Power, Friendship, and Betrayal
4.5 (12 ratings)

What's Hatching Twitter about?

Hatching Twitter tells the story of the four men responsible for Twitter as we know it. It’s a tale of backstabbing, superstar glory and billions of dollars that chronicles the drama and defining decisions that made Twitter what it is today.

Who should read Hatching Twitter?

  • Anyone who uses Twitter
  • Anyone who is interested in Twitter’s impact and origins
  • Anyone who works in a start-up
  • Anyone interested in the dangers of mixing business and friendship

2
The Thank You Economy

The Thank You Economy

Gary Vaynerchuk
4.3 (37 ratings)

What's The Thank You Economy about?

The Thank You Economy (2011) describes how the advent of social media has changed the relationship between companies and their customers. It shows just how critical online engagement is for companies who want to succeed, and offers tips on how companies can use social media to influence their public image along the way.

Who should read The Thank You Economy?

  • CEOs
  • Anyone in middle management
  • Anyone interested in launching a start-up

3
Platform

Platform

Michael Hyatt
How to Get Noticed in a Noisy World
3.5 (11 ratings)

What's Platform about?

The book offers detailed information on how to create compelling products, then establish an online platform to get visibility for them. These blinks will walk through the process the author, Michael Hyatt, went through to build a successful career, by mastering social media channels like Facebook and Twitter. This book will show you how you, too, can monetize your social media platform and even turn it into a career.

Who should read Platform?

  • Anybody interested in social media
  • Anybody who wants to create a successful blog or website  
  • Anybody interested in building a social media platform to enhance his or her career

4
Alone Together

Alone Together

Sherry Turkle
Why We Expect More From Technology and Less From Each Other
3.7 (50 ratings)

What's Alone Together about?

Technology has changed our lives tremendously – in some ways for the better and in some ways for the worse. Alone Together explains how even though a great deal of new technology, like smartphones and social media, is supposed to bring us together, it actually makes us lonelier in the end.

Who should read Alone Together?

  • Anyone interested in technology
  • Anyone interested in society and psychology
  • Anyone interested in how technological changes are affecting us

5
Think Like Zuck

Think Like Zuck

Ekaterina Walter
The Five Business Secrets of Facebook’s Improbably Brilliant CEO
4.3 (41 ratings)

What's Think Like Zuck about?

Think Like Zuck takes an in-depth look at the five principles that made Facebook the successful company it is today. With plenty of insight into founder Mark Zuckerberg’s inspiring approach to leadership and examples from other top technology companies, the author creates a roadmap for success for any aspiring entrepreneur.

Who should read Think Like Zuck?

  • Entrepreneurs and start-up pioneers
  • Facebook fans
  • Anyone who wants to gain insight into Facebook, and how Mark Zuckerberg thinks

6
The Art of Social Media

The Art of Social Media

Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick
Power Tips for Power Users
3.6 (85 ratings)

What's The Art of Social Media about?

The Art of Social Media reveals the most effective ways to promote yourself or your product professionally on social media platforms. The authors explain how to get the most of the many dominant social media platforms today, including Google+, Facebook, Twitter and others.

Who should read The Art of Social Media?

  • Anyone who wants to better promote their business
  • Anyone who wants to gain a wider audience on social media
  • Anyone looking to optimize their profile on social media sites

7
Spin Sucks

Spin Sucks

Gini Dietrich
Communication and Reputation Management in the Digital Age
4.2 (12 ratings)

What's Spin Sucks about?

Spin Sucks (2014) cuts through the out-dated marketing clichés and updates business communication for the social media age, where customer service blurs into brand messaging and every misstep is preserved for posterity. It teaches you how to maximize your SEO power and content marketing to reach – and retain – an audience for your product.

Who should read Spin Sucks?

  • Business leaders who are curious about content marketing
  • PR professionals
  • Entrepreneurs who want to develop a social media and content marketing strategy

8
The Big Disconnect

The Big Disconnect

Catherine Steiner-Adair
Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age
4.0 (40 ratings)

What's The Big Disconnect about?

The Big Disconnect (2013) is about the current generation of babies, toddlers and children growing up in the digital world. Digital media, from online games to social networking sites, have a profound impact on a child’s development, both intellectually and socially. These blinks outline the reasons why, and what parents can do to try to keep their children safe from these developmental hindrances.

Who should read The Big Disconnect?

  • Parents and parents-to-be
  • Teachers
  • Anyone interested in sociology, technology or education

9
Reading the Comments

Reading the Comments

Joseph M. Reagle Jr.
Likers, Haters and Manipulators at the Bottom of the Web
3.2 (20 ratings)

What's Reading the Comments about?

Reading the Comments (2015) delves into the social phenomenon of online commentary. These blinks explore how online commenting became the force it is and examine commenting’s positive and negative influence on communication at large. Importantly, these blinks encourage you to think about the implications of online comments for the modern internet user.

Who should read Reading the Comments?

  • Readers fascinated by online commentary
  • People keen to learn about new modes of communication
  • Students majoring in communication studies

10
Digital Minimalism

Digital Minimalism

Cal Newport
Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World
4.5 (735 ratings)

What's Digital Minimalism about?

Digital Minimalism (2018) is a practical guide to navigating today’s media landscape, where multiple billion-dollar companies are out to keep your eyes as glued to their platforms as possible. Fortunately, there is growing skepticism surrounding new technology and digital media. People are eager to regain their autonomy and, while they’re at it, live more satisfying and healthy lives. With these tools and methods, you too can regain the focus and productivity that comes from stepping back from new technology.

Who should read Digital Minimalism?

  • Anyone feeling overwhelmed with social media
  • People looking for tips to boost productivity
  • News junkies in need of a detox

What's Ten Arguments for Deleting your Social Media Accounts Right Now about?

Ten Arguments for Deleting your Social Media Accounts Right Now (2018) is a modern-day cri de coeur. It offers, with ten distinct arguments, an all but irrefutable case for deleting your social media accounts. From their ethically dubious data-selling practices to the way they manipulate users, current social media companies are doing society a major disservice. Your best option right now is to delete your accounts until better options emerge.

Who should read Ten Arguments for Deleting your Social Media Accounts Right Now?

  • Social media users
  • Smartphone owners
  • Sociologists

12
The Square and the Tower

The Square and the Tower

Niall Ferguson
Networks and Power, from the Freemasons to Facebook
4.4 (57 ratings)

What's The Square and the Tower about?

Our networked lives are often seen as a product of the recent past. After all, didn’t the internet, social media, globalized trade and international terrorist networks first emerge in the late twentieth century? Renowned historian Niall Ferguson begs to differ. Providing a sweeping overview of Western history, from the birth of the printing press to the election of Donald Trump, The Square and the Tower (2018) offers a compelling argument that networks have been a key driver of historical change for a very long time and will only become more important in the future.

Who should read The Square and the Tower?

  • History buffs who love grand theories about the past
  • Anyone who’s befuddled by recent political events
  • Social media professionals keen to learn how networks can change the world

13
The Gen Z Frequency

The Gen Z Frequency

Gregg L. Witt, Derek E. Baird
How Brands Tune In and Build Credibility
4.0 (147 ratings)

What's The Gen Z Frequency about?

The Gen Z Frequency (2018) offers a blueprint for brands seeking to connect and build meaningful relationships with Generation Z. In addition to providing insight into the minds of this growing demographic, the authors give actionable advice on content strategy, marketing, social media, and more. 

Who should read The Gen Z Frequency?

  • Brands and organizations trying to reach Generation Z
  • Marketers looking to connect with youth culture
  • Business owners seeking to identify their target audience

14
Triggered

Triggered

Donald Trump Jr.
How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us
3.9 (97 ratings)

What's Triggered about?

In Triggered (2019), Trump Jr. presents an excoriating critique of contemporary left-wing politics in the United States. These blinks expose what Trump Jr. perceives as the violent and hypocritical tactics used by the left to advance its agenda, from rampant political correctness to online abuse. They also explore the author’s belief that the greatest threat to freedom of speech today comes from the left.

Who should read Triggered?

  • Conservatives who want to defend themselves against hostility from the left
  • Liberals who want to engage with conservative ideas 
  • Anyone who wants to better understand the forces influencing their views and language today

15
The End of Marketing

The End of Marketing

Carlos Gil
Humanizing Your Brand in the Age of Social Media and AI
4.2 (237 ratings)

What's The End of Marketing about?

The End of Marketing (2020) is a guide to how brands should use social media. In an age when traditional marketing is no more, businesses must find ways to give their brands a human face, to capture the attention of social media users and win their trust.

Who should read The End of Marketing?

  • Businesspeople who are unsure how to use social media
  • Traditional marketers catching up with the changing marketplace
  • Digital marketers who are looking to hone their strategies

16
Broad Band

Broad Band

Claire L. Evans
The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the Internet
4.1 (131 ratings)

What's Broad Band about?

Broad Band (2018) tells the story of the women who played significant roles in the evolution of computers and the internet. It examines how these women became trailblazers in fields of work that were initially considered boring – but later proved to be of great importance.

Who should read Broad Band ?

  • Young women interested in pursuing a career in computer science
  • Computer scientists and engineers
  • People interested in how women have shaped our world

17
See You on the Internet

See You on the Internet

Avery Swartz
Building Your Small Business with Digital Marketing
4.1 (126 ratings)

What's See You on the Internet about?

See You on the Internet (2020) is a simple guide to navigating the world of digital marketing. If you’ve ever felt intimidated by the thought of building a website or running an email marketing campaign, See You on the Internet will walk you through planning, implementing, and measuring your digital marketing efforts.

Who should read See You on the Internet?

  • Small business owners interested in digital marketing
  • Digital and social media managers
  • People interested in marketing strategy

18
Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen

Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen

Michelle Icard
The Essential Conversations You Need to Have with Your Kids Before They Start High School
4.0 (71 ratings)

What's Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen about?

Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen (2020) tackles the thorny subject of communicating with tweens – those adolescents between the ages of ten and fourteen who are beginning to pull away from their parents and close down lines of communication. This is the age at which “big” topics like sexuality, money, and life choices are more important than ever. But it’s also the age at which having a conversation with your child is harder than ever before. So what can parents do? Well, it’s time to learn a new way of talking with, and not at, your tween. 

Who should read Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen?

  • Relationship-builders struggling to talk with their tweens
  • Worriers who want the best for their kids
  • Parents of younger children preparing for the next step

19
The Reality Game

The Reality Game

Samuel Woolley
How the Next Wave of Technology Will Break the Truth
3.9 (99 ratings)

What's The Reality Game about?

The Reality Game (2020) sheds light on the murky world of “computational propaganda” – political manipulation using digital tools. Samuel Woolley argues that fake news, viral conspiracy theories, and Twitter bot armies don’t just sow confusion and discord; in his view, they also subvert the democratic process. That means it’s high time we fought back and reclaimed our digital space from today’s unaccountable mega-platforms. 

Who should read The Reality Game?

  • Citizens worried about the future of democracy
  • Digital natives and social media addicts 
  • Skeptics wondering how to tell the difference between real and fake news

20
Privacy Is Power

Privacy Is Power

Carissa Véliz
Why and How You Should Take Back Control of Your Data
4.6 (202 ratings)

What's Privacy Is Power about?

Privacy is Power (2020) is a shocking exposé of the inner workings of surveillance capitalism. It reveals how, every day, hundreds of interested parties are violating your privacy and capitalizing on your personal data. Corporations, governments, and criminals alike are all busy collecting and exploiting your data in an effort to influence the way you think and behave. In these blinks, you’ll learn why your privacy is so important and what you can do to protect it.

Who should read Privacy Is Power?

  • Those perturbed by governments and corporations snooping on our private lives
  • People untroubled by digital surveillance because they believe they have nothing to hide
  • Anyone looking for actionable ways to protect their privacy now

21
The Hidden Psychology of Social Networks

The Hidden Psychology of Social Networks

Joe Federer
How Brands Create Authentic Engagement by Understanding What Motivates Us
4.2 (96 ratings)

What's The Hidden Psychology of Social Networks about?

The Hidden Psychology of Social Networks (2020) describes how brands can create effective and authentic content by understanding the basics of human psychology. Drawing on Freudian psychoanalysis, it gets to the bottom of our online habits and shows brands how to connect with people on a deeper level.

Who should read The Hidden Psychology of Social Networks?

  • Brand strategists at companies big or small
  • Content creators of any type
  • Those curious about how brands are trying to get their attention

22
Likeable Social Media

Likeable Social Media

Dave Kerpen
How To Delight Your Customers, Create an Irresistible Brand, & Be Generally Amazing On All Social Networks That Matter
4.3 (155 ratings)

What's Likeable Social Media about?

Likeable Social Media (2011) is a handy guide to promoting your business on social media. This manual shows the best strategies for garnering positive attention on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more.

Who should read Likeable Social Media?

  • Business owners looking to catch some positive attention
  • Marketers learning to ropes of online advertising
  • Anyone who wants to get the most out of their social media pages

23
An Ugly Truth

An Ugly Truth

Sheera Frenkel and Cecilia Kang
Inside Facebook's Battle for Domination
4.0 (259 ratings)

What's An Ugly Truth about?

An Ugly Truth (2021) is a critical look behind the scenes of Facebook. This in-depth investigation reveals the politics and personalities animating the rise and subsequent missteps of this controversial social media behemoth.

Who should read An Ugly Truth?

  • Internet addicts looking to understand cyberspace
  • Political junkies addicted to their News Feed
  • Anyone who has ever logged on to social media

24
Digital Marketing Strategy

Digital Marketing Strategy

Simon Kingsnorth
An Integrated Approach to Online Marketing
4.1 (168 ratings)

What's Digital Marketing Strategy about?

Digital Marketing Strategy (2016) is a guide to effective marketing in the digital age. From content marketing to social media and SEO, it offers a whistle-stop tour of the latest techniques and developments in this fast-moving and exciting domain.

Who should read Digital Marketing Strategy?

  • Businesspeople interested in the ever-changing world of digital marketing
  • Entrepreneurs who want to take marketing into their own hands
  • Anyone puzzled by jargon terms like “SEO,” “paid search,” and “functional content”

25
Stolen Focus

Stolen Focus

Johann Hari
Why You Can't Pay Attention – and How to Think Deeply Again
4.5 (1,646 ratings)

What's Stolen Focus about?

Stolen Focus (2022) begins with author Johann Hari experiencing a common problem: his attention span is diminishing. He can’t seem to focus on much outside of Twitter and online news. Over three years, Hari tries to identify the root causes of this problem. He uncovers a collective attention crisis that’s affecting the entire globe. From social media to the culture of productivity, Hari identifies the culprits behind our stolen focus – and wonders if, and how, we can claim it back.

Who should read Stolen Focus?

  • Anyone who feels like they just can’t concentrate the way they used to
  • Multitaskers with brimming to-do lists who still feel like they don’t get much done
  • Anyone scrolling through social media while they’re reading this!

26
The Internet Is Not What You Think It Is

The Internet Is Not What You Think It Is

Justin E.H. Smith
A History, A Philosophy, A Warning
4.0 (137 ratings)

What's The Internet Is Not What You Think It Is about?

The Internet Is Not What You Think It Is (2022) offers startlingly new ways of understanding the world wide web, and strongly challenges us to examine our long-held beliefs about the supremacy of human cognition. It confronts our most closely-held (and least examined) ideas about the internet and social media, and weaves together observations from centuries of philosophy, mathematics, science and history.

Who should read The Internet Is Not What You Think It Is?

  • Those feeling overwhelmed by the pace of life in the information age 
  • Anyone worried about the addictive side of social media 
  • The Zoom-fatigued looking for better ways to connect.

27
Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow

Gabrielle Zevin
A Novel
3.4 (37 ratings)

What's Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow about?

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow (2022) by Gabrielle Zevin tells the story of Sadie and Sam, childhood friends turned creative collaborators and video game designers. The novel charts the tumultuous highs and lows of Sam and Sadie’s friendship against the vividly realized backdrop of the gaming industry at the turn of the 21st century. 

Who should read Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow?

  • Anyone intrigued by the idea of creative partnerships
  • Anyone with even a passing interest in video games
  • Anyone who’s ever had, or lost, a friend

Related Topics

Social Media Books
 FAQs 

What's the best Social Media book to read?

While choosing just one book about a topic is always tough, many people regard Hatching Twitter as the ultimate read on Social Media.

What are the Top 10 Social Media books?

Blinkist curators have picked the following:
  • Hatching Twitter by Nick Bilton
  • The Thank You Economy by Gary Vaynerchuk
  • Platform by Michael Hyatt
  • Alone Together by Sherry Turkle
  • Think Like Zuck by Ekaterina Walter
  • The Art of Social Media by Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick
  • Spin Sucks by Gini Dietrich
  • The Big Disconnect by Catherine Steiner-Adair
  • Reading the Comments by Joseph M. Reagle Jr.
  • Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

Who are the top Social Media book authors?

When it comes to Social Media, these are the authors who stand out as some of the most influential:
  • Nick Bilton
  • Gary Vaynerchuk
  • Michael Hyatt
  • Sherry Turkle
  • Ekaterina Walter