The best 33 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
How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age

How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age

Dale Carnegie
Time-tested advice for the digital age
4.4 (682 ratings)

What's How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age about?

How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age (2011) is a modern adaptation of Dale Carnegie’s classic text, which has helped countless individuals improve their work and personal lives by developing their interpersonal skills. Designed to help you navigate the social media age, it will guide you in using digital tools to form deeper connections with others.

Who should read How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age?

  • Change-makers wanting to increase their influence
  • Leaders seeking to motivate others
  • Managers building resilient teams

2
Stolen Focus

Stolen Focus

Johann Hari
Why You Can't Pay Attention – and How to Think Deeply Again
4.5 (1,541 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!

3
Digital Minimalism

Digital Minimalism

Cal Newport
Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World
4.5 (684 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

4
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
3.9 (118 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.

5
Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow

Gabrielle Zevin
A Novel
3.4 (26 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

6
Digital Marketing Strategy

Digital Marketing Strategy

Simon Kingsnorth
An Integrated Approach to Online Marketing
4.0 (154 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”

7
Ten Arguments for Deleting your Social Media Accounts Right Now

Ten Arguments for Deleting your Social Media Accounts Right Now

Jaron Lanier
Regain your autonomy online
4.2 (217 ratings)

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

8
The End of Marketing

The End of Marketing

Carlos Gil
Humanizing Your Brand in the Age of Social Media and AI
4.2 (233 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

9
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 (64 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

10
See You on the Internet

See You on the Internet

Avery Swartz
Building Your Small Business with Digital Marketing
4.0 (112 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

11
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

12
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 (151 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

13
The Art of Social Media

The Art of Social Media

Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick
Power Tips for Power Users
3.5 (81 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

14
The Square and the Tower

The Square and the Tower

Niall Ferguson
Networks and Power, from the Freemasons to Facebook
4.3 (54 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

15
Privacy Is Power

Privacy Is Power

Carissa Véliz
Why and How You Should Take Back Control of Your Data
4.6 (194 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

16
The Big Disconnect

The Big Disconnect

Catherine Steiner-Adair
Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age
4.0 (38 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

17
The Thank You Economy

The Thank You Economy

Gary Vaynerchuk
How social media changed business, and what that means for your company.
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

18
The Reality Game

The Reality Game

Samuel Woolley
How the Next Wave of Technology Will Break the Truth
3.9 (94 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

19
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 (94 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

20
The Gen Z Frequency

The Gen Z Frequency

Gregg L. Witt
How Brands Tune In and Build Credibility
4.0 (144 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

21
Think Like Zuck

Think Like Zuck

Ekaterina Walter
The Five Business Secrets of Facebook’s Improbably Brilliant CEO
4.2 (37 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

22
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

23
Hatching Twitter

Hatching Twitter

Nick Bilton
A True Story of Money, Power, Friendship, and Betrayal
4.5 (10 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

24
Triggered

Triggered

Donald Trump Jr.
How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us
3.9 (93 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

25
An Ugly Truth

An Ugly Truth

Sheera Frenkel and Cecilia Kang
Inside Facebook's Battle for Domination
4.1 (253 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

26
Broad Band

Broad Band

Claire L. Evans
The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the Internet
4.1 (130 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

27
Trendology

Trendology

Chris Kerns
Building an Advantage through Data-Driven Real-Time Marketing

What's Trendology about?

Trendology (2014) examines how brands can use social media such as Twitter to make direct contact with their customer base, and can benefit from tapping into trends in the social media conversation. In addition to social media theory, Trendology offers a step-by-step guide on how to build a successful social media program and succeed in real-time marketing.

Who should read Trendology?

  • Anybody working in a company’s marketing department
  • Anybody who wants to capitalize on the success of real-time marketing
  • Anybody who wants to take their brand to the next level

28
A World Gone Social

A World Gone Social

Ted Coiné and Mark Babbit
How Companies Must Adapt to Survive
4.5 (11 ratings)

What's A World Gone Social about?

Social media isn’t a temporary fad – it’s changing business culture in a big way. A World Gone Social explains why it’s important for companies to evolve their own social media tactics, and includes helpful tips for business owners who want to embrace new technologies and build them into their gameplay.

Who should read A World Gone Social?

  • Business owners who are looking for new ways to engage with customers
  • Anyone who’s interested in the way technology has changed business culture
  • Anyone who’s thinking about starting their own company

29
Reading the Comments

Reading the Comments

Joseph M. Reagle Jr.
Likers, Haters and Manipulators at the Bottom of the Web
3.1 (19 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

30
Humanize

Humanize

Jamie Notter and Maddie Grant
How People-Centric Organizations Succeed in a Social World

What's Humanize about?

In this practical guide for both business owners as well as employees, leading organization consultants Jamie Notter and Maddie Grant offer important tips for how to “humanize” corporations on both a cultural and organization level — all in order to position the company for effective growth in the social media age.

Who should read Humanize?

  • Anyone who leads a business
  • Anyone who uses social media as a marketing tool
  • Anyone who works at a corporation

31
Social Media is Bullshit

Social Media is Bullshit

B.J. Mendelson
Why social media is overhyped.
3.4 (25 ratings)

What's Social Media is Bullshit about?

Social Media Is Bullshit puts a damper on the hype around social media by unveiling the economy behind it and addressing the commonly held misconceptions about the value of social networks for business. While social media can be a valuable asset for certain companies, it is not the cure-all that marketers and social media gurus would have you believe!

Who should read Social Media is Bullshit?

  • Anyone who is considering promoting themselves or their business on social media
  • Anyone who believes that social media has somehow revolutionized marketing
  • Anyone wondering why their social media strategy isn’t working

32
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

33
Youtility

Youtility

Jay Baer
Why smart marketing is about help, not hype
4.4 (10 ratings)

What's Youtility about?

Youtility (2013) goes against the grain of accepted marketing methods by declaring that information, not promotion, is the way to win customers. Counterintuitive and refreshing methods are presented, repositioning the relationship between businesses and consumers. The book outlines examples from a wide spectrum of companies, big and small, driving home the message that by helping people and being useful instead of chasing sales, companies can prosper in the long-term.

Who should read Youtility?

  • Anyone wanting to start or grow their own business
  • Anyone interested in how social media is changing our personal and business relationships
  • Anyone looking for a fresh perspective in marketing

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