[Updated] 35+ Books and Blogs All Web Writers Should Read

Starting your SEO copywriting career? Check out these great resources!

Want to brush up on your online copywriting skills?

Recently, someone asked if I could send them some “must read” Web writing resources. By the time I was done, I had a very long list (27 to be exact.)

That was back in 2012.

Since then, I’ve stumbled across some great new resources. Many of them were suggested in the LinkedIn SEO Copywriting group and on Twitter (thank you!)

If you’re in the copywriting business – or just want to learn more about the wild world of copywriting, SEO/social and inbound marketing – enjoy! These books and blogs will keep you busy for a long, long time…

Copywriting, content marketing and strategy:

The Copywriter’s Handbook, by Bob Bly ***This is a must read book for all copywriters. If you’ve never read it, buy it today!

Confessions Of An Advertising Man, by David Ogilvy.

Optimize, by Lee Odden

Content Rules, by Ann Handley and C.C. Chapman

Everybody Writes, by Ann Handley

Copyblogger

Content Marketing Institute

Why people buy (consumer psychology and neuromarketing)

Influence, The Psychology of Persuasion, by Robert Cialdini

Buyology, Truth and Lies About Why We Buy, by Martin Lindstrom

Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince Customers With Neuromarketing, by Roger Dooley

Switch: How To Change Things When Change is Hard, by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

Calls to Action: Secret Formulas to Improve Online Results, by Bryan Eisenberg, Jeffrey Eisenberg and Lisa T. Davis

Roger Dooley’s blog

Social Triggers

General SEO, Internet marketing and usability

Internet Marketing In An Hour A Day, by Matt Bailey

Search Engine Marketing, Inc, by Bill Hunt and Mike Moran <—-This book has been recently updated.

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

The Last Original Idea: A Cynic’s View of Internet Marketing, by Alan K’necht and Geri Rockstein

The Best Damn Web Marketing Checklist, by Stoney deGeyter

Moz

Search Engine Land

Search Engine Watch

Search Engine Journal

UseIt.com

QuickSprout  (SEO information plus so much more!).

The SEM Post

Style and grammar guides

The Yahoo! Style Guide: The Ultimate Sourcebook for Writing, Editing and Creating Content for the Digital World, editor, Chris Barr

Elements of Grammar, by Margaret Shertzer

The Little, Brown Handbook, by Fowler and Aaron

Oxford Guide to Plain English, by Martin Cutts

Grammar Girl 

The Oatmeal’s Grammar comics

General writing suggestions

Stephen King’s On Writing

Individual blog posts

The Big List of 189 Blog Posts That Convert  (Thank you, @MichelleDLowery).

How to Start a Blog:The Beginner’s Guide to Successful Blogging

More than Keywords: 7 Concepts of Advanced On-Page SEO

What must-read resource (blog or book) did I leave out? Please add your favorites in the comments below! And check out the LinkedIn SEO Copywriting group for more suggestions.

Photo gratitude: Joe.Ross

 

12 replies
  1. Craig Wright says:

    Very useful – I was looking for this kind of information a few years ago. I’ve only read a few of those though, so it looks like the Kindle account’s going to get a battering over Christmas.

    Reply
  2. Heather Georgoudiou says:

    Great list and just in time for Christmas shopping for all my writer friends!! Thanks for sharing SuccessWorks team.

    Reply
  3. Damien says:

    Oh, and Drayton Bird – someone who has been in marketing/advertising for many many years and worked with all the greats. Still going strong and putting out daily content in his 80s.

    Reply
  4. TomMac says:

    Hi Heather:

    How about:

    Bob Bly’s “Secrets of a Freelance Writer”

    and

    Peter Bowerman’s “The Well Fed Writer”

    or

    George Orwell’s essay “Politics and The English Language” from his book “Why I Write”

    Tom McCauley

    Reply
  5. InternetLocalListings says:

    Stephen King’s “On Writing” is indispensable, no matter what kind of writing you do. Also, all those search engine blogs you mention are top-notch resources. There’s a few things on here I haven’t read though–updating my reading list tonight :)

    Reply
  6. Alina Medina says:

    “Think Like A Copywriter” by Alastaire Allday. I’ve read many books, articles, and even took a copywriting course, but I didn’t “feel” like a copywriter until I read this book. It’s entertaining to read too!

    Reply

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  1. […] [Updated] 35+ Books and Blogs All Web Writers Should Read Recently, someone asked if I could send them somemust read Web writing resources. By the time I was done, I had a very long list (27 to be exact.) That was back in 2012. Since then, Ive stumbled across some great new resources. […]

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