100 books like Content Chemistry

By Andy Crestodina,

Here are 100 books that Content Chemistry fans have personally recommended if you like Content Chemistry. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content

Melanie Deziel

From my list on how writers can avoid being replaced by AI.

Why am I passionate about this?

Professionally, I’ve been a journalist, author, speaker, marketer, adjunct professor, consultant, startup founder, and more; but at my core, I’m a storyteller and a lifelong student. I read voraciously about creativity, writing, media, marketing, psychology, and design, and I’m fascinated by drawing connections between these things. (I’m still allowed to say “read” when I mostly consume audiobooks, right?) I’m currently focused on helping other creators and storytellers master their craft, refine their big ideas, and figure out their unique differentiators, through The Creator Kitchen, the mastermind program I run with fellow creator Jay Acunzo.

Melanie's book list on how writers can avoid being replaced by AI

Melanie Deziel Why did Melanie love this book?

Ok, you caught me. I recommended the first edition of this book in a previous list. But this, my friends, is the second edition which, as the cover art indicates, is 10% funnier than the first.

Ann’s work is a testament to the power of honing your unique voice in a way that makes your work easy to identify, clearly differentiated, and dang near impossible to recreate well. Now that we’re battling it out against generative AI, not just other writers, this book serves as both an instructional guide and a case study on developing a distinct voice, in and of itself. 

By Ann Handley,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Everybody Writes as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Finally a go-to guide to creating and publishing the kind of content that will make your business thrive. Everybody Writes is a go-to guide to attracting and retaining customers through stellar online communication, because in our content-driven world, every one of us is, in fact, a writer. If you have a web site, you are a publisher. If you are on social media, you are in marketing. And that means that we are all relying on our words to carry our marketing messages. We are all writers. Yeah, but who cares about writing anymore? In a time-challenged world dominated by…


Book cover of They Ask, You Answer: A Revolutionary Approach to Inbound Sales, Content Marketing, and Today's Digital Consumer

Kevin Stansfield Author Of The BIG Dipper: How to Survive the Rollercoaster Ride of Business Ownership

From my list on helping build a great business.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been around businesses most of my life. Both my parents ran them, and as an accountant and business coach, I have helped many grow and be successful. I have also seen many businesses fail, including my father’s, and so I have been passionate about what it takes to build a successful business for many years. I am constantly on the lookout for great authors who have been through a journey and learn from their successes and failures. It was hard to select only 5 books in this review as I have read so many, but I hope that you find these as useful as I have.

Kevin's book list on helping build a great business

Kevin Stansfield Why did Kevin love this book?

I am always on the lookout to learn from experts in their field, and Marcus Sheridan is clearly one of these. Having built his swimming pool business to a Multimillion dollar revenue, it was great of him to put his marketing lessons into this book so that people like me could copy them.

His insights into building a website into an industry-leading reference site that pulls in so much more business were a revelation. He gave a clear structure on where to start, what to include, and how to make the search engines love the content that I post.

By Marcus Sheridan,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked They Ask, You Answer as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The revolutionary guide that challenged businesses around the world to stop selling to their buyers and start answering their questions to get results; revised and updated to address new technology, trends, the continuous evolution of the digital consumer, and much more

In today's digital age, the traditional sales funnel-marketing at the top, sales in the middle, customer service at the bottom-is no longer effective. To be successful, businesses must obsess over the questions, concerns, and problems their buyers have, and address them as honestly and as thoroughly as possible. Every day, buyers turn to search engines to ask billions of…


Book cover of The Content Fuel Framework: How to Generate Unlimited Story Ideas

Joe Pulizzi Author Of Content Inc.: Start a Content-First Business, Build a Massive Audience and Become Radically Successful

From my list on content creation and content marketing.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a content creator for over 20 years now. I’ve written six books on content creation and content marketing and founded two companies dedicated to helping companies create better content (The Tilt for content entrepreneurs and Content Marketing Institute for enterprise marketers). Some people credit me for coining the term “content marketing,” but really I only popularized it. Oh, and I’m very passionate about the color orange.

Joe's book list on content creation and content marketing

Joe Pulizzi Why did Joe love this book?

Many times, content creators don’t focus on the entire plan…from the initial creation of the text, the audio, the video through to measurement. Well, fret no longer. Melanie takes her personal experience as well as interviews with content creators at companies around the world to develop a framework that works. The step-by-step format is can’t miss.

By Melanie Deziel,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Content Fuel Framework as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Marketers struggling to create engaging content will have a savior in The Content Fuel Framework. The Focus + Format approach is a simple yet highly effective way to inspire numerous rich ideas to rescue any content marketing program."
—Lee Odden, CEO and Co-Founder of TopRank Marketing

In The Content Fuel Framework, trained journalist and award-winning content marketer Melanie Deziel shows you how to maximize your creativity by systematizing it. This simple framework catalyzes the brainstorming process, making idea generation effortless and nearly automatic. No more writer's block. No more asking "what should I post?" No more waiting for that "big…


Book cover of Cumulative Advantage: How to Build Momentum for Your Ideas, Business and Life Against All Odds

Joe Pulizzi Author Of Content Inc.: Start a Content-First Business, Build a Massive Audience and Become Radically Successful

From my list on content creation and content marketing.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a content creator for over 20 years now. I’ve written six books on content creation and content marketing and founded two companies dedicated to helping companies create better content (The Tilt for content entrepreneurs and Content Marketing Institute for enterprise marketers). Some people credit me for coining the term “content marketing,” but really I only popularized it. Oh, and I’m very passionate about the color orange.

Joe's book list on content creation and content marketing

Joe Pulizzi Why did Joe love this book?

Mark Schaefer has written countless books about marketing throughout the years, but Cumulative Advantage may be his best. In it, Mark goes through a very simple formula for how a content creator can take advantage of certain opportunities to rise above all the other content clutter out there. The book is not only incredibly helpful but also funny.

By Mark W. Schaefer,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Cumulative Advantage as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

We live in a world where being "great" may not be enough. We need momentum.


From the best-selling author of "KNOWN" and "Marketing Rebellion" comes a practical guidebook to building unstoppable momentum for your ideas and your business -- even when the odds seem stacked against you. Filled with motivating ideas and fascinating case studies, "Cumulative Advantage" is an indispensable and practical source of inspiration for the entrepreneur, business leader, and every person with a dream that's ready to take flight.


You will learn:


- How the initial advantage that drives momentum comes from everyday ideas.

- The inside secrets…


Book cover of Valuable Content Marketing: How to Make Quality Content Your Key to Success

Henneke Duistermaat Author Of How to Write Seductive Web Copy: An Easy Guide to Picking Up More Customers

From my list on writing for the web.

Why am I passionate about this?

In 2012, I escaped my corporate job to found Enchanting Marketing. I had discovered I love writing and I love teaching people how to write even more. I help small business owners and solo flyers find their voice and share their ideas with gusto, so they can captivate, educate, and inspire their audience. I created this list with 5 book recommendations as a mini-course on writing for the web. There’s little overlap between the books; they all complement each other. Happy reading and happy writing! 

Henneke's book list on writing for the web

Henneke Duistermaat Why did Henneke love this book?

For writing online beyond your own website, I highly recommend this book. It presents both the big picture and the nitty-gritty of content marketing for small businesses.

What I like about this book is that the authors understand that as a small business, you can’t do everything and be everywhere. So, choose where you want to be and create content that captivates, educates, and inspires your audience.

By Sonja Jefferson, Sharon Tanton,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Valuable Content Marketing as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

WINNER: Small Business Book Awards 2016 - Community Choice - Social Media Category WINNER: Small Business Book Awards 2014 - Community Choice - Marketing Category (1st edition) Make sense of content marketing in the digital world with this award-winning, practical guide to using content to grow your business and raise your brand. From websites, white papers and blogs to tweets, newsletters and video, content is king in the digital world, now more than ever before. Get it right and you have a huge opportunity to connect with clients and customers in ways they appreciate and trust - they will be…


Book cover of SEO 2022: Learn search engine optimization with smart internet marketing strategies

Andreas Ioannou Author Of Entrepreneur Makeover

From my list on digital marketing that will help you to stand out.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a self-taught marketer. I have gained all my digital marketing knowledge by reading articles and watching videos online. I am the author of the digital marketing book, Entrepreneur Makeover. On my Entrepreneur Makeover website, I share digital marketing strategies through my articles that help people to promote their website/business for free or at a minimal cost. I have a passion for digital marketing because I realised how important digital marketing is in order to succeed in any kind of business. You can have a great website or product but if no one knows about it, this is something that will result in the failure of a business.

Andreas' book list on digital marketing that will help you to stand out

Andreas Ioannou Why did Andreas love this book?

SEO 2022 is a simple, easy-to-understand explanation of Search Engine Optimization techniques for beginners and advanced users. It is one of the best books on SEO, released by the author every year with the latest SEO trends and updates. The book focuses on search engine optimization tips and strategies for getting top rankings.

The author of the book, Adam Clarke, is Google Analytics and Google Ads certified and is also a renowned SEO consultant. 

With around 250 pages, Adam shares all of his top SEO knowledge with his readers.

By Adam Clarke,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked SEO 2022 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Learn SEO and rank at the top of Google with SEO 2022—beginner to advanced!
Recently updated - EXPANDED & UPDATED JUNE 2022

No matter your background, SEO 2022 will walk you through search engine optimization techniques used to grow countless websites online, exact steps to rank high in Google, and how get a ton of customers.

In this SEO book you will find:
1. SEO explained in simple language, beginner to advanced.
2. The inner workings of Google’s algorithm and how it calculates the search results.
3. How to find “money” keywords that will send customers to your site.
4.…


Book cover of The Right Story

Elena Mutonono Author Of Grounded Growth: Sustainable and Profitable Online Teaching Business On Your Own Terms

From my list on online language teachers building their own businesses.

Why am I passionate about this?

The start of my own online teaching business in 2010 felt both liberating and frustrating. I enjoyed working for myself but struggled to make my offers unique, attractive, sustainable, and successful. I had no idea how to make my voice heard in the highly-saturated and fast-growing online teaching industry. Following the advice of famous online business gurus, I lost track of what I wanted my business to accomplish and burned out following every online teaching trend there was. The books I’ve selected helped me align with my own vision and values, inspired me to overcome my limitations and succeed on my own terms.

Elena's book list on online language teachers building their own businesses

Elena Mutonono Why did Elena love this book?

Most online teachers I’ve worked with detest the idea of marketing, and yet this is something we cannot avoid especially when running our own business. Bernadette Jiwa defines marketing as a story you tell that has the capacity to change the world. In the book she shares multiple purposeful stories of people who shared their message in the most authentic way and how their courage moved others to action and brought about change. This is a guide into marketing that will make you excited about the change you seek to make and how your small online teaching business can transform the world. 

By Bernadette Jiwa,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Right Story as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Every Jiwa book is a special event, and this one is no exception. Memorable stories about stories, practical, hard-won insights about how people change and why. Short and powerful.—"SETH GODIN

What makes some bad ideas successful, and why do many good ideas fail?

It turns out that there’s no such thing as a bad idea or a good idea. There is only the wrong story or the right story. The right story is one that is trusted. It is believed because it is told by the right person, for the right reasons, in the right way, at the right time,…


Book cover of Published: The Proven Path From Blank Page To 10,000 Copies Sold

Cheryl Kaye Tardif Author Of How I Made Over $42,000 in 1 Month Selling My Kindle eBooks

From my list on for authors who want to increase book sales.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up reading my dad’s hardcore sci-fi and my mother’s romance, horror, and thrillers. This led to my desire to become a published author. Prior to 2012, I was a bestselling Canadian author with a handful of titles published. After hitting #4 on Amazon’s Bestsellers list, I was approached by agents and publishers. Within weeks I signed multiple contracts. Trident Media Group asked to represent me. Yes! I signed two audio deals with Audible, and multiple deals with foreign publishers. One of my mottos has always been to help other writers when I can, so I share my marketing expertise and experiences.

Cheryl's book list on for authors who want to increase book sales

Cheryl Kaye Tardif Why did Cheryl love this book?

I enjoyed reading about Chandler’s experience in publishing, and I liked his approach to documenting his actual experiences/strategies and sharing them with others. I don’t just want to read that an author has earned six figures; I want to know how they did it. Chandler has built a name for himself, offering his expertise in all things book publishing and marketing.

By Chandler Bolt,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Published as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

SECOND EDITION (Released December, 2021)

Are you tired of “thinking about” writing a book, even making it a New Year’s Resolution, but never making it happen?

Maybe you’ve been sitting on a finished manuscript for years waiting to press publish? Or maybe your book launch failed and you’re wondering what went wrong?

In this conversational and action-oriented book, Chandler Bolt presents the proven path from blank page to published author and your first 10,000 copies sold.

In Published. you will learn:

The MORE Writing Method: how to write a quality book while saving 100’s of hours in the process How…


Book cover of Unleashing the Ideavirus: Stop Marketing AT People! Turn Your Ideas into Epidemics by Helping Your Customers Do the Marketing thing for You

Jonah Berger Author Of Contagious: Why Things Catch on

From my list on make anything catch on.

Why am I passionate about this?

Jonah Berger is a Wharton School professor and internationally bestselling author of Magic Words, Contagious, Invisible Influence, and The Catalyst. Dr. Berger is a world-renowned expert on natural language processing, change, word of mouth, influence, consumer behavior, and why things catch on. He has published over 80 articles in top‐tier academic journals, teaches one of the world’s most popular online courses, and popular outlets like The New York Times and Harvard Business Review often cover his work. Berger has keynoted hundreds of major conferences and events like SXSW and Cannes Lions, advises various early-stage companies, and consults for organizations like Apple, Google, Nike, Amazon, GE, Moderna, and The Gates Foundation.

Jonah's book list on make anything catch on

Jonah Berger Why did Jonah love this book?

Many of the books by Seth Godin are amazing, but this is a personal favorite.

Great ideas aren't just ideas; they're like viruses. They spread from person to person in powerful, unexpected ways. The book explores this idea and talks about some of the factors that lead ideas to spread and some of the consequences of their diffusion.

By Seth Godin,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Unleashing the Ideavirus as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Seth Godin examines how companies like Napster and Hotmail have successfully launched idea viruses - a customer-to-customer dialogue. He offers a recipe to creating your own idea virus and shows how businesses can use idea virus marketing to succeed in a world that doesn't want to hear from traditional marketeers anymore.


Book cover of This Is Marketing: You Can't Be Seen Until You Learn to See

Cheryl Kaye Tardif Author Of How I Made Over $42,000 in 1 Month Selling My Kindle eBooks

From my list on for authors who want to increase book sales.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up reading my dad’s hardcore sci-fi and my mother’s romance, horror, and thrillers. This led to my desire to become a published author. Prior to 2012, I was a bestselling Canadian author with a handful of titles published. After hitting #4 on Amazon’s Bestsellers list, I was approached by agents and publishers. Within weeks I signed multiple contracts. Trident Media Group asked to represent me. Yes! I signed two audio deals with Audible, and multiple deals with foreign publishers. One of my mottos has always been to help other writers when I can, so I share my marketing expertise and experiences.

Cheryl's book list on for authors who want to increase book sales

Cheryl Kaye Tardif Why did Cheryl love this book?

As Godin states: “Great marketers don't use consumers to solve their company's problem; they use marketing to solve other people's problems.” This book is for anyone in sales. For writers, you may find you see book marketing in a new light after reading this book. Not only is there psychology in how consumers (readers) make their decisions, learning to sell books also has a psychology behind it. Once you know who you are selling to and understand their needs, you can and will sell more.

By Seth Godin,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked This Is Marketing as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

#1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller & Instant New York Times Bestseller

A game-changing approach to marketing, sales, and advertising.

For the first time Seth Godin offers the core of his marketing wisdom in one compact, accessible, timeless package. This is Marketing shows you how to do work you're proud of, whether you're a tech startup founder, a small business owner, or part of a large corporation.

No matter what your product or service, this book will help you reframe how it's presented to the world, in order to meaningfully connect with people who want it. Seth employs his signature blend…


5 book lists we think you will like!

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