You can learn a lot about PPC from reading blogs like this one, but sometimes there’s no substitute for putting a good book on your shelf. Here is a list of books I’ve read and personally recommend for learning about PPC.
Disclosure: While the links below are affiliate links, I have read and use all of the PPC books listed here as references. In addition, I know most of the authors personally and can vouch for their knowledge. Happy reading!
PPC Books
Winning Results with Google AdWords, Second Edition by Andrew Goodman. I read this as an e-book back when I was learning about PPC in 2002. It’s been updated since then, and is still one of my favorite go-to resources for PPC.
Pay-Per-Click Search Engine Marketing: An Hour a Day, by David Szetela and Joe Kerschbaum. Written by 2 good friends in PPC, this book makes a fantastic training manual for new PPC’ers, and is a great refresher course for those of us who’ve been around a while.
Advanced Google AdWords, by Brad Geddes. If you’ve been doing PPC for a while, this is your key to taking it to the next level. Brad’s one of the original PPC marketers, and his book doesn’t disappoint. The book is now in its third edition, and has been updated for enhanced campaigns and other recent Google changes.
Website & Landing Page Optimization Books
Web Marketing All-in-One For Dummies by John Arnold, Ian Lurie, Marty Dickinson, Elizabeth Marsten, and Michael Becker. Whew! If you’re totally new to online marketing, pick up this book before any others. It’s a one-stop shop for all things web, and a great way to learn about the craft.
Landing Page Optimization: The Definitive Guide to Testing and Tuning for Conversions by Tim Ash. Tim is one of the premiere experts in the field of landing page optimization. His book gives ready-to-use suggestions on improving conversion rates through landing page optimization that you’ll want to employ right away.
Web Analytics 2.0: The Art of Online Accountability and Science of Customer Centricity by Avinash Kaushik. The definitive guide on using web analytics for peak performance.
Web Design for ROI: Turning Browsers into Buyers & Prospects into Leads by Lance Loveday and Sandra Niehaus. This book goes beyond landing pages and delves into designing your entire website for peak performance.
Social Media Books
Killer Facebook Ads: Master Cutting-Edge Facebook Advertising Techniques by Marty Weintraub. Stumped by the whole notion of Facebook advertising? Bored with traditional marketing textbooks? If either of these applies to you, go get Marty’s book. You’ll learn how to kill it with Facebook ads, and you’ll be totally entertained with Marty’s upbeat writing style.
How to Measure Social Media: A Step-By-Step Guide to Developing and Assessing Social Media ROI by Nichole Kelly. While I’ve never met Nichole, her book is a good primer on getting a grip on your social media ROI. If you’re struggling with this, check this book out.
The Complete Social Media Community Manager’s Guide: Essential Tools and Tactics for Business Success by Marty Weintraub and Lauren Litwinka. While this book isn’t PPC-related, it’s so good I have to include it. It’s kind of an “any-case scenario” book on dealing with social media, both the good and the bad. Even if you’re a mere social media user like me, you’ll learn something from this book.
Presentation Resources
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. If you want to be a better communicator and convey your message in a way that clients and others can understand, this book will show you how. It’s a quick read with takeaways you can use right away to take a complex subject like PPC and boil it down so non-experts can understand its value.