Twenty online publishing books that will help you build and grow a better online business.
Over the past couple of months, we’ve been busily scouring Amazon.com for books on the topic of online publishing. There are 5,000+ books on Amazon that one could read to better their online publishing business.
In our criteria for selecting online publishing books, we chose topics such as e-zines, e-books, blogs, social networking, print on demand publishing, membership websites, newsletter websites, event websites and search engine optimization.
Based mostly on the quality of content, but also on Amazon ranking, publication date, Kindle availability, multiple editions and other factors, here are the top twenty books we suggest you read this year:
Online Publishing Book Review #1
Starting & Running a Successful Newsletter or Magazine
by Cheryl Woodard
Excerpt from our book review:
Woodward offers many insights into the online publishing world from first hand experience. You will find basic tips such as beginning with your mission statement and finding your niche, to deeper points such as understanding user research data and developing maximum exposure.
While this book details all of the ins and outs of online publishing, it also delves into good old fashioned selling. There are many tried and true tips outlined for acquiring revenue from subscription and advertising sales. Read more from this review…
Online Publishing Book Review #2
I’m on LinkedIn, Now What??? A Guide to Getting the Most Out of LinkedIn
by Jason Alba
Excerpt from our book review:
You may not have thought of using a social networking site as a resource in your job hunt.
But naturally, the more connections you make, the larger your network will grow. The larger your network, the more likely you are to be seen, asked for advice, given a recommendation, and so on.
So start searching people out, former colleagues, classmates, teammates, etc. It’s not called social networking for nothing. Read more from this review…
Online Publishing Book Review #3
Print-on-Demand Book Publishing: A New Approach To Printing And Marketing Books For Publishers And Self-Publishing Authors
by Morris Rosenthal
Excerpt from our book review:
Print on demand technology has rejuvenated traditional print by making very small print runs cost-effective. True print on demand publishers are the no money down but we’ll take a percentage types. This allows you to devote more revenue to other aspects of your online publishing strategy, like marketing. Read more from this review…
Online Publishing Book Review #4
Managing Online Forums: Everything You Need to Know to Create and Run Successful Community Discussion Boards
by Patrick O’Keefe
Excerpt from our book review:
To have continued growth, your online community must remain active. Have a least one active writer to ensure a steady flow of content. New posts, new threads, new links, etc.
Also, choose a community administrator wisely. Your selection is vital to the successful cultivation and development of your online community. Someone with good people skills and good communication skills would be an ideal administrator. Read more from this review…
Online Publishing Book Review #5
Get Content. Get Customers.
by Newt Barrett & Joe Pulizzi
Excerpt from our book review:
If you want to turn subscribers into customers (and isn‘t that our goal), take notes. You’ve got to stop treating your emails like a lowly sales flyer. It can, and should, be so much more. View them as a tool where the reader finds value and wants to go back to your website for more. Read more from this review…
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Online Publishing Book Review #6
Search Engine Optimization: Your Visual Blueprint for Effective Internet Marketing
by Kristopher B. Jones
Excerpt from our book review:
Your key terms and phrases need to match your website content. That’s the easy part, now, here’s the tricky part. If your topic is highly competitive you may not be able to get top ranking on search engines.
Think outside the box! Think of alternative key terms and phrases that visitors might search for online, like “publishing“ for “printing”. They might be slightly less searched for but will have far less competition, therefore, you will rank much higher. Read more from this review…
Online Publishing Book Review #7
Content Rich: Writing Your Way to Wealth on the Web
by Jon Wuebben
Excerpt from our book review:
Your book is done. Your website is up. How do you build book sales and web traffic simultaneously? How do you determine how much of your book is available online without purchasing it? After all, this is a business not a hobby, right?
There is a happy medium for your online publishing efforts. Finding that balance can transform your online publishing company into a highly profitable internet-centric company. Read more from this review…
Online Publishing Book Review #8
Every Nonprofit’s Guide to Publishing: Creating Newsletters, Magazines & Websites People Will Read
by Cheryl Woodard
Excerpt from our book review:
One challenge for an online publishing company is to constantly create new content. Where do compelling new story ideas come from?
Cheryl Woodard offers inspiration for fresh story ideas. Even though she focuses on nonprofit groups, the advice applies to almost any online publishing company. Read more from this review…
Online Publishing Book Review #9
Smart Start-Ups: How Entrepreneurs and Corporations Can Profit by Starting Online Communities
by David Silver
Excerpt from our book review:
With the proliferation of MySpace, YouTube, FaceBook and similar social networking sites, you might be thinking about advertising on one of them. But what about incorporating social networking into your online publishing strategy?
What are they and why are they so popular, almost addictive? More importantly, how can you use them to increase your online publishing revenue? Read more from this review…
Online Publishing Book #10
From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur
by Stephanie Chandler
Excerpt from our book review:
Infopreneur (information entrepreneur) is a relatively new buzz word. Good news if you’re in the online publishing business. So what does it mean? Basically, an infopreneur sells information and information products. Read more from this review…
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Online Publishing Book #11
How Not to Start a Magazine
by B. Ann Bell
Excerpt from our book review:
There’s a good chance that the revenue generated from your online magazine will pay for your expenses in a relatively short period of time. Consider doing an online magazine before print or even instead of print.
Another advantage to online publishing is that you can try out your idea on readers and yourself. You may soon discover you have found your niche. It’s a low risk way to produce a magazine. Read more from this review…
Online Publishing Book #12
Don’t Make Me Think! A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability
by Steven Krug
Excerpt from our book review:
Whether your business is primarily online publishing or you’re an online retailer or combination thereof, you need to make it easy for the user to become a customer.
Landing pages are the driving force for any successful Internet marketing campaign. A well-crafted landing page will improve the odds that a user will take the action you desire and not click away. Read more from this review…
Online Publishing Book #13
The Well-Fed Self-Publisher: How to Turn One Book into a Full-Time Living
by Peter Bowerman
Excerpt from our book review:
When is a book is not just a book?
On the web, a book, or anything else you publish, can turn into a freemium, a webinar, a podcast, you name it. View the book as your base from which to build. Spinoff activites are likely to have an even greater income potential than the base itself. Read more from this review…
Online Publishing Book #14
What No One Ever Tells You About Blogging and Podcasting
by Ted Demopoulos
Excerpt from our book review:
Find fresh content at a trade show, seminar or conference. No doubt there are dozens of industry events happening worldwide right now. It’s impossible for your subscribers to attend all of them.
Why not take that opportunity and turn your coverage of these events into fresh online content?
If your subscribers expect you to cover industry events in your online publication, it’s more important than ever to provide it. Especially in an economy where industry events are considered an unnecessary luxury and many previous attendees will be missing out this year. Read more from this review…
Online Publishing Book #15
Producing Successful Magazines, Newsletters and E-Zines
by Carol Harris
Excerpt from our book review:
Even though the content may be similar between printed publication and online publishing, there is obviously a world of difference when it comes to presentation and delivery. Which one is right for your next publication? Read more from this review…
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Online Publishing Book #16
Event Marketing: How to Successfully Promote Events, Festivals, Conventions, and Expositions
by Leonard H. Hoyle
Excerpt from our book review:
One aspect of a successful online publishing strategy is organizing events, such as a seminar, convention, exposition, or trade show. It’s an ideal way to promote your products and interact with customers.
Once you’ve set a date and secured your location, it’s time to market your event. An effective online publishing tool is to create a separate unique event website. Read more from this review…
Online Publishing Book #17
The Huffington Post: A Complete Guide to Blogging
by the Huffington Post Editors
Excerpt from our book review:
Blogs are a dime a dozen. What sets yours apart and why should anyone read it? It may be something controversial or novel. It may be for your unique perspective. Either way, take your viewpoint to the next level and explore it thoroughly. If you think something is worth writing about, post it. Don’t wait to see if someone else says it first. Read more from this review…
Online Publishing Book #18
We Blog: Publishing Online with Weblogs
by Paul Bausch, Matthew Haughey, Meg Hourihan
Excerpt from our book review:
It raises some interesting questions such as ‘Why Do People Blog?’ and maybe more importantly, ‘Why Do People Read Blogs?’
You might be surprised by the answers. Granted, while blogs started as a personal platform, a soapbox if you will, they evolved into so much more. Nowadays, businesses are catching on that people, customers, like to blog and read other blogs. Read more from this review…
Online Publishing Book #19
Membership Websites — Tips, Techniques and Secrets — An Insider’s Guide to Publishing
by SWEPA
Excerpt from our book review:
Let’s be clear on what a membership website is and is not. It is not a magazine or newsletter website.
Membership Websites compare to a library, that is frequently updated, and available 24/7. It is a destination, either a stand alone or as a companion website. It requires a robust amount of online content—5,000 to 8,000 pages at launch, perhaps tens of thousands of pages as time goes on. Read more from this review…
Online Publishing Book #20
The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly
by David M. Scott
Excerpt from our book review:
Many online publishers are still using static websites, are you one of them? If your approach to online publishing is the same as print, you are falling through the cracks. The web is ever-evolving and you must embrace change. Don’t be scared, it’s not as difficult as it sounds. Read more from this review…
Do you have any other recommendations? Please share your own book reviews in the comments…
Great list of books. I’m always looking for new and intersting books to learn from. Thanks for the great roundup you have here. Some I already have but there are several that I will now have to go out and buy. We appreciate you taking the time to do this.
Great list. Thanks for including Get Content Get Customers.
I have a few new ones I have to read now.
Cheers
Joe Pulizzi
Thanks so much for including my book in your list! I really appreciate it. 🙂
Thanks for including Content Rich: Writing Your Way to Wealth on the Web on your list! I’m so glad you found the information useful! Cheers!
-Jon Wuebben
You’ve topped yourself! Mequoda, thanks so much for this invaluable list!
The learning curve feels steep for those of us breaking into online publishing. Your website has become an invaluable source of well-researched and well written information.
Many thanks,
Carrie
mommyadventureclub.com