15 Books to Grow Your Blog in 2015

Happy New Year! Have you decided on your New Year’s resolutions yet? It’s that time when everyone is deciding how they’re going to be bigger and better in the new year.

As a blogger, the holidays (2 weeks for me! Woohoo!) are the perfect time to reflect on the previous year and decide what worked and what didn’t work for your blog and set goals for 2015. I hope you used the holidays as a time to step away from your computer and take a break before tackling the new year!

When coming up with your blog resolutions, develop a list of short term and long term goals for the year. Then, come up with an action plan to help you achieve those goals. These books and eBooks I’ve chosen today can help you do just that!

Obviously, there are a gazillion blogging how-to books out there. But I own all these books that I’m recommending to you today because I’ve found these the most useful this past year.

The most important thing to remember when binge reading blogging books is to put the tips and strategies into practice immediately. I’m so guilty of reading and not actually using what I read. If you’re guilty of this as well, categorize your notes by topic (marketing, social media, blog content, SEO, business, etc.) Then, make a list of things you plan to put into place and prioritize this list by what you need to do first.

Bonus Tip: Keep a list of topics you’d like to know more about. Many of these books may mention another book, blog or website or a concept that you’re not familiar with. Go through that list in your free time to become ever more of a pro. I‘m all about those lists, y’all.

Now, on to the book list!
15 Books to Help Grow Your Blog and Inspire You in 2015

1. SEO Step-By-Step // This complete beginner’s guide to getting traffic from Google by Caimin Jones really simplifies the basics of SEO. He offers tips on finding the perfect keywords for your niche, developing social media and marketing strategies, and creating content that search engines like! I read it in just a couple hours and was putting things into practice in no time. Get it on Amazon for $9.

2. A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book // When it comes to sprucing up your Instagram and creating more visually appealing images for your blog, Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman, creators of the DIY style blog A Beautiful Mess, have you covered. This idea book has 95 inspiring ideas for photographing everything from your morning coffee and puppy to your friends and yourself. Get it on Amazon for $11.

5. The E-Myth Revisited // This book focuses on why most small businesses don’t work and what to do about it. No matter how big or small your blog is, you can apply Michael Gerber’s lessons for how entrepreneurs can create long-term success (with blogging!). Get it on Amazon for for $16.

6. Blog Inc. // This blogging handbook has tips on everything from starting your blog to going full time. Chapters include choosing the right platform, finding content inspiration, developing your voice, and taking better photographs. This book (written by Joy Cho of Oh Joy!) is one of my favorites and great for beginners and those who have blogging for a while who just need a little refresher or inspiration. Get it on Amazon for $10.

7. Born To Blog // This is another great one for beginners or seasoned bloggers. Born to Blog discusses everything from gaining loyal followers to promoting your blog and writing content to build your business. Get it on Amazon for $8.

8. The Tao of Twitter // Ok, so a couple of Mark Schaefer’s books made it to the list. The Tao of Twitter is an amazingly helpful book that focuses solely on Twitter and using it for business or your blog. I’ve been using Twitter since 2008 and there were things in this book that I had no idea about! You know social media changes constantly, so there’s even an updated 2014 version out. Get it on Amazon for $10.

9. 500 Social Media Marketing Tips // I’m a huge fan of this book. Its chapters give overviews and advice for the most popular social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google+. If you’ve been playing around in social media for a while, then some things may sound familiar, but there’s definitely some tips in here you haven’t heard or thought of! I’m always whipping this book out to review my highlights or sticky notes. Get it on Amazon for $10.

10. Google AdSense $100/ Day // This ebook covers the fastest way to make $100 in one day with your blog using Google AdSense. It covers the basics of Adsense and how to grow your readership. Joe Anucha makes between $50-$120 a day on his blog, so if you can get past his terrible grammar and typos, then it’s a pretty helpful quick read, especially for those who are new to Google Adsense. Get it on Amazon for $4.

11. 6 Months to 6 Figures // I’m lookin’ at you June 2015! I recently read this ebook by Peter Voogd and my brain wants to explode a little- but in a good way. He outlines his success to building an $8 million sales organization by the age of 27. So if you’re thinking of your blog as a small business (or you have a small business) then this book is great to bring out the hardcore entrepreneur in you. Get it on Amazon for $7.

12. Your First $1000 - How to Start an Online Business that Actually Makes Money // This is another quick read with a step-by-step action plan for starting your online business. Even if you already have your online business, you’ll discover something helpful you haven’t thought of yet in Steve Scott’s seven steps to building a profitable website. Get it on Amazon for $3.

13. How to Write Great Blog Posts that Engage Readers // This little ebook focuses on creating content that your readers will value. Unfortunately, blogging isn’t your online diary anymore. To keep readers, you have to give them something they will love and come back for. Steve Scott offers a 5-step content action plan to help you develop great posts on a weekly basis. Get it on Amazon for $1.

14. 8 Simple Steps to Get 100,000 Blog Visitors without Working 8 Days a Week // If you blog traffic sucks, Steve Scott details 8 easy to follow steps to help grow your readership. I literally kept a list of notes and things to do while reading this ebook. It’s short and to the point and can really help if you’re not happy with your numbers. Get it on Amazon for $3.

15. You, Inc.: The Art of Selling Yourself // While most books on this list will focus on what your readers want, this book focuses on you. It’s full of lessons on how to make yourself better and how to sell yourself in your personal life, professional life and even your blogging life. Get it on Amazon for $13.

What are your favorite blogging books? Which have you found most helpful?

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