Ahrefs

I Asked 20+ Marketers for Their Best Marketing Books. Here’s the 15 Books They Recommend

By Si Quan Ong

SEO & Marketing Educator at Ahrefs

Reviewed by

Ryan Law

October 8, 20257 min read

Contents

1. The Lean Startup
2. Hidden Potential
SEO Book for Beginners
4. Influence
5. Product-Led SEO
6. Leading Change
7. Blue Ocean Strategy
8. Innovation and Entrepreneurship
9. Double Double
10. The 80/20 Principle
11. The Copywriter’s Handbook
12. Obviously Awesome
13. Zero to One
14. Where Good Ideas Come From
15. Human Centered Marketing

What are the best marketing books?

To find out, I asked the speakers and panelists at Ahrefs Evolve, our conference in San Diego from October 13-15, which books they actually read and recommend.

Here are their recommendations:

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Contents

1. The Lean Startup
2. Hidden Potential
SEO Book for Beginners
4. Influence
5. Product-Led SEO
6. Leading Change
7. Blue Ocean Strategy
8. Innovation and Entrepreneurship
9. Double Double
10. The 80/20 Principle
11. The Copywriter’s Handbook
12. Obviously Awesome
13. Zero to One
14. Where Good Ideas Come From
15. Human Centered Marketing

1. The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses

Author: Eric Ries

Recommended by: Travis Tallent

This is the blueprint for building results with fast feedback. Treat campaigns like experiments, ship smaller bets, measure learning, and iterate. It turns “failed” ideas into fuel for the next win.

As Travis says:

“It's not your typical marketing book, but it makes you think in terms of systems and process and instills that progress is better than perfection. I use its methods every day in my role at Brainlabs.”

2. Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things

Author: Adam Grant

Recommended by: Heather Physioc

In Hidden Potential, Adam Grant challenges the idea of “natural talent.” He argues that success comes from habits, feedback loops, and environments that stretch your abilities: lessons every marketer can apply to creative and professional growth.

It’s exactly why Heather recommends the book:

It’s not a marketing book, but the one I read most recently that improved how I think about my work and approach problem-solving was Hidden Potential by Adam Grant, which argues that success is less about innate talent and more about how far you can stretch yourself by focusing on character skills, learning habits and systems that support growth. For digital marketers, it’s a reminder that long-term improvement comes from experimentation, feedback loops, and building a growth environment rather than banking solely on “natural gift.”

SEO Book for Beginners

Author: Ahrefs

Recommended by: Patrick Stox

Patrick’s pick is close to home. The Ahrefs SEO Book is our comprehensive guide to mastering modern SEO, from fundamentals to advanced link-building and technical strategies.

As Patrick puts it:

“Marketing is just another form of sales. And SEO is one of the most scalable sales channels there is. This book shows you how to use it properly.”

4. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

Author: Robert Cialdini

Recommended by: Dawood Bukhari

Few books have influenced marketers more than Cialdini’s Influence. It’s the cornerstone of understanding why people say “yes,” from reciprocity to social proof.

Dawood, who’s publishing a book on Digital PR, uses these principles daily in his work.

5. Product-Led SEO: The Why Behind Building Your Organic Growth Strategy

Author: Eli Schwartz

Recommended by: Sophie Brannon

Eli Schwartz reframes SEO not as a checklist, but as a strategic growth function tied directly to business outcomes. It’s a must-read for marketers who want to think beyond rankings and connect search with company strategy.

Sophie says:

This book takes you outside of what gets ingrained in you as a junior SEO as what is "best practice" and helps you to think more commercially particularly in SaaS / lead gen spaces. I always get my junior team to read this pretty early on to working with us so they think more about the business needs than just what's right for SEO.

6. Leading Change

Author: John Kotter

Recommended by: Chris Schweppe

John Kotter’s management classic is about transformation and what it really takes to make change stick. For marketers leading teams or implementing new processes, it’s a timeless guide to creating momentum and aligning people around a shared vision.

7. Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant

Author: W. Chan Kim & Renée Mauborgne

Recommended by: Carrie Rose, Brandon Lincoln Hendricks

Blue Ocean Strategy is a manifesto for differentiation. It’s about finding opportunities where competitors don’t, and creating demand instead of fighting for it.

As Brandon says:

Most marketers are stuck fighting in red oceans: competing on the same tactics, same channels, same tired playbook. This book taught me to create new market space instead of battling for scraps in saturated ones. It's why I went from executing SEO strategies to building AI-powered systems that amplify what great SEO already does. I'm not just optimizing anymore. I'm building the infrastructure that makes optimization scale without limits.

This book is strategy for people who want to lead markets, not follow them. It's about creating value where competition becomes irrelevant.

Carrie agrees:

The question "is it better to be better, or better to be different" was answered for me. Being in a blue ocean, with a clear stand out differentiator made me think about marketing and business in a whole new light.

8. Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Practice and Principles

Author: Peter Drucker

Recommended by: Mark Schaefer

Peter Drucker’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship may be decades old, but its lessons still apply: innovation isn’t luck; it’s a process. Drucker’s thinking has shaped generations of marketers, entrepreneurs, and leaders.

As Mark says:

“An older book but his advice that should be embedded in every organization.”

9. Double Double: How to Double Your Revenue and Profit in 3 Years or Less

Author: Cameron Herold

Recommended by: James Norquay

Cameron Herold’s Double Double is equal parts playbook and pep talk. It’s full of practical, actionable ways to grow a business, from leadership habits to marketing strategy.

Here’s why James recommends the book:

It covers business growth, revenue generation and leadership tips, all very actionable advice. I went to dinner with the author Cameron in Sydney this year. It was a valuable experience.

10. The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Achieving More with Less

Author: Richard Koch

Recommended by: Madhav Bhandari

Koch’s 80/20 Principle is simple but powerful: most results come from a small number of actions. For marketers, it’s a reminder to focus energy on the campaigns, channels, and ideas that truly move the needle.

As Madhav puts it:

It taught me to operate creatively with whatever I have in any situation, to work smart rather than hard, and to focus on the “big rocks” so the small ones take care of themselves.

In marketing, that means identifying the 20% of initiatives that drive 80% of the results. The 20% of SEO tactics that move 80% of the needle. The 20% of hires who deliver 80% of the impact. Even the 20% of my day where I get 80% of my productivity.

That way of thinking has helped me focus my energy in the right places and kept me from ever feeling overwhelmed—whether in marketing or in life.

11. The Copywriter’s Handbook: A Step-By-Step Guide to Writing Copy That Sells

Author: Robert Bly

Recommended by: Cyrus Shepard

Robert Bly’s classic is still one of the best introductions to persuasive writing. It’s straightforward, timeless, and filled with examples you can apply to any kind of marketing copy.

Cyrus puts it simply:

“If you can write well, you'll do well in marketing.”

12. Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning So Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It

Author: April Dunford

Recommended by: John-Henry Scherck

April Dunford demystifies positioning and makes it practical. Her framework shows how to communicate your product’s value so clearly that customers instantly understand why it matters. It’s a must-read for anyone working in SaaS or B2B marketing.

13. Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future

Author: Peter Thiel, Blake Masters

Recommended by: Kevin Indig

Thiel’s Zero to One isn’t just about startups; it’s about thinking differently. It challenges readers to create something truly original rather than just competing on the same ideas, channels, or strategies.

14. Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation

Author: Steven Johnson

Recommended by: Ryan Law

Johnson explores where creativity really comes from, and why the best ideas emerge from connection, not isolation. It’s a book about the environments that make innovation possible.

Ryan says:

So much of marketing is trying to harness creativity and create novel, interesting things that help promote your product. This is the best book I've read on actually systematizing creativity and learning how to be creative on demand. My favourite quote: *"The trick to having good ideas is not to sit around in glorious isolation. The trick is to get more parts on the table."

15. Human Centered Marketing

Author: Ashley Faus & Devin Bramhall

Recommended by: Devin Bramhall

Human-Centered Marketing explores a simple but powerful idea: marketing works best when it focuses on people, not funnels. It’s about empathy, creativity, and building community around shared ideas.

Devin, who co-authored the book, puts it best:

“Good marketing doesn’t start with what you want to say. It starts with how people feel and what they need.”

Final thoughts

Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman at Ogilvy Group, once tweeted: “The best books to read on advertising aren’t about advertising.”

You can see it’s true: most of the recommended books here are barely about marketing. Instead, they’re about something else: business, productivity, storytelling, psychology, and statistics.

Want to learn from our speakers in person? Grab your ticket to Ahrefs Evolve and join us for three days of talks, workshops, and conversations about the future of SEO and marketing.

Post bySi Quan Ong

Si Quan is a content marketer at Ahrefs. He has been involved in digital and content marketing for the past 5 years. Before he joined Ahrefs, he was content marketer at ReferralCandy, a 7-figure ARR SaaS company. Si Quan has spoken at some of the industry’s largest conferences in the Asia region, which includes TIECon and Digital Marketing Skill Share. He has also written for some of the industry’s most popular blogs like Sumo and SmartBlogger. His earliest work was marketing a product on Kickstarter, which eventually raised $150,000, more than double the original funding goal. The product was also featured on prominent tech websites, including Engadget, CNET and Digital Trends.

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