Frequently Asked Questions

Best Marketing Books is a curated, ranked directory of the most useful books on marketing strategy, branding, advertising, social media, Google Ads, AI marketing and more. Every book gets an original summary, key takeaways and an editorial score so you can quickly find the right next read.

The site was founded by Chris Burns, author of Marketing So Easy It's Fun Again, a marketer who has spent years helping businesses grow. You can learn more on our About page.

Yes. Browsing the lists, reading reviews and subscribing to the newsletter are all free.

We review the rankings regularly and add notable new books as they are published. Each list shows the month it was last updated.

Thank you! Use our contact form and choose "Correction to a listing". We fix errors quickly.

Every book gets an editorial score from 0 to 100 based on usefulness, influence, staying power, clarity and reader reception. The full method is on our How We Rank page.

The stars are our editorial score divided by 20, so a score of 90 shows as 4.5 stars. Reader reviews on each book page are shown separately.

No. Rankings are never for sale. Paid placements appear in clearly labeled Sponsored slots and are kept completely separate from the ranked lists.

No. Every summary, takeaway and review on this site is written by us. Reader reviews come from visitors to this site.

Our founder wrote Marketing So Easy It's Fun Again. It appears in the rankings with a clear "By our founder" label so you always know about that connection and can judge it for yourself.

Yes. Every book page has a reader review form with a 1 to 5 star rating. Reviews are checked before they appear to keep out spam.

We may not have reviewed it yet. Suggest it here and our editors will take a look.

No. We link to Amazon, where you can buy the book in print, Kindle or audio format.

Yes. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy through our links we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects our rankings. See our Affiliate Disclosure.

Prices on Amazon change often, so we send you to Amazon to see the current price and available formats.

Print is best for workbooks and books you will mark up. Kindle is great for searching and highlighting. Audiobooks are ideal for big idea books you can absorb on a commute. Many readers listen first, then buy the print copy of their favorites.

Start with This Is Marketing by Seth Godin for the mindset, Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller for messaging, and Influence by Robert Cialdini for psychology. Filter any list by "Beginner" level books on their pages.

Look for books marked "Best for small business" in our lists. The 1-Page Marketing Plan, They Ask, You Answer and Marketing So Easy It's Fun Again are all written for owners with limited time and budget.

Our Best Google Ads Books list is ranked from most to least useful. Start with a beginner guide, then move to an advanced account strategy book.

See our Best AI Marketing Books list. Co-Intelligence is the best starting point for working with AI day to day.

Yes. Books like Ogilvy on Advertising and Positioning explain how people think and buy, which changes far more slowly than platforms do. Pair a classic with a recent tactical book for the best of both.

Use our Submit a Book form. Listing is free and every submission is read by our editors.

We usually reply within two weeks. Popular categories can take a little longer.

No. We list books we believe are genuinely useful to marketers. If your book is not a fit right now, you are welcome to submit again after a new edition.

Yes. Use the contact form to send your bio, photo, website and social links, and we will update your author page.

Listed authors can request an "As featured on Best Marketing Books" badge for their website and media kit. Just ask through our contact form.

We offer sponsored spots at the top of category pages, homepage spotlights, newsletter features and author interviews. See Advertise for details.

Each category page has a maximum of two sponsored spots so they stay visible and valuable.

Always. Every paid placement is labeled Sponsored, as required by advertising rules and because readers deserve to know.

Yes. Many authors sponsor two or three closely related categories. Tell us which ones on the Advertise form.

Once a week we send one great marketing book and the three most useful ideas from it. It takes about five minutes to read.

Every email has an unsubscribe link at the bottom. One click and you are out.

We picked shows that are consistently useful, well produced and cover a range of topics, from strategy and AI to paid ads and copywriting. See the Top 25 Marketing Podcasts.