There are TONS of resources on the Internet to help you learn how to be a better blogger.
From free blog posts on the subject to expensive blogging courses and conferences, the cost of improving your blogging skills can vary A LOT.
About a month ago, I got a free 30-day trial of Kindle Unlimited, and I devoured every blogging book I could. In those 30 days, I read some fantastic e-books, a few mediocre ones, and a handful of really really BAD ones.
Below I’ve listed the AWESOME ones: The 6 blogging books I read and judged to be worth the regular price you’d pay. There’s something here for everyone: the clueless and brand new as well as the seasoned blogger looking to improve.
So pick one and start reading! Ranging from FREE to under $10 on Kindle, it’s a small investment to make to get you on the fast track to being a better blogger.
1. How to Make Money Blogging: How I Replaced My Day Job With My Blog by Bob Lotich
A FANTASTIC (and FREE!) read. It’s a straight-to-the-point no fluff ebook that you can finish in under 30 minutes, with money-making ideas to start experimenting with immediately. Highly recommend for any blogger, though for a beginner I wouldn’t start with this book first, as it may overwhelm you. Read a beginner-oriented blogging book first and then make this one your second read.
My Rating: 5 Stars
2. Pro Blogging Secrets: Strategies, Tips and Answers You Need to Grow Your Blog and Earn More Money by Bob Lotich
Not as good as his first book in my opinion, but still a very helpful read. This is another book for slightly more advanced bloggers. There were several sections I skipped because I was already familiar or didn’t personally need them for my blog (LLC formation, logo design), but there was still value in this book for me. I got some extra monetization ideas to experiment with (custom Adsense units, exploring new affiliate options for my most popular articles and ads) plus a few simple ways to make my blog better including plugin suggestions, a reminder to batch-check email (up my efficiency), some services to try, and some ways to convert readers into subscribers.
My Rating: 4 Stars
3. How to Find a Profitable Blog Topic Idea (Better Blog Booklets) by Steve Scott
Here’s one for beginners! If you’re thinking about starting a blog and a major goal is to make a profit, read this ebook. It’s a good, reasonably quick read to help you get started on coming up with a blog topic. In it, Scott gives you a list, or “blueprint,” of things to do to help you decide on a blog topic with profit potential.
My Rating: 4 Stars
4. How to Start a Successful Blog in One Hour (Better Blog Booklets) by Steve Scott
This booklet holds your hand through what can be a daunting technical process for a new blogger. Of the books I’ve read so far, this it the best book to start with if you’re a beginner and you want to learn how to launch a blog on your own.
Though I would recommend a slightly different hosting/domain purchase service, the ones he recommends (name.com for domain purchase and Hostgator.com for hosting) are comparable in setup and pricing. Plus, even as a more experienced blogger, I found a few new ideas to try out on my blogs!
My Rating: 5 Stars
Note: If you still don’t want to jump into the daunting blog launch process alone after reading this, check out my Blog Launch Package!
5. My Blog Traffic Sucks! 8 Simple Steps to Get 100,000 Blog Visitors Without Working 8 days a Week by Steve Scott
There’s lots of helpful information here for taking your blog to the next level, including a good intro to writing a good guest post. This one’s inspiring me to work a little harder on my Twitter following and to get my butt in gear to do more guest posting!
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
6. How to Blog for Profit Without Selling Your Soul by Ruth Soukup
This one’s an inspiring read overall because the author is obviously an extremely organized go-getter. (I don’t know about you, but seeing other people making things happen makes me want to do the same!) I really like the Action items included at the end of each chapter, because it gives you a list of real tasks to get started on (making it more likely you’ll actually reap the benefits of reading this book). Also, her 3-months-in-advance editorial calendar REALLY makes me feel like I’m slacking. I recommend reading this ebook for motivation to stop making excuses and start making things happen on your blog.