When you work in an industry like SEO, keeping up with new technologies is crucial.
But not all learning has to be about link building, content, or the technical aspects of SEO. It is also valuable to look outside the industry.
With that in mind, here are 10 of the best (in my opinion) non-marketing books that offer great insight and value for any SEO professional.
1. ‘Never Split the Difference’ by Chris Voss
This book may seem like an unconventional choice for an SEO, but negotiation is a skill more integrated into our daily activities than we often realize.
Whether we’re discussing budgets, negotiating time off, or advocating for the adoption of a new tool, effective negotiation tactics are critical.
Chris Voss masterfully draws on his extensive FBI career, illustrating how to leverage behavioral psychology to navigate negotiations in a non-confrontational and effective manner, often leading to outcomes that meet or align closely with our goals.
Dig deeper: How communication issues are holding you back from embracing SEO
2. ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ by Daniel Kahneman
It is an intriguing exploration of human cognition backed by decades of academic research. The late Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel laureate, published this classic book more than a decade ago, but it still applies today.
This book urges its readers to harness the power of deliberate, “slow” thinking in the midst of a fast-paced “noisy” world. Kahneman introduced two different cognitive systems through this framework, guiding us to refine our decision-making skills.
For SEO professionals operating in a dynamic and ever-evolving industry, adopting this nuanced understanding of thought processes can significantly improve their strategic planning and execution. It can be easy to feel pressured to make decisions quickly. This book explains how you can change your decision-making process for the better.
3. ‘Rework’ by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson
One of the most amazing reads on the list, no one would describe “Rework” as a cookie-cutter step-by-step guide. It stands out as a refreshingly unconventional business book that applies to both employers and employees.
Eschewing the traditional step-by-step business guide format, the book encourages readers to fundamentally reevaluate their preconceived notions about business success and practice. It’s full of actionable information, challenging both entrepreneurs and employees to rethink the essentials for success.
“Rework” is a valuable resource that provides practical wisdom that readers find themselves returning to again and again, regardless of their role within a business. If you want to improve productivity and completely reevaluate how you currently work, this could be the book for you.
Dig deeper: 10 things to eliminate from your life to be more productive at work
4. ‘The Art of War’ by Sun Tzu
Here, Sun Tzu offers timeless strategic advice that extends far beyond the battlefield, finding relevance even in SEO tactics.
As SEO professionals face the increasingly competitive world of search engine rankings, they can apply Sun Tzu’s principles of knowing the enemy (competitors) and oneself to craft superior strategies.
The book’s emphasis on planning and positioning can guide SEO professionals in running proactive and reactive campaigns, ensuring adaptability.
Planning and strategy is often something that doesn’t work, especially with seasoned SEOs who can sometimes feel like they already know exactly what to do. This book will help show why strategic work is so important to success.
Dig deeper: SEO strategy: 3 steps to strategic SEO planning
5. ‘The Lean Startup’ by Eric Ries
Eric Ries presents methodologies that revolutionize how we understand business agility and growth, offering valuable lessons for SEO.
By adopting the Lean Startup principles of “Build-Measure-Learn,” SEO professionals can implement a cycle of continuous improvement, testing, and iteration of SEO strategies based on real data.
This approach can lead to more effective and efficient optimization efforts, focusing on delivering results that actually improve online visibility and performance.
Continually evaluating and adjusting can make all the difference in an industry where minor changes can positively affect ranking positions and traffic.
Dig deeper: SEO testing: moving from reactive to proactive strategies
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6. ‘The power of habit’ by Charles Duhigg
Charles Duhigg’s exploration into the science of habit formation in “The Power of Habit” provides deep insight into consumer behavior.
For SEO professionals, understanding how and why users engage in online habits can inform the development of content and SEO strategies that take advantage of these routine behaviors.
By crafting experiences that resonate with the habitual nature of your target audience, SEO efforts can achieve greater engagement and loyalty, driving sustained traffic and website interaction.
Having a deep understanding of our audience can help especially when working on the end-to-end journey from initial exposure to a brand to making a purchase.
7. “Predictably Irrational” by Dan Ariely
In “Predictably Irrational,” Dan Ariely uncovers the hidden forces that shape our decisions, offering a perspective that can dramatically alter SEO strategy.
SEO professionals can leverage these insights to better understand the irrationality of search behaviors, helping to predict and address the seemingly illogical ways users interact with search engines and digital content.
This knowledge can refine keyword selection, content creation, and user experience design, aligning them more closely with the real-world behaviors of online users.
One of the most important parts of keyword research is not understanding the overall volume of searches, but the searches that can lead to your end goal. This book shows us why it is not always what we think it can be.
Dig deeper: How to make SEO and CRO more human with behavioral psychology
8. ‘Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us’ by Daniel H. Pink
If we’re honest with ourselves, we can all suffer from a lack of motivation from time to time. “Drive” by Daniel H. Pink reveals what really motivates us, challenging traditional beliefs about incentives.
Understanding these motivational factors can be key for SEO professionals in two ways.
First, it will help us better understand our target market, allowing us to create content and strategies that motivate users to engage, share and convert.
By tapping into the intrinsic motivations that Pink discusses, such as autonomy, mastery, and purpose, SEO efforts can be designed to resonate deeply with audiences, resulting in more effective and meaningful engagement.
Second, it allows us to understand what motivates us and how to overcome those periods when we are struggling or identify when to take a break from work and come back refreshed.
9. ‘Made to Stick’ by Chip and Dan Heath
“Made to Stick” by Chip and Dan Heath investigates the qualities that make ideas memorable and impactful. SEO professionals can apply these principles to make content visible, resonant, and lasting in the minds of their audience.
By understanding why some ideas survive while others fade away, SEO strategies can be designed to ensure content is found and has influence, improving immediate SEO performance and long-term brand recall.
Keeping the long term in mind when creating content is a valuable but often overlooked insight in SEO, especially when we’re under pressure to produce results. However, all research shows us that older content tends to do better. So if we can do both and create impactful content that “sticks,” we can help SEO performance for years to come.
Go deeper: how to create captivating, engaging and optimized content
10. ‘Outliers: The Story of Success’ by Malcolm Gladwell
It is difficult to choose just one book by Malcolm Gladwell, as all of his work has something valuable to offer.
“Outliers” looks at the factors that contribute to high levels of success. It’s not always what you think, and the stories and research shared in this book can enlighten SEO professionals.
By examining the roles of culture, luck, and the famous 10,000-hour rule for skill mastery, SEO experts can gain insight into the nature of success in their field.
This understanding can guide professionals to cultivate the persistence, context, and continuous learning necessary to achieve and maintain peak performance in the competitive world of SEO.
Dig deeper: 13 essential SEO skills you need to succeed
Get out of the SEO bubble and elevate your strategy
While the world of SEO is constantly evolving, stepping outside of the marketing realm can provide invaluable insights and perspectives that elevate your approach.
By expanding your horizons of knowledge, you can improve your SEO strategies, better understand your audience, and ultimately drive more effective and impactful campaigns.
Embracing multiple sources of wisdom will make you a well-rounded SEO professional and equip you with the skills to navigate the ever-changing digital landscape more successfully.
Dig deeper: 12½ emotional ingredients for SEO success
The views expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.
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