30 Must-Read Growth Hacking Resources

Growth hacking… Is this a new buzzword or a must-have skill for a digital marketer? Like many things, the most effective solutions are often born from scarcity. That’s probably one of the reasons why growth hacking is a trend associated with start-ups. While it’s not quite hit the mainstream yet, I believe it’s just around the corner for larger organizations. The concept is based on two profound observations of modern business: 1. Having a great product doesn’t always guarantee sales in a highly competitive market. 2. Traditional marketing methods are no longer effective. Simply put, growth hacking is a powerful tool for mining opportunities, and interest is growing accordingly. Google Trends indicates that the term began to gain traction in 2013, and is quickly gaining some serious traction in search:

Whether you choose to apply growth hacking in real life or would rather stick with more conservative and mainstream marketing tactics, here are 30 great resources to help you explore the idea:

This is a first-hand blog on startup growth and growth-hacking from the person who coined the term, Sean Ellis, the marketer behind DropBox and the CEO of Qualaroo (an awesome tool to collect insights we've just started using). I wish we started using Qualaroo earlier!

Andrew Chen's blog features posts on topics related to start-ups, growth hacking, and innovation. You will definitely find some mind-blowing ideas, news about apps and insights on trends that are just about to crush mainstream business thought.

Eric Ries is the leading advocate for the lean approach in product development and marketing. Lean is a metrics-driven mindset that guarantees transparency and an objective approach to the everyday decisions you make as a marketer and a growth hacker.

This very definitive guide to growth hacking is maintained by Neil Patel of QuickSprout. Neil is usually the first to tackle emerging trends, so while everybody else is just thinking about growth hacking, Neil’s already putting out a definitive guide.

Jon Yongfook developed an awesome set of 21 growth hacking tactics that aren’t just actionable – they’re fun, practical and an enjoyable read.

This is a vibrant community for agile, growth-obsessed marketers and developers to connect, share and get inspired. You’ll find some really battle-tested practical tips here.

This is an awesome collection of videos (currently 100+) for you to learn growth hacking techniques from those who have already applied it! It’s no rocket science, but you’ll need to learn many of these techniques to get the results you need.

Quora’s community of resident braniacs compiled this renowned list of hacks that you know will work in the field. Many of us learn best from real-life examples, and this list is one of the best resources.

This is a great collection of growth hacking lessons, which was co-created by experts and produced by Kissmetrics. There’s double value, since it contains even more links to websites for you to master growth hacking.

Yep, this is how Dropbox hacked their growth. One of the best ways to learn is by example, and this is an opportunity to learn from a true leader.

There’s no question that Mike Greenwald, LinkedIn’s former analytics lead, is a pretty sharp guy. His recollection of his journey into a formal growth-hacking position is well worth the read, regardless of whether you’re an expert in the subject or just beginning to explore it.

This collaborative blog is penned primarily by marketers at “the world’s fastest growing companies.” In addition to a steady stream of content on emerging trends, you’ll find case studies and eCourses on analytics, mobile marketing, and user onboarding.

If you’re serious about trying new and innovative ways to drive “repeatable and scalable growth” you’ve probably got to attend this conference. The second annual gathering should be held this November, and will likely feature true subject matter experts speaking. Last year’s roster included marketers from Square, Quora, Facebook and Twitter.

Is this resource worth your time? Absolutely. It’s among the best examinations of what growth hacking isn’t - for one, it’s not using SEO or SEM. The article also includes some high-profile examples of truly successful marketing that lead to explosive growth.

This Slideshare includes tips for effective marketing on a shoestring budget that have been shown to work for new companies time and time again. While some of the tactics may be familiar, others are quite fresh.

This blog is written by the super-sharp team behind Colibri, a leading analytics tool for lean marketers. It’s a mix of relevant news, emerging trends, and exclusive interviews with subject matter experts.

Entrepreneur Chaney Ojinaka takes a long, hard and research-based look at whether this tactic can actually work for everyone, and what you may need to adapt to your company’s unique service offerings.

Warning: your outlook on the future of effective outreach is probably going to be drastically different after you read this viral hit article.

BetaBeat took an honest, refreshing, and inspiring look at just why ad agencies are a thing of the past, and how professionals should position themselves for the future.

How exactly did Buzzfeed come out of nowhere to become one of the most-popular sites online? The Wall Street journal has the inside scoop.

This amazing blog has something for companies at every stage of the startup lifecycle, from ground zero to mergers and acquisitions.

$2500 of apps for $35? Yes, please! If you’re quick on your feet, you may be able to catch this amazing deal when it goes on sale again.

Leading SaaS marketing expert Lincoln Murphy’s been breaking the mold when it comes to startup growth for years. His thoughts on the topic are well worth the read.

Grow the Devil shares their thoughts on must-need resources - all of which definitely belong in your bookmarks or Evernote account.

Startup expert Yoav Vilner shares a comprehensive history of the topic, as well as a simple, step-by-step guide to implement best practices at organizations of any size.

Clarity founder Dan Martell shares one of the most important lessons of all in this blog; how to develop a scientific method to developing and running marketing experiments.

Best-selling author Ryan Holiday’s article is really more of a treasure trove of everything you need, from Slideshares to leading news articles.

This guy literally wrote several of the leading books on growth hacking - and his commentary is unfailingly sharp and cutting-edge. And a couple books that are about to come out:

You can pre-order your copy of Yongfook’s highly anticipated book today - or torture yourself by reading his fantastic free first chapter that’s ready for download.

When it’s ready for purchase, you can learn how brands like Dropbox and Mailchimp have built their success on growth hacking principles, and how product managers, founders, and marketers can adopt these practices today.

As a marketer, will you be the early adopter or will just hang in there until the trend becomes a mainstream?