Infographics are one of the most effective ways to share information, increase engagement with your customers and boost your website traffic.
But what are they exactly?
An infographic is a compelling combination of images/graphics with minimal text. They are ideal for making complex or boring topics easier to understand. Infographics can help present information in a visually striking way using elements like charts, graphs and illustrations.
So, what is the purpose of an infographic?
An infographic is a powerful tool for storytelling. It turns complicated information into a visually appealing story that’s simple to understand. Infographics are probably one of the fastest ways to educate or inform an audience and entice readers to engage with your content.
“We are 30 times more likely to read an infographic than a text article.”
FIVE BIG REASONS to use infographics
Let’s face it, most people just don’t have the time to read everything they see, so visuals have become a preferred way of consuming information.
If you are a business owner, or content creator here are five big reasons to start using infographics:
- Enhance comprehension: Infographics are amazing because
they are easy to read, understand and remember. Since 65% of people learn better with visuals, this is one of the best ways to distribute information to your viewers and customers. - Increase online engagement and website traffic: Infographics can attract more visitors to your website. They can also increase the overall engagement level of visitors on a page resulting in more timespent on your website. When you create and publish an infographic, you add value to your site, both visually and technically.
Tip: For maximum impact, make infographics that are easily searchable and contain the right keywords.
- Powerful marketing tool: Infographics are highly shareable making them a powerful marketing tool. When a viewer finds the information in an infographic helpful or interesting, they are more likely to share it on social media platforms significantly extending the reach of your content.
- Adaptable. Infographics can be easily re-purposed to be used in email marketing, awareness campaigns, sponsored social media ads and company blog posts.
- Boost Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and website authority: Infographics are a great way to add compelling content to your website, and they also have the potential to generate backlinks when content is shared. By adding text, titles and descriptions, your infographics can boost your website’s visibility on search engines. Tip: Google ranks websites higher if they contain widely shared content.
“Image based content has 94% more views than content without images.”
Infographic examples and how to use them
Statistical Infographics
Statistical infographics focus on presenting statistical data in a visually compelling manner. They’re an effective way to display data-heavy research and survey results.
Informational Infographics
Informational infographics are ideal for simplifying complex concepts or ideas. These infographics typically use icons, visuals, and concise text.
Informational infographics are great for:
- Step-by-step guides
- Tutorials
- Explaining complex processes in general
Timeline Infographics
The best way to visualize the history of anything by highlighting key dates, milestones and the sequence and progression of events.
They’re perfect for:
- Highlighting company achievements
- Emphasizing industry advancements
- Any narrative with a timeline structure
List Infographic
The easiest way to share lists of tips, steps, bullet points, or any set of information that can be broken down into individual items.
Tip: List infographics are fantastic for increasing engagement on your website!
- People might download and share a checklist if they find it useful.
- It’s a simple yet effective way to provide extra value to your audience.
Comparison Infographics
Ideal for comparing multiple options side-by-side.
How to get started
If you are a small business owner, the good news is that you don’t need a graphic designer to create professional infographics. There are a many free and inexpensive software options available.
- Canva – Free or subscription.
- Vennage – Dedicated infographic software. Free or subscription.
- Piktochart – A great infographic maker for beginners. Free or subscription.
What does a good infographic look like?
A good infographic is visually appealing, easy to understand and conveys information in a way that is both informative and engaging. Some of the key characteristics of a good infographic include:
Clear and concise text: The text should be easy to read and understand, and it should be used sparingly.
Effective use of visuals: The visuals should be relevant to the topic and should be used to help convey the information.
Consistent design: The infographic should have a consistent color scheme, layout and font style.
Strong hierarchy: The most important information should be presented most prominently.
Call to action: The infographic should have a clear call to action that tells the viewer what you want them to do next.
