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What are infographics?
Infographics are visual a way to convey complicated or complex information so that we users can understand and interpret date quickly. This is achieved by creating a piece that combines useful information and data with attractive graphics and laying everything out in a fun and visually stimulating way.
Many people prefer to look at an illustration, chart or photo to understand or get an insight of something, rather than reading a long piece of text, especially on a digital screen. If your site is too complex or in depth people will be tempted go elsewhere.
How can you benefit from infographics?
Adding an infographic to your site will first and foremost allow people on your site to digest information easily and it will improve the user experience overall.
- People with be attracted to your site. Whatever the site content and subject matter —if users see attractive and appealing designs, they will be instantly more drawn to your website.
- Infographics will help with Search Engine Optimisation. You can become the authority and primary information source that explains complex ideas with easy to understand visuals by using infographics. This will encourage owners of other sites to create a link back to your site as you’ll be providing useful content to their users. This in turn gives your page more value and search engines will recognise this and reflect it in your search rankings.
- Repeat visits and regular users. If you have demonstrated your website is easy to use, provides useful content in an understandable way you will start to accumulate more and more regular visitors who are enjoying your content. This has the upside of giving you more exposure to promote your services and products.
You can use an infographic for almost any subject matter. The key is to ensure your present your information as clearly as possible and try to reference facts and figures that add interest and value to the piece. An example fact for this article might be that as people remember just 10% of what they hear, 20% of what they read but 80% of what they see and do, infographics are a great way to convey information.
Why are infographics so engaging for social media?
The reason infographics have boomed so massively this year is because they help you to stand out from the cacophony of noise on social networks and are engaging unique pieces. Users are confronted so much social media content on an hourly basis that you need to provide something that will grab their attention and inform them quickly.
Most companies will use social media sites to increase their social status and move ahead of their competitors. Infographics are a tool you can use to achieve this. A mix of using your own infographics and sharing others will help you gain an advantage.
How to reach potential customers with Infographics
There are three main types of infographics: company self-endorsing infographics, factual/data infographics and light hearted entertaining infographics. Company self-endorsing infographics are used by businesses as visual data sheets. They will contain information about your business, such as key events in the growth of the business, news and new product releases. Factual and data based infographics will explain a concept, subject matter in a way that is simple to digest and cite relevant facts to give credibility to the piece. These are ideal to introduce or promote a product or service where the benefits are not easily understood. Entertaining infographics tend to be less about the factual content but are clearly lighthearted fun and social e.g. healthy foods to eat to become a superhero.
How to start using infographics in your business
You can start creating an infographic immediately. The chances are you are already sitting on a wealth of useful information that your customers would find useful. Here’s how to get started:
- Plan before you start: Before you begin on your infographic, work out what you want to convey. Decide if you’re creating a company endorsing infographic or editorial infographic. Next, develop the infographic’s content and key headings.
- Tell a story: The most effective and interesting infographics tell a compelling narrative. You should consider the key points you are trying to communicate and then create your start, middle and ending to the users learning journey. Once this is achieved you can begin on the relevant facts to use, and consider the design and how to show the data in the most easy to absorb way.
- Add your infographic to your website site: If you place your infographic on your site or blog page in a relevant place you will benefit from improved search engine rankings because anyone who shares the information will be linking back to this page. When you share your infographic on your social networks make sure you link back to this page.
- Help users share it: It’s easy to include social share buttons under your infographic on your website. You can also provide the embed code so other web publishers can copy your graphic onto their sites. Your web designer will be able to create this embed code that ensures your site is maintained as the original source for the infographic.
- Design your infographic in a style that communicates well with your users. You want to use friendly and attractive layouts that are clear and bold. Clearly identify each section within the graphic and try to maintain a flow that leads the eye from the start to finish.
Infographics are easy to digest, fun to share and very engaging. They are well worth considering for your next blog post or product promotion.
