866-808-2963
 
  1. Blog
  2. Tips for Creating a Fantastic Infographic

Tips for Creating a Fantastic Infographic

by Ben Johnson - Posted 12 years ago

Infographics. 

You've seen them. Read them. You can't avoid them. From Facebook to Pinterest, infographics have gone viral. Even the White House uses them.

Not convinced? There is even an infographic for why you should use infographics. 


Advantages of a Well-designed Infographic:

  • Images are more likely to be shared than text. Millions of images are shared every day on social sites.
  • They are quicker to read and comprehend. More than 60% of the population are visual learners.
  • Infographics are more aesthetically appealing than text, improving appearance and readability of your information.



How can you use an infographic for your business?

  1. It should be unique. There are thousands of infographics, so make sure you are taking a little bit different angle so it is worth sharing.
  2. It needs to be well-designed. Colors need to complement each other, images should be well-placed, and it need to look professional. If the design is sloppy or poorly thought out, no one will waste their time viewing or sharing it.
  3. Keep it simple. Making an infographic too complex will make it difficult to scan and comprehend, greatly reducing its value to you and to the user. Pick a single topic, a good color scheme, and simple images.
  4. It needs to have value. Whether it is funny or provides useful information, no one will want to take the time to view your infographic or share it if it doesn't provide some kind of value to them. With millions of pieces of content being shared daily, users' time is very valuable.

So you're ready. You've picked a unique topic, thought about what it should look like, and have determined the value it will provide to your demographic.




How can you make a good infographic?

Step 1: Create a skeleton or flowchart of what you want it to look like. We call these wireframes when we use them in web design. Will it be concentric? Horizontal? If your infographic is concentric, having the most important content both visual and factual in the middle is a plus. If your infographic is horizontal, the extreme left and extreme right are the starting and ending points of a reader's deductions and thoughts, so having your say in those spots will be extremely beneficial.

 

Step 2: Pick a color scheme. Assign colors to stand for specific points you are making in your infographic. Specific color schemes will help readers tie down their thoughts visually.  Make sure your colors also match the emotion you want to impart with your graphic (serious, happy, funny, energetic, etc.).

Step 3: Choose your graphics. Graphics can be sorted into two groups:

Theme:

Keep your images centered around your theme. For example, if you are a floral shop and presenting most popular flowers for occasion infographics, using flowers as your theme is an obvious but good choice.

R
eference:
Reference graphics are kind of like a key on a map "“ they stand for specific things that are easy for a reader to quickly grasp and relate to the theme, and will provide further direction and understanding. Arrows, check marks, smiley faces will all help in directing the thought and understanding of your readers.

 

Step 4: Gather information. Make sure you have sufficient data to impart to your audience. Consider what message you are trying to get across, and find the information to back it up. Statistics, facts, and research are important to giving your infographic legitimacy.

Step 5: Design your infographic. You may want the help of a professional designer if this is going to be an important marketing tool.  But there are many options for creating a infographic yourself, such as Visual.ly. You can also hand draw it if you are so inclined, but that may not translate as you might want it to on the Web.


Hopefully this has allowed you to make a more informed decision on whether or not an infographic would be useful for your business. And now for the shameless plug "“ if you are considering an infographic, our web design team is here to help. We hope you'll contact us.

 


Search
Show All Advanced Search