What exactly is an infographic and why is it so effective? An infographic is, really, any representation of data in a creative and interesting way, displayed in a single easily shared image. The goal of an infographic is both to inform and entertain. It should be aesthetically pleasing and accurate and it should make it easy to compare data in a meaningful way. Moreover, it should have some form of intent -- the audience should be informed about a specific topic or have drawn certain conclusions by the end. Infographics are useful because they are easily shared and because the audience wants to share them, sending your message on to their friends and followers.
Creating Infographics and Finding Data
A great infographic starts with a compelling premise -- it presents information that your audience would be interested in. A fashion and design company might create an infographic about how colors are used throughout the seasons, or a health clinic may create an infographic about current health trends and threats. From there, it's a matter of compiling data and finding sources. Sources on .EDU, .GOV and .ORG sites are generally considered to be more reliable than others.
Professionals often use software solutions such as Adobe Illustrator to create their infographics from scratch, but these programs can be intimidating for a newbie. Applications such as Piktochart and Easelly are targeted at giving non-designers an easy way to create compelling and beautiful infographics with a minimum of experience. Once the infographic has been created, it's simply a matter of saving it as a JPG, PNG or GIF and sharing it on the web.
Sharing Infographics and Promoting a Call to Action
An infographic is only effective when shared and properly attributed, with a promotional call to action. At the end of every infographic should be a prompt to learn more, and company branding should be visible throughout in the form of a logo and other contact information. A plumbing company might, for instance, create an infographic about the way to make a sprinkler system eco-friendly, with an invitation to call for a free quote at the end.
Infographics are often most effectively shared through social media -- Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and even LinkedIn. When sharing, remember to use #hashtags that are relevant to your post! A good infographic will be shared and re-shared, eventually taking on a life of its own.
Infographics are only one of the many ways to create a great online presence for your company. By creating an online presence, your company can reach out to future clients, prospective employees and even potential investors. To find someone to help you with social media branding, traffic building and digital marketing, contact us today.
Need some infographic inspiration? Check out our Pinterest board.
