Would you like your next piece of content to get 30 times more views and up to 650% more engagement? Try creating an infographic.
Infographics are a mixture of text and images. They’re bite-sized, easy to consume, and can make even the most boring facts and figures interesting. And, since 90% of the information broadcast to our brains is visual, infographics stick in your audience’s mind better than any text-only content.
So when should you incorporate infographics into your marketing strategy and how do you get started creating them? Here’s what you need to know.
When to Use Infographics
Although infographics can be developed around just about anything, there are a few places where they can really make the content shine.
Timelines
If you’re looking to show the evolution of a product or brand, infographics make it simple to see the progression. That’s because they naturally draw a viewer’s eye in a linear flow.
Comparisons
Trying to get your audience to see why your product or service is better than the competition? Infographics can provide a visual that highlights your business while casting subtle shade on others.
Lists
Listicles such as “Top 5 Reasons Why,” “Top 10 Best Of” or “Top 27 Ways To” practically demand to be made into an infographic. Who wants to read a wall of text when a colorful, engaging infographic is available?
Data-Heavy Content
White papers and case studies definitely have their place in the marketing world, but not everyone is looking for a deep dive. Infographics highlight your stats, facts and figures without forcing a casual viewer go over the hard data with a magnifying glass.
How-Tos
Infographics are the perfect way to teach someone how to do something, since you can literally guide readers through a process from start to finish using visual cues such as lines and directional arrows.
Quick Infographic Tips
Now that we’ve looked at where to use infographics in your content strategy, here are a few quick tips to help them stand out:
- Leave plenty of white space. Too much clutter makes it difficult for your reader to focus on the message you’re trying to send.
- Focus on the story. An infographic isn’t a dumping ground for every graph and pie chart you create. Make sure it tells a comprehensive story with a singular focus. Everything element of your infographic needs to have a purpose. Don’t force something to fit just because it looks pretty.
- Know your audience. Who are you creating this infographic for? Is it someone who is already intimately familiar with your brand, or someone who just stumbled upon you a few minutes ago? If you’re targeting a layperson but using highly technical language, you won’t make a connection.
- Use a template. While it’s possible to create an infographic from scratch, why reinvent the wheel? Sites like Canva make it easy to design a professional looking infographic right down to the color palette and complementing fonts.
- Cite your sources. You wouldn’t want people taking credit for your hard work, so don’t pirate theirs. If you’re borrowing information from someone else, make sure you note that. A list of citations at the bottom of your infographic is a must.
Infographics: An Integral Part of Your Content Strategy
Infographics can take a wall of text and make it into a beautifully woven story that’s equal parts informative, fancy and fun. Sprinkle some into your content strategy and watch your sales and engagement grow!
Do you have a strong distain for design? That’s OK. Mischa Communications employs some of the best graphic artists in the game. Tell us your vision and we’ll take it from there!