How to use Infographics effectively

8 seconds is all you got!

Can you do it?

Surely this does sound like a Mission Impossible movie’s action sequence but is actually the time span you have to capture your customer’s attention.

This is just one part of the story. With a million of content pieces being created every day, the need to stand out becomes clear.  

As we live in the age of Big Data and Internet of Things (IoT), a powerful way to understand the complex data is through visuals. One of the most compelling ways to convey information via visuals is using an Infographic also known as (aka) data visualization.

To put it simply, Infographic represents data in a bite-size, easy to consume manner. Combine data and visuals to strike a conversation with your customers.

Infographics timeline

The idea of visually representing data dates back to the stone age.

A quick jump to the representation of countries on a map. Plotting the countries in a graphical manner, helped convey the information with more accuracy and lesser time.

The big shift to visuals was taken in the early 1930s when Harry Beck, a technical draughtsman created London’s underground transportation map. Beck created the map to help people understand where they could change trains.

But it was Edward Tufte, who became a pioneer in the field of data visualization. In 1975, Tufte developed a series of readings on statistical graphics along with another statistician John Tukey, which he later self-published as a book.

With tools like Canva and Piktochart available nowadays, sophisticated data can be quickly turned into compelling visual representation. Over the past couple of years, infographics have become quite a popular method of conveying interesting information.

Best practices to create infographics

An Infographic tells information, more precisely and to the point. Instead of focusing on several themes, they work around telling a particular story.

Not all infographics can create that same kind of magic. To learn how to create compelling infographics, consider the following rules:

1)    Data structured properly and organized

The right visuals backed by solid data is key to create an engaging infographic. Proper research to find valid and relevant data ensures that the customers’ trust in you remains. Data presented in a structured format will help to convey the results easily.

2)     Narrative Copy

Conveying the maximum information with the use of the right words makes your message clear. Words relevant to the message you want to put across is important.

3)    Visual Style

Great visuals have the power to entice your customers. Take time to research on how data can be visualized using charts, graphs or diagrams. Make sure the graphics are eye-catching and aren’t distracting.

4)    Convey a message

Infographics are used to convey a story or tell a message. Focus on the storyline, as you start laying down the design. Determine what data is required to be shown, to ensure the message makes sense.

5)    Easily shareable

To help you spread the message easily on websites and social networks, make sure the infographic can be easily embedded to get more views and shares. Increased share ability is likely to give you more links back to your site and get found easily.

Using infographics to tell a story

Infographics are a great way to incite your customers interest and work wonders for you.

Here’s more on how you can use Infographics effectively:

1)    Explainer

Help your customers understand the working of a product. Put across frequently asked questions via visuals, to explain what the customers have a trouble understanding. With the right graphics,  a customer is more likely to remember the working of a product.

2)    Listicles

Depicting how-to’s, do’s and don’ts with the help of Infographics, is one of the best ways to explain a particular process. If you use Pinterest, you are likely to see more listicle based infographics.

3)    Surveys and Research Reports

Did a recent survey, about the changing market trends?

Record your customers’ response and then create a visual, illustrating the results.

With the data and the distinct format in which it is presented, customers are likely to understand better the results and research was undertaken.

4)    For education

Another great usage of an infographic is for educating your customers. Passing on a message you want to convey about the latest happenings in your industry or an event in customers’ interest is easy with the usage of visuals. Adding graphics to the valuable information you look to provide will urge them to stay engaged.

5)    Creating real value

You can create real brand value by creating a useful infographic for your customers. Survey, find out what real strikes their chord and create a visual they would like to see.

Over to you

You might be missing out on what you need to reach out more customers.

Want more fans and conversations happening?

Visuals are a great way to increase engagement and unlock complex data understanding with ease.