Summary:
- Infographics can be a powerful tool in content marketing when designed properly, but when done wrong, they can fall flat.
- Follow basic infographic design principles and ensure that your data is fact-checked and easy to read.
- Be creative with your graphics, and include visually appealing features such as vibrant colors, custom art, and inclusive visuals, while also ensuring that the infographic makes sense and provides valuable information. Contact Think Agency to help take your infographics to the next level.
When done right, infographics – visual representations of facts and data – are a compelling way to communicate important information quickly and clearly.
As a cornerstone of content marketing, infographics help develop and grow brand credibility and consumer trust for more substantial organic reach. The best infographics are informative, organized, factual and fun. They should be created to convey information with the goals of shares, likes and increased traffic.
When done wrong, infographics fall flat. Too much information. Too many errors. Too cluttered. Just too much.
If your infographics fit the latter, then consider some changes:
- Follow the basics of infographic design, style and content
All infographics follow some basic tenets that make them user-friendly and readable. Avoid some common mistakes that can reduce your credibility:
Fact check and then double check: Since infographics rely on snippets of information, there may be a tendency to shortchange the facts. Rely on experts to help condense the data to ensure the essential details remain intact.
Stop visual clutter: Don’t squeeze different font styles, clashing colors, images of all sizes and walls of text on a single page. Visual clutter draws the eye in too many directions, making it difficult to follow. Fewer graphics, less text, coordinating fonts and well-placed whitespace can make the difference between an infographic that’s readable and one that is not.
Consider the audience: Inclusive design practices keep user diversity in mind, incorporating various perspectives, abilities and backgrounds for authentic audience engagement. The goal is to include rather than alienate readers.
- Be creative, exciting and unpredictable
Infographics are supposed to be attention-grabbing, which can’t be done by looking ordinary. Infographics need to pop off a screen with visually stimulating graphics that hold the viewer’s attention.
Some graphic design trends for 2023 can bring a fresh and original look to your infographics. Consider using:
Vibrant and bold colors: Vibrant and bold backgrounds add dimension, depth and personality to any visual. Just be careful not to overdo it.
Serif fonts: Serif fonts, or fonts with small strokes at the ends of larger strokes, look sophisticated and clean.
Inclusive visuals: Inclusivity reaches beyond backgrounds, cultures and abilities into age, language and geographic location, among others.
Custom art: Hand-drawn visuals personalize a brand to create a down-to-earth, homegrown look.
Motion graphics and animations: Motion graphics and animations transform an ordinary visual into an engaging and eye-catching look.
- Make sense
Even if your infographic looks fantastic, it might lack substance and valuable information. Make your infographic worthwhile to readers by adding fact-based visuals. Some ideas include:
Bar graphs: Bar graphs compare two or more groups or track changes over time. They help readers visualize comparisons or changes.
Maps: Maps are great for location-based information, including topography, climate, economics and navigation.
Timelines and flowcharts: When illustrating the passage of time or steps in a process, timelines and flowcharts show the chronological arrangements of events.
Venn diagrams: Venn diagrams show the connection between two ideas and the similarities and differences between concepts.
Photographs: Photos illustrate emotions, changes over time, people and places, among other things.
But where do I even start?
Good infographics aren’t just about visuals and text. Instead, they combine visuals and text to form a cohesive information package.
Ready to take your infographics to the next level? Contact THINK today.
