9 Steps for Maximizing Infographic Success
Infographics are shared on social media three times more than any other type of content. What exactly makes them so compelling? The Canva blog breaks it down:
“Infographics are effective because they have the ability to transform data into a visual story. Infographics breathe life into otherwise boring information and can make complex information a lot easier for your audience to understand and process.”
The key to a successful infographic is a combination of implementing strong design principles and effective psychological impact considerations. Follow these steps below to help your next infographic succeed.
Step 1: Choose a Topic
Choosing a topic is where every infographic gets its start. When it comes to choosing a topic, think about what your goal is for the infographic.
You also want to consider choosing a topic that’s unique, that you’re passionate about, and/or that’s relevant to your target audience. Your topic is what will evolve into the story you’re going to tell through data visualization.
Step 2: Write an Attention-catching Headline
Titling your infographic should leave your viewers with no questions and eager to discover the rest of your story. 8 out of 10 people will read your headline, so this needs to be a major point of conversion from scrolling and skimming to your viewer actually engaging with your infographic.
There are a few basic approaches when crafting a catchy headline. Utilizing attractive adjectives or numbers can help inform and entertain viewers. Also consider establishing a call-to-action right in the beginning, through the title of your infographic.
If you can use your headline to establish a relationship with your viewer, use that emotional appeal to your advantage. Use pronouns like we, you, or our to reach your audience on a more personal level.
Step 3: Develop a Layout Design or Wireframe
Before you start gathering content, you want to consider the space you have available to work with. A layout is easy to figure out when you sketch out a wireframe. Limiting your early drafts to a grayscale color palette is a great way to make sure there will be enough contrast in your infographic.
Consider where your infographic is going to be viewed; on a website, paired with an article, on a social media platform? Also consider the type of device(s) your target audience will be using; smartphones, laptops, desktop computers, tablets, etc. Knowing this information will help you make the right decisions to incorporate flexibility into your infographic layout.
“For your infographic design, use a grid system to create margins. It’s good practice to keep enough space in between your elements and the edge of your canvas to avoid visual tension. A good rule of thumb is to keep all objects and elements at least 20px (one square on the grid) away from the edge of the canvas.” — Venngage blog
Step 4: Organize your Content
When it comes to content, less is more. Start by pulling as much information as you can find on the topic. Grab any piece of data that may be helpful to tell your story. Don’t forget to consider the credibility of the source at this stage.
Once you have more than enough data points, start narrowing that down to only the most crucial pieces you need. This is also the time to potentially make cuts based on the source credibility you determined in the early stages of gathering your content.
“Information overload is overwhelming. Don’t put in anything unnecessary. Try to break it down into six main points at most, and break it down even farther into sections if you need to.” — The Canva blog
Step 5: Determine your Data Visualizations
Now it’s time to look at the data you’ve collected and determine how those points will fit into your story. The chart/data visualizations you use should make sense in the context of the story. Consider using the I.C.C.O.R. method to help you out:
Step 6: Color Selection
Can something so simple as color really affect the quality of interaction between a viewer and an infographic? Absolutely, due to the psychological aspects associated with color.
Color psychology; what is that? It’s essentially the study of the underlying influence that color has on a person. Check out this article to learn more about color psychology and its influence on a viewer’s experience.
Step 7: Font Selection
Just like a word’s definition conveys its meaning, the font chosen to display that word also conveys meaning. Font psychology is essentially the unspoken unique personality or purpose that gives a font an additional layer of communication.
Considering the psychology behind font choice is important to anyone trying to communicate through a written message. To learn more about font psychology, check out this article.
Step 8: Image and Icon Selection
Just like your content, less is more; images and icons should be used as needed. This is a great time to revisit your initial wireframe sketches and make sure you leave intentional and strategic patches of negative space. These spaces give the viewers’ eyes a place to rest on the page.
The Venngage blog stresses the importance of consistency in any photo or icon assets you want to use:
“Try to pick photos with the same lighting effects, same backdrops, same amount of dark areas, etc. It’s important to stick to a certain style as images that clearly don’t fit the set will distract from the information being communicated.”
Step 9: Share your Infographic
Remember when you determined your target audience all the way back in the early stages of your project? Now’s the time to revisit that persona information to figure out the best places and times to share your infographic. The Canva blog offers some advice:
“People love infographics and they tend to go viral, so this is a great opportunity to get your brand and messaging out there. Share your infographic everywhere that it makes sense to — whether that’s on your website, on your social media platforms, or through an email blast.”
Taking careful consideration with the planning and execution of your infographic can go a long way. Keep these 9 steps in mind to really make an impact with your next infographic.
#KentInfoGr #kelseyVdesign #design