The Making of An Infographic
We live in a fast paced world where information in bite size is what we prefer. Instead of reading we scan. No wonder, Infographics, or rather information on finger tips is immensely popular these days as a content type. Brands are quick to recognize this trend and are using infographics to even present complex data. Take Warby Parker for example. This eyewear start-up uses infographic to present their annual report. It is a fact that high quality infographics are 30 times more likely to be read than text articles and is an effective and interesting content type to share on social media.
Why infographics matter?
Studies shows that around 90% of the information conveyed to the human brain is visual and 40% of the people actively respond to visual content than plain text. The reason behind this phenomenon is the brain’s ability in processing visual content faster than written content. As a result, infographics helps them to grasp the information quickly and thoroughly by understanding the concept without losing the interest on it.
Infographics breaks down complex researches, studies, reports etc., to simple visual representations, which makes it easy for the audience to digest the information. But, you cannot simply create an infographic by adding some random text and visual elements. For the success of an infographic, proper planning, visualization and implementation are very essential. Moreover, keep it focused on a single topic without including too much facts and figures. That’s how you will be able to create some visual impact in the minds of the readers.
Creating the right mix of content for an infographic is always a challenging task. There should be very little text with further visual elements to make it more appealing to the readers. Perfect amount of data organized in style with proper copy and visual elements can make your infographics more pleasing. Before designing the content for an infographic, you must have a thorough understanding of the topic and your target audience. This will help you to make the content more engaging and entertaining.
How to make infographics effective?
The effectiveness of an infographic not only lies on the designing part alone but also on certain other aspects too. The real challenge in front of every infographic designer is to make it more unique and engaging.
· Killer headlines: A headline plays a major role in grabbing the attention of the readers as well as in providing a gist of the infographic. If your infographics lacks a killer headline, then it will definitely affect its visibility. Therefore, don’t compromise on your infographics headlines and try to keep it short as possible.
· Valid sources: If your infographics includes more numbers and facts, make sure that they are true and obtained from reliable sources. Since people are more interested in scanning the facts and figures, a single false data can ruin your entire creation.
· Length and Size: The length and size of the infographic also matters. Normally, they are supposed to be larger in size. But, going too much big can affect its attention and you may lose your audience.
· Flow of contents: Similarly, focus on the flow of contents and always try to build a story in your infographics. Try to include some connecting elements between each section so that it will maintain that flow even if it is viewed from some distance.
· Add citations: Moreover, don’t forget to cite your sources at the end of your infographics since it can add more authenticity to the information that you have presented.
As the technology advances, you may witness more additions and changes in the formats of infographics. It may become the most advanced tool for future content marketing with the integration of several new features like interactivity, live visualizations and augmented reality.
