In recent years we have been literally invaded by these graphic representations of data, statistics and information nicknamed infographics.
They have spread like wildfire especially through the web with social networks such as Pinterest and with various industry blogs but also with magazines and paper newspapers so much so that it has now become common practice to accompany an effective infographic with an article, whether in a blog or in a paper newspaper.
People love them, share them and enjoy reading them. They have also become a tool for corporate marketing and a new way to represent, for example, personal and business successes. They are one of the best and most effective ways to quickly reach the reader’s attention.
What is an infographic?
An information graphic is a visual representation of a collection of data or educational or informative material. An infographic takes a large amount of information in textual or numerical form and summarizes it in a combination of text and images to allow the viewer to quickly get the gist of the data collected.
Infographics are not a direct product of the web, they have a very long history (some trace them back to the Egyptians and their hieroglyphics). The Internet has simply contributed to their growing popularity thanks to the viral sharing of many of them.
How do I create an effective infographic?
To create an infographic, therefore, you collect data on a specific topic, analyze it and order it by dividing it into categories. From that data you extract the most interesting information with which you try to create an image capable of transmitting the result immediately , but how? Using these rules.
10 rules to create an effective and functional infographic
1. Define your goal
Identify your goal well. Acquire customers? Do personal branding ? Do outreach? Entertain people? Once you have decided on your goal you can decide what information to select from the data you have collected and set the graphics and structure of the entire infographic project.
2. Understand who your audience is
This point may seem very simple but in reality it is extremely complicated. Many infographics fail in their intent because they do not understand what the best target is or do not analyze the needs and tastes of the target audience well. So you need to know who you are talking to, what “language” they speak, what tools they use, how they interact and above all: what interests your target audience?
3. Create a story
Effective infographics aren’t a bunch of data made cool by two randomly placed vector images. They need to follow a central idea to work and they need to have a message to convey.
Example. An infographic on the history of women’s handbags cannot be interesting if it only lists consumption data for the same, but, for example, it can show that data by linking it to specific historical events or typical behaviors to create a central story around which to insert the data and information.
Be relevant
On average, a reader takes about 3 minutes to read an infographic. You must therefore condense all the notions that you want to convey into that amount of time. How to do it? You must be relevant! Perhaps by following 3 simple points:
- Communicate something new to your audience
- Be concise
- Divide your content into 5/10 points
5. Do thorough research
Never use data from a single source unless you need to make an infographic about the data from that specific source. Having different research sources helps make the data presentation more interesting. Use public data such as Eurostat or Istat, do online research, use company data, etc.
6. Create an attractive header
The title. Well, the title is fundamental in any successful content, even more so if it is intended to be shared on the web. Did you know that 90% of people choose whether or not to read an infographic based on the stimulus generated in them by the title?
7. Use an eye-catching design
Well, at this point you have all the basics available, now the part perhaps most important. The graphic design. It is essential to use the so-called eye-catching design, that is a design that attracts the gaze and that best supports the information to be shown.
Don’t forget that your infographic design should help you understand the data first and foremost. To do this, follow these additional points:
- Create a clear and distinct distinction between thematic blocks of your infographic.
- Use text formatting (bold, italics, bulleted or numbered lists, etc.) to give different prominence to more or less important information.
- Use images and graphics whenever you can replace text, but don’t overdo it.
- Insert short (short!!) explanatory texts in each block of information.
8. Go viral!
Go social! I mean, an infographic without sharing or an online distribution plan is like an uninhabited and undiscovered island in the middle of the ocean, right?
There are countless ways to spread an infographic. In my opinion the best are two: blogs that deal with topics related to your product, and image social networks , above all I would say Pinterest and Tumblr.
9. Cite your sources
Be authentic. Citing sources and resources used is what makes or breaks an entire infographic, no matter how well structured it may be.
10. Conclude with a summary
At the end of the project, take stock, reiterate the central concept and try once again to focus the reader’s attention on the message you want to convey, and, if you followed this decalogue to build your infographic, you have certainly found one already by following the first points.