Infographics are practical tools for communicating important information and data. While eye-catching graphics and design are crucial to success, much more goes into creating entertaining, informative, and easily understood infographics.
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Creating an Infographic
1. Start with Story
Good infographic design starts with storytelling. It is not sufficient to plug data into a graph and add attractive imagery. Consider why you want to create the infographic in the first place and what the story is that you are trying to tell.
Your story should be compelling and entertaining, and the data presented should be helpful to readers. First, ask a couple of questions to identify and outline a story. What is the problem you are trying to solve with this set of data? How does the information you’re presenting help readers solve it? Develop a compelling narrative. Your infographic should be structured intentionally, allowing your reader to follow along to its conclusion.
The best infographics will leave people with insight and a feeling of motivation. If an infographic outlines a solution to a problem, readers will feel compelled to post infographics on their sites and share them with others.
2. Gather Data
Again, content should be helpful as well as entertaining to readers. When creating infographics, the quality of the data you use is important. You must have credible sources to add to the impact and believability of your infographic.
Finding high-quality sources and datasets can seem daunting, but it is easier than you think. There are many existing data repositories, such as government sources like data.gov, industry sites such as statista.com, and public opinion sites like pewresearch.org and gallup.com. You may also look through academic sources such as Google Scholar, or Sci-Hub.
If you can not find the data set you want out in the world, there is also the option to do original research. While this will undoubtedly be more work, you may find something fascinating. To choose a research topic, always consider what might evoke strong emotions in your readers. An infographic will likely see more traction if you can bring up strong reactions and emotional responses.
3. Decide on Style
An infographic can be topical, relating to information that is of-the-moment, or evergreen, meaning it never goes out-of-date and can be shared repeatedly over time. These pieces can be centered around current news events or specific holidays. Evergreen infographics are those that will always be valuable to their audience.
Infographics can be text-based, image-based, chart-focused, illustrated, or present a combination of images and text. Whatever infographic type you decide, it is best to keep the style and design simple. The goal of an infographic is to make complex data and information easily digestible to most readers. Visualizations should be minimalistic and straightforward.
Infographic Structure
1. Descriptive Title
The title of an infographic should let the reader know what to expect. It is the very first thing your readers will see. While your infographic simplifies complex information, the title should simplify the whole content piece. Consider using a short, attention-grabbing opening with descriptive subheadings. You can also include numbers in the title to generate interest.
2. Introduction
The introduction will outline the primary content of the infographic. This should be short and to the point. Keep your introduction to around two sentences and include keywords to assist with SEO.
3. Content
Information is the most crucial part of the infographic. Be sure that the data is relevant, valuable, and accurate.
You also want to keep it simple. When taking a data set of information and turning it into primary content for an infographic, it is best to keep it to around five or six main points. While researching data, you will most likely end up with vast amounts of information. You will need to condense this information down to the most relevant facts.
4. Graphics and Design
As well as being informative, an infographic needs to be attention-grabbing. Content is everywhere. Individual content pieces must fight for reader attention. Choose bold colors that work with your brand or theme. Consider the topic of your infographic. There will naturally be colors that work with the message and those that do not.
There are two types of graphics found on infographics – theme graphics and reference graphics. Theme graphics are those related to the overall theme of the content piece, and reference graphics are icons and graphics used to back up or point to specific data elements.
5. Summary and Call to Action
A summary should be short and sweet and tie all the infographic’s data into the most relevant points. Try to keep this to around two sentences. The most effective infographics also end with a call to action. Consider your purpose in creating the content piece. A call to action could be inviting readers to follow a link, visit a certain website or social page, or share infographics with their friends.
6. Footer Information
The footer of an infographic should contain information about your business or organization, social media accounts, and other contact information. This is also an excellent place to include references for the data and facts you have used.
Taking the time to research quality data and plan an infographic’s structure and design will help you to create a content piece that is entertaining and easy to understand. Before you upload your infographic, make sure that it is simple and easy to follow and includes a clear call to action to ensure readers share it as much as possible.