When it comes to presenting complex data to a mass audience, it’s difficult to find ways to engage people while also presenting the information in a way that they can digest. Even if the information you have to share with your audience is valuable to them, your presentation will determine whether or not your readers will take the time to read what you have created.
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Since most people on the internet are skimming through content, your first impression is critical. Data-driven presentations are always difficult to promote as many people don’t want to take the time to understand the numbers. One way to combat this is to display the data as an infographic.
Infographics are a proven way to take complex data and present it in a visually compelling way that makes it easier to understand. Studies have shown that infographics can solve the following problems associated with presenting complex data:
- Stagnant social sharing — When it comes to sharing content on social media, people generally share what they appreciate. While you might hope that someone will enjoy a report or study, a vast majority of people would rather share something entertaining or visually stimulating. In fact, people are nearly 50 times more likely to share visual content on social media than any other type of content.
- Difficulty processing data — Studies have shown that the human brain can process visual information 60,000 times faster than it can handle data in text. Since infographics draw on graphics, charts, and other visuals, the brain will find the information more stimulating.
- Inability to keep attention — Data is difficult enough to understand without having to read it in a report. Since infographics are visually engaging, you can use them to your advantage as you seek to guide your audience. Additionally, you can condense the data to only include the highlights from whatever report you’re pulling from. You can reference the report the information comes from, so those who are interested can explore it further if they choose to.
- Forgetting the information — Research has proven that when it comes to remembering things, seeing or doing something can help you remember better than reading or hearing it. In fact, people will retain 80 percent of what they do or see, whereas they will only remember 20 percent of what they read. Providing visuals for your readers will help them not only understand the information but retain it as well.
Finding ways to present data can be a challenge, but infographics are a great way to present complex ideas to your audience. As you experiment with using infographics, you will be sure to notice a positive response from your audience.