7 Tips For Creating The Perfect Infographic

We live in a world that has become saturated with data. According to Tech Crunch, every two days we produce more data than we did from the start of civilization until 2003. Much of that data may be potentially useful but making sense of it can be a challenge. Businesses that are able to provide their audience with insightful facts in an easy to understand format have a clear advantage. One of the best ways to achieve this goal is by producing infographics.

Infographics are graphical representations of complex data. They provide a fun way to learn more about a particular topic without having to do a lot of reading. Infographics are also highly shareable which make them perfect for a viral marketing campaign.

Infographic Template Example from Graphicstock

1. Use the best data

When creating an infographic many people focus solely on the design elements. But if the data used isn’t interesting or helpful then it won’t matter how good the infographic looks. An effective infographic needs to be founded on information that is actually interesting. One of the easiest ways to find data sources for your infographics is to look at blogs in your industry. Look for posts which have attracted a lot of tweets, +1’s and likes. This social sharing demonstrates the popularity of the content and will increase the likelihood that your own infographic will be shared.

2. Create A Story

Infographics are a type of storytelling. Each section of the infographics needs to flow from one section to next in a logical order. Design a framework which shows how this story will develop.

3. Use Illustrations Instead Of Graphs And Charts

When designing your infographic favor illustrations over graphs and charts. A recent study produced by Quick Sprout showed that infographics with pictures get 72.8% more Facebook likes than those just with graphs and charts. Also according to the infographic community Visual.ly, 53% of the most shared infographics do not contain any data visualization. Before you use any image ensure that it is royalty free. A widely distributed infographic which contains images you do not have the copyright to can get you in significant trouble. Use Storyblocks to source great looking royalty free illustrations for your infographic.

4. Choose The Right Size

Marketing experts suggest that the ideal horizontal width for an infographic is 735 pixels. This creates an infographic that will stand out but not one that is so wide that it will need to be resized. It is also a good idea to keep the infographic under 5000 pixels high. If you go longer than this you risk losing the reader’s attention.

5. Keep It Simple

To the make your infographics more readable you need to keep the design elements consistent and relatively simple. Stick to one style for all of the images, photos and graphics used in the infographic. For example, if you are using space theme, then that theme should be used throughout the entire infographic. You should also use limit the style and number of fonts that you use.

6. Use A Single Focal Point

Clarity is key for an effective infographic. One way to achieve this is to use a single focal point that clearly displays the message of the infographic. Branching from this infographic can be other relevant data which helps to explain the story you are trying to tell.

7. Make It Shareable

One of the biggest benefits of using infographics is that they can be shared. You want to make sharing your infographic as easy as possible. Add social sharing buttons to your infographic for the major social networks including Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, and LinkedIn. You may also want to include a call to action at the bottom of the infographic, which reminds the reader to share it with their friends, family and co-workers.

Infographics are perfect for breaking through the visual clutter of the internet. A bold infographic can quickly grab the attention of your audience. Infographics based on insightful data that tell an interesting story are highly shareable which make them the perfect content vehicle for the social web. Learn how to make an infographic, and explore our infographic templates.

GraphicStock Infographic Template