Infographics are popular at the moment, particularly as a marketing tool, but there is potential for misuse. Infographics have the potential to excite an audience with its creative and visual way of presenting information, but it also has the power to injure the brand if the information is incorrect or visualised poorly.
“Put simply, infographics are a visual representation of information”So what exactly is an infographic? Put simply, infographics are a visual representation of information (data, knowledge, stats) represented in a creatively designed image or graphic.
Infographics can help the reader digest large amounts of information efficiently, enhancing the reader’s comprehension of the subject matter.
Infographics have been used throughout history. They are probably the most popular way to visualise data, concurrently conveying the message in a clear and understandable manner for the target audience. The first known examples of infographics are hieroglyphics or cave paintings in ancient Egypt 5,000 years ago. Nicole d’Orseme (1352-82), Bishop of Lisieux, combined figures into groups and graphed them. Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) combined graphics with text in his “Treatise on Painting.”
How should you use infographics? Obviously, it varies from company to company. I think the key is to decide on a topic, preferably something specific to your marketplace, that you can explain visually. It’s an added bonus if it’s something that journalists and bloggers want to link to, and perhaps something from which a client, customer, supplier or partner may draw knowledge/value.
Infographics are predominantly used for the following reasons:
•To communicate a message.
•To present a lot of data or information in a way that is compact and easy to comprehend.
•To analyse data in order to discover cause-and-effect relationships.
Some infographic types and applications:
1.Statistics – This type of infographic is useful for presenting company information and industry research. Probably the most used and effective one out of the six.
2.Timelines – evolution, progress, history, schedules.
3.Concepts – illustrating thought leadership or philosophy.
4.Models – business processes, service offerings.
5.Cartoons – ideas, concepts, scenarios, culture.
6.Information – industry resources, specs, comparisons.
An example of a statistic type infographic.
You may be wondering how one creates infographics. Personally, I don’t have the skills to create nice looking infographics. Thankfully there are many companies and designers that you can outsource it to. In other words, if you can’t do it yourself, get others to do it!
Good infographics are like gold – pretty, shiny and valuable commodities. Sloppy infographics are like lead – boring, dull and may poison you (or your brand). Good infographics take time and effort to create, and then more time and effort to disseminate.
Infographics may be popular, but they are not easy. Before you hit on the idea of creating heaps of infographics for your digital marketing campaign, consider whether you have the time to do them properly and if the content matches the intended audience.
Check out The Power of Infographics. It’s a presentation that digs into visual thinking, how organisations can learn to present their ideas visually, and how infographics can be used to help achieve some common business objectives.
Another awesome collection can be found on Dee Chetty's pin board (Pinterest)
