Anyone who has spent a significant amount of time online in the last few years will have noticed the abundance of infographics which are uploaded. According to Social Media Today, the amount of infographics on the internet goes up by more than 1% every day. Just because you’ve seen them though, doesn’t mean you necessarily understand their purpose.
Image credit: Ivan Cash
What is an infographic?
The clue is in the name ‘infographic’. It’s a picture (or graphic) which is intended to be informational on a certain subject deemed newsworthy. We’re not just talking any old pictures and data thrown together like a PowerPoint presentation, infographics only fulfil their purpose if they are eye-catching and pleasing to look at while they fill you in on your topic of choice. Methods of presenting information include: iconography, tables, graphs, speech bubbles, groups of words that shape a picture and even minimalist artwork.
What’s the appeal?
The fact that people are adding 1% more infographics a day suggests they’ve proven popular with consumers. Then again that’s more a reflection on the people uploading them than the people viewing them. Infographics are a clear and concise method of demonstrating your expertise on your topic of choice: this can be anything from trivial celebrity facts, to the elements in the periodic table.
One of the main points of appeal for us, is that infographics can make the most important data stand out amongst the least visually stimulating on the page. Remember, 90% of information enters our brain visually, which means we’re more likely to respond to a picture and understand it’s meaning, than a one thousand word article on the same topic. If this information was being spoon fed to you in an infographic right now, you’d probably be taking it in much more effectively.
An added bonus to the infographic is that you can encourage links back to your site, in order to create a higher traffic to your blog or website, which will in turn draw attention to your brand. You see, when done well, an infographic is appealing and can go viral on the web. The more people who are readily sharing your branded infographic, the more publicity for your site and services. Clever, right?
If you want your own infographic, please drop us a line.