While written text in content marketing will always have a time and a place to help captivate your audience, there’s another star of the show that can no longer be ignored. Think colors that pop, clean design and an engaging way to display information that stands out. We’re talking about infographics that can help you tell a compelling story! Infographics are the perfect addition to your toolkit to ensure your content stands out.
In case you’re unfamiliar, infographics are visual images, like a chart or a diagram, that are used to present information or data. They’re all the rage in content marketing, plus they’re highly effective at driving traffic to your organization’s website and increasing your visibility on social media. Don’t have a designer on staff to help you create one? No worries. There are plenty of infographic resources to help you get the job done (including us!).
First, though, it’s good to understand how to turn your info into a captivating graphic. Check out these five simple steps to get started.
1. Set your goals.
Think about your target audience—what do they want to know? Do you have statistics or data to support your business or cause? Before you even think about design, it’s important to know your infographic’s purpose.
Start by identifying one single headline or thought you want to get across to your audience. If you could explain the purpose of the infographic in one sentence, what would you say? Start with the main goal and purpose and build from there.
2. Write it out.
It’s time to take your thoughts and put them to paper… or, in the 21st century, most likely to type your thoughts online. Start by creating an outline, and be sure to include all the relevant information upfront. It may be difficult to add content once the infographic is designed because of the already set layout.
Next, try to cut as much text as possible. Remember that you’re trying to illustrate your content instead of using lengthy word blocks. Go back through your original content and see what you can cut and what is the most important to keep.
3. Create graphics.
Here’s where the help of a designer or an online infographic resource comes in. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but a compelling design will help capture your audience’s attention. Think about how you can incorporate your brand’s colors, along with iconography and word text, to help illustrate your content. Clean design that leads your viewer’s eye down the page will help your content perform best.
4. Lay it out.
Flow is incredibly important when it comes to infographics. Online readers tend to skim quickly through information. Your layout should guide a viewer’s eyes throughout the graphic so that the information makes sense.
To test the ease of reading your infographic, show the finished project to an objective party. If they can quickly and easily tell you the purpose and content of the infographic, you’re ready to move on to the next step. The person providing feedback can also help you gauge if you need to make some changes.
5. Share it.
Once your wonderful creation is edited to where you love it, it’s time to share your infographic on social media, on your webpage or through email marketing. It’s important to remember that you should have a call to action and guide your users on what to do next after they have absorbed the information presented.
If you have a story to tell but aren’t exactly a designer, we can help! It’s time to tap into our artsy side. Discover how we can help you with content, design, landing pages, websites and so much more.