Infographics are a communication device used to convey complex ideas or related data points in a single, easy-to-consume visual format. They are often used by organizations to share insights on the connections between diverse information sources and / or data points. 

You will often see them on social media channels, used in media outlets to complement a news story, shared on company blogs, or even in print brochures. 

But what exactly is an infographic? And when is the best time to use one? Below, we’ll go over the elements of a good infographic and how and when it can be used in your content marketing strategy.

What is an infographic?

As mentioned above, an infographic is a visual or graphic representation of information or data. They’re often used to present data or provide an overview of a topic–especially when it’s something more technical–in an easily digestible way. 

Infographics fall under the umbrella of content marketing as they’re a way to deliver a message or information in an effort to market your business. While you likely won’t be creating infographics for every marketing campaign you run, there are certain situations when an infographic is the best tool to use.

When to use an infographic

If you’re a B2B brand, you might have case study statistics, research findings, or a complex topic that you want to share with the world. The problem is, it may not be as exciting or engaging to read in, say, a blog post, and it might not be long enough to turn into a white paper. This is when it would be a good idea to create an infographic. Graphics are often much easier to understand than a big block of text. By illustrating dull or number-heavy data, you’re showing your audience rather than telling them. 

One last thing to note about infographics is their shareability. If your end goal isn’t to get the infographic in front of your target audience, then you probably shouldn’t spend your time creating one. At the end of the day, infographics are a marketing tool. They’re representative of your brand, so think about who your audience is, the message you’re communicating, and how it all ties back to your overall marketing goals.

Elements of an infographic 

The goal of an infographic is to grab the reader’s attention and make it easier for them to absorb and understand the information being presented. This means that in order to effectively communicate the data or content, the infographic needs to be visually engaging. 

If you’ve ever seen an infographic, then you probably noticed that it used a lot of color. This is because colorful content is more attention-grabbing than black and white. There are hundreds of infographic examples out there, and you’ll see that most of them also use bold graphics and illustrations, and large text and symbols. 

Aside from design, there needs to be some sort of storyline or structure to your infographic. You can’t just throw a bunch of graphics and numbers together with no intent–readers need to be able to follow along with the topic you’re presenting to them. Whether you use a timeline, a how-to, a comparison, or a list-based infographic, make sure there’s a common theme and it makes sense to the reader.

About Sam Lauron: Sam is a freelance writer and a copywriter at Swyft, which has been listed as one of the best PR firms in Austin and a top digital marketing agency in Denver since its founding in 2011. Swyft has satellite offices where it offers PR in San Francisco and Houston.