It seems everyone is taking to heart that a picture is worth a thousand words. For every link you click, there seems to be an Infographic to greet you.
Defined as “graphic visual representation of data, knowledge or information,” Infographics are being used in a variety of ways to tell a story.
Like everything on the web, the ‘good, bad and ugly’ of Infographics are all too apparent. Whether you use software such as Adobe Illustrator or use free infographic creator tools, knowing the do’s and don’ts of Infographic design is key to enhancing your credibility and trustworthiness in this age of information overload and cynicism.
Here are some suggestions on how to design your information to be heard, felt, seen and acted on:
1. Define your goals. Who do you want to provide the information to? What do want to see happen? Do you want to provide instruction, become known as a thought leader, generate curiosity, or provide analysis for today’s issues?
2. Research your data and provide fair and balanced information. Acknowledge where you got it and what questions were asked to get the information.
3. Sketch your page so the information provides unity, variety and hierarchy.
4. Choose your colors and fonts wisely. Colors tell a story all their own and fonts are better appreciated when you use one family type.
5. Match your graphic or visual element to the purpose of your content. For example a line graph creates relationship between variables that change over time, a pie chart compares parts to the whole, a table organizes and displays data, a map expresses spatial relationships, a timeline summarizes events over time
6. Make your content sharable by:
- making the copyright information clear on your infographic.
- Providing an embed code for your infographic
- Using you’re blog and a variety of social media tools like Twitter’s ‘click to tweet button’.
- Submitting your infographic to Infographic Directories
Want to learn more about Infographics, check these out these resources:
1. Steps to an Awesome Infographic
2. Ultimate Guide to Marketing with Infographics
4. Scoop.it – search infographics
6. Free Edible Infographic Elements – Graphics, Icons and Charts
7. Infographics as a Creative Assessment
Learning from YOU!
Using the Social Media Club’s Twitter tag (@socialmediaclub), what Infographic have you created, and how did you do it?
BONUS:
8 Steps to Create an Infographic
BONUS #2:
Infographic of Infographics [Video]
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-qbf5lsFH0&w=560&h=315]
Featured Image Credit: Canva.com
