Creating the right infographics can catapult your business ahead of the competition, particularly when they go viral. Infographics have become an essential marketing tool for a number of reasons.
- People are far more likely to be persuaded by information that is paired with visual graphics.
- Such graphics are absorbed 60,000 times faster by the human brain than text.
- Infographics have been shown to increase traffic 12 percent more quickly than companies that choose not to use them.
The success of these influential infographics continues to prove highly beneficial. The problem with this methodology is that few businesses are aware of the right formula necessary to create an engaging and potentially viral informational graphic. It is essential to choose your creation partner wisely, to use strategic visuals and layouts, and to craft the content in the most influential manner possible.
If you are able to master these critical points, you could increase your likes, shares, and reposts by up to 60 percent.
Keep reading to learn how.
1. Choose a Provider
The first step in your engaging and viral infographic endeavor is to choose an application or company to create your design. Consider your budget if you hire a company, it will likely be significantly more expensive than if you choose to create one of your own, however, in return you will get professional and high-quality work. If you choose to hire a company, be sure you see examples of their previous work before you move forward.
If you choose to create your own, keep in mind that some applications will require you to create designs from scratch; whereas, others will offer pre-designed templates. Typically, some templates will be free and others you will have to pay for depending on the service provider. And, many of the top applications will be far more user-friendly.
It is also possible to find an application with a monthly subscription fee that will allow you unlimited access to all templates and to create as many infographics as you like. Be sure to find a template that will allow you to save your final designs to be used on various platforms such as websites and PowerPoint presentations.
2. Visuals
Visuals are the cornerstone of your success. Arbitrary illustrations that simply look nice without providing any value will not be of much help. You must select visuals that are able to convey your story in a logical and cohesive manner while also being attractive and appealing. You can use your own images and illustrations or those provided by the service you choose. Scan the images available before you make your final decision on a provider.
Visuals are the cornerstone of your success. – Emin Sinanyan
Data visuals are also important. Select strategic charts and graphs that keep the design simple with a logical flow that can easily fit on the size of the canvas. It is important to note that not all templates are created equally. If you are not overly tech-savvy, be sure the template you select will allow you to enter data and make automatic updates based on your information rather than to have to redraw the diagram or chart on your own.
3. Layout
The best layouts are clean and easy to read! Have plenty of negative space so that people can easily follow the information. Keep it balanced by making the page vertical rather than horizontal to increase your chances, by over 40 percent, of others embedding the graphic into their websites. And, do not forget to include an embed code and social media buttons to make it simple for your audience to share your content on their platforms and to increase the likelihood that your infographic will go viral.
The right text size is imperative. A large font will engage more of your audience resulting in up to 54 percent more likes than those with a smaller font. Be sure to enlarge points you wish to highlight such as impressive statistics.
Much like the size of the text, the size of the canvas is also important. Aim for no more than 1800 pixels in length and 600 pixels in width to maximize the ease of readability.
Color selection is equally as important. You want it to be easy to read, yet not overwhelming to the eye while drawing attention to each section individually. By selecting a complementary color scheme rather than selecting random colors, you can increase your likes and tweets by up to 14 percent.
4. Content
The best way to make an engaging and viral infographic is to take the time to know your target audience. Conduct the appropriate research to learn about your demographics and determine whether you will choose an educational, informational, entertaining, or inspirational type of graphic. Once you determine the style, you can focus on the content you wish to convey.
Choose information that is factual, interesting, and adds value to the viewing audience, and keep the text to a minimum. Too much text is a quick way to lose your audience.
Remember to include data and visuals that pleases the eye, compliments the text, and tells a story. Keep in mind that these types of graphics are more likely to be read than a strictly textual article by 30 times.
If you explain the data through illustrations rather than to simply include charts and graphs, you could receive nearly 73 percent more likes. Check that all of your facts are correct and include sources to gain the trust of your audience.
5. Branding
Add your logo so that when it is shared, everyone will know the infographic is yours. Include SEO to reach the maximum number of people. Be original. And, do not forget to create a catchy headline with a target number of six words. Research shows that people quickly glance at the first word and last three words to determine whether or not they will engage with the content.
