Should you be using infographics?

The internet is flooded with infographics. They are everywhere and they are cool. I have become an infographic hoarder. I can’t resist downloading them, and, judging by our page views and downloads, I am not alone. So the answer to that question should be yes.

If you’re like me, and you’re not a designer, you will be a little peeved that people aren’t as excited about your tables and pie charts as they are about infographics.

Let’s look at 10 reasons why infographics are so popular:

1. They work because humans are visually inclined.
2. They allow us to convey a lot of information on one image.
3. They beat PowerPoint.
4. They look good.
5. They give us something to share on social media platforms that can be linked back to our website.
6. They contain branding elements like logos and web addresses, which creates brand awareness.
7. They can go viral.
8. They can boost search rankings, because they are re-blogged and shared, if you use links.
9. They force you to simplify your message, making it more accessible and understandable.
10. They are easy to make and track.

You just had to reread the last point, right? Yes. They are easy to make. You don’t need to be a designer, but a good eye and good taste will help. There are several sites that allow you to make your own infographics. They are user-friendly and fun.

I use Piktochart, but you can try infogr.am or Venngage. There are many more options out there.

Before you sign up and spend hours staring at a blank screen, write a blog post with all the information you want to convey. Think of an infographic as a blog post made visual. (Information + Story + Design = Infographics.)

Of course there are some things to consider before you start:

1. Check out this infographic for some tips: 10 Rules that Make an Infographic Cool, Effective and Viral
2. Don’t miss this one to help with design: What makes an infographic bad
3. And get started by using this awesome infographic layout cheat sheet from Piktochart.

Have fun and make beautiful infographics.

If you want to learn how to blog and write for social media, join our blogging and social media course in Johannesburg. Email  news@writerswrite.co.za  for more details.