Infographics are incredible assets to your content marketing strategy. They are fun to look at and easy to consume, which is why people love them. As you know, when people enjoy something, they’re more likely to share it with others. This means that one infographic can reach a wider audience and have the potential to go viral.
If you’re not taking advantage of infographics, you’re missing out on brand awareness and increased traffic to your site. Thankfully, it’s not difficult to create an infographic with your brand name on it! Below are some tips on how to make a shareable infographic for your viral marketing campaign.
Choose an Infographic Maker
If you prefer to make your own infographic, there are a number of tools online for you to use, including Canva.com. Explore these different tools to see which one you like best. Most are user-friendly and allow you to create an infographic in a few simple steps.
However, if you’re not comfortable working off templates and adding icons, illustrations and stock photos, you may feel better hiring a professional. This is more expensive, but it’s worth it when you’re looking to expand your reach. You want to make a great first impression, so quality, consistency, and professionalism matter!
Include the Best Data
A lot of people focus on the design elements within their infographic, but it’s important to consider the data first. What information are you planning on sharing? How many visuals are you including?
Infographics are designed to share the most important data. Once you select your topic, choose supporting information that your audience will find interesting. This could be data from your own internal studies or data retrieved from other blogs in your industry. Ideally, look for posts that have received a lot of likes and shares, as this means people find them interesting.
Tell a Story
Infographics are not intended to have random data. Instead, the data should tell a story that supports your main topic. As people read through your infographic, each section should flow into the other in a logical order. Be sure to choose data and a framework that supports storytelling.
Add Illustrations
Some people think that infographics always include charts and graphs to help people visualize information, but illustrations matter too. In fact, people tend to find illustrations more engaging than charts and graphs. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t use these visuals, but you are not limited to them only.
One word of caution when choosing images is to make sure they are royalty free. If you distribute an infographic with copyright images, you can get into significant trouble. Not to mention, it could negatively impact your brand’s reputation. Use a website like Unsplash.com or Pexels.com for free stock images; or, hire a professional photographer to take custom photos.
Pick a Simple Design
Select a design that is clean and uncomplicated. All of your images, photos, and graphics should be consistent. If you try to add too many elements, your infographic will end up looking messy and disconnected. You should also limit the number and style of fonts you use. It’s best to use one font for the text and one for the headers.
Make it Shareable
You want your infographic to reach as many people as possible, so be sure it’s easy to share. To do this, add social sharing buttons for the major social networks. You can also include a call-to-action button at the bottom of your infographic that encourages people to share the content. When people know what you want from them, they’re more likely to follow through.
With so much noise on the internet, infographics are the perfect way to get noticed. You can grab your audience’s attention, widen your reach, and share your expertise on a particular topic. You never know – your infographic may be the next to go viral!
Author: Cassandra Boyce
