Sociatic

Posts Tagged ‘constructing infographics’

Posted on May 17, 2010 - by Kwame

Telling Business Stories with InfoGraphics

Infographics have emerged everywhere and businesses and organizations are using them to tell sweet stories (and sometimes sour ones ) about what’s happening inside and outside of their establishments.

I love reading info from an infographic because it makes things easier to understand and it actually provides and engaging experience, so blissful that I sometimes save some infographics I come across on the web.

Now what is an infographic? An infographic is a graphic work that is designed to tell a story or explain a situation in just a few words, graphics and (or) pictures.

Mind you however that, infographics are not just any graphic design or art work. Inforgraphics carry messages and unlike just any type of art or graphic design, there are certain factors to consider when creating infographics.

Factors to consider when constructing an infographic:

It has to be accurate: The data provided should be as accurate as possible. You are using it to educate people about a situation so why be careless with the info?

It should be attractive: Care should be taken when choosing colors and shapes for the infographic. Color psychology should be taken into account. A good infographic designer knows color associations and how to use them in design. If you want to hire someone to design your infographic, choose a color expert.

It should convey a message: Your infographic should have a core message or some lesson in it. Raw data with a cool design won’t mean anything to anyone unless there is a message tied to both the design and data. That message should be easily understandable.

Now that you know the definition and what should be considered, let’s look at why businesses use them.

Why InfoGraphics Rock for Business:

Infographics can drive traffic: Yes, this is very true. Because of its interactive and graphic nature, people will love to share it with others. People find it an amusing way to explain a situation so they go ahead and share them with their friends.

Infographics explain a situation more easily: Many savvy marketers know the value of pictures and graphics. People want to learn with pictures most of the time because it makes it easier for them to understand what you are saying and it makes the topic more interesting. That is why infographics are so important.

It saves time: Because it explains a whole lot in just a few words and it is easily understandable, it saves time that may be used to explain a complex situation that may not be easily understood by employees or customers.

Here is what Randy Krum, a Product Development, Marketing, Visual Thinking and Data Visualization professional who is fascinated by infographics had to say about them:

“Infographics can be a powerful tool for businesses by communicating their message both internally and externally. Internally, infographics are a great way to share numerical data with employees about budgets, sales numbers, intellectual property, top customers, customer behaviors, etc. Externally, infographics are very effective in sales presentations, advertisements, on packaging and of course online. The risk for business is that a poorly designed infographic can turn away customers or communicate the wrong message.”

That sums it all up about the benefits of infographics.

So Randy’s statement adds another voice to the factors to consider when constructing an infographic as well as the benefits your business stands to derive.

All-in-all, infographics can be excellent branding tools for your business.

If you have some ideas of what infographics you should create around your niche, go ahead and start working on it today.

I would love to read about what you think of infographics in the comments box below.