HOW TO BEST USE INFOGRAPHICS AND DATA VISUALIZATION
You can hardly imagine a world without infographics any more. The reason? Data visualizations and infographics simply make it to transport a (complex) message so much faster and better than plain text.
30 x
Infographics are 30 x more likely read than plain text.
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Sources: HubSpot
94 %
Visual content generates
94 % more views.
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Sources: Buffer, HubSpot
80 %
We retain 80 % of what we see; 20 % of what we read; and 10 % of what we hear.
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Sources: Buffer, HubSpot
TOP 5
Visual content is rated among the top 5 most effective B2B marketing methods.
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Source: HubSpot
TYPES OF DATA VISUALIZATIONS AND INFOGRAPHICS
There are different types of data visualizations and infographic designs:
I a static infographic (a classic, static image file) >> example
I a gifographic (an animated gif image file) >> example
I a web-based infographic (slightly animated, i.e. with HTML5) >> example
I a specifically programmed, web-based infographic with interactions >> example
By the way: The Google Data Gif Maker allows you to quickly and easily create your own simple gifographic in Google Material Design - without hiring an infographic designer. You can read my test report about it here.
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GREAT WAYS TO USE DATA VISUALIZATION AND INFOGRAPHICS
PRINT PROMOTION MATERIALS
How many print promotion materials do you receive by mail per week? Five, ten, fifteen or more? And how many of them do you really pay attention to, how many do you read? Probably one or two - if any.
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Classic print promotion materials cost a lot of postage money and have an ROI (return on investment) of often less than 3 %. As infographics are read 30 x more likely than plain text, it is definitely worth designing your print promotion as an infographic. This significantly increases your chance to multiply your ROI.
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A few years ago (2013), I designed an infographic that was sent out by print mail, for the Hamburg based advertising material agency Kleine & Jockers.
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"The infographic on merchandising products is really great. We wanted to transport this topic in an easy and uncomplicated way. We, and most importantly our clients, think that HCG has executed this wonderfully. Our clients shall instantly think of merchandising products as a cheap and effective advertisement method when reading this infographic. Working with HCG was uncomplicated and professional, the design was in the best hands."
Andreas Kleine, Kleine & Jockers GmbH
Hamburg, Germany
MICRO CONTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Content marketing is used by many businesses to get new clients, emotionally binding existing clients and to boost the image. In the past, it was predominantly used in the B2C sector, but the B2B industry is catching up fast. Especially on social media it is important to capture people‘s attention quickly. And this is where micro content comes into play. Micro content are little pieces of information that can be consumed quickly and can easily be shared. Small infographics or (better for social media) small animated gifographics are fantastic to grab the user‘s attention! Also, people simply like sharing such micro content on social networks.
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I, too, use animated infographics (gifographics) as micro content, here you see an example of such a data visualization:
(Copyright: HCG corporate designs)
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I also use quotes as micro content on social media:
"I have a tip for you:
You can get gifographics and 'light' infographics here in my online shop."
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Helene Clara Gamper
LANDING PAGE
A landing page or website with data visualization elements or infographic elements and subtle animations is a great way to promote a product or service. But it can also be used for simple storytelling, which I personally love. An infographic landing page is liked by so many people out there, so take advantage of it!
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When HCG corporate designs turned 5 years (in 2015), I created such a web-based infographic with HTML5 (WIX) as a standalone website.
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The steps involved in creating annual report apps, I show in storytelling format on a separate landing page (the landing page is in German language only, but I of course create annual report apps in English language too).
POSTERS AT EVENTS
Infographic posters are true eyecatchers on trade fairs, any other events or in public space. The ability to grasp information fast thanks to infographics is a true competitive advantage on trade fairs, because so many booths compete with each other.
EDITORIAL CONTENT
As data visualizations transport complex data fast and in a way that the data is actually understood, they of course are great for editorial content. Publishers are facing very challenging times, so such attractive editorial content is for sure a nice thing to publish.
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On the right you see a (static) infographic I designed for a magazine back in 2014. It was printed on an A4 page.
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Below you see an interactive iPad infographic that I designed and implemented for one of my app magazine clients back in 2015.
KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER AT SCHOOLS
At school or university, it is important to easily understand complex situations and/or numerical data. This is why schools, universities and other educational institutions should use more infographics, in my opinion.
USER MANUALS
Imagine you have to put together a chair for example. Would you prefer doing that by reading through a text which describes how to screw that chair together? Or would you prefer to look at a graphic or illustration that shows what screw has to go where etc. ?
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The Swedish furniture giant Ikea uses infographics not only for pieces of furniture, but has also introduced them for Swedish food recipes. Take a look at this:
Photo: Leo Burnett
See more in this video:
ONE MESSAGE IN SEVERAL LANGUAGES
If you want to transport a message in several languages at the same time, you cannot do without data visualization. There is no other way of visual information transfer that needs such little text (or no text at all!).
"I create infographics for print and digital, static and animated. Almost every topic can be turned into a perfect graphic landscape and thus be 30 times more likely noted by your target group than ordinary text.
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As a corporate designer I often deal with corporate designs and brand designs. This is why I place importance on my infographics to perfectly match my clients’ look and feel. Every infographic I design is based on a concept with regards to colours, shapes, fonts and structure."
Helene Clara Gamper / HCG corporate designs
You want to take a look over my should to see how I create an infographic? Here you are: part 1 and part 2.
You can also download this article as a free whitepaper.