Infographics on Social Media: Why They Work & How to Create Them
Infographics provide a valuable way to connect with your audience on social media.
We’re all drawn to colorful, attractive visuals, and this is never more true than on social media. Infographics catch your audience’s attention amid all the other distractions. When done well, they engage followers’ interest in a topic, showcase your brand’s expertise, and share helpful info in an easy-to-understand format.
Some studies show that visuals can boost the effectiveness of a marketing message because:
- 65% of people are visual learners
- 90% of information that comes to the brain is visual
- Presentations with visual aides are 43% more persuasive
- Articles with images get 94% more views than those without
But enough talk. Let’s look at this infographic as an example.
Marriott Charlotte
Our client, Marriott Charlotte City Center, wanted to show how the hotel prioritizes health and fitness for its guests. We could have written a long text article or press release outlining the different amenities and benefits Marriott offers – but very few people would have read it.
Instead, we worked with a designer to highlight the most important information that sets Marriott apart from its competitors in an appealing, clean infographic. We made it easy for Marriott’s customers to scan and grasp the big concepts – without having to work too hard.
Simple Rules for Creating a Good Infographic
- Choose carefully.
Take your time in this first step, as you brainstorm ideas and choose the topic for your infographic. How can you answer a question or solve a problem for your audience? What will interest people enough to make them pause to learn more – or better yet, share it with others?
- Do your research.
Go below the surface and dig for information on your topic that the average person wouldn’t know. Find industry studies, academic research and reputable news sources. Sift through a lot of facts and figures, and make a short list of the things that you wanted to know more about. Cite your sources in the footnotes.
- Let the visuals do the talking.
The most effective infographics keep the text to a minimum. Remember you’re trying to catch people’s attention as they’re scrolling through a busy social media feed. Work with a great designer, and let the visuals tell the story as much as possible. Cut the text down to small, bite-sized pieces that work well at a glance: statistics, headlines, pull quotes, quick facts.
Learn how to connect with your audience better via social media