Know When to Use Infographics? Here Are 9 Common Situations
A strong infographic can offer an unbeatable bang for your marketing buck. Data visualization and visual reporting have a number of advantages over text. They help people understand complex facts and contexts by breaking large chunks of information into comprehensible segments. They can also be much easier to remember. They can be used multiple times, on websites, flyers, press releases and across different websites. This also makes them easier to share. In recent years, web searches for infographics have increased by 800 per cent.
Modern life and its many distractions have led to shorter attention spans. Many are overwhelmed by the flood of information with which they are bombarded on a daily basis, but regrettably retention is very low. It is crucial to focus more on visually appealing concepts to digest all this information. In this regard infographics are especially useful. And no wonder: since the earliest times in human history, people depicted their experiences, stories and data in a visual manner. Check out this infographic on the history of infographics.
Infographics can communicate different content. They aren’t a one-size-fits all solution, but there are a number of situations in which they can be effective. Consider the following cases and examples, with an example of our own:
1) Chronological situations or relationships – LexisNexis (by Pilot PMR)
2) Spatial conditions or contexts – 30 Maps
3) Quantitative or qualitative characteristics – Social Networking Sites
4) Functionality, principles, advantages and disadvantages – The Anatomy of Content Marketing
5) Processes and step-by-step instructions – How to Design the Best Business Card
6) Magnified view: parts of a whole – Anatomy of a Graphic Designer
7) Thematic or personal relationships – Game of Thrones
8) Lines of reasoning and theory breaks – Theories of Learning
9) A-to-B comparisons – Star Wars versus Star Trek or Big Wave Surfing
This list isn’t exhaustive. There are lots of different infographics you can use for the different content and stories you want to tell. No matter what kind of infographic you end up with, be sure to have the right data and narrative in mind. The final type of infographic you choose will hopefully follow your story’s logic, so readers can take away your message with ease.