Introduction

The popularity of the infographic has risen dramatically over the past few years. You see them everywhere, in your Facebook feed, the slides at the conference or the annual report. They are a powerful means of communication and many companies use them actively. But it is crucial to consider where, why and how you use them.

Let us explore what infographics are, where they can be used and how they are used in an effective and impactful way.

What is an infographic?

An infographic is a visual representation of information. The word itself is a combination of information and graphics. According to Wikipedia, infographics are simply defined as visual representations of information, data, or knowledge.

Infographics are highly versatile and can take on many different forms. They can be static, interactive, or even animated—allowing the format to be tailored to the specific message and desired impact.

At its core, an infographic combines two elements: information and graphics. The information might come from research findings, facts, processes, large datasets, or something entirely different. It can include both qualitative and quantitative data. This information is transformed into a series of graphic elements, typically including data visualizations, icons, illustrations, layout, and text.

In other words, infographics combine the what and the how—almost any type of information can be presented visually, and almost any visual technique can be used to do it.

Why use infographics?

Infographics help make communication more visual, engaging, and clear.

They’ve become increasingly important as a response to the growing volume of information and data that organizations need to communicate. In an age where attention is a scarce resource, infographics serve as a powerful tool for making complex content easier to understand.

There are many reasons why visual communication, such as infographics, is effective. But two key underlying factors are pushing communication in a more visual direction.

The first is the sheer growth of data. In fact, 90% of the world’s data has been generated in just the past two years – and this trend is only accelerating.

The second is the overwhelming amount of information we consume every day. On average, we’re bombarded with the equivalent of 100,000 words daily.

As the volume of information increases, our time, attention, and tolerance decrease. Infographics help cut through the noise by presenting content in a simpler, more inviting, and clearer way—making them a valuable solution to an increasingly complex communication landscape.

When to use an infographic?

Infographics can enhance communication and make it more appealing in a wide variety of contexts. For example, they can be used to:

• Present the results of a major study
• Provide an overview of a business process
• Attract new customers
• Drive traffic to a website

Infographics come in many styles and formats and can be tailored to suit different types of content, target audiences, and platforms.

Where to use infographics?

As mentioned, infographics aren’t limited to a single purpose, format, or type. They exist in many forms and should always be adapted to the context – including the content, audience, and media channel. Often, the same infographic is used across multiple platforms and media – but unfortunately, the format is not always optimized for each use. That’s why it’s important to consider the different formats and uses from the beginning when creating an infographic.

The future of infographics.

Will the term infographic still be relevant in the future? Maybe not. But the discipline of infographics will definitely remain relevant. As long as there is a need to communicate complex information—and as long as visual language remains more powerful than written words—visual communication, including infographics, will continue to play a vital role.

Thankfully, infographics are constantly evolving, and they’re never boring.

Need more infographic inspiration?

In the interest of creating better infographics, here’s a few links that might help you:

• Data Viz Project: Our very own project including the biggest archive of data visualizations. It guides in finding the right data viz type and includes thousands of great inspirational examples. 
• Ferdio’s Notebook: Our very own collection of best-practice working with infographics wether you’re an designer or marketer.

And of course, if you need our help creating an infographic, please get in touch with us.