Infographics seem to be the next wave of user friendly content. They’re visually interesting. They communicate a thought or message quickly. And they’re easy to share on social networking sites. That makes them excellent viral and social marketing tools.
If you’re new to the world of infographics, rest easy. You don’t need to be a designer to create compelling infographics. With a few steps and user friendly tools you can begin capitalizing on this new content form.
Step #1 Choose Your Tool
There are actually several free and inexpensive tools you can use to create your graphic. Here are a few of the top tools:
* Wordle – Wordle is a graphic tool that makes it easy to create a word cloud. You simply paste your text into their form and click “GO.” Or you can enter a URL and click “Submit.” The results are fun and can be surprising. You can then save the image, print it, randomize it, or save it to a public gallery.
Each time you click on “Randomize” the image changes. You’ll see different fonts, colors and layout.
* Creatly – This software offers an abundance of shapes, templates and diagrams so you can create the infographic you need. You can try a demo version for free. Prices begin at $5 a month.
* Visual.ly – Visual.ly is more of an infographic sharing site. It’s free to use. You can upload your own infographics for others to post on their site. Additionally, you can post existing infographics on your own site. You can also use their software to create your own infographic. You do need a Facebook or Twitter account to register.
These are just a few infographic tools. There are actually dozens to choose from.
Step #2 Plan Your Graphic
Before you start drawing or creating your graphic, plan what you want to accomplish. What is your goal? What is your message? Who is your audience? Remember to keep your graphic simple. You want people to be able to glance at your graphic and understand the message in just a few seconds. Complicated infographics are often overlooked.
Use complimentary colors. While your infographic may be published on many sites, you’ll want it to be visually appealing on your site too. You can brand your graphic a bit by ensuring that it matches your brand, logo and website colors.
Do your research too! You want the data that you present in your graphic to be timely, interesting, and accurate. Make sure your graphic makes a point and draws a conclusion.
Finally, don’t forget to include your URL in your graphic. Ideally, it will be somewhere near the bottom and easy to spot.
Step #3 Create Your Graphic
Have fun with this process. If you’re keeping it simple, you should be able to create your graphic reasonably well. Remember, it’s not about complicated designs or information. Keep it simple and to the point. As with any content, test and track your results. You may find that some information performs better as a graphic while other info may make a better post or article.
Infographics are a hot trend right now. Have fun with them. Experiment and test your audience. You may find this new information format is a new favorite.
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