Data Visualization Made Easy: Tips for Creating Effective Infographics (2024)

Infographics also knons as informational graphics are an essential tool in data visualisation as they combine visual elements such as charts, graphs, and images to present complex information in a more accessible and engaging way.

The average person’s mind perceives visuals better than plain text, which is why both data visualisation and infographics, play a crucial part in content marketing.

In this blog post, we will provide tips and best practices for creating effective infographics that communicate your brand’s message clearly.

Whether you are looking to create infographics for social media, marketing campaigns, or data-driven reports, this guide will help you create compelling visualisations that resonate with your audience.

Let’s start with some basic stats:

• Infographics are responsible for 78% more information retention.

• They can be processed 60 times faster than plain text.

• Enterprises that use infographics are 28% more likely to uncover the report they need.

Importance of Infographics in data visualisation

According to a study on colour, researchers found that when visuals were used to explain a task there was an 80% decrease in errors.

Source: Venngage

Using infographics offers numerous benefits, including enhanced comprehension, increased engagement, and improved retention of information. Let’s elaborate on each of these benefits below:

• Easy to understand: Data visualisation can simplify complex data and make it more accessible to a broader audience. By using visual representations of data, it’s easier to grasp and understand information quickly.

For example, you want to educate your audience on tracking food availability since the 1970s. Quite a boring topic, right? But the graphic designer got super creative and the results were convincing for the audience.

Source: flowingdata

• Engaging: Infographics are also about telling a story and to do the same, your content needs to be visually appealing and engaging. This can help to maintain the audience’s attention and interest.

For example, Spotify went full overboard with its web design for the global trend report 2021. For example, in this screenshot, you can see the front lever represents how listeners view music’s healthy factor. The various spaces of the design empower you to explore the different roles music plays in people’s lives

Source: Culture next

• Versatile: Infographics are incredibly versatile, serving as powerful tools for presenting complex data, explaining concepts, or simplifying information in a visually appealing and accessible format.Content that can be shared across various media, including print and digital platforms, makes it a versatile tool for communication.

Infographics can be adapted to different formats, such as posters, flowchart infographics, comparison infographics, and data visualisation infographics.

Source: Brafton

• Shareable: Whether you’re working on a blog or social media content, Infographics are often shared. This is an effective way to reach a broader audience.

For example, A brand-like Course Hero educated their readers via visual cliff notes, breaking down literature with main characters by using creative infographics. Check out the full infographic at the link below and read all about Course Hero infographics.

Source: Column Five

These types of infographics are shareable, they promote a product or service, as well as inform and educate people about a particular topic.

• Actionable insights: Infographics can be designed to highlight key insights and trends, making them an effective tool for decision-making.

Take the example of LinkedIn marketing solutions. It focuses on providing value to marketers. And here’s their recent infographic on “A well-balanced blog”. Click on the link below to see the entire infographic on creating successful marketing content.

Source: LinkedIn marketing blogs

What Makes an Effective Infographic?

As stated by Randy Krum, Founder of InfoNewt and author of “Cool Infographics: Effective Communication with Data Visualization and Design”.

“An effective infographic is not just a pretty picture; it must convey information in a clear and concise manner.”

An effective infographic is one that presents information in a clear, concise, and visually appealing way.

So, here are the key elements that make an effective infographic:

1. Purpose: A clear purpose is very essential for an effective infographic, if you want to educate, inform, or persuade. The purpose should be well-defined and should guide the design and content of the infographic.
2. Audience: It comes without saying that your infographic should be designed with your target audience in mind. The content, tone, and visual style should be suitable for the intended audience. It should appeal to your audience’s interests and preferences.
3. Data: Quality content is always based on reliable and accurate data. Even when you’re creating an infographic, the data should be organised and presented in a way that is easy to understand and interpret.
4. Visual Design: If you want to break down complex information whether it’s for topics like ways to increase your Instagram followers or making an annual report for your blog traffic, aesthetically pleasing graphics can help you deliver complex ideas in a simple way.
5. Structure: Want your audience to remember your content? A well-structured infographic can project your company’s expertise. If it’s well-organised and easy to follow, then you’re one step ahead of your competitors.
6. Call-to-action: An effective infographic should include a call-to-action that encourages the reader to take action or learn more about the topic. This could be a link to a website, a social media post, or a suggestion for further reading.

Essential Design Principles for Infographics

Design stands at the core of any visual entity whether you’re creating infographics for your Instagram account or a new blog post. In fact, a post with infographics creates 178% additional inbound backlinks.

So, there are a few design principles you should follow so you don’t miss out on the benefits of using infographics.

• Balance: A well-designed infographic should have a balanced layout, with text and visual elements distributed evenly throughout the design. The use of negative space can also help to create a sense of balance and harmony.
• Hierarchy: The use of hierarchy is essential in infographics, as it helps to guide the reader through the information. Headings, subheadings, and visual cues can all be used to create a clear hierarchy of information.
• Contrast: Contrast is an important design principle in infographics, as it helps to create visual interest and draw attention to key elements. Contrast can be created through the use of colour, font size, and visual elements such as icons and illustrations.
• Readability: Infographics should be designed with readability in mind. The use of a legible font, appropriate font size, and clear visual cues can all help to make the information more accessible and easy to read.
• Consistency: is essential in infographics, particularly when it comes to the use of visual elements such as icons and illustrations. Using a consistent style and design for these elements can help to create a sense of coherence throughout the design.

These principles can help to create a clear and visually appealing design that conveys the information directly.

Tools and Resources for Creating Infographics

Many brands are still using outdated practices in creating infographics. To gain a competitive edge, it is crucial to understand the principles of crafting a compelling infographic and to benefit from all the tools available on the market, free and paid.

Here are some resources for creating the best infographics:

• Design Cuts: We offer an extensive variety of infographic templates for any project you might be working on, including and not limited icons, charts, maps, isometric illustrations and so much more.

• Canva: Canva is a popular online graphic design tool that offers a wide range of templates and design elements to help create infographics.

Source: Canva

• Piktochart: Piktochart is a web-based infographic maker that offers customizable templates, icons, images, and fonts to create beautiful and professional-looking infographics.

Source: Piktochart

• Infogram: Infogram is a web-based data visualisation tool that offers customizable charts, graphs, and maps to create beautiful and informative infographics.

Source: Infogram

• Adobe Illustrator: Adobe Illustrator is a professional vector graphics editor that can be used to create high-quality infographics. It requires some skill and experience to use but offers a lot of creative freedom.

Source: Adobe

• Visme:is a web-based tool for creating infographics, presentations, and other visual content. It offers a wide range of templates, images, and design elements.

Source: Visme

• Animaker: Animaker is a web-based tool that allows users to create not only 2D animation but also animated infographics, with a wide range of templates, icons, and graphics to choose from.

Source: Animaker

Conclusion

To conclude, data visualisation equips businesses to gain insight into their vast amount of data. It’s a powerful tool for organisations to communicate complex information in a clear and engaging way.

As stated by Kelsey Libert, Vice President of Marketing at Fractl. “Data visualisation is a powerful tool for content marketing because it allows marketers to communicate complex information in a visually engaging way. By creating compelling and easy-to-understand visualisations, brands can capture the attention of their audience and convey their message in a way that is both informative and memorable.”

Cover image source Freepik