B2B CONTENT MARKETING - INFOGRAPHICS

Infographics - when words are not enough

We all love facts, statistics, figures… they give us a sense of security; they bring credibility to the information they’re conveying; they are accountable and in most cases highly accurate. But, trying to make sense of the mountains of data and oceans of information that we’re exposed to on a daily basis is an enormous challenge. To make its consumption interactive and responsive, we need to deliver information through smaller chunks – sound bites and pieces of insight.

BUT, what can you do when words themselves are not up to the task? Infographics may well be the answer… 

‘A picture is worth a thousand words’ - by combining your data and information with compelling images and graphics, you create a powerful piece of content that is attractive and, most importantly, highly engaging. 

Infographics are a quick and effective way of acquiring knowledge. These visual representations of information, data and insight are a tool that can improve cognition by utilizing graphics to enhance our visual system’s ability to see patterns and trends. 

Here’s why infographics should be considered in any content marketing strategy… 

Information overload

We are exposed to information like never before. We already consume (on an average day) over 34 gigabyte of information. That’s over 100,500 words – and that’s just outside of work. And, although the average person is exposed to the equivalent of 174 newspapers-worth full of information every day, most of us can only remember 20% of what we read.

Hard wired for infographics

Information that is novel or unusual attracts our attention, and with vision directly or indirectly accounting for about 50% of our brain’s real estate, it’s apparent that infographics provide an opportunity for organisations to add uniqueness to their message. 65% of the population are visual learners, and since visuals are processed 60,000x faster in the brain than text, it is clearly easier for us to process infographics than pure text. In fact, even just the use of colour can increase the willingness to read by 80%.

Opening the black box

Even though infographics are a powerful tool – with over 14 million results for the term ‘Infographic’ on Google – they still face a tough task in cutting through the noise.

Infographic posts can attract 448% more ‘actions’ than traditional posts, but they are only effective if the content is compelling and highly relevant, hence the challenge is to aggregate and structure relevant content, and present it in a meaningful way. 

Content may be king, but entertainment – where the media is the message – can be a powerful tool. This explains why 45-70% of users prefer to visit a site with an infographic, and why on average traffic increases by 12% after publishing one.

Remember

The role of infographics in today’s communication remains the same no matter the format and style applied… informational, timeline focus, process oriented, or statistical. Here are some important factors to consider when creating one: 

Story - The right content engages, persuades, informs, entertains and encourages audiences to take action, so make it high quality, relevant, with real depth and variety. Tell a story that isn’t about your product or service, but about your audience.

Insight - Credibility really counts. Your brand must be authentic, considered, consistent, and responsive to its audience, so only share content that offers true insight and value – and which is factual and reliable, current and helpful.

Style - Differentiating your organization, brand, or ideas is critical. What you’re saying may not be unique, but how you say it can be. Stunning designs can impact the user experience – but avoid confusion by creating flow and connection. And remember, less is sometimes more.

Shareability - Great content gets shared. Listening to your audience is an integral part of your brand’s success. It is through sharing and true collaboration that the magic happens – and good news travels fast.

The power of infographics

If ‘every picture tells a story’ then hopefully what you will see next will give you the same insight as delivered by this article, but in a quicker, more engaging and compelling way – proving that infographics are a powerful marketing tool that should be part of your marketing strategy.

We’ll let you be the judge.

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