A picture is worth a thousand words.  Although cliché, this phrase holds clout in the world of inbound marketing, too.

People like to look at pictures or graphics to learn and pull information, rather than lines and lines and lines of text.  In today’s virtual society, infographics can be a great way to incorporate information to teach your audience at the same time.  Why not provide your customer or audience with a visual to convey your message or provide product information?

An infographic is just that… information in graphic (picture) form.

Say your 1,000 words (or more) in a way that today’s audience will be receptive to.  Here’s an infographic from Dashburst on what makes one great (see… isn’t this much more fun to look at?):

So what makes an awesome infographic?  According to the image above, there are four main points: data, design, shareability, and story.  You want to make sure your image hammers home your main points in a timely manner, is easy on the eye in regards to color/fonts/theme, is shareable on social media streams and online, and provides an easy solution to a problem.  The sweet spot of an infographics is when you can incorporate all four points.  Add a mix of one or two and leave the others out? You’ve got a recipe for a weak image that potential customers are likely to skip right over.

But, what if you have build something that you love, but you’re unsure about whether it will speak to your audience and buyer personas? QuickSprout gives these tips for making sure your infographic is simply irresistible!

• Good data makes for tasty content

Nobody wants to read information from a source that they don’t trust. When you’re creating your infographic, make sure to include lots of data from credible sources. If you create something that is pretty, but lacks substance, your readers and followers will be anything but impressed.

• Create a story

While a good amount of quality data is an important part of creating a killer infographic, it is important to make sure that your information is all related to the same topic. Readers won’t be interested in a jumble of irrelevant facts and figures, so BEFORE you start designing, brainstorm and lay out a content map for your infographic. By organizing your information before you start creating your design, you’re sure to see what fits and what doesn’t.

• Design as I say AND as I do

Infographics are a great way to show off the talents of your design team, so make sure to follow some basic design best practices. Use a vertical design with complementary colors, large fonts, and custom illustrations. An infographic is your brand’s unique spin on a tidbit of information, so make sure to customize the graphic to reflect your brand’s personality and make sure to include a logo!

With the help of these simple tips, you’ll soon be on your way to creating an infographic that goes viral! Interested in building your own, but not sure where to start?  Hubspot provides some user-friendly templates, click here to download them. Or, just contact the team at Small Screen Producer and we’ll be happy to help as well!

About Small Screen Producer

Small Screen Producer is a full service, marketing firm located in Houston, Texas that specializes in online digital media marketing through a 4-step process. Step 1: WE PLAN a custom web presence strategy for your business through website design and development, mobile development, social media account creation and branding. STEP 2: We then POSITION your brand through Pay-Per-Click advertising and search engine optimize tactics that include on-page and off-page SEO that are Google and Bing approved. STEP 3: We then PROMOTE your brand using an Inbound marketing strategy or a content marketing strategy to help you accomplish your marketing goals. We do this through blogging, video production, infographics, call-to-actions, landing pages, and free educational offers. We help you build trust and rapport with your customer base. STEP 4: We then PROTECT your brand’s web presence with a reputation management program that monitors social media and on line reviews. Get started today with a free online marketing assessment of your company’s web presence. Your company deserves it.