What Is an Infographic? (With How-to, Benefits, and Types)

Infographics are a great way you can share complex information with a specific audience. They often provide a quick summary of a topic and offer an easy way to present multiple data points. Understanding the different types of infographics and how to use them can help you when creating your own. In this article, we discuss what an infographic is, describe its advantages, list the different types of infographics, and outline how to make one.

What is an infographic?

The answer to "What is an infographic?", is that it's an image that conveys information using charts, graphics, and small amounts of text. Infographics are often illustrated digitally and use bright colours and a structured format. By using visual elements, infographics can quickly display large amounts of data or break down complicated subjects into more manageable bits of material.

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What are the advantages of an infographic?

The primary advantage of using an infographic is they're effective at communicating information, especially on complicated subjects. For example, instead of handing someone a multi-page research report, you can use an infographic to highlight the most important points of your main thesis or argument. Infographics can allow you to contrast multiple options, display numbers, or summarize your topic effectively. The advantages of infographics include:

• Visually appealing: Infographics that use bright colours and unique graphics can appear attractive to a target audience. If you're sharing data on your social media, for example, a colourful image is far more likely to entice them to read your post than a long black and white research paper.

• Audience targeting: If you understand the specific information your target audience is looking for, you can make use of an infographic by designing that information to appear in a highly visual and attractive way.

• Increase brand awareness: An infographic can serve as a valuable piece of branded content that answers a question or addresses a problem related to the product or service you're trying to sell. Doing this effectively can motivate consumers to purchase a company's products or generate new traffic to a company's website.

• Improve search results: By adding targeted keywords and meta information, you can use infographics to improve a business' search engine ranking. This can attract more visits to your website and ensure your infographic is the first link people see when they do a keyword search.

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Different types of infographics

There are several types of infographics that serve different purposes. The infographic style you use often depends on the type of information or the type of data you want to share. Eight of the most popular types of infographics include:

Statistical

If you want to use a large volume of data to support an argument or thesis, you might use a statistical infographic. These types of infographics frequently include pie charts, bar charts, icons, and a variety of font sizes to share data and tell a story. For example, you can use a statistical infographic to show how a new marketing technique is working by presenting increases or decreases in sales on a graph.

Informational

You might choose to create an informational infographic if you want to convey ideas rather than numbers. This type of graphic often uses clearly divided sections and descriptive headers. Anyone who views your infographic can read the information they want, while easily finding, skipping, or re-reading the parts that are most relevant to them. For example, you can use this type of infographic if you want to describe a release of new products. Your infographic might include the name of each product, an image, and a written summary.

List

Lists are a great way to share a collection of resources, examples, or tips with your audience. These types of infographics are usually popular in social media and in blog posts. List infographics often use creative icons instead of bullet points to make each point visually appealing. You might also use numbered lists to make them more accessible and easier to read. For example, you might use a list infographic to tell people what the top ten restaurants in your city are.

Hierarchical

If you want to present information from greatest to least, you can use a hierarchical infographic. You can do this using graphs or a pyramid chart that depicts the ranking of the information you want to display. Flow charts are another way to present hierarchical information, such as for an organizational chart. A common example of a hierarchical infographic is a food pyramid that shows the number of servings of vegetables, fruit, and grains to consume in a day.

Comparison

If you have multiple pieces of information, you want to contrast or compare, then you can use a comparison infographic. Typically, you create this type of infographic by splitting it down the middle, or into multiple columns, if you have more than one item to compare. You can then list each of the features or the positives and negatives of the item. This can be a great infographic to use if you're comparing products or services, such as different models of computers or cell phones.

Process

If you want to summarize or clarify a series of steps, then you might use a process infographic. You can use this type of graphic to convey the multiple points of a process either by using a numbered list or a flowchart using minimal text. For example, you might use this kind of flowchart if you want to direct customers on how to download, fill in, and submit a form on the company's website.

Geographic

If your data or information is location-based, then you can use a geographic infographic. You can make use of multiple elements, such as heat maps, icons, and labels, to highlight specific data. You can also use this kind of infographic to compare regions by placing maps side-by-side. A common example of this type of infographic is one that shows changes in temperature, population, or ages for a country or city.

Timeline

If you want to convey information over time, present a project timeline, or depict a series of events, you might use a timeline infographic. Using this type of graphic, you can present information linearly to create a straightforward picture. Using photos and dates can also help emphasize certain points. You may choose to create a timeline infographic if you want to document a series of events you've held or want to show when you achieved each milestone in a project.

Tips you can use to create an infographic resume

If you work in a creative role, such as a graphic designer, illustrator, or marketing professional, you might want to create your resume as an infographic. You can use it either in place of a traditional resume or to supplement the one you already have. You can also bring it to an interview to give a clear outline of your experience and skills. Here are some tips for creating an infographic for your resume:

• Use only three colours: Keep your graphic professional and cohesive by limiting your colours and choosing ones that coordinate well together

• Use a legible font: Pick a simple font to enhance readability

• Organize your content: List your accomplishments and experience in chronological order to make it easy to follow

• Simplify your layout: Keep your layout simple to enhance readability and ensure it looks professional

• Research infographic resumes: Search online for examples on how to format your infographic resume correctly

Related: How to Use Infographics for Resumes

How to create an infographic

Below are the steps you can follow to create an effective infographic:

1. Create an outline

First, you can create an outline to organize your ideas and ensure you have the right content to create an infographic. Make a list of your key takeaways. Consider how to write the information in as few words as possible by using numbers, headings, or bullet points. Think about what types of charts, graphs, or images can best represent the data you want to share.

2. Choose a template

You can find many template sites online to help you create an infographic. If you have graphic design experience, you can also create a graphic on your own using art programs and software. During this step, it's often important to consider what colours and fonts you want to use, including how long you want to make your piece.

3. Design your infographic

Using either a pre-made template, the services of a graphic designer, or design software, you can now create your infographic. If you're working with a designer, be sure to include specifics of what elements you'd like to see, such as graphics, charts, or which points are most important to highlight. When your graphic is complete, you can review the piece to ensure the key points you wanted to convey are clear and easy to understand.