Last Updated on July 27, 2016 by Tim
Infographics combine useful(or at least interesting) information with images to make the information more interesting to the human eye. In the last few years they’ve gone from something used primarily in the business and marketing worlds to something companies in every single industry are using as a marketing tool. One survey from the Content Marketing Institute showed that 62% of the companies who responded were actively using infographics as a marketing strategy.
But now that the internet is flooded with them, do infographics still work?
The short answer is yes, and they can be hugely powerful from an SEO and link building standpoint. In fact, take a look at all the links generated to this infographic from LocalDigital.com.
What’s really impressive with that example is that sure, they’ve generated links from 30 sites within a couple months (there would be more than that as the tracker I use does not pickup all the links), but it is an infographic about Australian politics – completely irrelevant to their core business (online marketing). They’ve smartly tied in Google statistics to make the link between politics and an online marketing agency and it’s a heck of an effort, proof that you can create an infographic about just about any topic and make it work.
What about the long answer? How and why do infographics still work?:
- They allow creativity when delivering your message
Getting through to your audience is all about finding a unique way to deliver your message. An infographic you create shows your personality—after all, you make all the color and design choices—and can get at the point more directly than plain text.
- You have to be concise
Your infographic blurbs don’t have a strict character limit like Twitter but there’s still only so much text you can have without overwhelming the graphic altogether. This forces you to convey your message in the briefest, most concise way possible.
- They’re remarkably easy to brand
Create your infographic using your company colors and add a logo somewhere and soon enough people will start recognizing your brand. The more branded infographics you produce, the more people will recognize your logo—and brand recognition is the first step to getting long lasting customers.
- They give access to new marketing channels
There are several infographic directories you can submit to. Some are based on topic or attractiveness while others allow infographics on any topic. Most are actively curated but a handful allow anyone to post anything directly to the website.
- They’re fun to share
People are much more likely to share visual content than they are to share plain text. Infographics are particularly powerful tools for companies whose target market is mothers since they make up one of the largest Pinterest demographic and infographics are easy to share on Pinterest. An attractive infographic is far more likely to go viral than even the most well written article.
The Bottom Line
Infographics are still one of the most powerful online marketing tools in your arsenal IF you do them right. You want to have a well thought out topic which allows you to make short but interesting points that will fit an infographic format. You also want to make sure the design is spectacular, even if this means hiring a graphic designer to make it for you (or spending three days with very little sleep learning how to do it yourself).
