As we consume more and more content on screens, the way we process information is changing. Did you know that the average person’s attention span is now shorter than a goldfish’s at only 8 seconds, down from 12 seconds in 2000?
If you’ve only got 8 seconds to grab the reader, you are going to need to make your content very compelling. One excellent way to do this is with an infographic, a way of presenting information or data in a visual way. (You can see my infographic on infographics to the right)
Why do infographics work?
While some people fret about the dumbing down of our discourse, there is some good brain science behind infographics.
Visual information is 9 times more memorable than oral or text information. A study found participants could remember 90 percent of images several days after seeing them vs only 10 percent of oral information. By some estimates, people also remember only 10 percent of what they read.
About two-thirds of people are visual learners, and our brains reportedly can process visual information 60,000 times faster than text-based information.
The business case for infographics
The benefits to adding infographics to your content mix make a strong ROI argument.
- Infographics are highly shareable and you might even go viral
- They have long-lasting relevancy so stay in circulation.
- Infographics strengthen your authority as an expert.
- You get more eyeballs. (Content featuring compelling images averages 94 percent more total views than those without. Posts with “infographic” in the headline get 100% more tweets.)
- Infographics can improve your search marketing results. Google searches for infographicsincreased 800% over two years to 2013.
- Customers are more likely to pick you. Businesses that use infographics grow traffic at an average 12% more than those who don’t.
How to get going with infographics
Feel free to download my infographic about infographics for useful tips. It’s important that you have a strong idea to convey. Pick one that will educate or inspire the audience. Tie your main points together with data, text, images and graphics.
- Keep the design simple – not too busy or the eye gets overwhelmed. Information should appear in bite-size chunks. Use a limited range of fonts and colors.
- Create a flow from section to section, and leave white space. Use variations in size and color to make key information stand out. Whatever font you use, make sure the smallest size can be read easily.
- Hone your headline so that it grabs attention, is easy to understand and describes your subject.
- Make your infographic easy to share. Include your logo and social media buttons. Embed it in a blog post. Share your work on social networks, especially LinkedIn.
If you’re busy and you’d like some help figuring it, get in touch with me here. I can answer questions, get you started or even produce an infographic customized for your needs.
