Infographics visually and simply summarize topics, steps or a wide assortment of data. Marketers and businesses rely on them more than ever to communicate to consumers in an engaging way. The visual nature of the medium historically required a more trained creator and a set of graphic software skills not available to the masses.
As business innovation and competition continue to increase, so do our options to eliminate these creative barriers. Learning one of the Adobe platforms or hiring an outside agency are no longer the only options. With so many resources available, you may consider “doing it yourself” on select items. But before you dive in, let me fill you in on what I learned while designing my first infographic.
Design Technology To The Rescue
Let’s start with some tools you can utilize to quickly create an infographic. Canva is one of the most popular options, and what I used for this example. Its simple interface ensures you won’t have to invest a lot of time to learn the ropes, and the free version has more than enough functionality to get you started. If time or money are barriers, this site is the perfect entry-level option. Guides are built into the software, but it’s doubtful you will even need to utilize them as I found the site to be very intuitive. If you want to try a different tool, check out some other options here.
Keep Your Infographic Professional
Intuitive and free technology shouldn’t be used as an entry ticket to throw caution to the wind and create without purpose or good taste. As you concept, write and design the graphic, keep your story simple and focused. White space goes further than extra words or too many graphics. Don’t force more stats or information for the sake of volume; it will dilute the impact of the content you really want to showcase.
As Always, Add Connection
While you are designing or writing for your infographic, remember the audience. The content might make sense to you, but you have to get into the mindset of your consumer. Is the message clear? Are the design elements fitting and visually pleasing? Is the content simple and understandable?
Here is an infographic that was built via Canva (free), by someone who learned the platform on the fly (and had to test a lot of margarita recipes during the creation). There was no upfront cost to use Canva, but I did have to pay a whopping dollar for the orange icon. So be wary of the add-on costs; apparently extra zest will cost you. The entire infographic was constructed very quickly. It’s not going to win design awards, but what it lacks in depth and complexity, it makes up for in simplicity, usefulness and relevance (especially since Cinco De Mayo is right around the corner). As long as an infographic provides value to those in need of a seasonal alcoholic beverage, that’s all that matters, right?
Remember, with a little creativity and grit, free technology can produce great content. While professional designers can certainly take help take you to the next level, consider creating select items with your audience without a large investment.
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