Whether it’s through the Internet, mobile apps or social media, we have news from around the world and decades of information at our fingertips. Smartphone and tablet devices are forecasted to ship more than a billion units for the first time ever in 2013. As the world landscape shifts to the omnipresent mobile Web, the importance of visuals continues to grow.
Holding true to the age-old saying, “A picture is worth 1,000 words”, the visual Web is full of images, videos and graphics displaying tons of information in quick, simple formats. The expansion of the visual Web is seen in the popularity of apps like Instagram, tools like Pinterest, and social content like infographics.
Instagram’s audience is enormous topping 30 million Android and iPhone users. Since the launch of Pinterest in May 2011, the site has experienced 4,377 percent growth. Finally, quality infographics are quickly shared throughout all forms of social media.
Now that we are living in a three-screen world – meaning we’re browsing the Web on a laptop, using a smartphone or tablet to check social media, and watching our favorite shows on TV at the same time – it is crucial to create high-quality visuals to attract your audience and gain followers through infographic distribution.
Several industry leaders have integrated infographics into their social strategy and content marketing arsenal. Creating quality infographics that are highly shared isn’t easy. Here are a few things to consider when creating a successful infographic for your audience to share:
- Keep it simple. Trying to jam multiple topics into one infographic is a huge mistake. An infographic is powerful when it touches on one subject; for example, concussions in football. Provide an easy-to-follow format that flows logically, and spread out your information and graphics so readers can fully digest the data presented.
- Research, research, research. A simple, easy-to-follow design doesn’t mean simple research. Find compelling stats with eye-opening numbers and data that pull the reader in. Present this data in quick-hitting, short and to-the-point bullets throughout the visual to engage the reader. Leave the long-form research for an article or blog content.
- Get creative. A picture along with a series of bullet points is not an infographic. You want to make your case through visuals. For example, an infographic about how Americans use their smartphones can incorporate different scenes throughout someone’s day and include facts and numbers on their smartphone usage in each location. This data is more interesting to read and interpret in a visual form than it would be in a blog.
At Brandpoint we believe the visual web is here to stay and will continue to rapidly grow. Continue following our blog for updates on the content marketing industry and how you can rev up your mobile presence with highly informative and vivid content.
