In some ways, many of us never really grow up. As anyone who has found the need to sit through a kid’s show will tell you, you can soon find yourself getting lost in the bright colors and fun aesthetics of the whole thing.
Sure, the plot line may well consist entirely of an elephant losing a balloon, but something about the simplicity of the kids’ cartoon aesthetic can be entrancing. “Will the elephant end up finding the gosh darned balloon?”, you start to wonder, before quickly realizing that your two-year-old has found her way into the cutlery drawer while you’ve been blissfully vegging out on the living room rug for the last half hour.
The point is, for almost everyone, if you make something fun to look at, it will be looked at.
Infographics are great. Show me a person who doesn’t like a good infographic, and I’ll show you a liar. They take that guttural human yearning for knowledge and deliver it in the most simple and beautiful way possible.
Using such an effective form of communication can be a boon for your brand’s digital marketing efforts. The benefits of creating and broadcasting a good infographic are many and varied, so let’s have a look at just a few ways that marketing infographics may help you get ahead online.
Attention Grabbing
FUN FACT: 90 percent of the information that goes into your brain requires the activation of the optic nerve. All of your other senses combined only account for 10 percent of the information you receive. Humans are terrifically visual creatures.
Because of this, compacted and efficiently displayed information is exactly what our eyes and brains are looking for. We have a genetic predilection to infographics. Our brains are wired in a way that they instantly grab our attention.
Eminently Shareable
An interesting infographic can spread like wildfire. According to MDG Advertising, compared to text, content with compelling images will average 94 percent more views than simple text-based content. If you want something to spread, make it a compelling image.
And what’s the most compelling type of image? Anything with a cat being hilarious.
The second most compelling? Infographics.
Easily Branded
An infographic can be stamped with your brand, meaning your brand awareness will grow with every share, like and comment.
And rather than looking like an unsolicited plug, branding on an infographic can, if anything, give it more credence. You can see the organisation that has put the hard work into compiling and displaying the information, which will give the audience confidence in its veracity.
SEO Friendly
If your infographic is shared or embedded on another site with your details attached, you’ve earned yourself an ever-valuable backlink. If everyone plays ball, and your infographic is syndicated and used as content for other sites, they’ll need to refer to the source.
And, as it happens, that’d be you!
Explain Complex Ideas Succinctly
A well-made infographic can be a great introduction into a field for anyone. If you use this as a marketing tool for your business and aim your infographic at fresh prospects, you’re getting in on the ground floor. This new prospect will associate your name with this new industry they have been introduced to, and will likely see you as the first port of call if they need a product or service.
Explaining a big, complex subject in a simple, succinct manner can be a great way to “get in” with new clientele.
Thought Leadership
“Wow”, a person who has just seen your infographic whispers, “these guys sure seem to know everything about [insert applicable subject here]!”
By producing and releasing quality infographics, you position yourself as an industry expert. A thought leader. A go-to guy (or girl). This position brings with it a respect that is hard to garner through other marketing means. And the benefits of being a thought leader can be dramatic on your business’s bottom line.
I guess that leaves one question, and it’s one for me, your humble narrator. Would this article have been better delivered as an infographic?
Yes.
Does my thorough and complete knowledge of MS Paint give me the wherewithal to create such a thing?
Absolutely not.