The strict definition of an infographic is deceptively simple: “a visual image such as a chart or diagram used to represent information or data,” but when we hear the word we’re not thinking of a neat little pie chart or line graph. Instead the term has come to represent really long, visually intriguing graphics. The trouble is that not all infographics are long, and certainly not all of them are visually intriguing. So what takes an image from graphic to infographic, and what elements separate the boring from the brilliant? This infographic guide will cover the answers to these burning questions.

1. INFOGRAPHIC
DESIGN
A M A R K E T E R G I Z M O P R E S E N TAT I O N
4 KEY ELEMENTS OF GREAT

2. Elements of a Great Infographic
Interesting Data or Information
Visually Appealing Story
Easy to Understand Design
Optimal Shareability
4

3. { }1 CHOOSING A TOPIC
(DATA NOT REQUIRED)

4. 53% OF THE MOST SHARED
INFOGRAPHICS DO NOT
ACTUALLY CONTAIN DATA
VISUALIZATION.
“ “

5. 4GREAT SOURCES OF INFOGRAPHIC TOPICS
TIMELY ISSUEObservational Humor
Novel Insights
How To
Timely Issue

6. How To
Any instructional
guide, such as the
one to the right on
how to make beer.

7. Insights
Novel
Any new way of looking at
something, such as
presenting new research or
combining existing
information in a new way.

8. Timely
Graphics tied to news events or
significant dates can easily capitalize on
existing momentum.
Issues

9. HUMOR
Observational
THE BIGGEST LIES ON THE INTERNET
Pick up on trending memes or long-standing
social phenomena or combine observations in
a new way to come up with a humorous
results.

10. { }2 TELLING A STORY
DON’T BE BORING

11. Use a topic with a natural
progression to guide your
reader through the story

12. Use text,
images, color,
and space.
Notice how your
eye flows through
this example
without needing to
read it up close.
CREATE HIERARCHY

13. • Create a compelling visualization or clever
revision of common information.
• Offer an easy-to-understand version of big
data
• Provide an innovative solution.
TEXT AND GRAPHICS MUST:
(pick at least one)

14. { }3 DESIGNING
THE “GRAPHIC” PART

15. 53% OF THE MOST SHARED
INFOGRAPHICS DO NOT
ACTUALLY CONTAIN DATA
VISUALIZATION.
“ “
REMEMBER…

16. CHOOSE VISUALS
CONSCIOUSLY
OR
Deliberately
Unrelated
Thematically
Related to
Your Topic

17. REGARDLESS OF
STYLE, FOLLOW
THESE GUIDELINES

18. TIMELY ISSUE
RESTRICT USE OF COLOR
USE WHITE SPACE WISELY
JUST A FEW FONT STYLES
ESTABLISH HIERARCHY

19. { }4 SHAREABILITY
LET THEM FIND & LIKE YOU

20. SEO
Your Site
Needs
Making your infographic easy to find is
typically a matter of larger site-wide
SEO efforts. Make sure the page
where your infographic lives also
contains optimized content.

21. METADATA
Your Page
Needs
Incorporate the
keywords from your
infographic into the
meta title and
description of the
page itself to clearly
demonstrate to
search engines
what the whole thing
is about.

22. SHAREABILITY
Your
Infographic
Needs
• Create an embed code so people can
repost the infographic
• Format share-friendly sizes for popular
social networks
• Include logo and links to your social
profiles on the infographic
• Try recreating it as a SlideShare a few
weeks after its initial launch

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