Show and Tell: Why Infographics Work

As a business owner or marketer, your survival in the 21st-century media model is dependent on the amount of fresh and dynamic content your audience receives on a daily basis. And as the internet continues to evolve, so have the types of content audiences come to expect. Now more than ever, these daily thumb swipers and scrollers demand visual content; a demand that’s not all that surprising. We are in fact visually wired beings. Almost 50% of our brains are involved in visual processing, and 70% of all sensory receptors are in our eyes.

In essence, gone are the days of lengthy written text. Instead, memes, videos, images and, for marketing’s sake, infographics, have stolen the spotlight. These infographics, information represented in the form of a graphic, include all manners of diagrams, animations, data charts, and tables, among others. So what makes them so effective? We’ve highlighted several factors below for your enjoyment.

Visual Appeal

As mentioned above infographics make information easier to digest through visual aids and limited text. This ‘just the facts’ approach caters to the online consumer’s minute attention span while still allowing them to absorb the message at hand.

No Need for Introduction

The great thing about infographics is their transparency. No need exists to further break down data or introduce the information to the reader. It’s all right there in front of their eyes. Because over 65% of us are visual learners, we’re naturally drawn to the source of information with the easiest digestibility. All told, in the battle between long form text and visual aids, visual takes the cake.

Did Someone Say Social Sharing?

People love to share images and graphics with their friends on social networks. Recent research shows photos get 55% more likes, 104% more comments, and 84% more click-throughs on Facebook. Similar metrics exists for Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram. Clearly these trends point to a decisive marketing strategy for businesses of all sizes. Model these infographics after online advertorials for some serious lead generation potential.

Attract Different Target Audiences

We know that each business has a specific target audience in mind. But what if you could attract multiple buyer personas with the same graphic? While some individuals might make a decision based on detailed blog posts, others may prefer a more visual method. The beauty of the infographic is its adaptability to both. The ‘just the facts’ approach appeals to the detail-oriented buyer while the colorful, image-based design attracts the aesthetics-obsessed persona.

Increased Traffic to your Website

Needless to say, these reasons work to bring more traffic and business to your website. Infographics are easy to share, desirable to others for sharing, and perceived as knowledge tanks to interested parties. Visuals aids, non-nonsense copy, and digestibility all make infographics a positive step forward in the world of content marketing.

Check out our Essential Marketing Metrics Infographic: All You Need to Prove ROI for a great example.