Everybody loves infographics. How can you create the best infographic for your message? The key is to plan a smart “story,” or narrative, for viewers. Here’s how to do it.
1. Choose an Attention-Grabbing Title
A great title captures attention and makes people curious. That’s why creating a title is one of the most important steps in the entire process. It should sum up the purpose of your infographic in a descriptive way. Here a few examples of great titles: “How To Get Your Kids To Eat More Veggies,” “Why Your Brain Needs Eight Hours of Sleep,” and “10 Ways To Learn a New Language.”
Why are these titles effective? They target a specific subject and tell the audience what they’re going to learn. At the same time, including terms such as “why” and “how-to” is almost guaranteed to spark curiosity.
2. Make Sure Subtitles Make Sense
Each subtitle in an infographic should provide additional information on a single point. To make sure people understand the way the topic flows at a glance, use a parallel structure for subheadings. In other words, if you’re giving tips for learning a new language, start all of the headings with a verb.
Here are a few examples: “speak with natives,” “visit a foreign country,” and “watch TV in Italian.” It’s usually best to keep subheadings short. If possible, limit them to about five words.
3. Explain Information in Simple Terms
With infographics, keeping things simple is your friend. Don’t use complicated terms and don’t write long sentences. Even paragraphs should only have three-to-five sentences. The easier your infographic is to read, the easier it is for your audience to follow along. That way you hold their attention from beginning to end.
4. Include Key Takeaways and Images
Subheadings and pictures do a great job of summing up the main points for people. Doing this helps them to remember your message. One great idea is to choose one or two key takeaways from your presentation and include them as quotations in large text. They may include a significant statistic or motivating factor. For example, a takeaway could read “Over 50% of Americans get less than six hours of sleep a night.”
5. Motivate People to Action
A great narrative shows people how the information relates to them personally. Throughout infographics, present helpful tips or reasons for conclusions. In the end, tell your audience what they should do with what they’ve learned.
The best infographics are catchy, memorable, colorful and easy to understand. By combining a few words with attractive graphics, you can present a powerful message. It only takes a few seconds to read, but it motivates people to action.
