Using infographics in your business yet?

How to utilize infographics in your business

So why use infographics? Infographics have taken the world by storm, as we are all increasingly more inclined to process data visually than through the written word. Neuroscience explains why: according to research from 3M (maker of Post-its, among other things), 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual, and visuals are processed 60,000X faster in the brain than text! So some smart person somewhere invented infographics (probably Al Gore) to help us tell our stories. Now, smart businesses are using these visually pleasing, data-rich illustrations to educate and engage new customers. Here’s a nice example of how one online marketer is utilizing infographics to build his business.

There are several wonderful reasons why you need to consider using infographics in your business. Here’s just a start:

• They are easily scanned and can be visually impressive, aspects that get the attention of web browsers today
• They are outstanding vehicles for offering facts easily and in a neat, concentrated fashion.
• They lend authority to your competency on the given subject
• One of the best advantages of using infographics is that they can go viral, which can often bring about large traffic spikes and search engine benefits
• As an image, they are easily shared, and can make the rounds at many image sharing sites (as per social media expert Dan Zarrella, images get more shares and likes on Facebook than any other post type—even video)

So to show you some of the magic of infographics, check out this infographic from MarketingTechBlog.com.

How to produce your own infographics

Want to create your own infographic for your small business? There are a growing number of sites and tools coming around now that assist you to dive in and fashion stunning infographics. At the most basic level you can create them in PowerPoint, which is easier than you may think. If you’re looking for a bit more advanced or polished option, you should look into a tool like Visual.ly, where you can customize existing templates for your needs, or perhaps, use a service like PiktoChart or Infogram.

What if you haven’t a design gene in you?

Outsource it! We often don’t have the time, inclination or skills to get this sort of work done, particularly if you’ve never done any work with images before. No worries, because there are great designers out there just dying to create your infographics. Some of the places you will discover that will help you in this regard, and usually for a reasonable fee, include 99Designs, Elance, Odesk, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com. You should definitely see samples, set parameters and expectations, and are able to communicate your vision clearly with your outsourcer, so there are no surprises!