Writing Compelling Infographic Content Without Images
Infographics are an important and creative marketing tool -- and they're fun to write!
Infographics are revolutionizing the way companies and websites provide information to their customers, serving up visual content that immediately hooks readers, even when handling difficult-to-process information and statistics. While graphics and images are two elements of a great infographic, text makes an infographic come alive.
With an infographic, content producers combine images and text to create a colorful medium that not only engages readers but also entertains them. However, writing copy for an infographic that appeals to a mass audience isn't always easy.
An infographic offers a visually pleasing format with concise writing and graphics that deliver easy-to-understand information. Businesses often design infographics to provide relevant data quickly.
Humans process visual content faster than written content, with about 50 percent of the human brain dedicated to visual processing. Because of this, infographics help combat information overload and ensure readers learn important information without losing interest. Because it is easy for readers to absorb the information, they frequently share infographics, increasing the chances that these pieces of content will go viral.
Infographics are most useful for a topic heavy on data that needs to be made digestible for a reader. For example, an advertising company explaining the importance of mobile advertising to customers can use an infographic to get this point across quickly. Such an infographic might outline the growth of mobile web users, statistics on companies that use mobile advertising to grow revenue and projections about the expected number of mobile users in the next 10 years.
Such an infographic would present this data in bar graphs, pie charts and other visual formats. It's the writer's job to produce engaging text to tie all of this information together and ensure that readers understand the topic.
Infographic copy should be fluid, concise and easy to understand. Typically, an infographic doesn't have much room for text, which means writers have to choose their words carefully and ensure the main points are clearly delivered.
Writers should ensure an infographic contains a narrative arc instead of just random bits of information that don't stick with a reader. They need to work toward delivering a coherent message for an infographic while also understanding why customers or readers should know this information.
Even if writers don't have images to work with, it's important to review what the client wants in terms of tone, statistics, message and content. It may also be necessary to research the company further to understand the type of messages that it wants to deliver to its audience.
Most infographics are fun and colorful marketing materials for a company, but sometimes they need to relay important information through a business-like approach, such as with pieces for clients like medical providers, telecommunications companies and the legal industry. It's important for writers to understand their target audience when writing for an infographic to produce the most compelling copy possible.
Writers can find plenty of inspiration for creating great copy for infographics. One example is Movoto, a real estate company that rolled out an infographic that matches fonts with cities, entitled "What Font Is Your City?" The concept does a great job of combining images and text to get readers excited about the company and to attract customers.
Even huge organizations like the World Bank use infographics, such as the one that explores why green growth is necessary for sustainable development, meeting energy demands and jump-starting economic growth. The infographic combines beautiful graphics with a bounty of data and stellar copy, ensuring readers walk away informed and engaged.
Infographics come in many shapes and sizes, but they always demand excellent copy to ensure reader engagement. With this information in mind, writers should be in a better position to realize the full potential of the infographic and deliver the kind of text content that can spark sales, drive web traffic and make a marketing campaign go viral.
What aspects do you include in your infographics? Let us know in the comments below.
Pitching for Work: A Freelancer's Best Friend for Getting the Gig
Why Freelance Writers Shouldn't Fear Content Marketplaces
Content Marketing Trends and Freelance Writers: What You Need to Know
Infographics are revolutionizing the way companies and websites provide information to their customers, serving up visual content that immediately hooks readers, even when handling difficult-to-process information and statistics. While graphics and images are two elements of a great infographic, text makes an infographic come alive.
With an infographic, content producers combine images and text to create a colorful medium that not only engages readers but also entertains them. However, writing copy for an infographic that appeals to a mass audience isn't always easy.
What an Infographic Does
An infographic offers a visually pleasing format with concise writing and graphics that deliver easy-to-understand information. Businesses often design infographics to provide relevant data quickly.
Humans process visual content faster than written content, with about 50 percent of the human brain dedicated to visual processing. Because of this, infographics help combat information overload and ensure readers learn important information without losing interest. Because it is easy for readers to absorb the information, they frequently share infographics, increasing the chances that these pieces of content will go viral.
Infographics are most useful for a topic heavy on data that needs to be made digestible for a reader. For example, an advertising company explaining the importance of mobile advertising to customers can use an infographic to get this point across quickly. Such an infographic might outline the growth of mobile web users, statistics on companies that use mobile advertising to grow revenue and projections about the expected number of mobile users in the next 10 years.
Such an infographic would present this data in bar graphs, pie charts and other visual formats. It's the writer's job to produce engaging text to tie all of this information together and ensure that readers understand the topic.
How to Write Great Infographic Copy
Infographic copy should be fluid, concise and easy to understand. Typically, an infographic doesn't have much room for text, which means writers have to choose their words carefully and ensure the main points are clearly delivered.
Writers should ensure an infographic contains a narrative arc instead of just random bits of information that don't stick with a reader. They need to work toward delivering a coherent message for an infographic while also understanding why customers or readers should know this information.
Even if writers don't have images to work with, it's important to review what the client wants in terms of tone, statistics, message and content. It may also be necessary to research the company further to understand the type of messages that it wants to deliver to its audience.
Most infographics are fun and colorful marketing materials for a company, but sometimes they need to relay important information through a business-like approach, such as with pieces for clients like medical providers, telecommunications companies and the legal industry. It's important for writers to understand their target audience when writing for an infographic to produce the most compelling copy possible.
Great Examples of Infographics
Writers can find plenty of inspiration for creating great copy for infographics. One example is Movoto, a real estate company that rolled out an infographic that matches fonts with cities, entitled "What Font Is Your City?" The concept does a great job of combining images and text to get readers excited about the company and to attract customers.
Even huge organizations like the World Bank use infographics, such as the one that explores why green growth is necessary for sustainable development, meeting energy demands and jump-starting economic growth. The infographic combines beautiful graphics with a bounty of data and stellar copy, ensuring readers walk away informed and engaged.
Infographics come in many shapes and sizes, but they always demand excellent copy to ensure reader engagement. With this information in mind, writers should be in a better position to realize the full potential of the infographic and deliver the kind of text content that can spark sales, drive web traffic and make a marketing campaign go viral.
What aspects do you include in your infographics? Let us know in the comments below.
See Below for More Tips on Content Writing:
Pitching for Work: A Freelancer's Best Friend for Getting the Gig
Why Freelance Writers Shouldn't Fear Content Marketplaces
Content Marketing Trends and Freelance Writers: What You Need to Know