Why Infographics Are So Stimulating

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Infographics have seen a surge of popularity as of late, and with good reason. More and more businesses and organizations are relying on infographics to help them both convey knowledge and influence their users.

From the largest companies to the smallest, infographics are a useful tool. The real question though is why are infographics so darn effective? To answer that you will need to dissect and understand not just infographics themselves, but people as well.

First, what on earth is an infographic?

An infographic is a combination of pictures and words. The two aspects work together in order to help readers understand and retain the information that is being presented to them. Infographics strive to have all of their elements be complimentary in order to make them as attractive as possible.

See an example of an infographic right here on Social Web Q and A

Many businesses and people like infographics as a promotional or marketing tool due to how shareable they are–more on that later. Infographics are pretty commonplace nowadays, and animated infographics are starting to gain in popularity now as well. The success of an infographic depends largely upon a few factors:

  • The information it represents. Is it relevant? Do people want this information? Is it shocking or intriguing?
  • How visually pleasing it is. Do the graphics relate to the information? Are they stimulating and attractive?

The Attraction Factor

  • Infographics use graphics and color schemes that will captivate the viewer. The more pleasing the graphics and colors, the longer it will be observed.
  • Infographics incorporate enough graphic elements to draw the eyes, without causing brain overload.
  • The great thing about having text and graphics in the same presentation is that not only is it easier to understand and more persuasive, people are also more drawn to read the accompanying text.
  • When the proper balance is struck, an infographic can appease the brain’s need for information and stimulation.

Animated Infographics

Animated infographics are essentially infographics that have one more level of depth. Just as the name suggests there are incorporated elements that are animated in order to draw attention to a pattern, size, and correlation of information. The addition of animation to an infographic makes the possibilities for presenting information in an effective way seemingly endless.

For instance, you may choose to use the animation to highlight a certain pattern in the information, to lend movement to elements like animals, or to transition between information or graphics. The addition of animation elements to your infographic makes it even more noticeable than before.

Just as our brains love infographics, marketers are falling in love with them as well. All of these points that make infographics pleasing and stimulating to our minds, make them an excellent means for marketing and branding a business. An infographic should be a portion of every companies marketing plan.

The information allows you to set yourself apart as a knowledgeable force in your area. Additionally, as the infographic is shared and circulated, the exposure to your site is increased as well. More exposure can equate to more money being made. It is for these reasons that infographics are pleasing to the mind, but also a powerful marketing tool.

Marianne Ross is a freelance writer and an occasional guest-blogger who shares her business related tips on various blogs.

 

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