[responsivevoice_button rate=”1″ pitch=”0.8″ voice=”UK English Male” buttontext=”Listen to this Blog”]
Your content largely depends on your target audience.
However, there’s one type of content that every e-commerce business must now use if they want to engage successfully, and that’s visual.
It’s because images resonate on a deeper psychological level, and our brains are programmed to resonate with them far faster than text.
But there are rules for achieving the right balance and making your content more readable when using images, informative graphics, and charts. And if done right, you’ll create the type of content that people love to share.
Let’s look at why and how to keep your Infographics on brand.
Make it valuable and memorable
Start by figuring out what you want people to remember; this is your brand’s vision, the valuable message you want to deliver. When you have that, you can focus on the style of Infographics that will work best for both your data and your target audience.
Consumers don’t generally find data particularly interesting, but you can make it compelling by infusing it with your story and the message you want people to remember.
By starting with the conclusion, what your customers will learn from your content, you can build the outlay of your Infographic branding around it, adding images, illustrations, graphics, and charts where they’ll work best at getting your message across.
Trim the fat and make your copy compelling
The content you create and add to your Infographics is as equally important as the graphics themselves. As your goal is to engage the audience with images, your content has to be similarly impactful at conveying your message.
You achieve this by knowing your tone of voice:
To find it, look at your competing brands, the styles they’re using, and how they’re interacting with their audience. Individual marketing styles suit different demographics, especially age, and they’ll also be influenced by whether you’re running a B2B or B2C campaign. Once you have an idea of what your competitors are using, add your brand’s unique voice to it.
Next, trim the fat:
Fewer words with more impact, that’s the goal when combining content and Infographics. Your words have to give meaning to your visuals, every piece of content has to be a headline, so they grab the viewer’s attention and bring your visuals to life.
Start right, and you won’t go wrong!
You want to choose a design template that’s suitable for your campaign; this way, the outlay should come together organically.
People want to see beautiful, clean, and dynamic Infographics, and if you don’t give it to them, you won’t go viral.
The essential rules for designing great graphics are:
Know which key elements are needed, keep it simple, use lots of white space, attractive fonts (no more than three) and colors (same rule) suited to your message, and the critical takeaways highlighted so they jump from the screen. Keep the paragraphs short and informative, so viewers don’t lose interest.
Your goal is to create a visual the flows, each section leading to the next; this draws the viewer in, and before they know it, they’ve read, seen, and absorbed your message.
Here are some more ways of making that happen:
How to build a visual structure
Your Infographics structure must bring all the graphics, images, and graphs used together to communicate your message harmoniously.
You can achieve this with the following layout:
Title: Keep it short and informative; only include words that tell the reader what they’re about to learn
Introduction: It’s not essential to include one, but if you do, apply the same rules as for the title
Subheadings: Probably the most critical element because they’re what draws the reader in by making them curious. Keep them short and don’t give too much away; you want the viewer to read all your content, and not just skim over it.
Icon labels and charts: If you’ve chosen a clean design template and planned it out, your visuals, charts, and label icons should naturally find their place. However, it’s always good to get a second unbiased opinion.
The story: Use your tone of voice and your marketing conclusion to help tell your story. Draw the viewer’s attention to the essential elements, graphs, and other visuals, and ensure they match your branding.
Branding: My posts title is “Why and How to Keep Your Infographic on Brand,” so don’t forget to include yours!
As we’re thinking about logos, let’s find out why you need one an where you should place it:
Your logos function and placement
Although there might be new logo design technologies – what makes a good logo design has never changed, these design techniques make your logo function as it should.
Your logos function:
Your logo is far more than just a catchy design. It should encapsulate the essence of your brand, and serve to connect with your audience’s emotions, conjuring up feelings that gravitate the viewer to your brand with a sense of familiarity.
How you achieve this:
The design rules for logos are relatively simple; that’s the most important one, keep it simple! Don’t use complicated images; use the white space to create balance. Choose colors and fonts that are proven to connect with your market, and that conveys those all-important emotions; never use more than three (aim for two). If you’re a new brand, include your name, so consider a combination logo.
Your logos placement:
The preferred location is in the footer, so it’s that last visual the viewer sees. A professional logo installs trust and shows the reader that you’re a reputable brand.
A quick word about color and fonts
All of the rules for colors and fonts related to your logo also apply to your Infographics, but there’s a lot you need to know to get it right!
Fonts aren’t too tricky:
Use ones that match your brand’s voice and your target market demographics, and if you find the right one for your title and subtitle, quite often, the lower-case version will suit your text.
Or you can create impact by using two completely different fonts for your titles and text, but always ensure that they are scalable.
Choosing the right colors, however, can be a difficult task:
The emotions, thoughts, and feelings that different colors trigger are your primary concern when using them in your Infographics. Get them right, and you’ll set a tone that resonates with the viewer; once you’ve tapped into those emotions, your visuals and content can come into play.
Every market has a color palette that suits it; make sure you find yours to get your Infographics on brand.
Ready to create your Infographic?
The purpose of your Infographics is to connect with your target audience. By bringing visual imagery and your brand’s story together, you’re providing valuable content that will grab their attention and get your message across in a fast and effective way.
Once you achieve that, your brand will never look back.
