How to Create an Infographic

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Create a budget to make your infographic.

   Even if you use free templates and programs, the man-hours involved in gathering data, entering the data and proofing can cost between $100 and $1,000.
   
   A well-positioned infographic can also boast a high return on investment (ROI).
2. 2

   Step 2: Choose your message.

   Plan to tell a story and use both graphics and statistics to illustrate it.
   
   Avoid messages that are too sales-focused. “Buy our product” is not a good message to tell. “How our product improves quality of life” is a better choice.
   
   Remember that non-profits, universities and individuals can benefit from infographics, in addition to companies.
   
   For example, perhaps you want to impress upon a high school PE class the benefits of exercising regularly.
   
   Showing them statistics of successful people and their high rates of exercise in infographic form, may be a better way than telling them. , Choose between gathering your own data or finding reliable data from other sources.
   
   The following are good places to find statistics if you can’t collect them yourself:
   Use Google’s public data crawler at https://www.google.com/publicdata/directory Search for the data you need to use Google’s familiar search bar.
   
   Visit Chartsbin.com.
   
   You can access tables and charts filled with statistics from around the world, such as hunger, marriage, crime and disease numbers.Try StatPlanet for more worldwide statistics.
   
   Go to government agencies, such as the US Bureau of Labor Statistics or the EPA to get reliable statistics.
   
   Read trade journals and scientific studies to get other types of study-based data.
   
   Make sure to source your statistics at the bottom of each graphic section.
   
   Use the most trustworthy sources that you can find. , Even if you gather your data from journals and online sources, you should create a data series with 3 to 6 different info series.
   
   You can either give this info to your graphic designer or upload it into a template. , Draw a crude sketch of how you would like to separate your data.
   
   You will have a better idea of the template or style that will work best if you place several images, statistics and headings in on a standard piece of computer paper., If you want a fully customized infographic, your best bet is to hire someone who can produce it.
   
   You can pay between $50 and $100 per hour to hire a graphic designer, so make sure to adjust your budget accordingly.
   
   If you want to use your final infographic to increase web traffic or improve social media content, then you should hire a graphic designer.
   
   You are more likely to produce a viral infographic if the designer has experience with this marketing tool. , Create an account at visual.ly and ask for a consultation.
   
   Review the high-quality projects that the company has produced in the past on the main visual.ly website. , Free and subscription based websites allow you to create visual tools that can be downloaded or imbedded.
   
   Try Infoactive.co or piktochart.com.
   
   Piktochart.com is available for $29 per month.
   
   Infoactive.co and easel.ly are currently in beta testing and may require a monthly subscription in the future.Choose a marketing person to upload your data chart and logo, if you have difficulty learning new software programs.
   
   Easel.ly is supposed to be the easiest infographic tool to learn. ,, These sites help you create an infographic based on a chronological timeline of events.
   
   Upload your photos to use as illustrations., This is an infographic that communicates one message with one to two sub-parts. , Tackle several detailed subtitles or sub messages. , Most websites and mobile devices process vertical images better.
   
   This leads vertical infographics to be tweeted and passed on up to 30 percent more., Don’t try to save space by making the font smaller.
   
   Use a big font that is easy to read, so that it catches the reader’s eye.
   
   Consider using a number in your headline.
   
   One search engine optimization site says that 36 percent of Twitter users prefer headlines with numbers in them. , Consult a typographer or a graphic designer if you are unsure which font will work best. , You should have several people editing and proofing the final product before it goes out.
   
   Since this project uses different layouts, it can be harder to spot mistakes. , If you want people to find your website, then make sure your logo, website and social media URLs are prominent in your infographic.
   
   If you have a general message that you want to go viral, you can skip this step., If you rely on Instagram or photography for business, choose photos over illustrations.
   
   Use between one and six photographs.
   
   Make sure to leave plenty of room to separate the images and add text. , People are drawn to visuals, so draw the conclusions in graphics, rather than text.
   
   For a more advanced infographic, use a background that ties each graphic together, such as a roadmap with signposts, a label or a tree.
   
   Using custom illustrations can increase the popularity of your infographic by up to 50 percent.
3. 3

   Step 3: Gather data that support your message.

4. 4

   Step 4: Input your data into an Excel spreadsheet.

5. 5

   Step 5: Make a flow chart.

6. 6

   Step 6: Consider hiring a graphic designer.

7. 7

   Step 7: Hire an infographic company.

8. 8

   Step 8: Choose a template-based infographic program.

9. 9

   Step 9: Use visualize.me if you want to leverage a Twitter

10. 10

    Step 10: Facebook or LinkedIn account to make a personal infographic.

11. 11

    Step 11: Create a timeline infographic using Timeline JS or Dipity.

12. 12

    Step 12: Use an infographic that is one level deep

13. 13

    Step 13: if you plan to send it out to a general audience.

14. 14

    Step 14: Choose a 2-level infographic if you are creating an educational aid or aiming to hit savvy readers.

15. 15

    Step 15: Make your project vertical.

16. 16

    Step 16: Start with a large headline.

17. 17

    Step 17: Pick a font that expresses your message clearly and with style.

18. 18

    Step 18: Edit your text dozens of times.

19. 19

    Step 19: Incorporate your logo.

20. 20

    Step 20: Use photographs.

21. 21

    Step 21: Find or make illustrations for each statistic you use.

Detailed Guide

About the Author