April 20, 2017

Infographic Design Principles to Live By

Infographics are very effective at communicating important information in a way that is clear, concise, and memorable. As an expert graphic design agency, we know design can be especially important for many industries. But effectively communicating with visuals isn’t as easy as it may seem. Simply putting colorful charts, graphs, and images on a page with a small amount of text explanation isn’t going to cut it. There’s an art to creating engaging content and it all begins by following these infographic design principles.

How to Make a Good Infographic

Here are some tips to keep in mind when you are making an infographic — or having them created for you:

Choose one topic

A common error with infographics is trying to say too much. Infographics are most powerful when they address one topic and drive that idea home with images and minimal text. We’ve all seen infographics that require you to scroll multiple times to reach the bottom. They are probably losing many readers along the way.

Create an eye-catching headline

Although the focus with infographics is on the “graphics” part, you still need a strong headline. This helps a reader understand what they’ll get from the piece. And something a little catchy like “Great Things from Good Zzzzzs” is better than a just-the-facts approach like “Health Benefits of Sleep.”

Keep your target audience in mind

Who are you talking to? You should remember that in mental health marketing you probably have two (or more) very different audiences. Be sure to use different imagery and language on a piece directed at mental health practitioners versus one geared toward people who use your services.  

Incorporate accurate, cited data

Infographics tend to be a less formal way to communicate information. That doesn’t mean you can be any less diligent in your research. It’s important to do your homework and note your sources.

Follow key design principles

Your infographics — just like your website, your brochures, and other marketing materials — should be well-designed. This includes things like using matched font families, a visually appealing color scheme, etc. Not following good design principles can be costly and ineffective.

Lead the viewer

Even infographics with the right amount of content can be a little overwhelming if the reader doesn’t know how to “move” through the piece. Therefore, you should use appropriate visual cues to guide them from beginning to end.

Don't forget to promote the piece as appropriate

It happens all too often. An organization puts tremendous effort into creating an infographic only to have it gather digital dust. Consequently, you should do all you can to get the piece in front of your target audience repeatedly and in multiple ways.

an infographic utilizing the infographic design principles
The Psychology of Color - as seen in A-Train's Gray Matter Magazine

A Denver Leader in Visual Marketing

If you’re looking to take your mental health marketing to a new level, powerful infographics can be a key component of your strategy. As a leading Denver-area marketing firm for nearly two decades, we know what it takes to get your services noticed. Give us a call to learn more.