The Power of the Infographic

In the last few years, there has been a surge in the popularity of infographics. Virtually every day, new infographics are published on a variety of topics such as the future of solar energy to the health benefits of yoga.  No matter the subject, the goal of an infographic is to tell a meaningful story in a concise yet eye-catching format. Check out Daily Infographic which curates and publishes one interesting infographic each day.

Simply put, an infographic is a visual representation of information. Rather than compiling data in a spreadsheet or Powerpoint presentation, today’s graphics designers are tasked with flexing their creative muscles to organize that information in a visually pleasing format.

Why would you want to create an infographic? For one, as a visual medium, it stands out from traditional, text-based press releases. If you are looking to catch the eyes of the media, infographics will often be a more effective way to communicate your brand and message.

To get started with your own infographic, consult with a local graphics designer or you may elect to go the DIY route:

• Visual.ly Create (http://visual.ly/labs) – most popular infographic community; Visual.ly enables you to create an infographic leveraging content from your Twitter and Facebook accounts
• Infogr.am (http://infogr.am) – easy to use beta service that enables you to create an infographic using one of its pre-designed themes
• Easel.ly (http://easel.ly) – similar to Infogr.am; beta service that gives you the tools to create your own infographic
• Vizualize.me (http://vizualize.me/) – one-click service that turns your LinkedIn profile into a visual representation of your resume

Have you created an infographic? If so, was it effective?

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