The Science of Creating Highly Shareable Infographics
In the world of content marketing, few formats are as reliably engaging as the infographic. When done well, infographics are an incredibly effective way to distill complex information, data, and research findings into an easily digestible visual format that audiences love to consume and share.
But not all infographics are created equal. Creating an infographic that resonates with your target audience and inspires them to hit that share button requires a strategic, research-backed approach.
In this guide, we‘ll dive into the science behind highly shareable infographics—exploring the key elements, design principles, and best practices you can apply to craft compelling, shareworthy infographics for your brand.
The Power of Visual Content
Before we get into the specifics of infographic creation, let‘s briefly touch on why visual content like infographics are so impactful from a marketing perspective.
Research has consistently shown that visual content generates significantly higher engagement rates compared to text-based content. In fact, articles that contain images get 94% more views on average than those without.
There are a few reasons for this:
- The human brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than text
- 65% of people are visual learners
- Images and visuals are more memorable than text alone
When it comes to social media specifically, visual content is 40 times more likely to get shared. So by packaging information into a visual format like an infographic, you‘re immediately increasing the likelihood that your content will be seen and shared by a wider audience.
Anatomy of a Highly Shareable Infographic
Now that we understand the inherent value of infographics, let‘s look at the specific characteristics and elements that the most successful infographics have in common.
According to an analysis of the 1,000 most-shared infographics, conducted by Siege Media, top-performing infographics tend to have:
- An average of 230 words (although there was quite a range, with some having as few as 21 words and others over 970)
- A vertical orientation, with an average length of around 3065px
- A simple color scheme featuring 2-3 dominant colors
- A descriptive, keyword-optimized title and file name
- Proper attribution of data sources and references
In terms of visual style and design, the most popular infographics also make use of:
- A good balance of text and visuals
- Simple icons and illustrations to visualize concepts
- Bold fonts and typographic elements to create visual hierarchy
- Generous white space and clean, uncluttered layouts
- Creative data visualizations like charts, graphs, and maps
The specific design choices you make will depend on your brand style and the nature of the information you‘re presenting. But in general, the most shareable infographics combine all of these elements into a cohesive, visually engaging package.
Color Psychology in Infographic Design
One of the most important visual considerations in infographic design is color. The colors you choose don‘t just affect the overall aesthetic of your infographic, they also have a psychological impact on viewers and influence how they perceive and interact with the information.
Studies have shown that color can increase brand recognition by up to 80%, and colored visuals increase a person‘s willingness to read content by 80%.
When selecting a color scheme for your infographic, it‘s important to consider:
- Your brand colors and visual identity
- Color psychology and the emotions/associations of different colors
- Contrast and readability (i.e. avoiding clashing colors or low-contrast combos)
- Color symbolism in relation to your topic or industry
As a general rule, it‘s best to limit your infographic color scheme to 2-3 primary colors. This keeps the design looking clean and polished, without overwhelming the viewer.
The most popular color combinations in highly shared infographics are:
- Blue, orange, and grey
- Red, green, and grey/black
- Blue, red, and grey/black
Your dominant color should be one that aligns with your brand, while accent colors can be used to draw attention to key information or calls-to-action.
Ideal Length and Word Count
Infographics come in all shapes and sizes. But for maximum shareability, it‘s best to err on the side of simplicity and keep your infographic focused and to-the-point.
As noted above, the most-shared infographics clock in at an average of 230 words. While longer infographics can work for more in-depth topics, you generally want to keep your word count under 300.
In terms of physical length, the sweet spot seems to be between 2000-4500px. Anything longer risks losing the reader‘s attention, while going too short means you may not be able to include enough information to make it valuable and shareworthy.
Infographics Across Social Media Channels
It‘s also important to consider where you plan to share your infographic and optimize the design accordingly. Different social media platforms have different image specifications and user preferences to keep in mind.
For example, infographics about health and wellness tend to perform best on visual platforms like Instagram and Pinterest. More business-focused infographics, on the other hand, get more traction on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Some specific platform considerations to factor into your infographic design:
- Instagram: Bold colors and lifestyle photography
- Twitter: Concise text and helpful statistics
- Facebook: Square format and video/motion graphics
- LinkedIn: Professional tone and industry insights
- Pinterest: Vertical format and step-by-step instructographics
Tailoring your infographic to your primary distribution channel can help you better connect with that specific audience and encourage more shares.
Creating Original Research and Data Visualizations
Of course, creating a highly shareable infographic isn‘t just about following the right design formula. The quality of the information itself is just as important as the visuals.
Some of the most successful infographics feature original research findings or proprietary data. If you have the resources to conduct your own industry study or survey, turning those insights into an infographic is a great way to establish thought leadership and earn links/shares from others in your niche.
Partnering with influencers or reputable organizations is another way to source original data for your infographics while also tapping into a wider potential audience.
Even if original research isn‘t an option, you can set your infographic apart by finding creative ways to visualize existing data points or combining insights from multiple sources into a cohesive narrative.
The key is to approach the information you‘re presenting through a unique lens. Look for surprising statistics, debunk common myths, or highlight emerging trends that haven‘t been widely reported on yet.
Infographic Best Practices and Tips
In addition to the core design elements we‘ve covered, there are a few infographic creation best practices to keep in mind:
- Craft a compelling title: Use relevant keywords and action-oriented language
- Lead with the most important information: Start with your key takeaway
- Establish a clear visual hierarchy: Most important points should be largest
- Include a call-to-action: Direct readers to learn more on your website
- Optimize for SEO: Use descriptive file names and alt text
- Make it easy to share: Include embed codes and "share this" buttons
- Repurpose your infographic: Turn it into a blog post, video, slide deck, etc.
- Promote, promote, promote: Share on social, communities, email newsletters
Applying these tips and best practices throughout the research, design, and promotion phases of infographic creation will help your content reach its full potential.
Examples of Top Performing Infographics
To give you a better sense of what a successfully executed, highly shareable infographic looks like, here are a few real-world examples:
- The Lifespan of Storage Media (2,163,000 shares)
- Picking a Lock in Under 30 Seconds (1,695,000 shares)
- 16 Windows Keyboard Shortcuts (1,165,000 shares)
As you can see, these infographics all follow the characteristics outlined above, including concise text, simple color schemes, helpful information, and original data visualizations.
Browse infographic galleries like Visual.ly or Pinterest for more examples and inspiration.
Infographic Creation Tools and Templates
Luckily, you don‘t need to be a professional designer to create a high-quality, shareable infographic. There are plenty of user-friendly tools and templates that make the process easy:
- Canva
- Venngage
- Piktochart
- Easel.ly
- Infogram
Many of these tools offer free templates that you can customize with your own branding, content, and data. Having a solid template as a starting point can be a big time-saver.
Conclusion
With a little research and strategic planning, infographics can be a powerful addition to your content marketing mix.
Understanding what makes infographics highly shareable from a psychological perspective, and then applying those insights to create well-designed, data-driven, visually engaging infographics, will help your content connect with a wider audience and inspire them to spread the word.
Use the tips and best practices covered here as a roadmap for your next infographic project. Incorporate your own research, unique insights, and creative twists to produce an exceptional infographic that your audience can‘t help but share.
