About Infographics

Introduction

On this page you will learn about infographics and why you might use them to convey information. You will also dive into various popular infographic types with examples to get you thinking about your own project.

What Is On This Page?

What Are Infographics?

An infographic is an expression of information, most often data,  as a graphic or other visual representation. They are an intersection of data, text, and message, combined into one artistic representation, and they are an excellent method of storytelling.

People remember 10 percent of what they hear 80 percent of what they see and 20 percent of what they read

Infographics can be used to convey complex information in a concise and visually appealing manner. Research has also shown that people remember visual information more easily.

Watch

Learn about the power of visual information in this animated infographic, and think about how you can use storytelling to engage your audience.

Learn more  about what infographics are and why they are useful for communicating 

Types of Infographics

There are so many different types of infographics that it would be impossible to address them all. Below we have some common types you may have already encountered. Click on each for some examples and a brief description.

Tip: Finding Inspiration

Use Google and search for something like comparison infographic to see more examples and inspiration. 

You could also browse through templates on a site like Canva, which we will address later in this tutorial.

Choosing the Right Type

How do you choose the right type of infographic? Sometimes, it is really easy to select a type of infographic to use. For example, if you are comparing two ideas, a comparison infographic makes sense. If you are showing a change over time, then a timeline infographic makes sense. Other times it may not be so clear.

Consider these questions to help you narrow it down:

Can your content be lumped into similar concepts or “buckets”? 

Consider:

Are you reporting qualitative data, like a case study? 

Consider: 

Trying to share information about markets or consumers? 

Consider: 

If you are still not sure what type is right for you, lists and visual articles are a great option for most content. You may also decide to mix and match elements from different infographic types. For example, you could create an article-style infographic that includes a small timeline within it. 

Common infographic types are intended as inspiration to help you create your infographic, but do not let that restrict your creativity!

Icons by Freepik from Flaticon

Watch

This video walks you through 7 of the most common infographic types and when you should use them, along with examples.