Reading Time: 4 minutes
Everyone talks about how you’ve got to have great content in order to boost traffic, see your posts go viral or gain more followers. It’s true, you do. But if writing isn’t your best subject? Fortunately content doesn’t always mean the written word.
I’m not a writer by trade. However that didn’t stop me from getting thousands of readers from just one post. How did I do it? I’ll let you in on my secret with just one word (after all I’m not a writer, remember?) and that word is…infographics!
An infographic is the graphic visual representation of information especially favored by those of us who dreaded writing essays in college and maybe even those who dreaded reading in college. Realistically though, the infographic is just a great way to pass on information in an easy to consume format. Think about it, how often have you forwarded a graphic about a topic versus how often you have forwarded a lengthy written post?Infographics are great because they help you appeal to an even larger audience. You can present a ton of information that would have normally been difficult to digest, explain or interpret in one entertaining infographic. What’s even better is that you don’t have to worry about dangling participles or whether you have your apostrophe in the right place.
Of course the best part is that as much as you may dread writing a lot, there are some people who dread reading a lot. For better or worse there are a whole lot of people who don’t want to or don’t have time to read so an infographic is the perfect way to gain their attention. It’s also a convenient way for them to share that information they’ve just learned from you.Here is the infographic I created listing the 50 top mompreneur blogs.Easy to read, easy to share. This infographic brought me a ton of traffic. However, it still took some work. For this infographic I identified a topic that would be of great interest to my target readers. Then I researched the topic. The result was the top 50 mompreneur blogs that my readers could follow to find inspiration and from which they could learn.
Tricks and Tips
Don’t overdo it
Stick to one narrow topic and include only the highlights of the information you want to relay. Remember too much info in an infographic is just as bad as an extra long blog post. Readers should be able to look at the infographic and quickly get all the information they need.Exciting design goes a long way
It’s a little like adding Sriracha sauce to your food. A few drops add a kick, too much ruins the meal. Add a little color and some flashy elements to break up the text but not so much that it overpowers the information or becomes too distracting.
Stick to one narrow topic and include only the highlights of the information you want to relay. Remember too much info in an infographic is just as bad as an extra long blog post. Readers should be able to look at the infographic and quickly get all the information they need.Exciting design goes a long way
It’s a little like adding Sriracha sauce to your food. A few drops add a kick, too much ruins the meal. Add a little color and some flashy elements to break up the text but not so much that it overpowers the information or becomes too distracting.
Choose the right topic
When used the right way an infographic can make a powerful statement. So don’t just choose any topic. If you are going to invest the time (or money) into creating an infographic, make sure it is a topic that is compelling to your target audience. Don’t just create an infographic because you really don’t want to put the time into writing about a certain topic or because you have writer’s block. A mundane infographic is really a waste of what can be a really great tool for reaching new future loyal brand ambassadors.In general how-to articles and ‘best of’ lists become great viral infographics. If you provide your audience with useful information they will in turn pass that information on to their friends and you will benefit from that increased exposure.Content may always be king but don’t forget that “content” is just a vehicle for information. Right now the best vehicle to get that information out there is the infographic. Done the right way and carrying the right information the infographic will be your best bet for growing your audience.
When used the right way an infographic can make a powerful statement. So don’t just choose any topic. If you are going to invest the time (or money) into creating an infographic, make sure it is a topic that is compelling to your target audience. Don’t just create an infographic because you really don’t want to put the time into writing about a certain topic or because you have writer’s block. A mundane infographic is really a waste of what can be a really great tool for reaching new future loyal brand ambassadors.In general how-to articles and ‘best of’ lists become great viral infographics. If you provide your audience with useful information they will in turn pass that information on to their friends and you will benefit from that increased exposure.Content may always be king but don’t forget that “content” is just a vehicle for information. Right now the best vehicle to get that information out there is the infographic. Done the right way and carrying the right information the infographic will be your best bet for growing your audience.
About the Author: Hello, my name is Nicole and I live in Washington State with my contractor husband and two adorable children ages 3 and 8. I am passionate about graphic design but even more passionate about helping mom entrepreneurs rock their businesses online. I absolutely love working with inspired, creative and absolutely amazing entrepreneurs who are pursuing their own dreams and aspirations. Feel free to connect with me on Facebook or Twitter.
