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8 Most Common Types of Infographics

By: Nic Sells and Mike Beasley

A well-produced infographic can help communicate complex ideas or simply make information easier to digest or more entertaining. It can infuse otherwise dry subject matter with an exciting visual flair. Infographics can be an important piece of the digital marketing puzzle and help your company stand out among the masses. And they even have powerful distribution potential: from social media to email marketing, print to press release, and even distribution websites.

There are a variety of infographic types—each with its own merits and drawbacks. We’ve compiled eight of the most common here.

Comparison Infographics

Comparison infographics are all about the “versus.” For instance, they can communicate the advantages of cycling over running, or vice versa. Or, highlight surprising similarities between two seemingly distinct things—English and Spanish languages, for example. Either way, a comparison infographic is a more compelling and effective way of sharing these complex ideas than virtually any other means.

Geographic Infographics

Say you have a list of confirmed cases a strange virus has caused throughout a country or, even, the entire world (hypothetically speaking, of course!). A geographic-focused infographic could be a great way to visually communicate the virus’ impact. Abstract shapes, silhouettes or statistics could represent the cases per region, layered over a simplified regional map to give the viewer a quick overview.

Hierarchical Infographics

What is the most important thing in life? We don’t know either. But if there was some sort of universally accepted hierarchical list of the most important things in life, this type of infographic would be a great way to show it. Besides pondering the meaning of life, these types of infographics are useful for visualizing the graduating importance of digital marketing principles, business processes or company standards, as a few examples.

How-to Infographics     

Although omnipresent, YouTube videos don’t have a complete monopoly over the distribution of how-to information. In fact, how-to infographics provide a powerful way of teaching—without those pesky YouTube ads! From “How to Tie a Tie” to “How to Ace a Video Interview,” these pieces of visually compelling content can provide serious value.

List Infographics

Who doesn’t love a good list? The Top 10 Most Annoying Office Habits. The Top 50 Places to Visit Before You Die. The 10 Best Movies Ever. These types of infographics make lists that are much more interesting and compelling. Like all infographics, the use of visual aids and clear, concise and compelling copy helps people consume the information more efficiently than written content alone.

Mixed-Chart Infographics

Like your favorite music playlist, mixed-chart infographics are mashups of a series of different visual charts that can show related data. They can really bring life to tedious subjects and highlight relationships between seemingly unassociated data. Done right, mixed-chart infographics can be some of the most visually compelling and powerful.  

Single-Chart Infographics

From pie to bar and bubble to line, the many different types of charts are a useful tool for quickly visualizing numbers and trends. When infused with a dose of graphic design, charts once found on PowerPoint slides in boardrooms have found new life as infographics. Single-chart infographics lend themselves well for quick production and distribution on social media platforms.

Timeline Infographics

Want to get the history of an entire nation on one page? Whether the goal is to communicate your company’s past or highlight some important innovation milestones, a timeline-style infographic is the most effective way to present it. Plus, these can be adorned with additional information that your consumers may want to pick up along their visual journey.

Conclusion

The infographic is as prevalent as it is multi-faceted. Among other benefits, they are visual, astute and compelling. Readers are more compelled by colors and shapes over walls of text. A smart creator will leverage the creative potential of words with the artistic inspiration of design to birth a treat for the eye and mind. Contact FORTHGEAR today to learn how we can help create attention-grabbing infographics for any message.