Tag Archives: infographic

The post 5 Best Infographics & Illustrations to Try on Your Small Business Website appeared first on HostGator Blog . Visual content plays an integral role in your small business website. It can either grasp your visitors’ attention or repel them in the opposite direction. To spice up your site, you can add infographics and illustrations to your site. These visuals help tell your brand story and convey key information to your audience.  But everything shouldn’t be transformed into a visual. Here are 5 of the best opportunities to use infographics and illustrations on your site.  1. Display Statistics  Visual content attracts visitors to your site. According to Demand Gen Report , infographics can increase web traffic by 12%. Use this opportunity to highlight your brand and to engage with consumers.  Statistics are an effective way to persuade your audience. People like interpreting complex details into simple numbers. However, stats alone can easily bore your site visitors. You can refresh your data with a dynamic infographic. You can add charts, graphs, and symbols to tell the full story of your statistics. It will quickly draw people’s eyes to specific sections and encourage them to learn more. Jobvite focuses on stats related to the United States employment. The infographic below uses line and bar graphs plus a map to paint a vivid picture of the economy. Avoid overcrowding your infographics with a bunch of stats. It will confuse the visitor and deter them from the visual experience. Instead, only pick the stats that will bolster the purpose of your infographic. If the stat doesn’t support the overall topic, you can leave it out. 2. Explain a Process It’s better to show, rather than tell. This principle holds true when you want to explain a convoluted process.  Illustrations work as a guide for your audience. If they don’t understand something, the graphic can add context. James Brockbank , an experienced SEO and content marketer, agrees: “Data has a bad name for being boring…however, when you visualize it, it can take a new form and attract those who likely wouldn’t read it when presented in another format.” Think of an infographic as a visual journey. Your goal is to lead visitors through a complete story, from the introduction to the conclusion. This approach will hold people’s attention, and they will engage with the entire infographic. Fix takes its readers through the process of avoiding (and curing) a hangover. Each section of the infographic matches data with an appealing illustration.  A pro tip is to map out your infographic before talking with your designer. That way, you know exactly what graphics and copy you want included in the visual. 3. Showcase Products & Services Before consumers buy anything, they want to see what you’re selling. So, it’s your responsibility to showcase your products. Take accurate photos of your products. Give your audience the chance to experience every angle as if they were purchasing it in the store. If your small business sells services on your website, you still want to invest in an illustration. It should represent the outcome of the service. For instance, hair salons may post a happy woman with a gorgeous haircut. Some brands take the easy route and post various stock photos on their websites. Yet, this shortcut isn’t always receptive to your audience. When asked about the best performing visuals, 41.5% of marketers said that original graphics, such as infographics and illustrations, performed best. So, you’ll want to engage your consumers with one-of-a-kind graphics. You’ll also want to create a consistent brand style with your infographics and illustrations. Check out the example below from Learn Joomla Fast . The company uses bright colors and expressive icons to match its tone and style. Be bold in your design when spotlighting your products. It attracts consumers and keeps them coming back for more. 4. Make Comparisons Apples or oranges. Cars or trucks. Beyonce or Rihanna. Today’s culture likes comparing things. It’s easier for people to understand. Plus, it can build a competitive nature of picking sides.  Comparisons can show similarities between two concepts as well as emphasize their differences. A side-by-side visual makes it useful for your visitors to retain the information.  With this type of illustration, you can tell a compelling narrative. Jack Knopfler , lead content editor at Mammoth Infographics, explains: “Without a powerful narrative, you will end up with a bunch of disconnected data points and a confused audience. A narrative enables your readers to go on a journey through the infographic and leave feeling enhanced.” University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital makes a comparison with the simple illustration below. The graphic designer created sugar cubes and silhouettes of popular brand bottles. With one glance, someone can understand the meaning of the image. From a design perspective, use white space to make your infographic easily scannable. Too much clutter can distract your visitors and move their attention away from your visual. 5. Present a Sequence of Events Timelines work beautifully to display a sequence of events. It adds order to what could be chaos if you just listed a bunch of activities.  If you want to give the history of a topic, a timeline is one of the best options. Your audience can clearly see the progression from one time period to the next. So, make sure your dates are accurate. Rather than displaying the month, day, and year, you can keep it simple by only using the year.  Also, consider the layout of your timeline infographic. A vertical design is practical if you have lots of text and images. A horizontal design is well-suited for timelines with a few dates. Coca-Cola takes its audience down memory lane with a timeline infographic. You learn about the background of the beverage through text and images of the actual bottles. Don’t forget to share your infographic, too. You can add it to your blog content and post it on social media. Get people talking about your work! Get Creative With Visual Content on Your Small Business Website Infographics and illustrations serve as a bridge to connect your audience with your brand. Use these visuals to display statistics, explain a process, or showcase products. Ready to create a professional website? Check out HostGator’s Web Design Services .   Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →