We all prefer graphic representations to long textual facts and figures. The reason is that they are more interesting and give a consolidated view of the data that can be easily compared. Even statistics have shown that 40% of the audience respond better to visual representations compared to text-based information. This can be attributed to the fact that the human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text. Infographics are being shared on social media and are getting good responses from users. While many may believe that the use of infographics is fairly new, it’s safe to say that similar representations have been around for centuries. However, the problem with infographics is that the more they are used, the more chance there is that they will become so common that they can lose popularity with the masses and ultimately result in undermined marketing efforts. The only way to ensure effective use of infographics is to constantly innovate and understand the finer nuances associated with visualizing large or complex data.

The good:

• The most attractive aspect of infographics is the visual appeal and the simplicity of the presentation. While getting overly creative may seem like a good strategic approach, most users prefer simple presentations that are clear and easily understood for comparison.
• Considering the benefits of infographics in online marketing, it helps SEO functions by getting inbound links according to the subsequent increase in traction.
• Being a visual representation, the inclusion of the brand logo would go a long way towards promoting and maintaining the market position of the company. However, this requires proper logo placement within the acceptable limits of premium positioning in the infographic.
• Another benefit relates to the description of personal experience that is achieved by making an effective comparison of the internal data with the corresponding industry data, thus providing a complete description of the well-researched data.

The bad:

• Infographics used solely for the purpose of increasing linkbaits have often resulted in poorly executed efforts. It is due to such poorly executed content that infographics that have immense potential are not given due consideration.
• Based on the amount of research required and the way it is presented to clients, infographics can be an expensive undertaking for small businesses. The costs incurred are high only when extremely eye-catching infographics are to be made. Simple renderings can be made at lower costs.
• It’s not uncommon for unrealistic expectations to be held in infographics where the purpose tends to focus on making the content go viral rather than emphasizing the creation of proper content with backed up data and statistics to prove its value. It is this expectation that is sometimes known to do more harm than good.
• While it is feasible to outsource data for statistical representation, its use may not reflect the real points of concern for customers. To manage this, it is best to conduct research identifying the key points that have a direct impact on both business and consumers.

The new perspective:

Simplicity will always be the priority to create impressive infographics. Proof of this can be seen in the infographic created by Dell which used a yes / no based flowchart to captivate the interests of programmers who are familiar with this type of representation. This helped the company connect with its audience and potential customers. Current trends in infographics indicate that those with longer layouts with vertical data flow would be successful in retaining their effectiveness in communicating information to the audience. While best practices for infographics may have different potential aspects, the need to incorporate innovative methods to captivate audiences has become paramount, especially in light of the widespread use of infographics, which poses the risk of obsolescence.

The infographic designs that are presented today are primarily understood as static graphical representation of data that is delivered in interesting ways to the audience. However, there is a great need to improve presentation methods to achieve the next level of infographics. One of these possible approaches would be to use Parallax Scrolling, which is the key transition for conventional layouts to present themselves as interactive web pages. The reason for its potential effectiveness lies in the fact that the foreground images move slowly or independently compared to the background images. This results in an interactive experience for the user in which the content must scroll or move to see more information.

Some of the benefits of using this relatively new approach include improved engagement, better user retention, faster rates to engage, and increased content sharing. This is really crucial to drive more traffic to the intended web pages. Another benefit of using parallax scrolling relates to the fact that text can be made to drag. This feature allows you to place the infographic at the bottom of the layout and transcribe it accordingly. In addition, internal links to the content itself can be provided, which is practically better than transcribing it.

From a marketing perspective, parallax scrolling makes it easy to redesign the infographic. This results in the infographic being submitted to dedicated directories, online document sharing platforms, and microblogging. There is even the possibility that these infographics will be turned into video presentations if the content and their purpose allow it. The question of parallax scrolling becoming the infographic template of the future remains unanswered, but the possibilities are only limited by the limits of creativity.