The combination of information and images (hence the name) attracts attention in a way that a page of written text never will.
Our brains are wired to remember images more easily than words. Marketers have been using eye-catching, memorable pictures for decades. But they usually need some supporting text, or dialogue, to get the message across.
A good infographic can convey a lot of information in a way that's attractive and convincing. Many are designed to promote a particular message, such as the benefits of cloud computing.
Could your business benefit from creating an infographic? Share it on your website and blog and you may be surprised how many people share the link and come to visit.
Here are five infographics we've come across that we think you'll find interesting.
The first is the one about the benefits cloud of computing for SMEs (or SMBs as they're known in the US). It's a bit US-focused, but the basic messages also work for the UK.
The next infographic explores the extent to which UK SMEs are making use of social media to promote themselves. It's based on a survey carried out in April 2011.
Infographics can do more than present statistics in an interesting, visual way. They can also explain processes or information flows. This infographic from Touch Financial explains how invoice factoring works.
This next infographic is a visual representation of the performance of the UK's SMEs in Q2 of this year. It's a mix of hard statistics and business sentiment.
If you're looking to hire someone, don't be completely surprised if their CV comes in infographic form. Here's an example from student Jonathan Frost, which includes an infographic within an infographic. It caught the attention of The Guardian.
