Below are some recommendations of what you should and should not do when creating infographics. It is important to remember that a lot of this information is subjective, so use your best judgment!

Do:

Show Don't Tell -

Icons and other visual cues can take the place of some text. If you find yourself relying on more words, then infographics might not be the right presentation format for you.

Create a Hierarchy -

Visually establish your main message as the focal point with larger text or shapes to make it pop and then include your secondary message in a way that does not overpower. This draws the eye first to your main point.

Use Color Wisely -

Color can be used to set the mood of your infographic because people associate certain colors with ideas or feelings. Due to diverse cultural differences, people associate certain colors with ideas or feelings, so understanding your audience can increase the effectiveness of your infographic. You will want to stick to a small color palette of between three and five colors so your infographic feels cohesive and not messy. You can use high contrast colors to show contrasting ideas and to help with ease of reading. Avoid using red/green and blue/yellow combinations because people with color blindness will not be able to differentiate between them.

Use Blank Space -

Blank space gives the reader time to process information. Every inch of your infographic should not be covered in images or text. If there is no blank space, you are trying to put too much information in the infographic, which will diminish its effectiveness.

Do Not:

Rely on text to tell the story -

You want to let your images provide meaningful information in an infographic, more so than the text.

Choose an inappropriate visual -

Make sure your infographic makes sense! At best, it is confusing, and at worst, it is deliberately misleading. For example, if your data does not add up to 100%, then do not use a pie chart.

Use Color Poorly -

If you struggle with pairing colors together and making sure they have a high enough contrast to read from both a small and a large screen, there are some free, online resources in the "Additional Resources" section of this LibGuide.

Cover every inch in text and image -

Infographics are supposed to be simple. Your reader should not have to do extra work to figure out what you are trying to say, so keep it simple! If you are trying to put too much information in your infographic, you might consider splitting up your content, or choosing an alternative format.