How to create a successful healthcare infographic
Create infographics that are readable, memorable and easily shared with these design and content tips.
Create infographics that are readable, memorable and easily shared with these design and content tips.
Author: WG Content
Last updated: 06/23/23
In today’s time-crunched, sound-bite-savoring society, when you speak visually, you speak with impact. A successful infographic is one way to meet that directive.
Healthcare information can be detailed and complicated. Sometimes you need to share meta analyses and methods, probability and reliability. For example, was the data based on primary or secondary research? Was the study double blind or placebo controlled? Did it include a broad section of people or was there sampling bias? Were the results peer reviewed?
It’s our job as healthcare content producers to cut through the jargon and make that information easy to understand, no science degree required.
Infographics are one of the best formats for sharing information that’s easily digestible — and, even more importantly, easily remembered. A good infographic shows instead of tells. It breaks down complex facts and figures into an easy-to-read, shareable package.
Effective Infographics bring many benefits to your content marketing strategy. Here are some recent infographic statistics, from Search Logistics.
Ready to dip your toes into this popular form of content? Before starting on your design process, consider these infographic tips and tricks and get inspiration from a few successful healthcare infographics.
Design matters in infographics. It needs to support the comprehension of the information through layout, chunking and hierarchies. Here are seven tips to keep in mind when designing infographics.
What topics are your readers and followers interested in? What are their pain points? What kind of information is your audience likely to share with their social circles? For many healthcare organizations, topics around prevention and wellness are a great place to start. The Cleveland Clinic is always a good source of inspiration for health and prevention infographics.
The most effective infographics provide a snapshot of information. They stay on point and address one key issue — thoroughly yet concisely.
Your audience should be able to glance at your infographic quickly and understand what it’s about. Try to use design elements and illustrations that fit the overall theme of the information you’re sharing. Thanks to the bold title (“Need a Reason to Quit?”) and straightforward graphics (the silhouette of man holding a cigarette and illustrations of various body parts), there’s little doubt what this infographic from UVA Health is all about. Plus, the transcript of the infographic boosts SEO and makes the page more accessible for visually impaired individuals using a screen reader.
Smoking infographic from UVA Health.
Large, bold fonts catch your reader’s eye and get your information across clearly to help your audience understand the key points. Check out this effective infographic from the National Institute on Aging for a great example of eye-catching text, no squinting required.
Make important information stand out with shapes, contrast, and other visual cues. And don’t forget color. Research shows that messages that use color are 39% more likely to be remembered than messages in black and white. El Camino Health does a great job of using a variety of shapes and shades to draw the eye to important information with this infographic on the value of having a primary care provider.
There’s nothing wrong with using them, but they’re not the only way to impart short nuggets of information. Part of what makes infographics effective is the creative use of graphics. Check out this infographic from University Hospitals on fireworks safety that’s chock-full of fun, bright visuals to relay facts and figures.
Your healthcare system’s logo doesn’t need to be front and center, but it should be somewhere on the infographic. Here’s an example of subtle logo placement from the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan.
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Infographics tell a story. And, according to Search Engine Journal, they are key to a robust content strategy. Here are six tips to keep in mind when writing infographics.
If things are getting wordy, and you’re having a hard time editing it down, consider if an infographic is really the best way to communicate your message. Your audience wants to digest information quickly and easily. This stress infographic from Johns Hopkins Medicine does a good job of highlighting just a handful of key facts.
Stress infographic examples from Johns Hopkins Medicine.
True, a good infographic should be light on text. But using some short, well-placed quotes from your healthcare system’s clinicians can give context to the numbers and give the infographic a more personal feel.
An infographic isn’t a research paper, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be using — and citing — reliable sources.
But not too catch. Be clear, but don’t be afraid to have a little fun.
Like a well-written story, a good infographic should have a logical progression from top to bottom.
Whether it’s telling readers to visit your website or read a related blog post from your healthcare system, you always want to drive people to your organization.
Good content and design are not the only elements that go into what makes an infographic successful. Dissemination is the other. Now that you’ve created this really effective infographic that’s brimming with bite-size bits of important information, how can you get it out there so it promotes your healthcare organization? Consider the following:
The bottom-line: When you want to make content meaningful and memorable (and what healthcare marketer doesn’t), say it with a good infographic. Do you want to create more infographics, but you’re short on time or skills? WG Content’s team of writers, designers and project managers create effective infographics that communicate your message loud and clear. Reach out anytime to learn more.
Editor’s note: This post was updated in June 26, 2023. It was originally published in December 2017.
Whether choosing icons, colors or fonts, maintaining a consistent design style throughout the infographic enhances clarity and reinforces your message, ensuring a cohesive and professional presentation. Check out more tips on infographic design from one of our branding experts.
Infographics can impact your KPIs by driving engagement, increasing web traffic and connecting with broader audiences by presenting information in a visually appealing and shareable format.
We asked some of WG Content’s graphic designers and project managers to share their favorite healthcare infographics. Check them out and see examples from OhioHealth, Great Plains and Indiana University.
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