How to Create an Infographic Video

In this article… 

• The Advantages of an Infographic Video
• When To Use an Infographic Video
• How To Create an Infographic Video In 8 Easy Steps

It’s a bit of a catch 22: you need to include the statistics to effectively convey your point and provide a detailed analysis while demonstrating your expertise, but the majority of people find statistics incredibly dull. Data visualization has become the darling of content marketing in recent years as it effectively solves the conundrum, learning how to create an infographic video in an engaging way to represent data. Data visualization techniques are powerful because they can bring dry statistics to life in a captivating way.

The more creative forms of data visualization you can utilize, the better. The key here is to make your information as memorable as possible. Infographics became the go-to for data visualization some time ago, but as content marketing and creativity have continued to surge to new heights, infographics have continued to develop and are now at the forefront of data storytelling and visualization.

Video can also add an extra dimension to your infographics which two-dimensional images simply can’t convey. The use of video is a key way to supercharge the standard infographic. Even compared to other forms of content, such as text, audio, and PowerPoint presentations, video is statistically far more effective. Unsure what an infographic video is? Here’s an example:

Image via Flickr by Markosansa Marko

The Advantages of an Infographic Video

An infographic video carries many of the same advantages as regular infographics, but with several critical additional benefits that can’t be achieved through static content:

1. Animation – It’s the very animated nature of video that makes it so powerful, combining various elements to create a watchable, moving flow of information.
2. Integrating media – The integration of multiple forms of media is a huge advantage to video infographics. While you can still use static pictures, you also have the benefit of audio, computer-generated animation, and more.
3. Shareability – Infographics are seriously shareable. A video is the most reliable medium for creating viral content. When you combine the two, you have the potential for an incredibly popular piece of content that’s shared repeatedly and instantly.
4. Reach and Engagement – All that sharing naturally increases the reach of your infographic, putting you and your business in front of more people. Not only that, people are more likely to comment on a video.
5. Attention Spans – Creating your infographics in video form makes it far more likely your viewers will absorb all your information. The video will help retain their attention for a longer time span. This ensures that the viewer will absorb more of the information you’re trying to convey than if they’d been given the same information in text or static infographic.

When To Use an Infographic Video

There are loads of ways to use infographic videos, and they can be adapted for pretty much any situation, but there are a few times that you will find them particularly well-suited for presenting your content or meeting a specific marketing need. Below are a few situations where you might find an infographic video helpful.

You Have Data That Needs Presenting Or Studying In Detail

When you have content or a sales pitch that hinges on a lot of data, which really needs to be presented and/or studied in detail, a video infographic is definitely the way to go. While you may find certain aspects need to be carefully considered or studied, the beauty of video is that it can be paused. This gives you all the benefits of a static infographic, combined with the ability to explain the images you’re showing. This is a way to present raw data in a much more engaging manner.

You Want To Grab Attention

By using the highly visual medium of video, you’re sure to produce captivating content which is attention-grabbing and difficult to ignore. While people may scroll past even the best static infographics on social media, a video which is playing is harder to ignore.

You Need To Boost Engagement

As mentioned, people are far more likely to engage with a video infographic than they are with the same information presented in a different medium. If you’re struggling with engagement on social media, adding a video infographic will do wonders to draw in viewers. This is particularly true of Facebook, which is currently suffering from the worst levels of engagement since its inception due to changes in their algorithms. Video content, as well as live video, is currently the only way to effectively create engagement on Facebook, and it’s just as effective on other social platforms, as well as your website.

Video Works Particularly Well With Your Audience

You may already have created videos for your audiences, such as vlogs or webinars. If you got a  great response from your audience when sharing other videos, it’s a very good indication that a video infographic would be equally popular. You should look for ways to capitalize on the audience interest in videos wherever possible.

Your Subject Is Begging For A Video

Some subjects just naturally lend themselves to video. If you have a particular topic to cover that conjures an image in your mind, put it in a video! If it inspires you, that’s a good indication that other people will want to watch, too. Maybe you have an animation in mind, or can picture it accompanied by a particular clip or visual sequence. When inspiration strikes, it’s a good idea to listen. Follow your heart, and make that video!

How To Create an Infographic Video In 8 Easy Steps

Now we’re clear on exactly how awesome infographic videos are and when you should use them, you’re going to need to know how to create them. Follow these eight simple steps below and you’ll be able to create plenty of effective infographics videos as you can handle.

Step 1: Decide On Your Audience And Objective

It’s important to remember that a video infographic is more than an enjoyable piece of entertainment. It’s also a part of your marketing plan, and therefore serves an important function. It may vary from project to project, but every video you make should serve and fulfill a single, clearly defined function. You may find it has secondary benefits, but these shouldn’t cloud your original goal. They’re just extra bonuses.

The  first thing you need to do is be clear on a few key questions:

• What are you trying to achieve with your video? What is its purpose?
• Who will benefit from your video?
• What action do you want people to take after watching?

These may seem like simple questions, but answering them will help you clearly define your audience and objective. Narrowing down these two items will help as you continue to create.

Step 2: Research And Analyze Your Data

The next step is to collect all the data you want to convey in your video. Collecting original data is crucial. It will not only make your content unique, but it also will force other people to link back to your video to cite your research. There are a number of great ways to do this, and a mixture of several different methods will usually produce the most dynamic and original data set.

A few good possibilities to try:

• Conduct primary research in the form of surveys, interviews, and case studies – try using free survey tools like SurveyMonkey.
• Back up your primary research with secondary sources such as journals, scientific studies, and academic books.
• Talk to people. Join some focus groups, network on social media, get customer feedback, and talk to people about the topic at hand.

Before referencing any research, be sure to validate it – if it’s primary research you have collected personally from customers or surveys, make sure you have a wide enough pool of interviewees to make the results relevant. If your information is drawn from secondary sources be sure to use respected and official sources where possible, like peer-reviewed journals and information from well-respected researchers in the field (avoid Wikipedia!).

Step 3: Narrate Your Video

If you’re going to add a verbal audio competent to your video (as opposed to music and/or sound effects) you will need to script and then record your narration. It’s far easier to record your audio first and then match the visuals to your audio.

Draft a storyboard for your video by arranging all the information you want to present in the most logical order, and creating a ‘scene’ for all of your main points. It should be structured like a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Include a strong call to action at the very end to push viewers towards your desired objective.

Once you have the narration complete, you might consider adding some background music and sound effects too. Just remember, less is usually more!

Step 4: Use The Best Tools

Video infographics are not complicated to create, but you certainly need the right tools for the job on how to create an infographic video. There are a lot of options available for professional designers and artists, or anyone with the time and patience to learn a complex piece of software. Adobe After Effects is a particularly good example, but if you’re unfamiliar, be forewarned, there is a sharp learning curve to begin using the software.

For a simpler solution, try DIY options such as Animaker and Biteable. Take some time to explore the options and find one you’re comfortable with. If you’re looking for something customizable that comes with templates and ready-to-go elements, Animaker is a good option.

Step 5: Choose Your Style

Once you’ve settled on a tool, select the style of video you are going to create. There are a lot of different options available, such as the following:

• Whiteboard Animation
• Kinetic Typography
• 2D Video Infographic
•  Stop-Motion Animation

Whichever style you choose, be sure to only select one per video. If you’re creating multiple videos, play around to see which you prefer and which gets the best feedback from viewers. Resist the temptation to combine more than one style in a single video – it tends to look unprofessional and can be distracting for the viewer.

Step 6: Produce Your Video

Once you have all your research and have decided on the crucial elements, it’s time to start compiling your infographic video. How to create an infographic that caters to your vision will depend on the tool you use, however, there are several core steps to take that will ensure you make it easily through the process:

1. Decide which visuals are most appropriate for each ‘scene’ in your storyboard and create them.
2. Input all your data, visual elements, and any audio you recorded into the tool you are using, in the order they need to appear.
3. Adjust each element so that the timing of your visuals matches your voiceover.
4. Set any additional background music or sound effects.
5. Preview your video to ensure it plays smoothly from start to finish, all visuals match your audio and are clearly explained, and everything moves at a good pace with positive energy and flow.

Step 7: Edit And Perfect

Once you’ve previewed your infographic video, you will almost certainly have notes for improvements that need to be made. Don’t worry, edits are unavoidable. Continue editing and perfecting your video until you’re completely satisfied. Make sure you’ve successfully achieved these key points:

• Your video presents accurate information from trusted sources.
• Your data is precise, but limited – trying to pack too much in will diminish its effectiveness!
• It’s informative while providing an inspirational, motivational, empowering, or entertaining story/message.
• You have optimized every aspect for SEO purposes and have a written transcript of the audio that can be included to boost your SEO.
• It’s eye-catching with gorgeous visuals.

Step 8: Start Marketing

Finally, when you have finished polishing and perfecting your video, it’s time to start marketing. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking the creation of a video is all it takes to get noticed – the old ‘if you build it, they will come’ fallacy, or as I like to call it, The Cornfield Paradox. Remember, the internet is a powerful marketing forum, but it’s increasingly crowded. It’s not enough to just create your infographics video; you have to promote it. Here are a few ideas:

• Upload your video to a hosting platform like YouTube or Vimeo.
• Share your video on social media platforms, and upload it natively to any platforms that will allow it.
• Create a blog post on your website and embed your video. Include a written transcript of any audio components.
• Email your new video to your marketing list.

Now you know how to create an infographic video. If you would like expert help with your content creation, or you’re totally sold on the value of video infographics but may not fancy creating them yourself, get in touch to discuss your needs and we’ll come up with a genius plan for the perfect video infographics.

CopyPress

CopyPress writer

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