As a designer on a budget, creating and publishing an infographic might seem daunting. It can be hard to figure out where to get started – but it’s not impossible. With virtually endless choices for design tools, templates, and programs, as well as a wide variety of potential venues for publication, you don’t have to work from scratch.
Infographic Design
Consider the following infographic design resources. Some of these are still in beta, so be sure to regularly save your work as you go through the creation process. Additionally, while all of the below linked tools have free versions, some require you to subscribe to access all the available features.
- Visme. Visme is a fabulous resource for making virtually any type of visual content. You can access a variety of templates, or start with a completely blank canvas. Join companies like Microsoft and Symantec, which use Visme to create infographics, reports, presentations, web banners, product demos, and many more.
Visme also gives you a venue for publication. You can download your infographic, embed it in your own site, share it on social media, and convert it into an offline presentation with the Visme tool lineup. If you want to create more than three projects and take advantage of other features, you’ll need to subscribe.
- Piktochart. The Piktochart homepage promises that you can create a beautiful infographic in less than 10 minutes. Use any of the hundreds of templates and images in Piktochart’s simple point-and-click browser editor to create a streamlined, professional infographic.
You can access all resources available for free, including video tutorials, but if you want more storage space and privacy options (among other perks) you’ll need to invest with a monthly payment.
- Canva. Use this free, simple in-browser photo editor to drag and drop images and text onto your infographic. Choose from within a massive database of stock graphics and illustrations to supplement any information you present.
Canva image editing software also supports the creation of collages, book or album covers, business cards, letterheads, banners, brochures, and more – all for free. It also makes it easy to collaborate remotely on a project.
- HubSpot Templates. If you’d like to use your own software like Adobe Photoshop or InDesign, HubSpot has made a number of customizable templates available. When you download this bundle, you’ll also be able to access a “cheat sheet” of instructions and tips.
Publish Your Infographic
With your infographic complete, it’s time to publish and promote. To start, always make sure you publish your infographic on your business’ site. This should be the basis of your campaign, and it’s also a great way to make your infographic imminently sharable. Additionally, make sure you publish and promote it on all social media accounts connected to your business.
Consider this example from the property management experts at Green Residential. The linked infographic provides invaluable information, while the embedded code at the bottom of the page allows users to share and republish the graphic on their own site or blog.
For external publication, take a look at these two publishers, which both allow free submissions.
- Visual.ly. At Visual.ly, all you need to do is sign up to become part of a huge community of content creators and designers. Browse the archives for inspiration from other infographic creators, and upload your own. You can also use the onsite analytics tool to track your graphics’ success.
- Infographic Journal. A publisher that exclusively features infographics, the Infographic Journal is a great way to join an enormous community of quality content creators. The editors are picky; so make sure you only submit your best work for review. As with any publisher, always check the submission guidelines for more information.
Final Thoughts
A successful infographic can provide numerous benefits, and for many designers, all that’s missing is the tools to make it happen. Browse these archives and click around to see how your topic can come to life in a whole new way.
