Infographics have been popping up everywhere. Why? Because they are a great way to present your organization’s key messages in a new, visually compelling way. But what are the components that make an infographic successful?

A good infographic tells a story and gives readers a clear call to action. For example, Principal Medical Group (one of our clients) uses an infographic to explain why primary care physicians are “feeling the squeeze” and how concierge medicine “makes a difference,” as well as tells readers where they can learn more about concierge medicine.

Another component of successful infographics is avoiding data overload. Once you know what story you want to tell, you must carefully select your most compelling facts and statistics, and create a persuasive narrative. A dense collection of charts and graphs defeats the infographic’s goal of telling the story quickly. This infographic by the Lamaze International uses key stats about cesarean section, and gives women a topline look at the facts that can prompt additional fact-finding and discussion with her care provider.

Don’t let a perceived lack of data become a barrier to creating an infographic. Many successful infographics do not focus soley on numerical data. Instead, they illustrate decisions, observations and relationships between the two. If we look at the conclusion of Lamaze’s cesarean infographic, we see how the call to action is delivered with simple wording and illustrations.

But remember, just as with any other PR tactic – like a press release, a webinar, a blogger roundtable or a consumer tip sheet – an infographic needs to fit into your overall communications program. If it doesn’t tell your story – even if it goes viral – you may find yourself wondering what you achieved.