In recent years, online content marketing has been gaining traction as part of a company’s overall marketing strategy. Big companies have shifted from mailers, flyers, and other materials to online marketing methods. One of the most popular of these methods is the use of infographics.
Up until a couple of years ago, the use of infographics was growing exponentially year over year. Their popularity stemmed from the ease with which these graphics could be shared online. Social media sharing prompted graphic artists and online marketers to make the graphics more informative and entertaining. In turn, the most engaging infographics turned viral and were shared on Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Reddit, and others.
Getting Viewers to the Website
Infographics are great for marketers because they easily and quickly inform potential customers. There are now interactive infographics which have proven to be more effective than traditional infographics as content marketing tools. These graphics allow users to interact with the website, which results in more interest.
There are several distinct advantages to interactive infographics. First off, they can solicit information from users, including polls, signups, and email registration. Additional information can also be stored and shown only when the user needs to view it. This declutters the screen and helps pique the interest of the user, teasing them to click around the graphics. The infographic is then stored on the website and is only viewable there. That means users have to click on a link every time they want to view the whole infographic. For marketers and website owners, this means additional website traffic. With infographics viewers already on the website, it is significantly easier to get them to stay and sign-up for newsletters.
Loading Times and Mobile Advantages
One concern for traditional infographics is their loading time. Google advises that websites should have loading times of less than 3 seconds. Any longer than 3 seconds and the visitor is likely to close the window and go to the next site. The main drawback of traditional, information-packed infographics is that they can have large file sizes.
On the other hand, interactive infographics have faster loading times due to their use of HTML5. The whole infographic does not have to load before being rendered. Instead, it can load what is needed immediately and then load the rest after scrolling.
Additionally, static infographics were designed for the desktop, whereas interactive infographics are inherently responsive and can resize for mobile users. For several years now, Google has been advocating a mobile-first development strategy, and it just so happens that interactive infographics play along nicely.
Getting More from Interactive Infographics
Internet marketers aim to provide the best buying experience. With interactive infographics, they have site visitors who are already interested in what they offer. Once the visitors have been hooked by the infographic, they can browse the rest of the website and have a look around. They can also be asked their preferences in polls and invited to subscribe to other similar content. Interactive infographics might not become as viral as static infographics yet; however, they are great for bringing in pre-qualified prospects.