You can build an infographic

can create a
YOUyes
marketing
INFOGRAPHIC
Photo by sydney Rae on Unsplash

Think creating a marketing infographic is
beyond you? It’s not.
A few months ago, I was asked to build an infographic for work. Panic set in.
I’m artistic, yes, but I hadn’t done something like this before. My art tools are
paint brushes and canvases…Physical ones. Not the digital kind.
After some trial and error and many expert tips from my friend and colleague,
Suzanne Ross from the Marketing SureStep team at Microsoft, I created not just
one infographic….but TWO! And I turned them in on time.
If I can do it, you can too.
Let’s get started.

Step 1: Decide who you are building it for, why you
are building it and what you want them to do
Determine your target audience
Decide on your sales goal
Decide on your call-to-action (what should they do next?)

Example
I want to educate SMB customers on why they need Microsoft 365 Business/my
services to help keep their businesses safe from cyber criminals.
• Target audience:
• SMB decision makers (not IT) currently using Office 365
• Sales goal:
• Microsoft 365 Business to new or existing Office 365 customers
• Call to action:
• Download an eGuide/Sign-up for a free security assessment

Step 2: Collect and organize your content and
relevant data
Use a spreadsheet or table for organizing the data you collect.
OneNote is great for storing visuals.
Spreadsheet columns to include:
• Item/Description
• Source URL
• Use/Don’t Use
• Data date
• Final copy
• Images

Example
After adding your data points, you might find that you have enough
information to create several different infographics that you can use over
time, or with different target audiences, etc.
Pro tip: Don’t make one infographic do too much. Your infographic tells a
story. Stay on topic.

Step 3: Choose your infographic style
There are several different styles to choose from. Which one you pick
depends on the data set/content you are presenting.
Some ideas for my infographic on cybersecurity might include:
• Timeline - A history of cyber attacks over time, to show increases in
cybercrime and drive the reader to want to learn more
• Comparison - Compare on-premise vs. cloud security issues
Pro Tip: Discover more about infographic style types
• https://venngage.com/blog/9-types-of-infographic-template/
• https://infogram.com/blog/12-types-of-infographics/

Step 4: Pick a platform
Do a web search and you’ll find options galore for platforms you can use to build/design
your work-of-art infographic. https://blog.bufferapp.com/infographic-makers
I chose Canva for my first attempt. It’s free and has ready-to-use templates. I found it to
be a little clunky to use at first, but it got easier the more I played with it.
https://www.canva.com/
For my second infographic, I used PowerPoint - yep, PowerPoint - and built one from
scratch. There are templates too. Try Creative Market (small fee) or 15 free infographic
templates in PowerPoint (Hubspot).
I’ll talk about using these platforms a little later on. But it’s good to pick your platform at
the start, because it will dictate some choices you make about what to include in your
infographic.

Step 5: Write the headline and messaging points
Decide on your infographic theme. Hook the reader in with interesting
headline that grabs their attention
Write 10-15 headline options, pick your favorite two, then test with
colleagues. You can change your mind later, but knowing concept and
headline upfront helps with decisions about your data.
Pull in data points and copy from your spreadsheet for your messaging
points.

Example 1 – Messaging for Canva Infographic
Messaging for a Microsoft 365 Business cybersecurity infographic focused on SMBs who
think they are too small to be a target of cybercrime.
Headline: Think you don’t have to worry about cybersecurity? Think again.
Body copy points to support my headline:
• 43% of cyber attacks target small business. The bad guys don’t care how big or small
you are
• 60% of small companies go out of business within six months of a cyber attack
• 90% of data leaks are caused by user mistakes
• Most companies use weak or default passwords
• It takes an average of 286 days to detect an intrusion
• It takes 80 more days for damage control

Example 2 – Messaging for PowerPoint Infographic
Messaging for a Microsoft 365 Business cybersecurity infographic focused on SMBs who
are struggling with how to best support today’s mobile, collaborative workforce while
keeping their company secure.
Headline: There’s a Sea Change at work. Is your business ready?
Body copy points to support my headline:
• 51% of employees use personal email for work
• 16% use unapproved public sharing tools
• Only 38% consider data security when working w people outside their company
• 69% of small businesses do not recover from a cyberattack
• Microsoft 365 Business has all of the productivity tools you are used to, with tailored
enterprise-grade security you need

Step 7: Decide on color
Color is powerful and it’s personal. One person may bond with blue, another
with green. Women and men prefer different colors. Different cultures assign
different meanings to colors, too.
Read on, for some suggestions to help you decide which colors will work for
your design.
Pro tip: Explore these ideas on color and marketing
• Color and target audience
• 10 colors that increase sales and why

Red = power, energy, danger, love, fear
Blue = trust, security, loyalty, tranquility
Pink = feminine, happy, playful
Yellow = look here, optimistic, fun
Green = wealth, goodwill, earth, fresh
Most people prefer simple combinations of 2-3 colors.**
It’s OK to play and push the boundaries with your infographic.
It takes just a few seconds to make a subconscious judgment about a design
62% - 90% of that assessment is based on color alone
Emotional impact of color (North America)*
How many colors?
*http://www.business2community.com/marketing/10-colors-that-increase-sales-and-why-0366997#5cHzZLX3QPFmriQi.97 https://blog.kissmetrics.com/color-psychology/
**University of Toronto study http://www.dgp.toronto.edu/~donovan/color/colorcomp.pdf
*Color Psychology in Marketing: The Complete Guide http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/color-psychology-marketing-complete-guide#meanings
Purple = royalty, calm, wealth
Gold = prestige; with purple or green
infers wealth/pedigree
Orange = energy, confident, fun
Brown = earthy, conservative
Black = drama, power, sleek, fear

Choosing color combinations
Try using your brand palette or
pick colors from your website
Do an online search and get palette
inspiration from others

Pro tip: Enlist expert help to pick your color combinations
• https://color.adobe.com
• https://www.canva.com/colors/combinations
Choosing color combinations
If you are using an infographic platform with pre-designed templates, like
Canva, you might just use one of their templates as your starting point.
• Test it out – do you see a template you like?
• Can you change the colors?

Remember the color wheel?
A little about color pairings
Colors directly across from each other are
complimentary colors
Colors adjacent to each other are analogous or
monochromatic

Complementary Colors
Opposites Attract
• When the eye has been looking at a lot of
the same color, it wants to see the opposite.
• So using a complementary color is the
easiest way to get something to stand out.
Try a complimentary color for your CTA.
• Use carefully to keep your content from
being aesthetically jarring. These colors
paired together create visual tension.
Analogous and Monochromatic Colors
Subtle and Relaxed
• They aren't jarring, opposite, or clashing.
• But colors don't stand out from one
another.
• In an analogous or monochromatic palette,
try using a complementary color to get
any particular item (like your CTA) to pop.

Which
would you
click on?
Which
would you
click on?
Colors of similar value (light/dark) blend together
A little about color pairings

Step 8: Select some fonts
Serif: Serif fonts have little “feet”
Considered traditional
Baskerville
Sans-Serif: No “feet”
Considered modern
Calibri
Brush Script
Showcard gothic
Serifs are usually small and
thin, they lead the eye from
letter to letter and word to
word, but don’t read as well on
screens as they do in print.
Use sans-serif font for small
size text in your infographic.
Save statement-making script and display fonts
for headlines and special impact.

Picking fonts for your infographic is like choosing an outfit to wear – make a good
first impression.
Make fonts work FOR you
Dressing Yourself Dressing Your Infographic
Avoid plaids with flowers and stripes
Don’t wear a bathing suit to a job
interview
Limit yourself to 1-2 fonts in a few sizes
Use fonts appropriate for your purpose
Tips
• Fonts should complement the purpose and mood of your design.
• Should be easy to read and not distracting.
• When combining fonts don’t make them too similar but avoid wildly clashing pairs.
• Use fonts to create a visual hierarchy throughout your design
• Learn more about fonts: https://designschool.canva.com/font-design/

Step 9: Choose your images
A picture is worth a thousand words. So make sure it is the right picture.
If you are using a pre-designed template, do you like the images they have?
Can you replace them if you don’t like them?
Try these links for free/inexpensive art this is released for commercial use*.
Noun project icons https://thenounproject.com
PowerPoint icons
https://pixabay.com
https://unsplash.com/
https://www.123rf.com/
* Always check image rights before using

Step 10: Bring it together into your infographic
platform
Now all that hard work is about to pay off!
Open up your infographic platform
Decide which, if any, pre-existing template you are using
Or open up a blank template and build from scratch
Each platform is unique and will have it’s own set of instructions on how to use

I scrolled through Canva’s Infographic
layouts for ideas
You can pick one and replace the copy and
visuals
Or you can create one from scratch with a
blank layout

I reviewed the
elements menu
My template
Elements

• Lots of free shapes, illustrations, photos
• Handled basic search “cybersecurity” “buildings” “protect”
• Scrolling through choices was time consuming
• I could purchase additional inexpensive images
BUT I wasn’t finding the icon images I had in mind. I decided to use Noun Project for my icons.

The Canva layout template I chose allows for only a few pieces of content – I will
save the rest for a 2nd infographic and pick data points that best support my
concept and headline
I shortened and simplified my copy to make it fit the Canva template
Found Noun Project icons to pair with my copy/stats
Told story using facts to dispel common objections, provided a resolution via CTA
Added fact/source info at bottom to give credit and lend credibility
Added my logo
How I built my infographic in Canva

COLOR
• Analogous palette
• Color value doesn’t detract
from legibility
• Emotion = trust, goodwill
GRAPHICS
• Simple icons
• Visuals enhance the message
• Helps navigation
FONTS
• Basic, since there is a lot
going on
• Provides visual hierarchy
• Easy to read
CONTENT
• Simplified, conversational
• Addresses disconnect/’won’t
happen to me’
• Use facts to dispel
misconceptions
• This creates unease/problem
• Use CTA to “fix” the problem
CTA
• Contrasting color draws the
eye
• Black band draws the eye
• Repetition of circle shape
draws the eye and connects
with top
My Microsoft 365 Business cybersecurity
marketing infographic built with Canva

Since I am creating from scratch, I have a lot of space.
To begin: Open a new PowerPoint deck, changed the layout to Blank and changed
the slide size by clicking Design > Slide Size > Custom Size > 8.5 inches by 56
inches.
• The longest you can make your infographic is 56 inches. The recommended
size is 8.3 inches by 25 inches.
• If you aren’t sure what size your infographic will end up, you can change it
later. The easiest way I found is to create a new slide with the right
proportions, then select all and paste into the new slide (this avoids
oddness with the content fitting in the right place).
How I built my infographic in PowerPoint

I used a lot of Microsoft product-specific copy points, so I added a
conversational tone to the rest of the copy. Also added nautical language
references to tie-in with overall theme.
Used humor to lighten a potentially overwhelming situation
Used a friendly palette to make the topic less “scary”
Found Noun Project icons and PowerPoint icons to pair with my copy/stats
Told story using facts, resolving with CTA choices suitable both for those
who want to explore more and those who are ready for more serious
engagement
Added fact/source info at bottom to give credit and lend credibility
Added my logo
How I built my infographic in PowerPoint

Venngage
Hubspot
Creativebloq
I like these palettes
and the friendly,
informal style.
I like the “Sea Change”
concept – fits with
Microsoft 365 Business
as a solution for small
businesses facing
changing
needs/concerns.
Design inspiration

Select circles and rectangle/Format/Merge Shapes/Subtract
Pro Tip: Watch a video on how to create icons in PowerPoint
Building waves in PowerPoint

• If you download free images, make sure you include an attribution and
image link in your credits
• Viking boat bottom from an icon by Yanti Anis, Noun Project
• Pirate ship by Oksana Latyshevak, Noun Project
• Octopus by B Farias, Noun Project
Noun Project icons

My Microsoft 365 Business
marketing infographic built with
PowerPoint
COLOR
• Muted, complementary palette
• Color value doesn’t detract from
legibility
• Emotion = optimistic, fun, trust
GRAPHICS
• Icons
• Visuals enhance the message
• Help navigation
FONTS
• Basic, since there is a lot going on
• Provides visual hierarchy
• Sans-serif to aid readability
CONTENT
• Conversational, humorous twist
• Outlines competing need to both
enhance modern workforce
productivity while maintaining
• security in an
ever-increasing
threat landscape
(tension)
• Resolves with
product/partner
solution CTA
CTA
• Darkest value
draws the eye
• Repetition of
arrow shape draws
the eye and ties
the bottom in with
the top

You can build an infographic

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