From Annual Reports to Motion Graphics, 4 Tips for Infographic-Inspired Design

Infographics are no doubt a powerful communication tool. But it’s not always clear how you can put them to use for your brand. Luckily, they’re more versatile than you might realize. For example, an annual report can include infographic summaries of key points in each section of the report. And a motion graphic will very often use data visualization, illustration, and other infographic elements to tell a story. The biggest difference is that this story is animated. 

So even if you aren’t using the traditional, long-scroll infographic in your next visual content marketing campaign, you’re probably using infographic-inspired design techniques to create other forms of visual content. And this is helpful no matter what type of visual communication content you’re creating. With any medium, you can help your audience better understand and retain the info you’re sharing by using infographic design best practices. 

So here are 4 ways to use infographic design techniques in other types of content.

Quarterly and annual reports are a mainstay of organizations of all shapes and sizes. That’s because these reports show how you’re performing and where you hope to go. This is true whether you’re working at a Fortune 500, a nonprofit, or a government organization.

Depending on the type of organization, these reports might be shared amongst internal stakeholders, shareholders, and/or the general public. And engaging all of these audiences requires a quality design. That’s because even the most invested audiences would rather not read dozens of pages of text without any visual aids.

In the example shown above, Sinai Urban Health Institute had key data to share about the health of communities in the greater Chicago area. We created a highly visual book that has much more in common with an infographic than with a standard annual report. And seeing the impact, Sinai came back to us for another report on non-fatal gun violence. Learn more about both reports here.

How many ineffective or inconsistent presentation decks have you seen? And — be honest — how many have you created? 

We understand that PowerPoint slide deck presentations can be an afterthought. Presenters may spend lots of time writing out their speech or notes, leaving them scrambling to create slides as the last piece. We’ve all had this experience. But poor slide design could actually detract from the story you’re telling. 

And that’s where infographic design techniques come in. By modeling your slide designs after the best infographics, you’ll better complement your speech. That’s achieved through clean layout, minimal text, expert data visualization, and images that drive the story forward. To start, this will drive more engagement with your audience. But more than that, it can improve their understanding of what you’re saying. And it can even improve how much they remember after the event. 

Above is a slide from the deck we built for the Downtown Seattle Association’s annual meeting. Learn more about this event’s visual campaign, which included an infographic annual report, motion graphic, brochure, and other assets.

Interactive infographic content offers unique benefits for the right type of story. Often well suited to content with lots of information or complex details, interactive pieces let users explore at their own pace. This also allows them to dive in only where they want to see more info. And, it gives them a stronger sense of control over the content. Moreover, it feels personalized to them. Any company can benefit from interactive infographic content when designing an annual report, unveiling new research, or other key releases.

In the above example, the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) needed to reach policymakers, health officials, and international organizations alike. That’s because they had important information about understanding and preparing for biological threats. We chose an interactive parallax format. The result? A dynamic page that shares key insights, data points, quotes from experts, and details on how a biological threat scenario might play out. Learn more about this project and how it drove success for the Nuclear Threat Initiative.

Motion graphics are animated videos, or live-action videos with overlaid animation. There are 3 main types of motion graphic:

• Explainer
• Emotive
• Promotional

Read more about these 3 types in our motion graphics ebook.

Did you know that many motion graphics use infographic-inspired design elements to tell their story? It’s true! For example, we made the video shown above for BECU to explain the basics of buying a home. We explained this in part through voiceover. But we also did so with visuals, using elements such as icons, illustrations, and data visualization. 

The story ends on a rich, scene-based illustration. In this way, in just a single shot, you understand what the family is doing. And it’s a technique that drives infographic stories forward, too. So read more about BECU’s visual communication campaign.

Overall, all companies can benefit from visual content. And this is true whether you’re in healthcare, marketing and PR, real estate, or any other industry. In any case, showing information in a clearer and more engaging way is likely one of your main goals. So turn to infographics and infographic-inspired design in an annual report, motion graphic, ebook, interactive piece, and any other internal and external-facing content to see better engagement.