Are Infographics Being Overused on the Web?

Infographics are becoming more prevalent on the the web than ever before. Even if you have never heard of one, you’re likely to have seen one. An infographic is a way of summarising information in a more visual way with, minimum amount of text. They can be beneficial to both readers and businesses alike. For readers, they can simplify a complicated issue or process with the minimal use of text. Visual imagery can be less intimidating and has even been shown to make information more memorable. For businesses, it can be a great way to summarise a point or story that would otherwise take a long time in text. Perhaps you want to tell the story of the history of your company or summarise your mission statement. Whatever their purpose, infographics can be an artistic, visually striking way to convey information. They can also promote engagement by include links and share features. But have these relatively new internet features already overstayed their welcome? Read on the discover the debate on whether infographics are now being overused on the website.

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Argument: They Are Being Overused

 

One of the main reasons that infographics have been successful is that they are eye-catching and original. At least at first! One argument claims that infographics have now become so prevalent and familiar that they have lost all of their original appeal. Infographics are now likely to be a common feature on many websites. As a result, they have become the latest thing that readers skip, in the same way that they would a larger body of text. It has also been argued that, in a bid to outdo each other, infographics are no longer concise. Infographics originally aiming to create maximum impact with minimum text. They rarely extended half a page to a page, and could be taken in all at once. For some people, current infographics have just become an exercise in style over substance. They are created for an artistic “wow factor” rather than to effectively convey information. Many designs have now become lazy and the text used is becoming denser. The use of infographics needs to go down, not up, if they are going to continue to have a genuine impact.

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Argument: They Are Not Being Overused

 

Infographics have undoubtedly increased in number. But this must be testament to their popularity and success. If people did not find them engaging or helpful, then many people argue that their use would have gone down. Their frequent use simply shows that they are a viable way of communicating lots of information. They communicate both concisely and approachably. Many argue that the increased use of infographics means that infographics have to work harder than ever before to be notice. But that this is a good thing. There is renewed competition for excellent art work and disciplined text. Audiences are becoming savvier and more familiar with the feature, and so have higher expectations. With social media, instant messenger, and more, many believe that the average attention span is shortening. There are many times when conveying important information is crucial. Infographics can provide a fast, engaging way to ensure that people are well-informed. There have also been indications that visual aids can engage younger demographics too. A chief argument here is that the use of infographics is increasing. But that it is encouraging and suggests the platform is successful. Infographics are especially appropriate for certain needs. By making use of excellent advice like this post by Fat Joe or other reliable sites, we can ensure only the best Infographics are created.

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In Summary
Infographics have become an increasingly popular way to engage readers that may otherwise avoid dense text. They can convey a large amount of information in a small space and concise manner. When a page needs to remain uncluttered, or a whole story needs to be told in sequence, they can be particularly successful. They can be a visually striking and memorable way to engage with information that may otherwise be complex and forgettable. However, if infographics are allowed to become lazy or overused, they will lose their impact. A chief benefit of infographics is their novelty and visual appeal. Care must be taken to ensure that an audience does not become too accustomed to these features, or the purpose will be lost. The use of text must also remain minimal and disciplined, no matter how complex the topic. Research is always needed and a variety of methods can be employed. But with careful consideration, infographics can be a valuable asset for conveying information.

Fascinating statistics from the C-Suite Study with Infographic

On October 7 IBM launched the latest in their C-suite Study series.  This is the first study where all offices within the C-suite were surveyed at the same time with the same questions. The title of this study is “The Customer-activated Enterprise”

You can download the full study here:   Global C-suite Study  or, access this and other studies via your smart device HERE

Technology is once again, as it was in 2012, the CEOs’ number one driving force impacting enterprises today. In this study, three areas emerged as critical to future success. Organisations should:

  • Open up to customer influence
  • Pioneer digital-physical integration
  • Craft engaging customer experiences

Here are some statistics from the below infographic, ready for you to Tweet:

55 percent of CEO’s cited customers as the most influential on strategic vision and business strategy – Tweet This

Nearly seven in ten CxOs recognize the new imperative – a shift to social and digital interaction. Tweet This

Organisations that have a united C-Suite are 28% more likely to be out performers. Tweet This

35% of CxO’s recognise that they don’t understand their customers well today. Tweet This

Two thirds of organisations have a weak digital strategy or none at all. Tweet This

 

CSuite Study 2013 Ben Martin IBM

 

What did you take away from the above? Is there something you would like to know more about? Drop by and leave your comments below.

How C-suite executives see the landscape changing

IBM collect some amazing data, delivered in a series of C-Suite studies, from over 4,000 C-suite executives. Watch this space to be notified of releases as they happen.

In the mean time here are some early discovery snippits along with an Infographic.

How C-suite executives see the landscape changing:

55% of CHRO’s forsee increasing organisational openness “TweetThis

77% of CFO’s support the development of new products and services “TweetThis

19% of CSCO’s anticipate a reduction of their partner base “TweetThis

71% of CIO’s see communication moving toward more social/digital collaboration. “TweetThis

63% of CEO’s want to increase partnering for higher business value “TweetThis

64% of CMO’s want to approach customers as individuals “TweetThis

69% of C-suite executives report that creating a consistent experience across all customer touch points is one of their top initiatives. “TweetThis

40% of C-suite executives are integrating internal and external data for insights “TweetThis

Ben Martin, IBM, CSuite

 

Infographic courtesy of IBM Institute for Business Value

How does the above information resonate with your strategies? Would you like a copy of the full report when published? Pop your comments below, it would be great to meet you.

Four focus areas for Customer Loyalty – “main ingredient is Experience”

From small businesses to huge corporations, everyone wants to know the secret to keeping customers. How do we earn repeat business for years and years to come?

If you take away anything from this fantastic Infographic, from the guys at CustomersThatStick, it is the experience that the customer receives that defines whether they remain loyal to you or if they take their business elsewhere.

A staggering 82 percent have said they stopped doing business with a company due to poor customer experience. To keep your customers happy what are the four elements you should focus on?

– Friendly employees or customer service representative – ensure your employees are engaged

– Personalise the client experience. Let’s start a conversation about the revolution in business that requires engaging customers as individuals, at every level and how we can get there.

– Ability to easily find information or help. Share what you know, now that’s power!

– Good reputation – In my opinion (as always) if you do the above you will gain the reputation

Take a look at the infographic below and open the conversation by dropping a note in the comments.

Sources for the Customer Retention Statistics Above

While the convention on most infographics seems to be generic, non-specific sourcing, we wanted to provide actual sources for the statistics used in the infographic. We attempted to find primary sourcing as much as possible. In cases when we relied on secondary sourcing that did not seem definitive, we notated that fact after the citation.

Why Customers Leave <<TweetThis>>

  • 82% of consumers in the U.S. said they stopped doing business… > Citation 
  • 73% was a reaction to rude staff… > Citation
  • 78% of consumers in the U.S. said they have bailed on a transaction… > Citation
  • 68% of consumers leave because they were upset with treatment… > Citation (Note: Primary sourcing could not be found, though this statistic is widely quoted through secondary sources.)

Why Customers Stick <<TweetThis>>

  • What parts of the customer experience cause customers to stick… > Citation
  • 92% of consumers said they would go back after a negative experience… > Citation
  • What happened when an organization responded to a customer’s negative comment… > Citation
  • 85% of customers are willing to pay more… > Citation

Retained Customers Mean Money <<TweetThis>>

  • The cost of bringing a new customer to the same level of profitability is up to 16x more… > Citation
  • 10x more expensive to acquire… > Citation
  • 4-6x more expensive to acquire…* > Citation
  • 5x more expensive to acquire… > Citation Alan E. Webber, “B2B Customer Experience Priorities In An Economic Downturn: Key Customer Usability Initiatives In A Soft Economy,” Forrester Research, February 19, 2008
  • 89% of consumers began doing business with a competitor… > Citation
  • Increasing retention rates by 5% increases profits by 25%-95%… > Citation
  • 2% increase in retention has the same effect as decreasing costs by 10%.. > Citation (From the book, Leading on the Edge of Chaos)
  • Loyal customers are worth up to 10 times as much… > Citation (Note: Primary sourcing could not be found, though this statistic is widely quoted through secondary sources.)
  • Repeat customers spend 67% more… > Citation

IT Purchasing Goes Social plus Infographic

The New Buying Process
Information gives modern B2B buyers an enormous advantage over their counterparts in sales. In late 2010, international agency OgilvyOne Worldwide interviewed 1,000 salespeople in the U.S., U.K., China and Brazil. More than two-thirds of respondents in all four countries believed the buying process is changing faster than sales organizations are responding.
Purchasing has gone through a major revolution in the past two decades to emerge as a vibrant strategic force in business. Social media, has only accelerated the revolution. The biggest question now is how and when people on the sales side will react.
The average company today can access 20 times as much information about you and your competitors as they could access five years ago.
So you are no longer dealing with a customer where ignorance is a factor. Sophistication is the nature of customers today, and you need a sophisticated salesperson to be able to handle that.
Buyers receive an average of 6 phone calls and 14 emails per day from vendors. Since they’re inundated with data and sales pitches, it’s not surprising that they rarely return calls. Now that these informed buyers can thoroughly research their own options, a call from a new sales representative can be more of a nuisance than a service.

If salespeople could deliver insights to buyers at the right times, they could bring purchasing times down and make everybody happy. But if the statistics show that customers aren’t interested in picking up the phone until after they’ve scoped solutions, how can salespeople reach them early and then keep their attention?

The answer is social selling.
• Sellers can use social media to relate to customers and identify opportunities for engagement at the right time: while they’re still conceptualizing their needs.
• Social media is asynchronous and noninterruptive, which makes it perfect for reaching buyers who are still kicking tires.
• Social networks help salespeople establish authenticity and credibility online, so customers consult with them instead of deleting their voicemails.
• Continuous participation within relevant social groups allows salespeople to stay visible and valuable throughout their customers’  winding,non-linear buying journeys.

 

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