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Published Nov 8, 2024 ⦁ 12 min read
5 Steps to Customize Infographics for Your Brand

5 Steps to Customize Infographics for Your Brand

Want to make infographics that scream "you"? Here's how to customize them for your brand in 5 easy steps:

  1. Pick Your Colors
    • Choose a main color and 1-2 accent colors
    • Use brand colors consistently
    • Ensure good contrast for readability
  2. Set Font Rules
    • Select fonts matching your brand voice
    • Create a clear text hierarchy
    • Stick to 2-3 fonts max
  3. Add Visual Elements
    • Place your logo strategically
    • Use consistent icon styles
    • Align visuals with brand aesthetics
  4. Build Templates
    • Create reusable designs
    • Include spots for key content blocks
    • Make templates flexible for different needs
  5. Write Down Rules
    • Document design standards
    • Specify usage guidelines
    • Share rules with your team

Quick Comparison:

Step Key Action Why It Matters
1. Colors Choose brand palette Instant recognition
2. Fonts Set consistent typography Professional look
3. Visuals Add logo and icons Reinforce brand identity
4. Templates Make reusable designs Save time, ensure consistency
5. Rules Document standards Keep everyone on the same page

Follow these steps to create infographics that are unmistakably yours and boost brand recognition.

Brand Elements Basics

Let's break down the key parts that make your brand pop. These are the visual cues that scream "you" before anyone reads a word.

Main Brand Elements

Your brand's look comes down to four main things:

  1. Logo: Your visual calling card
  2. Colors: The hues that tell your story
  3. Fonts: The voice of your text
  4. Images: The style of visuals you use

These work together to create a look that's all you. It's like your brand's DNA.

Take Nike. Their swoosh logo, bold font, and action-packed images? That's their brand in a nutshell. They use these elements everywhere, even in infographics. It's how you know it's Nike before you even see the name.

Using Your Brand Guide

Your brand guide isn't just a pretty face. It's your go-to rulebook for keeping everything on-brand.

Here's how to use it:

The big secret? Consistency. Do it like Deloitte did in 2016. Amy Fuller, their Senior MD of Global Brand, said:

"We are building on the strong foundation of our existing brand identity, and making an investment in Deloitte's future growth and development as the leadership brand in professional services."

This move gave Deloitte a more consistent look worldwide. That's the power of sticking to brand rules.

Stuck? Talk to the designers who made your brand guidelines. They can help you apply your brand look to infographics like a pro.

Step 1: Pick Your Colors

Choosing colors for your infographics is like setting the mood for a party. It's all about creating the right vibe and leaving a lasting impression. Let's look at how to pick brand colors that'll make your infographics stand out.

Main and Support Colors

Your brand colors are your visual signature. They tell your story at a glance. Here's how to nail your color selection:

1. Primary color

This is your star player. It should capture the essence of your brand. Think Coca-Cola red - it screams excitement and energy.

2. Accent colors

Pick 1-2 colors to support your primary color. They should play well together and add depth. Starbucks uses green as its main color, with brown and white accents for an earthy feel.

3. Neutral color

This is your background player. It balances your design and lets other colors shine. Apple's use of white gives their colorful products center stage.

Here's a quick color cheat sheet:

Color Vibe Brand Example
Blue Trust, competence IBM, PayPal
Red Excitement, strength Netflix, Adobe
Green Nature, growth Whole Foods, John Deere
Yellow Happiness, energy Snapchat, Best Buy
Purple Luxury, wisdom Cadbury, Yahoo
Orange Friendliness, success Fanta, Etsy

Stick to your chosen colors across all infographics. It's like your brand's signature move.

As branding expert John Seroka puts it:

"Color is the first thing people notice about your brand. Think beyond what you like and keep an open mind."

Colors That Work for Everyone

Your infographic should look good AND be easy to understand. Here's how to make your colors work for all viewers:

1. Contrast is key

Make sure text pops against backgrounds. Use tools like WebAIM's Contrast Checker to test.

2. Don't rely on color alone

Use patterns or labels along with color. This helps colorblind viewers get your message.

3. Test your palette

Use color blindness simulators to see how your infographic looks to different viewers.

4. Follow the 60-30-10 rule

Use your main color for 60% of the space, a secondary for 30%, and an accent for 10%. It's like the perfect recipe for eye-catching design.

Pro tip: Tools like Visme let you save color palettes. It's like having a color recipe book for your brand, saving time and keeping your look consistent.

Step 2: Set Font Rules

Fonts shape how your infographics communicate. They can make your message whisper, shout, or sing. So, how do you pick fonts that match your brand's voice?

Choosing Fonts

Pick fonts that fit your brand like a glove:

  1. Know your brand: Is it fun or serious? Modern or classic? Your fonts should match.
  2. Stick to basics: Serif and sans-serif fonts work for most brands. They're like the Swiss Army knife of typography.
  3. Mix it up (a little): Pair fonts like a pro chef combines flavors. A bold sans-serif header with a readable serif body can create magic.

Here's a quick font personality guide:

Font Type Vibe Good For Example
Serif Trustworthy Banks, law firms Times New Roman
Sans-serif Clean Tech companies Helvetica
Script Fancy Luxury brands Lucida Handwriting
Display Eye-catching Headlines Bebas Neue

As type designer Hermann Zapf put it:

"Typography is two-dimensional architecture, based on experience and imagination, and guided by rules and readability."

Text Size and Order

Now, let's set up a font pecking order:

  1. Headline: Your show-stopper. Make it big and bold. About 2-3 times bigger than body text.
  2. Subheadings: Your signposts. Make them pop, but not as much as the headline.
  3. Body text: Where readability rules. Don't go smaller than 16px for screens.
  4. Captions and footnotes: Smaller, but still easy to read.

Take a cue from The New York Times. They use a big, bold serif font for main headlines, a smaller bold sans-serif for subheadings, and a regular serif for body text. This clear hierarchy guides readers smoothly through the content.

Pro tip: Play with font pairings on Google Fonts. It's like a sandbox for font geeks (in the best way).

Stick to your font rules across all infographics. It's like creating a signature look for your brand - easy to spot and pro-level polished.

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Step 3: Add Visual Elements

Let's bring your infographics to life with visual elements. This is where your brand really pops.

Logo Placement

Your logo is your brand's signature. Here's how to make it count:

Top left corner: This spot is golden. Users are 89% more likely to remember logos here.

Bottom right corner: A solid second choice. It's the last thing people see.

Watermark: For a subtle touch, try a faded logo in the background. Just don't let it clash with your content.

Pick a spot and stick to it across all your infographics. Consistency is key.

"Where you place your logo has big impacts on brand recognition and user experience." - Nielsen Norman Group

Pro tip: Give your logo some space. Crowding it? That's not a good look.

Icon Design Rules

Icons are infographic gold. They break up text, guide the eye, and drive your message home. But how do you make them work for your brand?

Stick to one style: Flat, outlined, or 3D - pick one and run with it. Mixing styles? That's a no-go.

Size matters: Keep your icons the same size. It's like a tidy closet - everything just fits better.

Color coordination: Use your brand colors, but don't go crazy. A pop of color can make an icon pop, but too much is overkill.

Keep it simple: Complex icons are a headache. Go for clear, easy-to-get designs.

Here's a quick look at icon styles:

Style Best For Example Brands
Flat Modern, tech-savvy brands Google, Microsoft
Outlined Clean, minimalist look Apple, Airbnb
3D Playful, engaging feel Pixar, Lego

Deloitte nailed this in their 2016 rebrand. Their icons? Rounded endpoints and thin lines, all day, every day.

"The width of the lines in your icons needs to be the same everywhere. It's a key part of your brand." - Deloitte Brand Guidelines

Your icons are mini-brand ambassadors. Treat them right, and they'll work hard for you.

Step 4: Build Templates

Creating reusable designs that stick to your brand rules is like having a secret weapon for infographics. Here's how to build templates that save time and keep your brand looking sharp.

Basic Template Design

Think of your template as a Swiss Army knife for infographics. It should work for different content types while still screaming "your brand." Here's how to nail it:

1. Start with a grid

A solid grid system helps you align elements and create a consistent look across all your infographics.

2. Define content blocks

Create areas for headers, body text, images, and data visualizations. This structure makes it easy to plug in different content types.

3. Incorporate brand elements

Add your logo, color palette, and signature fonts. These are your brand's fingerprints – they should be all over your template.

4. Leave room for flexibility

Your template should be adaptable. You might need more space for text in one infographic and more visuals in another. Plan for these variations.

LinkedIn does this well. Their infographics always feature their signature blue, consistent data visualization style, and a clear information hierarchy. It's easy to spot, yet flexible enough for various topics.

Quick Style Settings

Set up some style shortcuts to speed up your design process:

Style Element Quick Setting
Color Palette Save brand colors as swatches
Font Styles Create text styles for headers, subheaders, and body text
Icons Build a library of on-brand icons
Data Viz Set up templates for charts and graphs

Tools like Canva and Visme make this easy. Canva's Brand Kit feature lets you upload your logo, set brand colors, and choose fonts. Once set up, these elements are just a click away in any design.

Here's a pro tip: Create a "style guide" infographic using your template. It's a great way to test your design and serves as a quick reference for your team.

The goal? Consistency and efficiency. As Akshay Kothari, CPO at Notion, puts it:

"Templates aren't just about saving time. They're about creating a consistent experience that reinforces your brand with every piece of content you create."

Step 5: Write Down Rules

Creating clear instructions for brand-matched infographics is all about consistency and professionalism. Here's how to set these rules in stone:

Design Rules

Let's talk design standards. These are your non-negotiables:

Element Rule
Size 800x2000px (social), 1200x1800px (presentations)
File Types PNG (web), PDF (print)
Image Quality 300 DPI minimum
Color Usage 3-5 brand colors per infographic
Font Sizes Headers: 24-30pt, Body: 12-14pt, Captions: 10pt

These aren't just random numbers. They're your brand's visual DNA.

MailChimp's style guide is a great example. They specify exact font sizes and weights for different content types. This ensures their infographics always look "MailChimp-y", whether in an email or on a billboard.

"Our style guide is a living document that grows and adapts with our brand. It's the cornerstone of our visual identity." - Kate Kiefer Lee, Content Strategy Lead at MailChimp

Where and How to Use

Now, let's put your infographics to work:

Social Media

Blog Posts Embed infographics after the introduction. Use alt text for SEO.

Presentations Full-screen slides, one key point per infographic.

Email Newsletters Use a teaser image linking to the full infographic on your website.

Uber's former style guide took this a step further. They included GIFs and videos to show how their brand moves across different platforms. It's not just about where to use infographics, but how they should behave in each space.

Here's a pro tip: Create a cheat sheet with these rules. Make it an infographic (meta, right?). Share it with your team. Stick it on the wall. Live it, breathe it.

Text to Infographic Tool Guide

Creating branded infographics quickly is a must in today's digital world. Let's see how Text to Infographic can help you do just that.

Main Tool Features

Text to Infographic is an AI-powered tool that turns text into eye-catching infographics in no time. Here's what makes it cool:

But here's the real kicker: it can convert different types of content:

Content Type What It Does
Blog posts Turns them into infographics
Spreadsheets Makes data visually appealing
Documents Transforms files into infographics

This means you can quickly turn your existing stuff into visuals that grab attention.

How It Stacks Up

So, how does Text to Infographic compare to other design tools? Let's break it down:

Feature Text to Infographic Other Design Tools
Skill Needed Not much A lot
Design Time Quick Can take ages
Customization AI helps you You do it all
Cost $70 one-time fee Often monthly payments
Usage Rights You own what you make Depends on what you pay

The big win for Text to Infographic? It's fast and easy to use. Sure, tools like Adobe give you more control, but they take serious skills and time to master.

That $70 lifetime access is pretty sweet, especially if you're pumping out infographics regularly. It's a different ball game from tools like Canva that keep charging you every month.

But let's be real: if you need super specific designs, Text to Infographic might not cut it alone. For some brands, using both AI tools and traditional design software might be the way to go.

Conclusion

Creating brand-aligned infographics isn't just about looks - it's about making your message stick. Here's how to customize infographics for your brand:

1. Pick Your Colors

Choose a palette that reflects your brand's personality and ensures readability. Your colors should make your infographics instantly recognizable.

2. Set Font Rules

Select fonts that match your brand voice and create a clear hierarchy. Consistency in typography helps maintain a professional look across all your materials.

3. Add Visual Elements

Place your logo strategically and use consistent icon styles. This reinforces your brand identity and makes your infographics cohesive.

4. Build Templates

Create reusable designs that save time and maintain brand consistency. Templates are your secret weapon for efficient, on-brand content creation.

5. Write Down Rules

Document your design standards and usage guidelines. This ensures everyone on your team is on the same page.

Consistency is key. As Kate Kiefer Lee from MailChimp puts it:

"Our style guide is a living document that grows and adapts with our brand. It's the cornerstone of our visual identity."

To make these steps work for you, start small with one template and expand as you go. Use analytics to see which infographics perform best and why. And remember, don't overcrowd your designs.

C.S. Jones, a professional journalist, notes:

"Follow these tips and readers will retain 80% of the information you share with them, not just the 10% from hearing it or 20% from reading."

Content CreationDesignInfographics

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