How to design infographics for visual branding elements

In today’s digital-first world, brands need to stand out, build a strong identity, and maintain consistency across all their communication channels. One of the most effective tools for achieving this is the use of infographics. Infographics are not only powerful for presenting complex data but also for reinforcing and showcasing visual branding elements—logos, colors, typography, imagery, and overall brand style.

Visual branding is how a company expresses its identity visually, creating an impression on the audience that is distinct, memorable, and aligned with its values. Infographics can play a pivotal role in ensuring that these visual elements are incorporated seamlessly into content, enhancing brand recognition and engagement.

In this article, we will explore how to design infographics that not only convey important information but also amplify your brand identity through the effective use of visual elements.

1. Understanding Visual Branding Elements

Before diving into how infographics can showcase visual branding, it’s crucial to understand what visual branding elements consist of. These elements include:

i. Logo

The logo is the cornerstone of any brand’s visual identity. It represents the brand’s values and serves as a symbol of recognition. When creating infographics, integrating your logo is essential to reinforcing your brand’s identity.

ii. Color Palette

Brand colors create an emotional connection with the audience and help in creating an instantly recognizable brand presence. Colors should be used consistently to evoke the right feelings, whether it’s trust (blue), excitement (red), or sophistication (black and gold).

iii. Typography

The fonts used by a brand play a key role in setting its tone and character. Whether you’re using serif or sans-serif fonts, it’s important that typography in infographics reflects your brand’s voice.

iv. Imagery & Icons

Images, illustrations, and icons communicate quickly and can make content more engaging. These should be consistent in style and tone with the brand’s overall visual language.

v. Brand Voice

While often overlooked, brand voice in visuals is just as important as it is in written content. Whether your brand is playful, serious, or luxurious, your design choices—colors, icons, fonts, and layout—should reflect this tone.

2. Why Use Infographics for Visual Branding?

Infographics are an excellent tool for reinforcing and presenting a brand’s visual identity because they:

Simplify Complex Information: Infographics are designed to take complex data or abstract ideas and present them in a visually digestible format, which can improve customer understanding of your brand.
Encourage Brand Recognition: By using consistent brand colors, fonts, and logos, infographics become another vehicle for brand recognition. The more frequently your visual elements are seen together, the more likely they are to be associated with your brand.
Increase Engagement and Shareability: Infographics are highly shareable on social media, which means your brand identity can be spread further and faster. When people share content, they are sharing the visual language of your brand, which increases your visibility.

3. Key Steps in Designing Infographics for Visual Branding

Designing infographics that showcase visual branding elements requires a clear strategy. Here are the key steps to ensure your infographics align with your brand’s visual identity.

i. Understand Your Brand Guidelines

The first step is to understand your brand’s existing guidelines. These guidelines should include:

Brand colors: The specific RGB/hex codes or Pantone values for your brand’s color palette.
Logo specifications: Clear instructions on how your logo should be displayed, including spacing, size, and positioning.
Typography choices: The fonts used across the brand and any restrictions on their use.
Imagery style: Guidelines for the type of images and illustrations that align with your brand identity (e.g., photos vs. illustrations, abstract vs. literal).
Tone and style: The desired personality and voice of your brand, which will influence visual design choices.

By familiarizing yourself with these elements, you can ensure that the infographic adheres to the established visual identity, maintaining consistency and cohesion across all touchpoints.

ii. Choose the Right Infographic Type

The type of infographic you select will influence how you incorporate visual branding elements. Some common types include:

Statistical Infographics: Ideal for conveying data-heavy insights. You can use your brand colors to emphasize different data points or categories in the chart.
Process Infographics: These infographics show step-by-step processes, such as customer journeys or workflows. You can use icons and illustrations that match your brand’s style to represent each step in the process.
Comparison Infographics: These work well for comparing two or more items, and can feature brand-specific colors and typography to differentiate the categories.
Timeline Infographics: These are great for showcasing a brand’s evolution or milestones. Visual elements like your logo or product images can be used to mark key events.
Geographical Infographics: If your brand serves specific regions, geographical infographics allow you to use maps, which can incorporate your brand’s colors to highlight specific areas.

The key to successful infographic design is choosing the format that best suits the content you need to communicate, while aligning it with your branding elements.

iii. Layout and Structure

The layout of your infographic is essential in guiding the viewer’s eye and reinforcing your brand. The design structure should reflect the clarity and simplicity that are core to your brand’s messaging.

Grid Systems: Using a grid system helps create consistency in spacing, alignment, and positioning, giving your infographic a clean, professional look.
Visual Hierarchy: Establishing a clear hierarchy will guide the viewer through the infographic, highlighting key elements. For instance, you might use larger typography or bolder colors for the most important pieces of information, while keeping secondary elements in smaller font sizes or muted colors.
Whitespace: Using whitespace effectively is important for ensuring the design doesn’t look cluttered. This also reflects a sense of professionalism and attention to detail, reinforcing a premium brand feel.

iv. Integrate Brand Colors

Brand colors are one of the most powerful elements in your infographic design, as they immediately connect the content with your brand identity. To effectively incorporate brand colors:

Accent Colors: Use brand colors for elements like headings, icons, and charts. Consider using complementary or analogous colors from your palette to ensure harmony and balance.
Background: Keep your background either neutral or aligned with your brand colors to create a visually cohesive experience. Avoid overly complex or contrasting backgrounds that could detract from the content.
Contrast: Ensure there’s enough contrast between the text and the background color for readability. For example, dark text on light backgrounds or vice versa is a good combination for easy legibility.

It’s also important to remember that color psychology plays a role in how viewers will interpret the content. Use your brand’s colors intentionally to convey emotion and meaning.

v. Use Typography Consistently

Typography is an often-overlooked aspect of infographic design, but it plays a huge role in reinforcing your brand’s identity. Here’s how to use typography effectively:

Primary Typeface: Choose a font from your brand’s official typeface list for headings and subheadings. If your brand uses a specific font family, make sure to maintain consistency by using the appropriate styles (e.g., bold for emphasis).
Secondary Typeface: For body text or secondary information, use the brand-approved font that’s easy to read. Avoid using more than two typefaces to maintain consistency and avoid visual clutter.
Hierarchy: Establish typographic hierarchy by varying the size and weight of fonts for headings, subheadings, and body text. This creates an easy flow of information and emphasizes key messages.
Legibility: Ensure your text is legible even at smaller sizes, especially for infographics viewed on mobile devices.

vi. Incorporate Icons and Imagery

Icons and images play a critical role in infographics, as they help break down information and add visual appeal. When incorporating imagery and icons into your infographics:

Style Consistency: Use icons and imagery that align with your brand’s visual style. If your brand uses flat design icons, avoid 3D or realistic illustrations that clash with this aesthetic.
Brand-Specific Icons: If possible, create custom icons that reflect your brand’s character and style. These can include subtle references to your logo, products, or services.
Image Filters: If using photographs, apply filters that match your brand’s color scheme. You can adjust hues, saturation, or contrast to ensure that images feel integrated into the overall design.
Image Placement: Ensure images and icons are well-integrated into the infographic layout. Avoid cluttering the design, and make sure each image serves a clear purpose, enhancing the message.

vii. Add Your Logo

Your logo should be included in your infographic as a subtle but consistent element. This helps reinforce brand recognition. Here are a few best practices:

Positioning: Place your logo in the corner or at the top/bottom of the infographic, where it can be easily seen but doesn’t overpower the content.
Size: Keep the logo appropriately sized—not too large to dominate the design but noticeable enough to leave a lasting impression.
Clarity: Ensure that your logo is clear and doesn’t blend into the background. It should be visible even on smaller screens or when the infographic is resized.

4. Final Considerations: Testing and Optimization

After designing your infographic, it’s essential to test and optimize the final design. Here are a few key steps:

Mobile Responsiveness: Make sure your infographic looks good on all devices, especially mobile, where most users will view it. Optimize the layout and make sure text and visuals are legible on smaller screens.
Performance: Infographics that are too large in file size may load slowly, so compress your design without sacrificing quality.
Feedback: Before finalizing, get feedback from stakeholders or a focus group. They may offer insights into how the design aligns with your brand and whether it communicates the intended message effectively.

Conclusion

Designing infographics that showcase your brand’s visual elements requires a strategic approach. From integrating your logo and color palette to choosing the right fonts and imagery, every element should serve to reinforce your brand’s identity and communicate information clearly. When done effectively, infographics not only convey important insights but also become a vehicle for amplifying your brand’s presence across multiple touchpoints, whether online or offline.

By following these principles and best practices, you can create infographics that resonate with your audience, build trust, and make your brand instantly recognizable. Whether you’re conveying complex data, processes, or trends, infographics can help tell your brand story in a visually compelling and impactful way.