For many people, the thought of deciphering healthcare statistics sends shivers down their spine. Terms like scatterplots, nonlinear association, and standard deviation are all some form of Trekkie language that only a select few can interpret. Thankfully, the world of infographics has reared its visual head, and is helping to display some of this data in a way the healthcare community can understand. But creating or sharing an infographic on your practice's blog or website may not be the most effective way to create SEO rich content. So, what are some ways to utilize infographics and get them to benefit your website? Here are some great ways infographics can work for you.
Imagery Storytelling
Images are a wonderful way to tell a story, and can really do a lot for your healthcare website. Breaking away for a stuffy cliché stock photo can take your website from bland to spicy in the blink of an eye. The old adage a picture is worth a thousand words is really true, when done correctly. A well incorporated infographic can lead to better site traffic, potential foot traffic for your office, and even new clients or patients. Utilizing the power of infographics to tell a story about your office staff, clinic ethos, or patient culture can be extremely powerful.
Distribute Information to Short Attention Spans
We live in time where attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. If your clinic's about page doesn't load its staff photos at breakneck speeds, it's almost certain that user is heading elsewhere. Utilizing the power of an infographic will allow you to pack a major amount of information into one image. There is no need for the user to bounce around and get lost in the shuffle, they have all of the data they need right in front of them. In one beautiful image.
Linking Potential
Infographics are extremely shareable when done right. If your clinic has compiled interesting statistics about your office, creating a visually stunning infographic can help increase inbound links (backlinks) to your website. Backlinks from reliable websites can contribute major points to your Google PageRank (Google's link algorithm), which will help to rank better in search.
Display Data
The human brain is wired to interpret images in a more effective manner than characters on a piece of paper. If your hospital is trying to convey important information to patients, do it in a way that isn't a thick report. Displaying report statistics and data in an infographic can have a much stronger impact, and the patient will retain more of it too!
Easy to Comprehend
If a client has come to your website, they are usually there with a specific intent. He or She may be looking for a plastic surgery price sheet, or a concise map of where your practice is located. Your potential patients want to find that information and easily understand it, so give it to them! You don't need to be a graphic designer on top of a medical professional, but you do need to know where to look for help. Websites like Visual.ly, Piktochart, and Wordle can help display your information in a manner that is easy to comprehend and digest.
Infographics are an extremely powerful tool that has the potential to not only communicate information, but to engage your patients. They pack a wealth of information into a concise and easy to interpret graphic, which can be an impactful piece of your website. What are some ways you are using infographics? Have you created infographics for your clinic? What was your experience? Leave a comment below, and let the community know.