“InfoGIF” Is A Word Worth The Buzz

Who’s up for a new buzzword? All of us? Great, here we go: infoGIF.

Infographic + GIF = infoGIF.

Are you still there?

Even though the thought of yet another cutesy new marketing trend might make you want to cut the cable, throw out your Macbook, and join a monastery in Nepal (or is that just me?), infoGIFs have several logical and valuable applications that make them a worthwhile tool to consider.

Fact is, certain information is just easier to explain using motion, and the infoGIF offers a more succinct approach than video. For example:

1. Large Data Sets Related To The Same Test Group (Trends And Patterns)

If you’re trying to show how each county of a state voted on a number of different issues or how a series of retailers performed at selling the year’s five hottest toys, an infogif can cut what would normally be a large and repetitive infographic into one, dynamic image.

This infoGIF shows the changing racial breakdown of Chicago from the years 1910 to 2000. Think about how much space you’d need to display that information with static images, and how difficult it would be to compare one image to the next.

2. Educational/Product Demo Graphics

InfoGIFs also open the door for a new type of infographic that’s more focused on educating people or demoing a certain element of your product or service. This educational infoGIF created by Smarter Ever Day shows how tattoo removal works.

If you’re selling a product and you want to show it’s use visually, an infoGIF can be a clear and easy way to get your message across.

3. Motion-Themed Data Sets

Sometimes you’ll have a data set that’s thematically related to motion. For example, the above infoGIF, originally posted on bonnef.tumblr.com, shows the ages of the original Star Trek cast compared to the ages of the reboot cast. Is the motion strictly necessary? No, but since we’re talking about a TV show/movie, it has a nice thematic tie-in.

Perhaps an even stronger example is this infoGIF by Kapost and Salesforce.com that uses motion to carry the piece’s video game theme.

So infogifs, while a bit cutesy, can sometimes be the perfect tool to convey your message. Have you created an infoGIF or seen one that caught your eye recently? Feel free to post a link in the comments!

“InfoGIF” Is A Word Worth The Buzz