To create an infographic, pick one message and the three to six numbers behind it, then start from a template in the right format: process, comparison, statistics or timeline. Swap in your own data and brand colours, export it, and write a text description of what it shows so screen readers and search engines can read it too.
Why a busy infographic gets skimmed and forgotten
Here's where most infographics go wrong before anyone opens a template: they start with the design. Someone picks a pretty layout, then tries to squeeze in every statistic they've got, and the result is a long scroll of icons that nobody remembers. An infographic is a summary, not a report. If it tries to say five things, readers come away with none of them.
So the work starts on paper. Write down the one point the graphic has to make, in a single sentence, then collect the three to six numbers or steps that prove it. That's your brief. Everything else, from the colours to the chart type, follows from it, and you'll find the layout almost chooses itself once the message is fixed.
The other thing that's usually missing is the words. A finished infographic is one flat image, and that matters for anyone using a screen reader and for search engines trying to understand the page. I'll come back to that further down, because it's the step worth planning from the start rather than bolting on after export.
Five steps from a single message to a shareable graphic
- Write the one point and gather the proof. One sentence for the message, then three to six numbers or steps that back it up. You don't need any software for this, just a notepad. A single message keeps the layout simple.
- Choose the format, then the template. Decide whether your message is a process, a comparison, a set of statistics or a timeline, and start from a template in that format. Venngage and Piktochart both organise their templates around formats like these, so the structure is already solved for you.
- Put your real data in. Replace the sample numbers with your own, typed in or imported from a spreadsheet, and let the chart update. Infogram and Flourish are built around data, so they suit graphics where the numbers carry the message. Charts built from real data stay accurate when the numbers change.
- Brand it and cut the repeats. Apply your colours, fonts and logo using the brand settings in your chosen tool, then delete any text that only repeats what a chart already shows. Consistent branding makes the graphic recognisable when someone shares or embeds it elsewhere.
- Export it and write the text version. Pick the format you need: PNG or PDF for sharing, an embed or live link for a web page. Visme covers all of those. Then write a short description of the content and place it next to the image, because the image alone can't be read by a screen reader.
Which format suits your message
The four formats line up with four kinds of message, and picking the right one first saves you rebuilding the layout halfway through.
| If your message is about... | Use this format | What the reader should take away |
|---|---|---|
| How something gets done, in order | Process | The sequence, and which stage comes first |
| Option A against option B | Comparison | Which choice fits which situation |
| A handful of numbers that prove a point | Statistics | The one number that matters most |
| How something changed over time | Timeline | Where things started and where they are now |
If you're stuck between two, go back to your one sentence. If your sentence contains the word 'versus', you've got a comparison; if it leans on 'then', you've got a process. And if you'd like ready-made layouts to start from, there's a round-up of where to find free infographic templates that's worth a look before you design anything from scratch.
Five infographic makers and the job each one handles
You don't need all of these. Each one leans a different way, so pick the one that matches the part of the job you find hardest: layout, data or brand consistency.
Venngage
An online infographic maker with ready-made templates for statistical, comparison, process and timeline graphics, where you replace the text, images and icons and add your data. Its standout is that it applies your colours, fonts and logos automatically, which keeps a whole series of graphics on brand.
Visme
A design and data visualisation platform where you add charts, graphs, widgets and maps and import numbers from spreadsheets such as Excel. It exports as PNG, JPG or PDF, shares a live link, or embeds the interactive version on your website, so one design can serve a download and a web page.
Infogram
A data-driven tool that turns numbers into infographics, charts, maps and reports, with data import, a brand kit and interactive embeds. It can also download your work as MP4 or GIF, which is handy when you want a moving version for a social post.
Piktochart
A visual design platform with an infographic maker alongside timeline, report, flowchart and graph makers, plus an AI design generator. Because one tool covers several formats, the same brand look can carry across your infographics, reports and social graphics.
Flourish
An interactive data visualisation tool for charts and maps built from no-code templates. Its stories feature builds multi-step explainers from charts and captions, which suits a message that needs to unfold in stages rather than sit on one image.
For a wider comparison, including tools that aren't covered here, my full guide to the best infographic makers goes further. And if you already work in Canva every day, there's a separate walkthrough on making an infographic in Canva from start to finish.
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Writing the words that make the image readable
A finished infographic is one image, so everything in it can't be read by a screen reader unless you supply a text version. The US government's accessibility guidance on Section508.gov covers this directly. For complex images such as flowcharts, graphs, diagrams and infographics, it says the alt text should state what type of visual you're showing. If the image is very detailed, it says a short description in the alt text should be followed by a longer description beneath the image.
That's US guidance, written for federal agencies, and accessibility requirements vary by country and sector, so check the rules that apply to you. Even where it isn't required, it's a sensible model to follow, and the longer description doubles as readable text on the page.
The practical fix is timing. Write the text version when you write the numbers, not after export. You've already got the one sentence and the three to six data points from the first step, so the long description is mostly done before you open a template. A simple shape works:
- Alt text: the type of graphic plus the main point, for example 'Process infographic showing the four stages of onboarding a new client'.
- Long description: the same points as a short list or paragraph beneath the image, including every number the graphic shows.
- Wherever you post it, keep the description with the image, whether that's on a web page, in a PDF or in a social caption.
My advice before you open a template
Spend more time on the sentence than on the design. If you can't say what your infographic proves in one line, no template will rescue it. Once you can, pick the format that matches the message, use whichever of these tools feels quickest to you, and write the text version at the same time as the data. That last habit is what separates a graphic that works for everyone from one that only works for some.
Don't chase a perfect first version either. A clear, on-brand graphic with honest numbers and a written description will do more for you than a beautiful one that tries to say everything at once.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I make an infographic for free?
Some tools offer a free route. Visme's page says, as of Nov 2026, that its free plan lets you create infographics with templates and the full editor and share them online, while its brand kit and extra download formats sit on higher plans.
What file format should I export an infographic in?
PNG or PDF suits sharing by email or on social, and an embed or live link suits a web page where you want the graphic to stay interactive. Check which formats your tool offers before you start.
What are the main types of infographic?
Statistical, comparison, process and timeline are the four formats the template libraries are organised around. Pick the type from your message, then pick the template.
Do I need a designer?
Not for a standard business infographic. These tools supply templates, icon libraries and brand settings, so the work is mostly choosing the message and entering your data.
How do I make an infographic accessible?
Add alt text that names the type of graphic and its main point, then, for detailed ones, a longer description beneath the image, as Section508.gov advises.
