Sight is one of the most important human senses, which is why the best way to show information is through infographics.
Infographics are a way of representing data with the help of visual elements like images, charts, and colors.
You don’t have to be an art expert or a graphic designer to create your own infographics. You can easily make infographics in Google Docs using its many graphic features, like the drawing tool commonly found in the Google Suite.
By the end of this article, you’ll know how to make an infographic on Google Docs using a step-by-step guide.
Table of Contents
How to Make an Infographic on Google Docs
Here’s how to make infographics on Google Docs:
- Start with a blank document
- Set up your page orientation, size, and color
- Add shapes and images
- Add text using text boxes.
- Add charts and graphs
- Format and share
Types of Infographics
There are several different types of infographics that present different kinds of information, including:
Statistical Infographics
These types of infographics represent numerical data in the form of visuals, for example, pie charts, bar graphs, and scatter plots.
Informational Infographics
These infographics are the opposite of statistical infographics, and they show text information on a specific topic or issue. They are used to educate readers on a subject and provide a comprehensive overview of a topic. They are usually a combination of text, images, and icons.
Timeline Infographics
These infographics display information in chronological order, often using a timeline format. They are used to show a sequence of events or different stages and milestones in a linear or circular format. They are typically a combination of text and visuals and use markers to show the flow of time.
Process Infographics
These infographics are similar to timeline infographics, except they provide a step-by-step visual guide to a specific process or procedure. They are commonly used in manuals, how-to guides, and instructional materials.
Just like timelines, they also usually follow a linear or circular format and use a combination of text and visuals with arrows and markers to show the flow of steps.
Comparison Infographics
These infographics are used to compare two or more things side by side, using visual elements to highlight differences and similarities. You will often find more than one image set side by side for comparison.
Geographic Infographics
These infographics use maps and other geographical elements to display data related to a specific region or location. They commonly show population demographics, climate data, and other location-specific information.
Why Are Infographics Beneficial
Infographics are a very useful way of sharing information, and here are a couple of reasons why they are beneficial:
- Infographics are appealing with the creative use of color and images, which makes them more engaging compared to plain text.
- They also help to simplify otherwise complex information by breaking them down into concepts and sections that are easy to understand.
- They also help with memory retention since it’s easier to recall an image compared to a block of text.
- Infographics can be used in a variety of ways. They can be used to present statistics and data, tell a story, explain a process, or showcase a product or service. They can be used in presentations, reports, social media, and other marketing materials.
- Infographics also make it easier to understand information. Visual images are better at representing information compared to text, and it’s easy to compare and analyze data.
- They make your data or presentation less monotonous.
- Infographics are very good for SEO, so you should use plenty of them on your website to grow clicks.
How to Make An Infographic On Google Docs
Making an infographic on Google Docs is a simple process that doesn’t need too much technical know-how. Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating an infographic in Google Docs:
Step 1: Start With a Blank Document
If you’re signing in to Google Docs then select the blank document.
If you’re opening a new file, go to File > New and click Document.
Step 2: Set Up Your Page
- Navigate to File > Page setup.
- Set the paper size you want to use, the paper color, and the orientation as well.
- You can also customize the margins.
- Once you’re done click OK.
Step 3: Add Shapes and Images
- Go to Insert> Drawing to add shapes to your infographic.
- You can choose from a variety of shapes, including circles, rectangles, and arrows. Use the shapes to create a visual hierarchy for your infographic, highlighting the most important information.
- Format your shapes using color and border options.
When you’re done, click save and close.
- Click on the image icon in the toolbar to add an image.
- Upload the image from your device or drive.
- Position the image where you want it.
Step 4: Add Text
The best way to do this is using text boxes.
- Go to Insert > Drawing. Click New. If you want the text to appear in the drawing, then you can double-click on the drawing and add a text box from there.
- Add a text box and type in the text.
- Click Save and close when you’re done.
You can also strategically use tables to add text.
- Go to Insert > Table.
- Choose the number of cells you want.
- Type in the text in the cells.
Step 5: Use Charts and Graphs
Google Docs offers a variety of chart and graph options that can be used to visually represent data in your infographic.
- Click on Insert > Chart.
- Choose from a variety of chart types, including bar graphs, line graphs, and pie charts.
Step 6: Customize Your Infographic
Once you have added all the necessary content to your infographic, you can review it and change the format to your liking.
- Use the font formatting tools to adjust the color, font, and size of your text and shapes.
- Use image options to change the layout of your images and add more image adjustments.
- Edit the design elements and shapes by double-clicking them to open the drawing window.
With these steps, you’re ready to print or share you’re infographics. That’s all it takes to create a professional-looking infographic in Google Docs that effectively communicates your message to the reader.
Importing Charts from Google Sheets
With Google Suites, it’s very easy to collaborate between the workspaces. You can also import charts from your Google spreadsheet to Google Docs to make your infographic. Here’s how:
- Open your spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
- Select the chart you want to import.
- Copy it by clicking on the 3 dots to open the menu and choosing the Copy chart option. You can also use the keyboard short CTRL + C.
- Go to your document in Google Docs and paste the chart by using the keyboard shortcut CTRL + V or right-clicking and choosing Paste.
- Choose the paste option you want, between linking the chart to your spreadsheet and pasting the chart unlinked, then click Paste.
Your chart will be pasted as an image in Google Docs, and you can use it for your infographics to represent data or for comparison.
The Best Types of Charts to Import From Google Sheets
Google Sheets has an overwhelming amount of chart types to use. Here are the ones that we think are best for importing to use as parts of infographics.
- Column charts: effective for comparing values across different categories
- Bar charts: similar to column charts but better for longer category names
- Line charts: useful for showing trends over time or comparing multiple data sets
- Scatter plots: great for showing the relationship between two variables
- Pie charts: useful for showing proportions or percentages of a whole
- Area charts: similar to line charts but useful for showing the magnitude of change over time
- Bubble charts: similar to scatter plots but allow for a third variable to be represented in the size of bubbles.
Where to Find Google Docs Infographic Templates
There are several places where you can find infographic templates for Google Docs. Here are a few options:
Canva
Canva is a graphic design platform that’s famous for creating graphic designs. The platform also comes with a wide variety of templates, including infographic templates that can be easily customized. There are many different styles and designs to choose from, and you can download them and import them into Google Docs as images after customizing them.
Pinterest is a great place to search for infographic templates since it is an image-focused app. You can view the templates very easily before deciding on the one that you like. Some template images will direct you to a link where you can obtain the template, or otherwise, you can use the templates as an inspiration for making your own.
You can also perform a simple Google search to find infographic templates for Google Docs. You’ll find a variety of sites with some fantastic infographic templates. However, keep in mind that some of the templates may not be free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is There an Infographic Template on Google Slides or Docs?
Unfortunately, you won’t find an infographic template in the template gallery in Google Docs. However, you can find plenty of infographic templates in Canva, Pinterest, and with a quick search on Google.
Most of the templates in Canva are free to use but you may come across some that come at a fee. The same applies to Pinterest and Google.
Can I Create an Infographic with Google Docs?
Yes, you can! Thanks to Google Docs’ many graphic features, like the drawing tool, charts, and images, you can easily make your own infographic. You can also use an infographic template to fast-track the process. We’ve shown you exactly how to do this with a step-by-step guide and where to find infographic templates above.
Wrapping Up
Infographics are very useful communication tools, but if used in the wrong way, they can create more confusion than understanding.
We’ve guided you through the steps for how to make an infographic on Google Docs in this tutorial. You can also follow our guide for how to add captions to images in Google Docs.
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