Paparazzi have been having a run for their money.  These days, visual content is at an all-time high! Leave it to the influx of smart phones, tablets and the like!  Plus, given that people are naturally drawn to pictures, images, and other visuals, it's no wonder it's become such a dominant force in the marketing world. People from all walks of life (as long as they have the proper gadgets) have hitched on, much less celebrities!  Just take your daily Facebook and Twitter posts.

Have you ever stopped to think about how much more prominently visuals get featured in social networks like Facebook and Google+. And what about the rise of visual-focused networks like Pinterest, Instagram, and Vine? There's no denying it -- visual content is a rage, it’s gone viral and is here to stay.  The good news is, those who can learn how to master it will have the edge.

Nowadays, the term "visual content" is synonymous to “infographic.”  Wikipedia describes this, “graphic visual representations of information, data or knowledge intended to present complex information quickly and clearly.”  “They can improve cognition by utilizing graphics to enhance the human visual system’s ability to see patterns and trends.”  The process of creating infographics can be referred to as data visualization, information design, or information architecture.

But how can those who don't necessarily have a design background -- or budget to commission an agency, hire a dedicated in-house designer, or purchase expensive design software -- create professional-looking infographics and get the leverage the power of visual content brings?  Well, there’s D.I.Y (do-it-yourself).  You can do it right within software you likely already have loaded on your computer. That's right! PowerPoint can be your best friend when it comes to visual content creation.  On the net, one can find instructionals  for most anything – from learning a language, playing the guitar, painting, and yeah, how to do an infographic.

They’ve been around for many years and now, the proliferation of a number of easy-to-use, free tools have made its creation easier. Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter have helped a great deal in spreading them all over the world.

Infographics are used to show the weather, maps, site plans, and graphs for statistical data.

Some books are almost entirely made up of them.  They’re used in screen shots for weather reports or news flashes on TV.  Also used for route maps for transit systems, to integrate a variety of information, such as the conceptual layout of the transit network, transfer points, and local landmarks. Public transportation maps, such as those seen on MMDA ‘twitpics” or the Washington Metro and the London Underground, are well-known infographics. Public places such as transit terminals usually have some sort of integrated "signage system" with standardized icons and stylized maps.

Learn how to do PowerPoint infographic creation basics.  Nowadays, “downloadable” is an operative word.   Hint: Get templates online that explain how to easily create infographics in PowerPoint. Just be sure to download the PowerPoint templates for yourself so you can easily customize designs. Just Google - Infographics-to-Teach-You-How-to-Easily

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