Are Infographics Still a Good Link Building Tool?

Infographics exploded in popularity in the early 2010s as a content marketing tactic. Visually appealing and easy to digest, infographics seemed like the perfect content format to gain backlinks and social shares. But as with all content marketing trends, infographics' popularity has waned over the years. So, are infographics still an effective link-building tactic in 2024? Let's take a look at the pros and cons.

What is an Infographic?

Before examining whether infographics are still effective for link building, let's define exactly what is an infographic.

An infographic is a visual representation of information, data, or knowledge intended to present complex information quickly and clearly. Infographics use images, charts, graphs, text, and colour to convey information that would be hard to explain with text alone.

A good infographic simplifies complex concepts, tells a story, or illustrates processes or relationships. Infographics are an excellent way to visualise statistics, timeline events, explain how something works, or compare concepts.

The Rise of Infographics

In the early 2010s, infographics gained huge popularity as a content marketing asset.

Visual content performs well on social media, where infographics can be quickly scanned and shared. Infographics were also eagerly picked up by news and media sites looking for visual content to accompany articles.

For content marketing agencies, infographics seemed like the perfect tactic. They offered a visually compelling content asset that could garner high-quality backlinks from news and media sites.

During infographics' heyday, a well-designed infographic could quickly go viral through social shares and pick up dofollow backlinks from major publications. For a few years, infographics were a go-to content marketing asset for link building and social media shares. But as the novelty wore off, their effectiveness started to wane.

The Decline of Infographic Popularity

By the mid-2010s, infographics lost much of their initial shine and popularity. The reasons for this include:

Infographic oversaturation - The popularity of infographics meant suddenly everyone and every brand was creating them. The sheer volume made them less novel and shareable.
Shift towards interactive content - Static infographics gave way to interactive content like calculators, quizzes, and online tools that allowed deeper engagement.
More emphasis on quality over quantity - In the beginning, brands could quickly gain links for infographics by producing large volumes. As content marketing matured, the emphasis shifted to quality and original research over template artwork and listicles.
Changes to social media algorithms - Facebook, X, and other networks tweaked their algorithms to give less priority to the exact type of content infographics represent - easily digestible visual media.
Cracks down on infographic "link networks" - Many link building tactics focus on exploiting loops in Google's algorithm that eventually get discovered and eliminated. The same thing happened with networks of sites constantly exchanging infographic links.

By the mid-2010s, the infographic craze had definitively cooled off. But that doesn't mean they still can't be an effective content marketing and link building tactic if created correctly.

Are Infographics Still Effective for Link Building?

Infographics are no longer the hot new content marketing tactic they once were. But some brands still use them effectively as part of a blended content strategy. Here are some pros and cons of using infographics for link building:

Pros

They simplify complex information visually, which can attract interest and links from related niche sites.
Good infographics incorporate original research or present existing information in a new way, which builds brand credibility.
Infographics stand out in social media feeds and can gain social promotion.
Interactive infographics like calculators and quizzes can generate leads and links.

Cons

It's difficult to create genuinely engaging and original infographic designs that stand out.
Static infographics have limited engagement and social sharing compared to interactive content like quizzes.
Arbitrary listicles and infographics with no original research often fail to attract links.
Basic infographic artwork is easy to duplicate - it's tough to build lasting brand value.

Tips for Using Infographics for Link Building

Here are some tips on how to create effective infographics that attract high-quality links:

Incorporate original statistics and research - this builds credibility and interest from industry media.
Focus on quality over quantity - don't spam out generic listicles just for links.
Make them highly visual - the broader the appeal, the more viral potential.
Promote them through an integrated strategy - social media, outreach, and paid distribution.
Consider interactive content like quizzes and calculators to boost engagement.
Always provide the raw data and sources - this builds trust and credibility.

The most effective modern infographics incorporate unique and interesting data, have an inherently viral element, provide value to readers, and are part of a broader content strategy.

In an era where content marketing success depends on quality over quantity, infographics should be used selectively as part of an integrated strategy. They are no longer a quick win tactic but can drive results when created with original research and promoted effectively.