How to make an infographic with PowerPoint

Resize the PowerPoint slide to size you need it to be

When you’ve opened PowerPoint, you need to hit the Design tab and then go to the Slide Size option and hit Custom Slide Size. You can then select Custom in the Slides sized for the dropdown menu. After that, you’re free to select your orientation and size. Most infographics are made in portrait orientation, but it depends on your individual needs.

Turn on rulers, gridlines, and guides

You’re going to be designing visual elements, so it’ll be a good idea to activate gridlines and rulers to help you keep your designs precise and symmetrical. To do this hit the View tab and check the box next to Rulers, Gridlines, and Guides.

Format the background of your slide

Some infographics are white, but most aren’t. To change the background color of your infographic you need to right-click anywhere on your slide and then select the Format Background. Doing this will open a dialog bow where you can decide on whether to use a Solid fill, Gradient fill, Picture or texture fill, or a Pattern fill. You’ll also be able to set the color and the level of transparency.

Build your header

Once you’ve set your background color you should build your header. This is as simple as selecting Insert and then Shapes. Select the Rectangle option and then place it at the top of your slide. You can then add text to this shape and edit the size and font to get it looking exactly how you want it to.

Use more shapes to build the design elements you want to display in the background

As you’ve activated rulers and gridlines you can add more shapes to your slide and maneuver them into the exact position they need to be to create interesting designs and effects. There are plenty of shapes available that can be manipulated and edited however you like. You simply need to put the shape where you want it and then right-click on it and select Format Shape.

Build extra elements using Shape Effects

If you’ve designed your background well enough, you should already have a rather dynamic-looking base to build your infographic onto. What’s great is that PowerPoint makes this next step really easy by allowing you to add effects to the shapes you create. This means you can give them shadow, for example, to make it look like they’re floating above the background or make them glow to really stand out. Again, there are lots of options available here and you’re only limited by your imagination and the needs of your project.

Add SmartArt and Icons

Once you’ve built your elements and added the effects, you only need to add the text to your infographics to convert the information you’re hoping to share. Of course, though, text isn’t the only way you can pass on information and fortunately, PowerPoint has many visual elements that you can use in your infographics.

SmartArt is kind of like Clip Art but has specifically been built for use in presentations and infographics. To add SmartArt to your infographic hit the Insert tab and then search out the Add SmartArt button.

Icons aren’t quite as dynamic as SmartArt, but they will help you add meaning and context to your infographic without having to use words. PowerPoint has a lot of icons for you to choose from split across many different categories. To add icons to your infographic again hit the Insert tab and then select the Insert Icons button in between the shapes and SmartArt buttons.