8 Interactive Infographic Examples that Tell Powerful Stories

Got loads of interesting data but unsure how to present it? Interactive infographics make your data more enticing than ever.

Over the past few years, digital storytelling has undergone something of a revolution. The quality of digital content has rocketed, and with it audience expectations have soared too. No-code web creation tools like Vev have cut the time and cost involved in creating such content, with customizable pre-coded elements and drag-and-drop design canvases. The days of clickbait listicles and static, uninspired infographics are long gone, and instead current media is interactive, immersive, and innovative.

Organizations all around the world—from news sites and nonprofits to brands and universities—have embraced digital storytelling in all its forms, producing powerful long-form web editorial and captivating scrollytelling sites. No content strategy is complete without digital storytelling, whichever narrative style you choose, but if you were to pick just one, there’s a good argument for making it an interactive infographic. We’ve pulled together a list of some of the most compelling interactive infographic examples currently online to spark your imagination.

What is an Interactive Infographic?

Interactive infographics are, as the name suggests, infographics that incorporate an element of interactivity. They require some form of human engagement to instigate action, whether that’s scrolling, clicking, or hovering. Over the past few years, infographics have evolved from static 2D graphics to powerfully immersive experiences that use captivating animation, images, audio, and video elements to convey information.

However, the best interactive infographic examples don’t simply display data—they tell engaging stories. The boundaries between traditional infographics and sophisticated multimedia experiences are fast breaking down, giving content creators and designers more freedom to decide on the type of narratives they want to use for digital storytelling. And, from looking at some interactive infographics examples, they’re arguably the most memorable—and most diverse—form of visual storytelling.

Using Interactive Infographics for Visual Storytelling

If you’re writing a story in the traditional sense, one of the most common mantras you’ll probably encounter is: “show, don’t tell”. When writers use this technique, they steer clear of exposition to tell their story, instead using sensory details and actions to advance plots and flesh out characters.

Visual storytelling may not be storytelling in the traditional sense, but it’s still storytelling—and so the same rule applies. Interactive infographic examples out there illustrate this point, offering up key facts, data, plot points and dates, which are enhanced by the use of audio, visuals, and interactivity to immerse their audience in a story.

The most iconic brands around are so memorable because they follow this rule. They don’t tell their audience about their news or products—they show them, using images, video, data visualizations, and motion graphics. The saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” applies here, because words can only go so far. Visual storytelling is far more effective at grabbing attention than mere words, and because we’re living in an attention economy, where countless companies are vying for our attention, this is more crucial than ever.

8 Interactive Infographic Examples

Now we’ve covered the theory, let’s take a look at it in practice. We’ve pulled together some of our favorite interactive infographic examples to showcase the sheer versatility of this content format, and to highlight different design techniques to inspire your own data story.

ServiceNow

ServiceNow’s ‘The Sustainability Advantage’ infographic was created in Vev by Message Lab. This interactive website digs deep into the importance of environmental, social, and corporate frameworks. As the reader scrolls down, content comes to life in multiple ways, turning what could otherwise be a dry piece of content into a visually appealing, dynamic story.

Text boxes containing valuable pieces of information pop up, interactive charts and graphs unravel to highlight key data, and vibrant animations guide attention to important information. By drawing on multiple forms of media to capture attention and impart key statistics, this interactive infographic is an example of scrollytelling at its finest.

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Made in Vev, UNODC’s report and strategy on synthetic drugs is a great example of a data-led interactive infographic. As the reader scrolls down, a map appears highlighting areas around the world where synthetic drugs are manufactured, trafficked, and used. Scrolling further brings animated number counters to life, which reveal the extent of the problem.

The text is broken up into colorful boxes, and pull quotes and animated charts and graphs help underscore important research. While there’s a lot of data and statistics in this report, this highly visual infographic helps us digest it all without being overwhelming.

We always like seeing website examples that lean on storytelling in rolling out content, and Treverk communicates so well about who they are with this design they put together with Vev.

Human Rights House Foundation

The 2021 annual report of nonprofit Human Rights House is another excellent example of how interactive infographics can help readers visualize data. Starting off with a video of people helps to humanize the issues within the report, which is also made in Vev, and immediately gives the content a compelling photojournalistic feel.

As the reader scrolls, powerful photographs and illustrations break up the text, boosting readability, and animated number counters emphasize key statistics. Interactive maps and videos further help the reader stay engaged, and as a result, what would otherwise be an overly long piece of written content feels digestible.

Eidsiva Energi

Norwegian energy company Eidsiva also used Vev to create their infographic on emissions. Using animated number counters and colored graphs helps highlight relevant statistics, while an individual horizontal scrolling section emphasizes specific information. Attractive photos are used to both break up and accompany different panels.

Video is also used to great effect in this interactive infographic example, lending the content a cinematic feel which grabs and holds the reader’s attention. Short videos of staff members also helps to humanize the company.

WWF Canada

Conservation organization WWF-Canada used Vev to make an interactive infographic on Priority Threat Management, to explain the framework they use to make conservation decisions. This is another interactive infographic example that shows how effective scrollytelling can be. Both vertical and horizontal scrolling are used, changing up the user experience and keeping them engaged.

The infographic is broken up with videos and bright, eye-catching photographs, ensuring that the reader stays interested, and animated number counters display key conservation statistics. Bright colored text boxes and large pull quotes boost readability and help the reader focus on the most important aspects of the report.

Oxfam Ireland

Another excellent example of an interactive infographic being used for a nonprofit cause is Oxfam Ireland’s year in review. The purpose of the infographic is to report on the impact Oxfam Ireland has had over the world. It kicks off with an interactive map which repeatedly changes as the reader scrolls, with different sections of the map becoming highlighted and text boxes appearing.

The second part of the infographic examines Oxfam’s goals, and it flips the format up. As the reader scrolls down, large, colorful photos, illustrations, and text boxes appear, conveying large amounts of information in bitesize ways.

The Marine Stewardship Council

This next interactive infographic example is both more cinematic and story-based. “How my dad fishes for the future” is told through the perspective of a young girl whose father is a fisherman. Beginning with a video, the infographic captivates the reader from the start, drawing them into the story. Grim stats about the state of the oceans follow, accompanied by photos and illustrations that become animated as the reader scrolls.

Animated charts and illustrations continue throughout the infographic, helping the reader focus on the most significant points. Full-screen photos and videos further bring the message to life and emphasize the urgency of the cause, and telling the story from an individual’s point of view – particularly a child’s – gives the content a personal feel.

Penguin Books UK

A good example of an interactive infographic that uses illustrations to tell a story is Penguin UK’s Lit in Colour, which was created with the help of race equality think tank The Runnymede Trust. The goal was to make the teaching and learning of English literature more inclusive, and the infographic begins by using illustrated stats to underscore the current lack of diversity in the school curriculum.

Though this infographic is stylistically simple, it’s very effective at getting points across. Text boxes are brightly colored, which breaks up different sections and improves readability, and attractive illustrations are interspersed with quotes from students, research stats, and explanatory paragraphs, making this a really digestible yet dynamic piece of content.

The Simple Way To Create Advanced Interactive Infographics

Have a story to tell and the facts to back it up? An interactive infographic can transform your narrative into one that not only engages, but also convinces your audience of its message. With Vev’s pre-built design elements and animations—including horizontal scrolling, number counters, and animated charts—you can build an interactive infographic without writing any code. Publish your creations anywhere on the web when you’re ready.