July 19, 2016 4 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Infographics aren't quite the end-all marketing technique many folks thought they would be a few years back, but they're still quite potent if you know what you're doing. The trouble is, who really knows what they're doing?

The top tier marketers and influencers out there make the strategies, the middle tier marketers take them and run with them, and a lot of people mimic them without understanding. That's why you get people making infographics that just don't do anything for them.

To get the most out of a graphic, you have to understand why it's valuable and what goes on behind the scenes to make it succeed. If you've tried and failed, here are the likely reasons why.

1. You didn't have content that accompanies your graphic.

It's always a good idea to include an article written around your graphic. Use it to dig deeper into the details. Link to sources, and most importantly, make an indexable version of the content for Google search.

2. You didn't invest in a compelling design.

Infographics live and die based on how easy they are to digest. A poor infographic designer will produce something that looks like a glorified PowerPoint presentation, whereas talented designers can produce anything from board game themed graphics to animated infopresentations.

3. You didn't promote it.

Believe it or not, you can't just throw a graphic to the winds and expect it to succeed. You need to put all the effort into it that you normally put into promoting any piece of content, if not more. Build links. Share it on social media. Put it in your newsletter. And make it show up everywhere you can.

Related: 18 Tips to Create Your Perfect LinkedIn Profile (Infographic)

4. You bought shady links to promote it.

Link building is important for any form of content, and graphics are no exception. However, as with content, you need legitimate links. Buying a bunch of terrible links will get you a terrible link profile, and none of it will funnel in traffic or benefit your search ranking. Earn your links naturally.

5. You didn't send the graphic to industry influencers.

Influencer marketing is the next big thing, and graphics tend to be very easy to digest, compelling content. Sending a good infographic to an influencer has a high chance of hooking them and getting them to share it, which is a huge benefit to you.

Related: What the Color of Your Logo Says About Your Company (Infographic)

6. You didn't run an ad campaign for it.

Part of any good promotional engine is a paid ad campaign. Some Facebook ads can go a long way towards boosting the visibility and viral potential of a good infographic. On the other hand, paid ads won't save a graphic that isn't hooking your readers.

7. Your graphic wasn't interesting or useful.

Sometimes graphics fail simply because the topic is too broad, too boring or too niche for most people. Sometimes they fail because the information is too detailed and overwhelms the audience. Sometimes they fail simply because they're just not interesting to read. Unfortunately, this one is difficult to admit.

Related: The Incredible Way Your Brain 'Sees' a Logo (Infographic)

8. You didn't include social sharing buttons.

Infographics are the prime type of content for social media because they are visual and easy to quickly digest. Leaving out social media sharing buttons on your graphic page is a huge mistake.

9. You didn't include an embed code.

If someone else wants to embed your graphic and blog about it, you need to do them the favor of providing an easy embed code. If you don't, they'll have to either direct link, which is generally not recommended online, or host the image themselves, which could be construed as theft. Plus, by providing an embed code, you can automatically include a brief description and even a link back to your site. This way you get more value out of your infographic.

If you're hitting any of these items, it's time to take a step back. Analyze why your graphic is failing, and make a plan to solve the issue.