The infographic that looks great in the design file has eleven words of 18-point text on it. On the phone it is eleven gray smudges next to a bottle. The shopper swipes.
Our infographic images guide covers the design: composition, hierarchy, when to use one. This is the copy side, which is where most infographics fail, because the words are written for a desktop mockup and read on a phone. So this post starts with the physics, then gives twenty headline and callout patterns that fit inside it, then shows how to assemble one image from them without saying anything Amazon will reject.
Evolve Media Agency designs listing images and A+ content, so we have an interest in you deciding your infographics need rewriting. The legibility figures below are our studio rules from testing images at phone width; they are not Amazon specifications, which set image dimensions and content rules but say nothing about type size. Examples use Bear Basics, the brand I own, and generic products.
Why Infographic Copy Is A Physics Problem First
An Amazon listing image is uploaded at 2,000 pixels square or more. On a phone in portrait, the carousel shows it at roughly 360 pixels wide, sometimes less. That is a reduction of about 5.5 times. Type that is 40 pixels tall in the file is 7 pixels tall on the phone, which is below the size anyone reads without zooming, and nobody zooms an infographic.
So the amount of copy an infographic can carry is fixed by the phone before the writer opens a document, and it is small: one headline the eye lands on, up to three supporting lines, and a product photograph doing the rest. Every formula in this post is written to that budget. A formula that needs a fourth line or a second sentence is a bullet point, and belongs in the bullets.
Infographic copy. The words placed on a listing image: a headline and up to three callouts, each stating a fact that appears on the packaging, in the specs or in a certification the brand holds. It is read at phone width in about two seconds, so it is written in fragments rather than sentences, sized for legibility at 360 pixels, and held to Amazon's claims rules, which apply to text in images exactly as they apply to text in bullets.
The Legibility Rules At 360px
| Element | Our Rule (2,000px Square Image) | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Headline | 2-5 words; cap height at least 5% of image height (100px on 2,000px); one line | Renders at about 18px on a 360px phone, the floor for a glance read |
| Callouts | Max three; 5-7 words each; cap height at least 3.5% (70px); one line each | Renders at about 13px; readable, and three is the most a two-second scan holds |
| Contrast | Dark on light or light on dark; never text over a busy photo without a solid or blurred panel behind it | Compression and small size kill mid-contrast text first |
| Weight | Semibold or bold sans-serif for headline and callouts; no thin weights, no script, no condensed | Thin strokes disappear at 13px |
| Case | Sentence case or title case; caps only for a headline of three words or fewer | All-caps callouts are slower to read at small size and read as shouting |
| Numbers | Digits, never words; units abbreviated (oz, in, hrs) | "5" reads at a glance; "five" does not |
| Safe area | Nothing within 5% of any edge; product fills 50-65% of frame with copy in the remaining space | Carousel crops and thumbnails clip edges |
| Test | Export at 360px wide and read it on a phone at arm's length before approving | The only test that matches the shopper |
The last row is the one that ends arguments. A designer who is proud of a layout and a founder who wants more words both change their minds looking at the 360-pixel export on a phone. Make it the approval step. The mobile conversion guide covers why the phone is the only screen that matters for most categories.
Formulas 1-4: Numbers And Facts
| # | Formula | Example | Budget | Compliance Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Number + noun. A count the packaging states. | "5 ingredients" / "24 servings" / "3 sizes" | Headline, 2-3 words | Safe if the number is on the label |
| 2 | Spec + what it means. The number, then the plain consequence. | "9 watts. Runs 30 hrs on one charge." / "2 oz tin. Fits a coat pocket." | Callout, 5-7 words | The consequence must follow from the spec, never a claim about results |
| 3 | Quantity per use. Servings, applications, uses per pack. | "About 60 applications per tin" / "Makes 40 cups" | Callout, 4-6 words | "About" is honest and keeps it from reading as a guarantee |
| 4 | Rated / tested spec. A measured figure with its unit and, where relevant, the standard. | "Rated 500 hrs" / "Holds 20 lb" / "Tested to IP67" | Callout, 3-5 words | Only figures you can document; "rated" and "tested" imply a source you hold |
Numbers are the highest-value words on an infographic because they read instantly and they are verifiable. The rule is that every number came from somewhere you can point to: the label, the spec sheet, a test report. A number you made up is the fastest way to a suppressed listing and a reviewer with a ruler.
Formulas 5-8: The Objection Flip Family
The same technique that runs through the A+ teardowns earlier in this series: name the fear a shopper has about the category and deny it with a fact. It works on infographics because a denial is short and a fact is verifiable.
| # | Formula | Example | Budget | Compliance Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | "No" + the thing the category is known for. | "No fragrance. No added scent." / "No assembly. Open the box." | Headline, 2-4 words | Safe when it describes composition or process; "no chemicals" is a rejected claim because everything is chemicals |
| 6 | The specific worry, answered. Quote the review complaint, then the fact. | "Greasy? Absorbs in about a minute." / "Leaks? Silicone gasket, tested." | Callout, 5-7 words | The answer must be a feature or a test, never an outcome ("never leaks") |
| 7 | "Without" + the trade-off. | "Grip without the bulk" / "Warmth without the weight" | Headline, 3-4 words | Stays safe when both halves are physical properties |
| 8 | "What it is not". The category confusion, cleared. | "Not a lotion. A balm." / "Not a cover. A full case." | Headline, 3-5 words | Safe; describes your product rather than a competitor |
Formula 6 is the one worth the most work, because the worry comes straight out of competitor one-star reviews and the shopper recognizes it as their own. Section 10 covers mining them. The line between a feature and an outcome is the whole compliance question here: "silicone gasket, tested" is a feature; "never leaks" is a promise, and Amazon treats promises as claims.
Formulas 9-12: Who, What, Where
| # | Formula | Example | Budget | Compliance Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | "For" + the audience. Who this is made for, stated plainly. | "For sensitive skin" / "For dogs over 50 lb" / "For 4-6 year olds" | Headline, 3-5 words | Age and weight ranges must match the listing attributes; "for eczema" is a medical claim and is rejected |
| 10 | Made of. The material or the full ingredient list, as words. | "Tallow, olive oil, beeswax" / "Full-grain leather, brass hardware" | Callout, 3-7 words | Safe; match the label exactly, including order |
| 11 | Made how. The process, in one verb phrase. | "Hand-poured in small batches" / "Cold-pressed" / "Kiln-dried" | Callout, 2-5 words | Safe when literally true; "artisan" and "premium" are adjectives rather than processes, and add nothing |
| 12 | Made where. Origin, when you can state it. | "Made in Colorado" / "Assembled in USA from global parts" | Callout, 2-6 words | Origin claims are regulated; "Made in USA" has a specific legal standard, and "assembled in" is the safe form when parts are imported |
These four are the trust layer, and they cost nothing because they are already on the packaging. Formula 10 in particular is the shot beauty and food brands under-use: an ingredient list that fits in one callout is a purity statement without a single claim word.
Formulas 13-16: Size, Fit, Contents, Care
| # | Formula | Example | Budget | Compliance Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Size in plain units, plus a reference. | "2 in x 2 in. Smaller than a deck of cards." / "10 in skillet. Two eggs, side by side." | Callout, 5-8 words, on the scale shot | Safe; the reference object must be visible in the photo |
| 14 | Fits + the thing. | "Fits cup holders" / "Fits phones to 6.7 in" / "Fits standard 3-ring binders" | Callout, 2-5 words | Generic fits are safe; naming another brand's product is a third-party reference and is rejected in A+ and risky on images |
| 15 | What's included, as a count. | "1 tin, 1 travel tin" / "Drill, 2 batteries, charger, case" | Callout on the flat-lay shot; each item 1-3 words | Safe; must match the listing's "what's in the box" exactly |
| 16 | Care instruction. The one thing a buyer needs to not ruin it. | "Dishwasher safe" / "Hand wash only" / "Oven safe to 500 F" | Callout, 2-5 words | Safe when it matches the manual; it also cuts "broke after one wash" reviews |
Formula 13 is the copy for the scale shot every shot list carries, and the reference object does the work the number cannot: nobody visualizes two inches, everyone knows a deck of cards. Formula 16 is the callout that prevents reviews rather than earns clicks, which is a reason to use it anyway.
Formulas 17-20: Questions, Single Words, Steps, Comparisons
| # | Formula | Example | Budget | Compliance Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | The question the shopper is asking, as the headline, answered by the callouts. | "Will it fit?" then three fit callouts / "What's inside?" then the ingredient callout | Headline, 2-4 words | Safe; the answers must be facts |
| 18 | The single word. One attribute, alone, huge. | "Unscented." / "Stainless." / "Refillable." | Headline, 1 word, set at 8-10% of image height | Safe when the word is a fact; "Best." is a claim |
| 19 | The process step. Numbered, three steps maximum, one verb each. | "1 Scoop. 2 Warm. 3 Apply." / "1 Fill. 2 Twist. 3 Pour." | Three callouts of 1-3 words, numbered | Safe; it is instruction, and it answers "how do I use it" |
| 20 | The comparison across your own products. A three-column mini chart on one image. | "2 oz / 4 oz / 8 oz" with one row: "Travel / Daily / Family" | Three column heads plus one row; 1-2 words per cell | Safe when every column is your ASIN; never a competitor column |
Formula 18 is the one designers love and founders resist, because it "wastes" the image on one word. It does not. A single word at 10% of the frame is the only text on the carousel that reads at thumbnail size, which means it reads in search results too. Use it on the image that answers the category's first doubt.
Building One Image: Headline Plus Three
An infographic is one headline formula and up to three callout formulas, chosen so they answer one doubt together. Here is the assembly for a benefit image on a tallow balm, and the same structure on a cookware piece.
Two rules for assembly. Every line on the image answers the same doubt; a callout about care on the "is it clean" image dilutes both. And the photo carries the proof: the reference object, the ingredients as objects, the eggs in the pan. Copy that describes what the photo shows is redundant; copy that names what the photo cannot show (the ingredient list, the temperature rating) is the job. The image stack guide covers which doubt goes on which image.
The Claims Line: What Gets An Image Pulled
Amazon reviews text in images against the same content rules as bullets and A+, and a listing can be suppressed for a claim in a picture. The line between the twenty formulas above and a rejection is consistent:
| Passes | Rejected Or Risky | The Difference |
|---|---|---|
| "Absorbs in about a minute" | "Heals dry skin" | Observable property vs medical outcome |
| "Tallow, olive oil, beeswax" | "All natural" / "Non-toxic" / "Chemical-free" | The list vs an unverifiable summary of the list |
| "Rated 500 hrs" | "Lasts 3x longer" | Your spec vs a comparison to an unnamed competitor |
| "Silicone gasket, tested" | "100% leakproof, guaranteed" | Feature vs guarantee; guarantees are prohibited |
| "Certified compostable, ASTM D6400" | "Eco-friendly" / "Sustainable" | Named standard vs environmental adjective |
| "Fits phones to 6.7 in" | "Fits [brand] Pro Max" | Generic dimension vs third-party brand |
| "For sensitive skin" | "Dermatologist recommended" (without the endorsement on file) | Audience vs unverifiable endorsement |
| "2 oz tin" | "#1 tallow balm" / "Best seller" / "Amazon's Choice" | Fact vs rank, superlative, or Amazon's own mark |
Two categories deserve extra care. Supplements and skincare cannot make structure-function or medical claims in images any more than in text, and the supplements playbook covers the exact wording that survives. And any product with a regulated origin, safety or environmental claim (Made in USA, non-toxic, biodegradable) needs the legal standard rather than the adjective. The formulas that always pass are the ones that state what the product is, contains, measures, fits, or is made of.
Where The Copy Comes From: Reviews
The best infographic line is a review complaint, flipped. Pull the one- and two-star reviews of the top five competing ASINs, group the complaints, and write each of the top three as formula 6 (the worry, answered) or formula 5 ("no" plus the thing). The shopper reads a worry they have and a fact that answers it, in their own vocabulary.
The last line is the counterweight. Review mining finds the doubts; it does not manufacture answers. A balm that is greasy should not carry "absorbs in about a minute," because the review that proves it wrong will be on the listing within a month. The review mining guide covers the method; the copy only works when the product does.
The Ecom Profit Box
Our library of ecommerce growth guides, including the listing image and copy frameworks behind these formulas.
Get It FreeGet Your Infographic Copy Rewritten
Send your listing. We will export every infographic at 360px, mark what is unreadable and what is a claim, and rewrite the copy to the formulas that pass.
Book A CallFive Copy Mistakes We Fix Most
- Six callouts with icons. The 2019 infographic: a product in the middle, six benefits around it with check marks. At 360px it is six smudges. Cut to three, drop the icons (they cost space and add nothing at small size), and put the other three on a second image if they earn it.
- Adjectives instead of facts. "Premium quality," "ultra-soft," "long-lasting," "professional grade." None of them is a fact, none of them reads at 13px, and two of them are claims. Replace each with the number or material that made you write it.
- Copy that repeats the photo. "Open tin with lid" next to a photo of an open tin with a lid. The copy's job is what the photo cannot show.
- The same headline on every image. Brand name or product name as the headline on all seven images. The shopper knows what they clicked. Each image gets one doubt and one headline that names it.
- Writing for the design file. Copy approved on a 27-inch monitor at full size. The fix is procedural: nobody approves an infographic until they have read the 360-pixel export on a phone.
The Infographic Copy Checklist
The counterweight, since we sell the design: a founder with this list, a product photo and a free design tool can write and lay out compliant infographic copy in an afternoon, and the 360-pixel test will tell them if it worked. Where a studio earns its fee is in the photography the copy sits on and in the judgment about which doubt each image should carry; the words themselves are twenty patterns, and they are all above. The graphic design service page has what it costs if you would rather hand it off.
One doubt, one headline, three facts, tested at 360 pixels. Everything else on an infographic is decoration the phone cannot render.
What To Remember
- Infographic copy is read at about 360 pixels wide, a 5.5x reduction from the file, which fixes the budget at one headline of two to five words and at most three callouts of five to seven words.
- Type sizes are physical rules: headline cap height at 5% or more of image height, callouts at 3.5% or more, bold sans-serif, high contrast on a panel, digits rather than words.
- The twenty formulas are all facts: counts, specs, ingredients, process, origin, size with a reference object, fit, contents, care, questions, single words, steps and comparisons across your own products.
- The objection flip (name the worry, answer with a feature) is the highest-value formula, and the worries come from competitor one-star reviews.
- The claims line is feature versus outcome: "absorbs in about a minute" passes, "heals dry skin" does not; the ingredient list passes, "all natural" does not; a named standard passes, an environmental adjective does not.
- Each image answers one doubt, the photo carries the proof, and copy describes only what the photo cannot show.
- Nobody approves an infographic until they have read the 360-pixel export on a phone; it is the only test that matches the shopper.
Where This Came From
- Amazon Seller Central, product image requirements and the content and claims policies that apply to text in images (login required; cited by name). Amazon specifies dimensions and prohibited content; it does not specify type sizes.
- Evolve Media Agency listing image production, 2017-2026, including phone-width legibility testing across client categories and Bear Basics Co. listings. First-party; the legibility rules, the twenty formulas, the claims table and the five mistakes are ours.
- Inference note: the "about 360 pixels" rendering width is typical of portrait phone carousels and varies by device and app version; the 5% and 3.5% type rules are calibrated to it and should be re-tested if the width changes.