Infographics generate 3x more shares than any other content type according to HubSpot’s analysis of 175,000 B2B blog posts. But most WordPress infographics I audit are invisible to Google because they are uploaded as unoptimized PNGs with no alt text and no crawlable content. Strong infographic SEO starts with the image file and extends to the HTML surrounding it.
Here are seven ways I optimize every infographic for search on WordPress.
1. Write Descriptive Alt Text
Google cannot read text inside an image. The alt attribute is your only way to tell search engines what the infographic covers. I describe the topic and key takeaway in 125 characters or fewer. “Infographic showing 6 steps to reduce WordPress page load time by 40%” beats “infographic” or “image1” every time.
2. Compress and Convert to WebP or AVIF
A typical infographic PNG weighs 1-5 MB. That destroys page speed, and Google uses Core Web Vitals as a ranking signal. I convert every infographic to WebP or AVIF before uploading to WordPress. ShortPixel or Squoosh handles this in seconds, and my target is under 300 KB for a full-width infographic. For a deeper breakdown, see my guide on blog image best practices.
3. Add the Full Text Below the Image
The single most overlooked infographic SEO technique. I include the full text of every infographic as HTML below the image in an accordion block or “Text Version” section. Google gets crawlable content to index and the page gains keyword-rich copy.
4. Enable Lazy Loading
WordPress 5.5+ adds native lazy loading to images by default. Confirm it is active by checking for loading="lazy" in the rendered HTML. If your infographic sits below the fold, lazy loading prevents it from blocking the initial page render. For above-the-fold placement, remove lazy loading so the image loads immediately.
5. Use a Keyword-Rich File Name
Rename the file before uploading. wordpress-speed-optimization-infographic.webp carries more SEO weight than infographic-final-v2.png. WordPress uses the file name to generate the default image URL, and that URL is a ranking signal for Google Image Search.
6. Add Structured Data for the Image
Use the ImageObject schema type to mark up your infographic. I add the author, publish date, description, and content URL. RankMath and Yoast insert basic image schema automatically, but I verify the output in Google’s Rich Results Test to confirm the infographic-specific fields are populated.
7. Build an Embed Code for Backlinks
Backlinks are the engine behind infographic SEO. I place an embed code snippet below every infographic so other sites can share it with a link back to the original post. The embed code includes an tag pointing to the source URL. Every share becomes a backlink. For more on how links drive rankings, read my post on SEO link value.
Do infographics still help SEO in 2025?
Yes. Venngage’s 2024 report found that 56% of marketers who publish infographics say they are their most effective content type. The backlink potential alone makes them worth the investment.
Should I host infographics on my own domain or use a third-party platform?
Always host on your own WordPress site first. Third-party platforms get the domain authority from the image, not you. Publish the original on your site, then share outward.
What is the best WordPress plugin for creating infographics?
I use Canva for design and upload the finished image to WordPress directly. The key is compressing the final output before it hits your media library.
Ready to get your infographics ranking? Get in touch and I will audit your image SEO in the first session.