Infographics: Accessible Design That Google Rewards

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In today’s fast-moving digital landscape, attention spans are short, and clarity is currency. That’s why infographics have become such powerful tools for communicating complex ideas quickly. But here’s what most people don’t realize: infographics aren’t just visually engaging, when designed with accessibility in mind, Google loves them.

Let’s break down why infographics matter for accessibility, SEO, and how most websites are missing the mark.

Why Accessibility in Infographics Matters

Accessibility means making your content usable by everyone, including people with visual impairments, cognitive limitations, and other disabilities. Most infographics are designed with color and style in mind, but overlook:

• Screen reader compatibility
• Color contrast and legibility
• Alt text and semantic structure
• Responsive design for all screen sizes

An infographic that looks great but can’t be interpreted by assistive technology is invisible to a segment of your audience and to search engines that prioritize usability.

What Makes an Infographic Google-Friendly?

Google has made it very clear: accessible content ranks better. That means infographics that meet accessibility standards are more likely to perform well in search. Here’s why:

• Alt Text = Context: Adding meaningful alt text helps Google understand the infographic’s content. Read More About Alt Text Here.
• Structured Data = Visibility: Schema markup can elevate how infographics appear in search results.
• Page Speed = Ranking Factor: Optimized, lightweight infographics load faster and reduce bounce rates.
• Mobile-Friendly = Essential: Infographics that scale well on mobile improve UX and meet Google’s mobile-first indexing.

In short: if your infographic is accessible, it’s also more discoverable.

Tools to Create Accessible Infographics

You don’t need to be a designer or accessibility expert to get this right. Here are some tools that help you design for both clarity and compliance:

• Canva with Accessibility Plugins: Great for beginners, supports basic alt text tagging and color contrast checks.
• Adobe Illustrator + Stark: Professional design with accessibility audit capabilities.
• Lucidchart: Excellent for data-heavy infographics with structured layering.
• Wave Evaluation Tool: For auditing your infographic in a webpage context.

And always test your final product with a screen reader like NVDA or VoiceOver.  Read about Tools To Improve Accessibility. 

What Most Websites Are Doing Wrong

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: most websites still treat infographics as visual-only assets.

• No alt text? Google can’t read it.
• Poor contrast? Many users can’t see it.
• Too large to load quickly? Users bounce.

And most importantly: no one’s checking for accessibility. Designers are focused on style. Developers are focused on placement. Marketers are focused on distribution. But no one is owning accessibility.

This disconnect costs you reach, rankings, and reputation.

Logiduck’s Approach

At Logiduck, we believe great design isn’t just beautiful, it’s inclusive.

When we build infographics or integrate them into websites, we follow an accessibility-first approach:

• We audit every visual element for contrast, clarity, and compliance.
• We write descriptive alt text that adds value to your SEO.
• We structure the page so your infographic fits into the content ecosystem—not outside of it.

 

We don’t just design for attention. We design for inclusion.

FAQ: Infographics & Accessibility

 

1. Do infographics need alt text for SEO?

Yes. Alt text helps both users with screen readers and search engines understand the content of the infographic.

2. Can screen readers interpret infographics?

Not directly. But with proper alt text, captions, and descriptions, users can access the same information.

3. How does accessibility affect Google rankings?

Google rewards accessible content with better rankings, especially when it improves user experience and reduces bounce rates.

4. What is the best tool for creating accessible infographics?

Tools like Canva, Adobe Illustrator (with plugins like Stark), and Lucidchart support accessibility best practices and allow for easy integration with alt text and responsive design.