What is Google AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) and Do You Need it for SEO?

Google AMP, also known as Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP), has been one of the surest hacks among website owners to improve their website speed, which also helps in improving their ranking on the Google Search Engine Result Page (SERP). The truth is AMP is not a ranking factor. Speed is. And you don’t need to switch your website to AMP technology before your website can rank excellently well on search engines.

Mason Pelt in one of his articles on Hackernoon, mentioned Google Will Stop Tying Search Ranking to Accelerated Mobile Pages In 2021. And we are currently in 2022, you may need clarification to your curiosity.

According to Google Developer Blog, in an article on Understand how AMP looks in search results,

“Google Search indexes AMP pages to provide a fast, reliable web experience. When an AMP page is available, it can be featured on mobile search as part of rich results and carousels***. While AMP itself isn't a ranking factor, speed is a ranking factor for Google Search.*** Google Search applies the same standard to all pages, regardless of the technology used to build the page. For more information on the benefits of using AMP, see the AMP Project success stories.”

Truth is, I can’t even say AMP has ever been a ranking factor on Google. But then, let me do you the honor to walk you through how the AMP project works, and with this, you can decide if it is something you need.

Let's get a little techy. I mean, let's code.

Generally, for every sweet thing you see on a website page, it results from different lines of code, including HTML, CSS, and other codes.

A code to design a simple page without many elements is much shorter than that of the one with many features. And as a rule of thumb, there is always a fee to pay for everything. In the case of designing a beautiful and elegant website, let's say Hackernoon, the price isn't just about the cost you will pay your website developer, but also affects your website speed. Well, this isn't so much if humans are patient enough to calculate speed with seconds, but I am sorry to burst your bubble that we now use millisecond.

As a simple saying goes, “no time”.

Take a simple look at the CSS code up there. The code is primarily for only a submit button. The first one is very straightforward, and the expected result is very simple compared to the one in image B. If I ask you which of two you prefer, 80% will most likely pick B.

But creating the codes for B is more difficult, which might require your coder to charge you more. The truth is you will also pay in terms of website speed. And while this is just one aspect, for every motion and not too out of the ordinary feature on your website, the longer it will take for your website to load. So, the request is, how do you solve this? Well, Google AMP in 2015 reportedly came to your rescue.

How does Google AMP Work?

Google's AMP Cache is a proxy-based delivery network that distributes all valid AMP documents. It submits AMP HTML pages, then caches them, and then automatically improves your site's performance. If this AMP cache is used, it retrieves the document with all its JS files and images from the same source using HTTP 2.0 for maximum efficiency. An authentication system is included with the cache system to verify that the site runs independently of external sources. In addition, the validation system checks the class checklist to verify that the page label meets the AMP HTML specifications.

What does this jargon mean? Simply say after your web developer has elegantly designed your website, Google AMP suppresses some of these features and, in return, helps your website load faster. This includes HTML, CSS, and other “not so important codes” which in return improves your site's speed performance.

However, to ensure you still enjoy the beautiful features your website developer incorporates into your website, Google gives you the option to display the AMP page to only people who visit your website through their search engine or for everyone who comes to your website. Whichever you prefer, boss.

Factors you must consider before Using Google AMP

But before you go ahead and use Google AMP, there are simple things I should whistle into your ear, but that is only if you give me a chance. So how do we start?

AMP can make your website less attractive. Now don't get me wrong, I do not intend to say the AMP pages aren't beautiful. There are about 5 themes you can use for your AMP page in the WordPress version. But trust me, the experience isn't the same. Some essential features like the comment box were disabled, and your brand logo will be larger.

Furthermore, many businesses complain of a low conversion rate, as the AMP disables some special elements that will help visitors explore your website. AMP only concentrates on that particular page.

Also, you must note that AMP also has other special features like its unique URL, which means you need to spend extra time or resources to configure Google Analytics to track your AMP content. Also, if people backlink to your amp article, the link juice might not automatically apply to that page authority. You can read my article on SEO URL structuring here. WordPress users can easily simplify this with some plugins, but we all know these plugins are a headache on their own.

Does that mean you are out of options?

Well, when Google AMP was trending, many SEO gurus made it seem like you are under the gun and you have no option but to use this feature. Of course, Google uses speed as one of the primary factors to rank a website on search engines, but that doesn't mean that is the only determining factor. And while Google tends to favor pages with AMP, the story isn't the same again. So, if your primary reason for using AMP is because of the ranking factor, your problem has been solved.

Should you still go ahead and use AMP?

Some decisions are yours to make, and this is you understand what is the catch for you here. Also, while AMP disables some essential features on your website, some of them can still be edited. Again, though, this will be best if you use a professional as AMP is powerful enough to break down your website.

A simple take home Lesson

Google does not prioritize AMP as a ranking factor, it is more about the speed. As Mason Pelt argued, a well-designed website can be even faster than an AMP page. You can simply check out this article to learn how you can improve your WordPress website speed without using AMP.