Google AMP: Accelerated Mobile Pages what are they for?

In the modern digital landscape, the speed at which web pages load has become a crucial factor in the success of any site, especially considering that most searches and browsing now take place from mobile devices.

Against this backdrop, Google launched the AMP project, which stands for Accelerated Mobile Pages, in 2015 with the aim of revolutionizing the mobile user experience and solving the major issues related to loading times.

What are Google AMPs

Google AMPs are web pages specially designed to load extremely fast on smartphones and tablets.

It is an open source framework developed by Google in collaboration with other major players in the technology industry, such as Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn.

The idea behind it is simple: simplify the HTML code and limit the use of JavaScript and CSS, so that pages are lighter and easier to use even under slow connection conditions.

At a technical level, an AMP page is based on three main components:

AMP HTML: a simplified version of traditional HTML that eliminates heavy and unnecessary elements.
AMP JS: an optimized JavaScript library that handles asynchronous loading of page elements, avoiding blockages and slowdowns.
AMP Cache: a content distribution network managed by Google, which stores AMP pages and distributes them to users instantly.

How AMP pages work

AMP pages are designed to provide users with fast, smooth and responsive browsing from any mobile device.

When a site implements AMP, pages load almost instantly through a combination of optimized code and advanced caching on Google’s servers.

This means that when clicking on an AMP result in Google’s SERP, the page opens immediately, without the typical delays due to heavy scripts, unoptimized images or invasive advertising.

AMPs are easily recognized in mobile search results by the lightning bolt icon and the words “AMP.”

Google, in fact, tends to give more visibility to these pages, often placing them in the carousels of top stories or in prime positions of the mobile SERP, especially for editorial content and blogs.

What Google AMP is for

The main purpose of Google AMP is to improve the mobile browsing experience by dramatically reducing loading time and data consumption.

This translates into a number of concrete benefits for both users and website owners:

1. Superior user experience

AMPs allow users to quickly access the information they want, without waiting or slowing down.

In an age of diminishing attention spans, even a few seconds of waiting can result in abandonment of a page. According to Google, 40 percent of users abandon a site that takes more than three seconds to load.

2. Improved ranking and organic traffic

AMP pages, due to their speed, can achieve higher visibility in mobile search results.

Although today the direct ranking advantage has been scaled back in favor of broader criteria such as Core Web Vitals, speed of loading remains an important factor in SEO and user satisfaction.

3. Reduction of data consumption

AMPs are designed to be very lightweight: on average, they load four times faster and consume up to ten times less data than standard pages.

This is especially beneficial for users who surf with limited or expensive mobile connections.

4. Increased accessibility and dissemination of content

The AMP framework has been adopted by millions of sites worldwide, including large publishers, e-commerce platforms, blogs and news sites.

This has made content more accessible and easy to share, promoting information dissemination and user participation.

5. Simplicity of implementation

Although it requires some technical skills, implementing AMP is relatively easy thanks to the official documentation and the many plugins available for CMSs such as WordPress.

Developers only need to follow some specific guidelines to create compatible pages, using approved HTML tags such as .

When and why to use AMP pages

Google AMP is particularly suitable for sites that aim for a strong mobile presence, such as:

News outlets and blogs that want to offer real-time news.
Recipe, travel, entertainment and information sites that wish to increase visibility in mobile searches.
Landing pages and landing pages that must convince the user in seconds.

However, AMP is not always the ideal solution for all types of sites.

For example, for complex e-commerce or portals that require a lot of advanced functionality, the rigidity of the AMP framework can be a limitation.

Therefore, it is important to carefully evaluate costs, benefits, and goals before adopting this technology.

The limitations of Google AMP

Despite its many advantages, AMP also has some critical issues:

Functional limitations: some advanced JavaScript features or graphical customizations may not be supported.
Advertising management: support for advertisements is more limited than for traditional pages.
Development effort: for already complex sites, implementation may require significant adaptive work.

How AMP pages affect my Google ranking

Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMPs) influence Google rankings in an indirect but significant way, especially with regard to mobile SEO.

AMP is not a direct ranking factor-Google has stated several times that the implementation of AMP, by itself, does not automatically guarantee an improvement in SERP positions.

However, AMP can lead to several benefits that positively affect the factors Google considers for ranking.

Loading speed and user experience

One of the main advantages of AMP pages is their loading speed: AMP pages load in less than a second and consume much less data than non-AMP versions.

Speed is a ranking factor recognized by Google, especially since the “Speed Update” algorithm was introduced that penalizes slow sites in mobile search.

A faster page improves the user experience, reduces the abandonment rate and increases dwell time on the site, all positive signs that Google can interpret as indicators of quality.

Increased visibility and CTR

AMP pages are often highlighted in mobile search results with a lightning bolt icon and, in some cases, can access advanced features such as the news carousel, larger images, and the “Swipe to visit” feature on Google Images.

This graphical and functional appearance can increase the click-through rate (CTR) on your pages, bringing in more organic traffic and, as a result, positively affecting your ranking.

Improved Core Web Vitals Metrics

Recent studies show that AMP pages perform better in Core Web Vitals metrics such as Largest Contentful Paint, First Input Delay and Cumulative Layout Shift, which are increasingly important factors for Page Experience and Google ranking.

A faster, more stable site with a good user experience is more likely to rank better than slower or unstable sites.

Increased engagement and conversions

Implementing AMP can lead to higher user engagement: lower bounce rates, longer sessions and higher conversion rates.

These engagement signals are evaluated by Google to determine the quality of a page and can help improve its position in search results.

Conclusions

Google AMP has been a breakthrough in optimizing web pages for mobile devices, offering an effective solution for improving loading speed and user experience.

Although their direct impact on ranking is less pronounced today than in the past, they remain a valuable tool for all those sites that aim to capture mobile audiences and provide quick and easy access to information.

The choice to adopt AMP must be evaluated based on the type of site, business goals, and available resources, but the underlying principle remains valid: speed is (and will remain) one of the fundamental pillars of the modern Web.

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Google AMP: what Accelerated Mobile Pages are for.