What is AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages)?
AMP (formerly Accelerated Mobile Pages) is an open-source HTML framework that allows bloggers to create super-fast, mobile-friendly versions of their sites. AMP was short for Accelerated Mobile Pages until 2019 when Google announced that AMP was now a standalone word and no longer an acronym for Accelerated Mobile Pages.
AMP is a stripped-down version of a regular webpage. It removes many features and leaves a bland, barebones webpage. The layout is standardized, which makes most AMP pages look alike.
Google spearheaded the AMP project, which was popular back when many sites were not mobile-friendly. Instead of developing a separate mobile version of their site, a blogger could create an AMP version of their website for mobile devices.
Most sites that publish AMP pages usually have their regular non-AMP webpages running alongside their AMP pages. So, the regular website is still available for visitors who do not want AMP pages or visitors who arrive at their site through other means.
AMP first appeared on Google result pages in February 2016. However, Google dropped preferential treatment for AMP sites with the June 16 – September 2, 2021 Page Experience Update. Several other sites have also ended support or preferential treatment for AMP sites.
AMP pages have become a rarity on Google and Bing search results pages. Multiple sites and platforms have also disabled their support for AMP, so they are not as popular as they used to be.
Importance of AMP
AMP allows webpages to load faster than they usually would. This is helpful for mobile users who are often impatient and require webpages to load as fast as possible. Mobile users also notice poor page load speeds compared to desktop users.
AMP cache providers like Google, Bing, and Cloudflare host AMP pages on their servers. So, unlike regular webpages that are served from the blogger’s server, AMP webpages are served from the cache provider’s cache.
This allows the cache provider to serve the pages faster than usual. It is normal for AMP pages to load in less than a second. For comparison, a super fast webpage would require around 2.5 seconds to load, while a slower page would require way longer.
The super-fast page load speed benefits sites that support AMP as it reduces their bounce rates. AMP’s barebones structure also makes it easier to navigate. They also use up less data than regular web pages.
How AMP Works
AMP uses its custom version of HTML, JavaScript, and cache. They are called:
- AMP HTML
- AMP JavaScript
- AMP cache
These three form the major components of an AMP webpage and work together to ensure the page does not rely on any external system that may slow it down.
The AMP HTML and AMP JavaScript restrict the HTML and JavaScript code used on the AMP site. AMP JavaScript has its own custom JavaScript library, which contains logic and libraries that allow creators to create AMP pages without writing any JavaScript code.
The AMP HTML is also helpful for discovering the AMP code on the page. For example, many AMP cache providers use the <html⚡> ja <html amp> code, which appears at the beginning of the AMP code, to identify the AMP code on a webpage.
The AMP cache, for its part, is a content delivery network (CDN) that fetches and renders the AMP page. Google and Bing run some of the largest AMP caches. Once visitors request an AMP page, it is presented to them from the AMP cache.
Bing only displays these AMP pages on its mobile results pages, while Google shows it on mobile and desktop results pages.
Benefits of AMP Pages
Visitors enjoy faster load times and a more streamlined user experience when they access AMP pages, especially on mobile devices.
1 Faster Load Times
Sites that support AMP load faster than sites that do not use AMP. AMP sites load so fast that many users do not experience any delay during loading, even when their network is slow.
2 Improved Mobile Performance
AMP improves the user experience for mobile visitors. It allows their pages to load faster and removes distractions and other elements that are not crucial to the page load experience.
3 Higher Search Engine Rankings
AMP pages enjoyed higher rankings on Google search results since they loaded faster. Google also favored these pages by displaying them in areas such as Top Stories, which typically appear at the top of search results pages.
4 Low Bounce Rates
AMP pages typically have lower bounce rates than regular webpages. This is because they contain less code and use a custom cache, allowing them to load quicker than the regular webpage. They also contain fewer distractions that may overwhelm the visitor and cause them to leave the page.
Limitation of AMP Pages
AMP has several limitations that discourage sites from supporting it or is experienced by sites already supporting it. We will now briefly discuss some of them below.
1 Limited Design Flexibility
Sites that support AMP pages usually have limited design compared to a regular site. They must tone down their designs as they are restricted to whatever is available in the AMP HTML and AMP JavaScript code.
2 Dependency on Google’s AMP Cache
Google runs the largest AMP cache. This means that most sites that support AMP rely on Google to display their AMP pages. This leads to heavy dependence as sites that do not want to use Google typically have little choice.
3 Limited Use of JavaScript
AMP pages are restricted to the logic and libraries available in AMP JavaScript. This limits the amount of interactivity bloggers can apply to their AMP webpages.
4 Monetization Issues
AMP has limitations on the positioning, performance, and appearance of ads. Bloggers have limited locations on where to place their ads. They cannot use custom JavaScript, causing limited interactivity, and can only display ads from approved ad networks.
5 Limited Control Over Content
Bloggers have more limited control over their AMP content. For instance, when a blogger updates an AMP content, the content does not update immediately since it is saved to an AMP cache. Instead, it updates when the cache provider updates their cache.