What are Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)?
Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) is an open-source HTML framework created by Google for creating stripped-down, fast-loading versions of web pages optimized for mobile devices. As stated by Google, AMP is not a ranking factor.
How AMP Works
AMP works by using a simplified and streamlined version of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, specifically designed for faster performance. Here’s how AMP achieves its speed:
- Simplified HTML AMP HTML is a restricted version of standard HTML, which eliminates certain tags and functionality that can slow down page load times.
- Limited JavaScript Only asynchronous JavaScript is allowed in AMP pages, preventing any JavaScript from blocking the rendering of the page.
- Optimized CSS AMP requires inline CSS, which must be less than 50KB in size. This ensures that stylesheets do not delay page rendering.
The AMP Cache
A unique aspect of AMP involves caching, specifically the AMP Cache. Major platforms that use AMP, like Google, Bing, and Twitter, utilize an AMP Cache – a proxy-based content delivery network (CDN) that caches AMP documents and makes them load faster. When these platforms link to an AMP page, they often link to the version on the AMP Cache.
Benefits of the AMP Cache
- Faster Load Times By serving cached versions of AMP pages, the AMP Cache significantly reduces load times, improving user experience.
- Improved Performance Cached pages are pre-rendered and delivered from servers closer to the user, enhancing overall performance.
Advantages of Using AMP
- Enhanced User Experience Faster loading times lead to lower bounce rates and higher engagement on mobile devices.
- Improved Mobile SEO While AMP is not a direct ranking factor, faster page loads and improved user experience can positively affect your mobile search rankings.
- Better Ad Performance AMP pages often see better ad viewability rates due to faster load times and optimized content delivery.
Implementing AMP
To implement AMP, you need to create a separate AMP version of your web pages. Here are the basic steps:
- Create AMP HTML Use the AMP HTML specification to create a simplified version of your existing HTML.
- Add AMP Components Replace standard HTML tags with AMP-specific components that are optimized for performance.
- Validate Your AMP Pages Use the AMP Validator to ensure your pages meet AMP standards.
- Publish and Test Publish your AMP pages and test them using tools like Google Search Console to monitor their performance and indexing.
For more detailed information on AMP and how to implement it, refer to authoritative sources such as the AMP Project and Google's AMP Guide.
By understanding and implementing AMP, you can significantly enhance the performance of your mobile web pages, providing a better experience for your users and potentially improving your search rankings.
