How AMP Improving Website Speed and Google SEO

Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) is an open-source framework designed to make web pages load faster on mobile devices.

The primary goal of AMP is to improve the speed and performance of web pages, which can significantly enhance the user experience. When a website is optimized for speed using AMP, it has a better chance of ranking higher in Google search results, leading to improved SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

What is AMP?

AMP was introduced by Google in 2015 as a way to create web pages that load quickly, especially on mobile devices. The AMP framework strips down a web page to its essentials by restricting the use of certain JavaScript and CSS elements that can slow down loading times.

By using this, AMP pages load almost instantly, providing a seamless experience for users.

AMP pages are built using three main components:

1. AMP HTML: This is a subset of regular HTML, with some restrictions and extra features to ensure reliable performance.
2. AMP JavaScript: This manages the loading of resources to ensure that the page loads quickly and in the right order.
3. AMP Cache: This is a proxy-based content delivery network (CDN) that serves AMP pages quickly by caching them.

How AMP Improves Website Speed

1. Reduced Complexity:
   AMP HTML is a simplified version of HTML. It limits the use of external scripts and certain HTML tags that can slow down page loading. This simplification means that AMP pages contain only the essential elements required to display content.
2. Asynchronous Loading:
   AMP JavaScript ensures that all elements on the page load asynchronously. This means that no element (like an image or ad) can block the page from rendering. As a result, the page appears to load almost instantly from the user’s perspective.
3. Prioritized Content:
   AMP pages prioritize content that is most important for users. For example, the text and images in the main content area load first, while less important elements like ads or additional scripts load later.
4. Pre-rendering:
   When AMP pages are delivered through the AMP Cache, Google can pre-render them. This means that when a user clicks on a link in Google search results, the page appears almost instantly because it was already partially loaded in the background.
5. Lazy Loading:
   AMP supports lazy loading of images. This means that images only load when they are about to appear on the screen, which reduces the initial load time of the page.

How AMP Improves Google SEO

Website speed is a significant ranking factor for Google. Faster websites provide a better user experience, which Google values. Here’s how AMP can improve your site’s Google SEO:

1. Improved Mobile Experience:
   Since AMP is designed specifically for mobile, it ensures that your site provides a smooth and fast experience for mobile users. With more than half of global web traffic coming from mobile devices, optimizing for mobile is crucial for good SEO. Google favors mobile-friendly pages, especially since the implementation of the mobile-first indexing in 2018.
2. Lower Bounce Rates:
   Pages that load slowly often cause users to leave before the page fully loads, resulting in high bounce rates. Since AMP pages load quickly, users are more likely to stay on the page, explore further, and engage with your content. Lower bounce rates signal to Google that your site is providing a good user experience, which can improve your rankings.
3. Higher Click-Through Rates (CTR):
   AMP pages are often featured in Google’s Top Stories carousel, which appears prominently in search results. Being featured here can significantly increase your page’s visibility and CTR. Higher CTR is another positive signal to Google that can boost your Google SEO.
4. Better Core Web Vitals:
   Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics that Google uses to measure user experience. They focus on loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability. Since AMP pages are optimized for speed and performance, they often score well on Core Web Vitals, which positively impacts Google SEO.
5. Enhanced Page Experience Signals:
   In addition to Core Web Vitals, Google considers other page experience signals like mobile-friendliness, safe browsing, HTTPS, and intrusive interstitials. AMP helps improve these signals by providing a mobile-optimized and secure experience.

Example: Impact of AMP on a Blog Website

Let’s take an example of a blog that publishes news articles on technology. The website had been struggling with slow loading times on mobile devices, which led to high bounce rates and low engagement.

Before AMP:

• The average page load time was 6 seconds.
• The bounce rate was 70%.
• The website ranked on the second or third page for most keywords.

After Implementing AMP:

• The average page load time dropped to 1.5 seconds.
• The bounce rate decreased to 30%.
• The website started ranking on the first page for several important keywords.

The quick loading times and improved user experience led to more visitors staying on the site, reading multiple articles, and sharing content on social media. Over time, this resulted in higher rankings in Google search, leading to a significant increase in organic traffic.

The Drawbacks of AMP

While AMP has many benefits, it’s important to consider some potential drawbacks:

1. Restricted Design and Functionality:
   Since AMP imposes restrictions on certain HTML and JavaScript elements, you might not be able to implement certain design features or interactive elements on AMP pages. This could limit the creative and functional aspects of your website.
2. Dependence on Google:
   AMP relies heavily on Google’s infrastructure, especially the AMP Cache. This means you’re somewhat dependent on Google’s ecosystem, which may not align with your long-term strategy.
3. Implementation Complexity:
   Implementing AMP can be complex, especially for large websites with custom designs. You may need to create and maintain two versions of your website—one for AMP and one for non-AMP pages.
4. Analytics and Tracking:
   Since AMP uses a different structure, integrating analytics and tracking can be more complicated. You may need to adjust your analytics setup to accurately track user behavior on AMP pages.

AMP and Non-AMP: A Balanced Approach

Given the pros and cons, a balanced approach might work best for many websites. You don’t have to convert your entire website to AMP. Instead, you can create AMP versions for key pages, like articles, blog posts, or landing pages, where speed is crucial.

For example, news websites often use AMP for their article pages but retain a non-AMP version for their homepage and other interactive sections. This allows them to benefit from the speed and SEO advantages of AMP without compromising on design or functionality.

Tools for Implementing AMP

There are several tools and resources available to help you implement AMP on your website:

1. AMP Plugins:
   If you use a content management system (CMS) like WordPress, there are AMP plugins available that can automatically create AMP versions of your pages. The official AMP plugin for WordPress is a popular choice. For download click here
2. AMP Validator:
   Google provides an AMP Validator tool that checks your AMP pages for compliance with AMP standards. This ensures that your pages are properly optimized and will perform well in search results. For check validation click here
3. Google Search Console:
   Google Search Console can help you monitor the performance of your AMP pages. It provides insights into how your AMP pages are performing in search results and highlights any issues that need attention. For check amp in google search console click here

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