What Are the Benefits of AMP Pages?

By now you’ve probably already heard that website mobile page speed plays a part in Google's search engine algorithm and how well your site ranks. If your mobile page happens to be particularly slow, you may want to look into creating an AMP version.

(Disclaimer: AMP pages are not a part of the mobile ranking criteria, but it could certainly become a deciding factor in the future as they grow more popular)

What is an AMP anyways?

AMP stands for accelerated mobile page, and it is a form of publishing technology that can assist in speeding up the performance of a website and its content.

AMP pages are basically a thinned-out version of your typical mobile page, thus making for a faster viewing experience. Graphics or buttons that are unnecessary for conveying your message are removed, making the actual written or visual content the sole focus of the page. AMP pages use a subset of typical HTML format which allow for these things to happen.

If you take a look above, you can see the small lightning bolt symbol next to the link on the search engine results page (SERP), expressing that the mobile page is an AMP page. As you can see, the AMP page has been organized in a way that makes for a cleaner mobile viewing experience. Everything is proportional and not cluttered, which is helpful for quick mobile viewing. Also notice that there isn't a social bar for sharing the article, which is commonly seen on desktops but can significantly reduce your mobile speed. AMP page helps minimize those types of problems and cater more specifically to your audience.

Benefits of AMP

We’ve only grazed the surface on what AMP pages can do for you and your business’s website. Here are some benefits that you will experience when creating an AMP site for your mobile page.

1. Quick Loading – With an AMP page, users will experience nearly instant loading of your page and smoother scrolling speed throughout your page.
2. Increased Visibility – On the mobile SERP, Google is now showing which mobile page is an AMP page and which is not. You can expect to see a little lightning bolt next to your listing’s meta-title on the SERP. This will give your webpage a leg-up because it will show users that your site is faster than competitors. 
3. Flexible Layout – Though AMP pages are much thinner than typical mobile pages, they support a variety of layouts and designs. You can still showcase your business’s brand in the way that you want, as well as support ads that are non-intrusive to users mobile viewing experience.
4. Higher Rankings – There is no official statement by Google that AMP pages are a part of ranking, however, it is highly likely that your AMP site will have a higher overall rating in comparison to a mobile site that is slower than a snail.
5. Visitor Tracking Analysis – When tracking visitor insights, two tags are available for Google Analytics through Google Tag Manager. Being aware of how or why your viewers got to your site, as well as where they come from, are important pieces of information that can be leveraged to make for an even better site.

Looking for more help?

AMP pages can help your business market mobile users by providing quick-loading content, keeping your audience happy and in-the-know! However, if you don’t happen to be a tech-guru, you may want to give brave River's web designers a call. We can help you get an AMP site set up, hassle free. As always, you can reach us at 401-828-6611, or by filling out the on-page form at https://www.braveriver.com!