Before the launch of Google’s Accelerated Mobile Pages, AMP, in 2015, content loading on mobile sites was slow. AMP was introduced to help remedy this shortcoming. Since then, Google requires AMP as the standard for advertisers in a bid to improve the user experience.
Understanding AMP
Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) is an open source platform that publishers can use to create content that can load fast on mobile phones. This initiative was designed to improve the accessibility of content on mobile phones. These speeds have in turn enhanced search responses, traffic to sites and in turn, site-owners’ revenues have increased.
What AMP Offers to Users
1. Improved Performance
Web pages and sites created in the AMP format load almost instantly. This translates to faster responses on the searches and an enhanced interaction on mobile devices.
2. Open Source Advantage
The platform brings on board several designers, advertisers, sites, distribution platforms, tech organisations, and distributors. In its very nature, therefore, AMP is continuously improved.
3. Adaptability
Advertisers have the option of introducing their content periodically. Therefore, they can craft their content to suit the needs of the users.
AMP brings on board several key advantages highlighted as follows:
1. Optimised Browser Visibility
Sites with AMP functionality appear on the search pages with a green AMP signal. The signal is an indication of improved loading capability of the site and translates to increased site traffic.
2. Fast-Loading Web Pages
Faster loading pages are a favourite among users. AMP has remedied situations where users would have had to wait for long periods for web pages to load to access the content. Users could have passed quality content as they searched for faster-loading sites.
3. Increased Mobile Search Rankings
From the ongoing, AMP has improved the user-friendliness of web pages. Such sites attract more traffic and generate an equivalently higher conversion rate. Furthermore, these sites are compensated with a higher ranking than the non-AMP sites in the organic mobile search rankings.
4. Optimisation Use of Web Pages
With the app use nearing saturation, AMP offers an alternative content publishing platform. If your site is AMP-run, it will appear in a special carousel at the very top of organic search results.
AMP may have its advantages. However, it is important to point out its downside.
1. Difficulty in Developing
The quick load time of the web pages is thanks to the limited use of JavaScript and CSS. However, the developers bear the impact of having to hand-code each page. Such coding requirements are hectic and require several developer time that could be utilised in other developing tasks.
2. Reduced Advertisement Revenue
AMP sites have less supporting advertisements. It follows, therefore, that the revenue generated from these ads go down.
3. Limited Analytics Functionality
AMP does support Google analytics. However, it requires adding a different tag to the site’s coding. Incorporating this tag needs time. It also increases the time needed to collect and analyse data. Most web developers avoid including this tag altogether. This then limits the functionality of analytics.
4. Content Variation
AMP is specific to mobile content. This means that the appearance of the desktop version of your site will differ in appearance with your mobile site version. Running and maintaining two different sites may prove to be challenging.
