We all know how fast page loads can affect the retention of users and decrease the bounce rate, but what can you do about it? Well, one of the most effective solutions there is out there is to make an AMP (accelerated mobile page) version of each page on your site. AMP works especially well for long articles, blog posts, and news content. AMP is a stripped-down version of HTML that is created to load pages faster. One of the goals is for it to work on all devices — so it doesn’t matter if you’re on a tablet or smartphone. All of our SEO Services include AMP optimization and implementation.
If your page takes longer than 3 seconds to load, on average, 40% of people will bounce. And that’s where AMP can come in to help. Page speed can be divided into 2 types. First, there is DOM ready time, which is the amount of time it takes for the HTML on the page to be loaded. It occurs before external resources such as images, CSS, and Javascript are rendered on the page. Next is full page load time, which takes into account all the external resources that need to be loaded.
One of the biggest factors that are taken into account is that 79% of users don’t return after they’ve experienced that your site has a slow or sluggish load time.
Google’s end goal is to have users find what they’re looking for each time they perform a search query. And Google doesn’t want anything to get in the way of that goal. So if the very structure of a website is preventing a successful search, Google will support a movement that seeks to solve that.
Google wants the web accessible to everyone. Yes, everyone. But internet access can be costly, especially in some countries. AMP’s faster load times will help make even the slowest internet connections get results.
“There’s an app for that.” There’s an app for just about everything. Google says they want AMP to help make the web a “more compelling place,” and to do that, there needs to be a reason for users to choose the web browser over the myriad of apps available to them.
What Can AMP Do For You?
AMP is designed to not only make pages load fast, but to also take into account that they remain aesthetically pleasing. AMP has been no small project, with more than 1.5 billion pages are created with AMP. You can recognize an AMP page in search results by noticing a lightning bolt. One of the reasons AMP pages are so fast is that the page content is loaded before you even visit the site.
With the median time, it takes a page to load in under half a second, websites have seen a 10% increase in traffic and 2x time spent on pages. Ecommerce sites have seen a 20% increase in sales and conversions.
Ads have a lot of value for websites. They generate revenue for sites like blogs that otherwise don’t sell anything. AMP will offer webmasters a better ad platform to make the web a legitimate place of business for all types of sites.
How AMP Works
AMP has its own tags called AMP HTML components. AMP Javascript loads everything asynchronously, which is the fastest way to load components because it prevents any scripts that would otherwise block resources from loading. AMP also pre-calculates the layout of page elements. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of AMP is its ability to cache pages.
AMP loads the sizes of images before they are downloaded by requiring the sizes to be in the HTML. In this way, the position of image elements and the layout of the page can be laid out with one request of the page.
All CSS is required to be loaded inline. This means that instead of requesting a CSS file, the CSS is part of the HTML on the page. This allows the page to load faster because CSS blocks rendering.
AMP prioritizes downloads of page resources by downloading the most important ones first. Images and ads are only loaded usually if they are above the fold. It also pre-fetches lazy loaded resources so they are downloaded last, but still before the user requests them.
To receive an analysis of if you’ve installed AMP correctly, you can check out the Google Search Console. They have a section just for AMP now.
AMP and SEO
Everything being the same, Google will rank a site with faster speed higher than other sites. Additionaly, AMP can cause lower bounce rates, which is a likely factor to rank those pages higher.
Being that AMP can sometimes be looked at as a stripped-down version of a page, it’s important to try to include as many features of the normal version of the page as possible to give users the best experience.
Drawbacks of AMP
Although AMP can be difficult to implement because of the custom HTML components, plugins and addons have made it easier to use. There are now plugins for Wordpress that can help you get started without having the technical know-how you would otherwise need.
Other restrictions of AMP include a custom Javascript library which has limited functionality and you cannot include forms on pages without an iframe.
In a way, with AMP, you need to redesign your site. You may not be able to include all the fancy designs you once had, but it will load faster for visitors.
3 Reasons to Get Excited About Accelerated Mobile Pages
It’s fast. AMP will simplify pages by having everyone using essentially the same open-source code. It will use HTML 5, CSS3, and a special type of JavaScript called AMP JS. AMP will also serve images to the best resolution according to the device being used. Accelerated mobile pages will also be cached instead of being sent from only a few central servers.
It’s streamlined. AMP “prioritizes content.” Take a look at AMP in action—the bulk of quality content is delivered nearly instantly. Ads are loaded with lower priority to make sure users are getting the answers they’re looking for first—not hit with a bunch of ads upon clicking. Try it out on your phone here.
It could make you money. Ads are in just about every website we visit. Although AMP ads will be deprioritized compared to content, these ads will be faster, resizable, and will be supported for every device imaginable. These ads won’t detract from the user experience, but will instead do what they’re supposed to—offer users targeted products or services. For this alone, it’s worth it for businesses of all sizes to get AMPed.
This page breaks down the ad possibilities nicely: “the ability to traffic ads with ad servers of your choice, support for multiple demand sources and formats (including native ads), full control over ads placements, and viewability measurement.”
It could provide a ranking boost. Google is backing this project. And they are likely to reward sites that go with it too. All the signs are here to suggest that a slight ranking boost may be coming with AMP. So if you haven’t really found a reason to be excited about AMP yet, here it is.
Prepare to Get AMPed
Contact SEO Inc. to get AMP pages installed on your site correctly. We will provide a free estimate. Our SEO Services include AMP optimization and implementation.
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Garry Grant is a distinguished expert in search engine optimization and digital marketing, boasting over 25 years of experience in the industry. As the founder of SEO, Inc., Garry has successfully expanded the company’s offerings by developing innovative technologies and strategic solutions to address complex challenges. Please visit our SEO Company.
Garry provides specialized consulting services to select organizations with established in-house SEO and Paid Search teams. His expertise has proven instrumental in enhancing team performance, introducing cutting-edge strategies, and optimizing page speed, thereby equipping internal teams with industry-leading techniques. His client portfolio includes renowned enterprises such as SC Johnson, 20th Century Fox, Vegas.com, IGN, Walmart, Target, and Pacific Gas and Electric, among others. To schedule an initial consultation with Garry, please utilize the provided calendar link.