What is AMP?

AMP, or Accelerated Mobile Pages, is an open-source framework developed by Google to create lightweight, fast-loading web pages for mobile devices. AMP pages use a simplified version of HTML, limited JavaScript, and special caching techniques to improve page speed and performance on mobile networks.

AMP was designed to enhance mobile user experience by delivering near-instant loading times and consistent formatting across devices.

Why AMP Matters

Fast-loading mobile pages can significantly improve user engagement, reduce bounce rates, and enhance visibility in search results. Although AMP is no longer a direct ranking factor, page experience and speed still influence SEO performance.

Benefits of AMP include:

  • Improved mobile page speed
  • Better performance on slow connections
  • Enhanced user experience on mobile
  • Eligibility for placement in some Google features (e.g. Top Stories, depending on region)
  • Simplified mobile publishing process

However, AMP has become less prominent in recent years, with broader support for non-AMP fast-loading experiences and core web vitals.

Example in Use

News publishers often used AMP to deliver mobile-friendly articles that load quickly. A typical AMP URL might look like https://example.com/article/amp, and clicking on it would load a stripped-down, fast version of the original page.

Implementing AMP typically involves using the <html amp> declaration, adhering to AMP HTML rules, and using Google AMP Cache.

Related Terms

  • Mobile SEO
  • Page Speed
  • Core Web Vitals
  • Responsive Design
  • Google Search