With the announcement of Google's new AMP step was put in October last year in the mobile revolution. This past year there have been many developments around AMPs. Where we are now, how seriously we should take them and what can AMPs do for you?
What is AMP?
To begin, first a brief recap . AMP stands for fully accelarated mobile pages . It is the name for the open source framework developed by Google in collaboration with other Twitter, LinkedIn, and WordPress.
With AMP Google wants to show the importance of a fast mobile web site. From Google's research shows that you lost an average of 40 percent of your mobile visitors as a web page is not loaded within 3 seconds. So is for many a website builder in this area still achieve something. By deploying AMP Google allows in an accessible way to further enhance the mobile experience.
Not just Google sets an optimal user experience for mobile visitors center. For example, the AMP project is also described as a counter-reaction to the Instant Articles of Facebook, which allows items rapidly to load the Facebook app. In addition, Apple is working on the road with the Apple News app, which allows users still need to be made faster with the latest news. It is a topic that many plays, is obvious.
The technology behind AMP
An AMP is a stripped down version of regular HTML. Only the actually required information is displayed to a mobile user. Elements that load slowly, replaced or even removed completely. As a result, there is used up to 10 times fewer data compared to a regular web. Technically, an AMP comprises AMP AMP HTML and JavaScript. Optionally AMP cache.
AMP HTML is a variant of regular HTML, a simplified version. An AMP HTML file can be identified by a lightning bolt in the code. While most tags match regular HTML tags, a number of replacement tags or modified for optimum performance.
AMP JavaScript is an optimized JavaScript library. Externals are asynchronously loaded therein. Therefore, no single element can block the view of other elements. It also ensures that slow CSS selectors are disabled. Finally scripts from third parties are not loaded by default.
AMP Cache is an optional element and allows AMPs are cached by Google. These are then through a content delivery network extradited (CDN). By making use of AMP cache, all JavaScript files and graphics loaded from the same source. In addition, the AMP Cache includes a validation system, which ensures that the page is fully functional and is not dependent on external sources.
AMP and ads
If third-party scripts are not loaded by default, you might wonder how it is with mobile ads. Shortly after the first roll ads were not supported by AMPs. As development progressed, were granted the first options available. Initially this was not entirely flawless. For example, the text was often charged more than the actual ad, which appeared only a few seconds later. Meanwhile solved these problems and the answer is in the so- amp ad , also called "A4A" ( AMP for ads ).
Picture source : Accelerated Mobile Pages Project
The amp ad makes it possible both to demonstrate effective ads, while on the other hand the user experience of the mobile visitor remains central. A big challenge, considering that ad networks can greatly affect the loading time of websites.
Through A4A load ads at the same time as the text. Since the ad request to the server is separated from the ad delivery, the A4A achieves a faster display. Not all ad networks are integrated within AMP HTML. It will probably not surprise you that Google's own AdSense and DoubleClick are already supported. See therefore in advance what ad networks are supported .
Of course, the landing page behind the amp ad should not be forgotten. A fast loading ad is in fact beautiful, but pales into insignificance when loading the landing page takes a long time. The special AMP Landing Pages corrects this problem. It is in fact possible landing pages in such a way to build that load it with the same speed as an AMP.
The rollout of AMP
The first deployment of AMPs took place in February 2016 and focused purely on English-language news publishers who were closely involved - and are - in the development of AMPs. Think include BuzzFeed, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post.
From that moment AMP been at the top of the search engine results pages (SERP) in the so-called Top Stories Carrousel displayed. Within this carousel is possible to swipe between other relevant news articles, which are also loaded quickly.
The rollout in the Netherlands might be some time before, but in August it finally happened. Publishers such as De Persgroep, Sanoma and NIS use AMPs and are therefore in the Top Stories Carousel present. The chance that you already have some results pass by, is also large.
Further developments regarding AMP
In addition to the start of the rollout in the Netherlands more news out Google released last August. The deployment is ready for the next step and AMP will no longer alone in the Top Stories Carousel shown. Also rolled in the regular organic results to be mobile AMPs. Add to this the fact that AMP's no longer only available for new sites and you will understand that AMPs gradually become accessible to more and more websites.
To let us get used to this development, you can in Google AMP sneak preview show (of course only on mobile) what Google has in store for us. Promising seems in any case, if you look at the example of online marketplace eBay, which product pages are available through AMP. Again make very clear what opportunities there are and how they can be exploited in the near future.
Picture source : Accelerated Mobile Pages Project
The effect of AMP on SEO
Shortly after the first deployment many people wondered what effect AMPs to the rankings in search results. Google stressed that AMPs are not drawn into the search results. The Top Stories Carousel will be shown above the regular search results. It is thus to be relatively simple top visible in search results. Not only will your visibility will allow also the chance that the number of clicks and impressions is growing, it is strong. Finally, it contributes to a better user experience.
An official ranking factor is not AMP. However AMPs contribute to improved loading speed, which in itself it is seen by Google as an important ranking factor. It is also known that if there are two versions of a page - a regular and an AMP - Google prefers AMP variant. Although AMPs so may not have a direct impact on SEO, they do indirectly certain advantages.
Implementation of AMP
The large, well-known CMS systems like WordPress and Drupal plugins to offer. Through these plugins you can AMPs organize in a relatively simple manner. Do you work with a custom CMS, then there's more work to implementation. The official website of the project provides this much support and examples. Keep in implementing at least consider the following issues.
If there are two versions of a page, regular and AMP, it is important to make the search engine aware. You do this by "rel = amphtml". The AMP version you refer to a canonical to the regular version.
If a page exists only AMP version, imagine a self-referencing canonical in.
An AMP only works as expected when the page is valid. Please check in advance the validation of your AMP .
Walk during implementation against errors or you wonder whether your AMPs be indexed? Please do not Google Webmaster Tools. Within this console, under the heading Search Formatting is in fact finding it accelerated mobile pages report. If Google AMPs found on your site, they are shown here.
So you can determine here whether all AMPs are actually indexed. In addition, AMP-specific errors are displayed in the report. These errors are displayed on error type. Then you can see which pages that contain error. In addition, it is also to be found which errors insight per page.
AMP and Analytics
Of course you wonder how your AMP's doing and you want to see these results in Google Analytics. AMP's, it is not possible to use external JavaScript tracking code snippet (analytics.js), as this is an external source. This does not mean that you can not measure more statistics, because this is a special AMP analytics tag created. Using this tag, it is possible to measure statistics.
It is recommended that a separate within Google Analytics property to create which you AMP data is measured. The statistics that are measured are limited compared to regular web pages. It is expected that more and more statistics are available.
Response to AMP
That developments will follow fairly quickly, is not so strange. The number of AMPs include rising rapidly. Was there last summer made an estimate of about 150 million available AMP pages, now being talked about more than 600 million pages written in more than 200 different languages. The big international publishers, who are involved from the beginning in the project, announced that traffic from AMPs is a growing group of the entire visit.
But also comes criticism from various quarters. As several publishers complain about declining ad revenue. Although amp ads are created, the advertising opportunities remain limited than in regular web pages. Speaking about fifty percent less revenue compared to a regular web page. For what publishers this is, however, remains unclear. Dissatisfied publishers dare not enter name out to disadvantaged fear by Google.
The solution is called into question in itself. Because is offering fast-loading Web pages on mobile ultimately the main aim, AMPs now hold only a small part. How hard you try your best to offer AMP's visit will continue to enter through other channels. The overall loading speed of your website - it is after all not without a major ranking factor - should not be forgotten.
Future of AMP
Were the first reports around AMPs received somewhat skeptical, now it is clear that this project is not a one-hit wonder. The number of AMPs increases rapidly, and developments play continuously here. The announcement that AMP will no longer be available for new websites, is promising and offers opportunities for other websites.
Time AMPs to seriously it is. A general solution is not, however, still for the time being. Through AMPs is still mainly focused on the loading of specific pages. The overall site speed when shooting still here. Interestingly, it remains so and I will certainly continue to monitor developments.
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