Website speed is no longer optional. Today, most users browse the internet using mobile devices. If your website loads slowly on mobile, users leave quickly. And when users leave, rankings suffer.
This is where AMP, or Accelerated Mobile Pages, comes into the picture.
AMP was created to make web pages load almost instantly on mobile devices. It focuses on speed, simplicity, and performance.
Although AMP is optional today, it still plays a role in technical SEO for some websites — especially publishers and content-heavy platforms.
In this blog, we will explain AMP in simple language, how it works, how it connects to technical SEO, its benefits, drawbacks, and whether you should use it.
What Is AMP?
AMP stands for Accelerated Mobile Pages.
It is a framework created to build lightweight versions of web pages that load extremely fast on mobile devices.
In simple words:
AMP removes heavy elements from your page and keeps only what is necessary.
It uses:
This makes pages load much faster than regular mobile pages.
Why AMP Was Created
A few years ago, many websites were very slow on mobile.
Heavy images
Large scripts
Complex designs
Too many ads
All these things made mobile browsing frustrating.
Google introduced AMP to:
- Improve mobile experience
- Reduce page load time
- Increase accessibility
- Support publishers
Fast pages mean better user experience.
Better user experience supports better SEO performance.
How AMP Works
AMP creates a simplified version of your web page.
Instead of loading the full desktop-style version, it:
- Uses restricted HTML
- Removes heavy JavaScript
- Prioritizes content
- Pre-loads pages in Google cache
Because of these restrictions, AMP pages load almost instantly.
When someone clicks an AMP result from Google search, it often loads directly from Google’s servers.
This reduces loading time dramatically.
AMP and Technical SEO
Now let’s connect AMP to technical SEO.
Technical SEO focuses on:
- Website speed
- Mobile friendliness
- Crawlability
- Structured data
- Clean code
- Core Web Vitals
AMP directly impacts speed and mobile performance.
Since speed is a ranking factor, AMP can support technical SEO performance.
However, it is important to understand that AMP itself is not a ranking factor.
Speed is.
AMP is just one method to achieve speed.
AMP and Mobile-First Indexing
Google now uses mobile-first indexing.
This means Google mainly looks at the mobile version of your website for ranking and indexing.
If your mobile version is slow or poorly optimized, it can hurt rankings.
AMP ensures:
- Fast mobile performance
- Clean mobile structure
- Easy crawling
This aligns with technical SEO best practices.
Benefits of AMP
Let’s break down the main benefits in simple terms.
1. Very Fast Loading
Speed is the biggest advantage.
AMP pages:
- Load in under a second in many cases
- Reduce bounce rate
- Improve user satisfaction
Faster websites keep users engaged.
And user engagement supports SEO.
2. Improved Mobile Experience
AMP pages are designed specifically for mobile users.
They:
- Display content clearly
- Reduce clutter
- Focus on readability
- Minimize distractions
Better experience means:
- Longer time on site
- Lower bounce rate
- Better engagement metrics
These signals indirectly support rankings.
3. Good for News and Blogs
AMP works very well for:
- News websites
- Blogs
- Magazine sites
- Content publishers
These websites rely heavily on mobile traffic.
AMP helps them deliver content instantly.
4. Better Core Web Vitals (In Many Cases)
Core Web Vitals measure:
- Loading speed
- Interactivity
- Visual stability
Because AMP limits heavy scripts, it often performs well in:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
Good Core Web Vitals are part of technical SEO.
Is AMP Still Important Today?
This is a common question.
A few years ago, AMP had special features in search results, like the Top Stories carousel.
Now, AMP is no longer required for special placements.
Google now focuses more on:
- Page speed
- Core Web Vitals
- Overall performance
This means you can achieve fast performance without AMP.
So AMP is optional today.
Some websites still use it. Others prefer optimizing regular mobile pages instead.
Disadvantages of AMP
AMP is not perfect. There are limitations.
1. Design Restrictions
Because AMP uses simplified code:
- Custom designs may be limited
- Advanced animations may not work
- Complex features may be removed
This can affect branding and user experience.
2. Limited JavaScript
AMP restricts JavaScript usage.
If your website relies on:
- Interactive tools
- Advanced scripts
- Custom functionality
AMP may limit these features.
3. Separate URL Management
AMP pages usually have separate URLs.
Example:
- Regular page: example.com/page
- AMP page: example.com/page/amp
This adds complexity to:
- Technical setup
- Tracking
- Analytics
- Maintenance
More complexity means more technical management.
4. Not Necessary for All Websites
If your mobile website is already:
- Fast
- Optimized
- Lightweight
- Mobile-friendly
AMP may not be needed.
Modern web optimization techniques can achieve similar results without AMP.
AMP vs Regular Mobile Optimization
Today, many developers prefer improving:
- Responsive design
- Image compression
- Lazy loading
- Clean coding
- Server performance
- CDN usage
These improvements can provide:
- Fast loading
- Strong Core Web Vitals
- Better user experience
Without the restrictions of AMP.
When Should You Use AMP?
AMP may be useful if:
- You run a content-heavy news site
- You depend heavily on mobile traffic
- Your regular mobile site is slow
- You want simplified content pages
AMP is less useful for:
- E-commerce websites
- Complex SaaS platforms
- Interactive applications
- Websites with advanced functionality
AMP and Crawlability
Technical SEO focuses on making websites easy to crawl.
AMP pages:
- Use clean code
- Load quickly
- Reduce complexity
This can improve crawl efficiency.
However, proper canonical tags must be used to avoid duplicate content issues.
Technical setup is important.
AMP and Structured Data
AMP works well with structured data.
Structured data helps search engines understand:
- Articles
- Events
- Products
- Reviews
Using structured data with AMP can improve visibility in search features.
AMP and Page Experience
Google introduced the Page Experience update.
This includes:
- Mobile friendliness
- HTTPS
- Safe browsing
- No intrusive pop-ups
- Core Web Vitals
AMP often satisfies many of these requirements.
But again, AMP is not mandatory to achieve good page experience.
Technical Setup of AMP
If you decide to use AMP, you need:
- Proper AMP HTML version
- Canonical tags linking the regular page
- AMP page validation
- Testing tools
- Analytics integration
Incorrect implementation can cause SEO issues.
Technical accuracy is critical.
AMP and Analytics Tracking
Because AMP pages may load from Google cache, tracking needs careful setup.
You must ensure:
- Analytics tracking works correctly
- Conversions are recorded
- User behavior is tracked
Otherwise, data may become inaccurate.
AMP and SEO Performance
Does AMP guarantee higher rankings?
No.
But it supports:
- Faster loading
- Better mobile experience
- Stronger technical foundation
Speed is a ranking factor.
AMP is one way to improve speed.
Future of AMP
Today, many websites focus more on:
- Core Web Vitals optimization
- Clean responsive design
- Modern frameworks
- Performance-first development
AMP usage has decreased compared to earlier years.
However, it is still used by some publishers.
The future focus is more on performance than on AMP specifically.
Conclusion
AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) is a framework designed to create ultra-fast mobile pages.
It supports technical SEO by improving:
- Mobile speed
- Page performance
- User experience
- Core Web Vitals (in many cases)
However, AMP is optional today.
If your website is already fast and optimized, you may not need it.
Technical SEO is about building a strong, fast, and crawlable website. AMP is one method to achieve speed, but not the only one.
In short:
AMP helps with speed.
Speed helps with user experience.
User experience supports SEO.
Focus on performance first. Choose AMP only if it fits your website needs.
