Speed is one of the best ways to deliver a better user experience, and an easy way to do this is by implementing Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP). AMP is an open-source framework that allows developers to create faster loading mobile pages. These pages are faster because the HTML built for them speeds up the rendering process. The median load time for AMP pages is 1 second, which is 4 seconds faster than the average HTML page.
Let’s learn more about what makes AMP pages a great addition to your website.
Mobile Users Expect Fast Loading Pages
Mobile web users don’t have a lot of patience when it comes to waiting for a website to load. This is especially true for younger generations that have grown up alongside the internet. A slow website will not only create negative user experiences but also it can turn people away from your brand.
Consider that 53% of mobile website visits are abandoned because they take more than 3 seconds to load. By implementing AMP pages, you encourage users to stay on your site longer, decreasing bounce rates, improving user engagement and increasing rankings in the search results.
Advantages of AMP Pages
If you haven’t implemented AMP pages as of yet, it’s possible that they can be a great addition to your website. The main benefits to AMP pages are:
- They speed up your website loading time. Because AMP pages are “lighter” and contain fewer elements, they load faster. AMP pages essentially guarantee more traffic to your site because people don’t have to wait for them to load.
- They increase your mobile rankings. AMP is not a ranking factor on its own, but its positive influence on page load times leads to better rankings and more visitor satisfaction.
- They improve server performance. AMP pages reduce server load and improve performance, particularly if your site generates a lot of mobile traffic.
Disadvantages of AMP Pages
As wonderful as AMP pages are, they do have some drawbacks, which is why not everyone has made the switch. Some of the downsides to implementing AMP are:
- They reduce ad revenue. AMP pages support ads, but the revenue they bring in is limited. It’s also harder to implement ads on these pages.
- They have less analytics. Again, AMP supports Google Analytics, but it requires a different tag. This tag needs to be added to all AMP pages, which takes time.
- They use caching. Sure, AMP pages are quick loading, but they depend on caching to do so. Google doesn’t have technology for AMP. Instead, it saves cached versions of AMP-tagged pages.
Although there are some disadvantages to AMP, it’s mostly a positive thing that can benefit your website. AMP pages should be included in a responsive web design – you don’t want to sacrifice one for the other.
To learn more about how your website will perform when AMP pages are implemented, contact Magna Technology today.
