Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) used to be positioned as an almost mandatory standard for fast mobile pages. The technology was originally announced by Google and later the project moved under the stewardship of the OpenJS Foundation . Today, AMP remains a supported format, but it is no longer a requirement for appearing in key search features, and the main focus has shifted to overall page quality and Core Web Vitals.

AMP pages run on simplified AMP HTML, restricted JavaScript and caching via AMP Cache to ensure maximum loading speed on mobile devices. The underlying principles are described in detail in the official Google Search documentation on AMP and on amp.dev .

In real projects handled by SEO-Evolution specialists, the decision about AMP stopped being an obvious “yes” or “no” a long time ago. In most cases, businesses see better results by investing in a fast, responsive website, clean architecture and Core Web Vitals , while AMP is treated as a niche tool for very specific scenarios.

In brief: what has changed with AMP in recent years

  • AMP is no longer a mandatory requirement for appearing in the Top Stories carousel or other special Google features.
  • Google has removed separate ranking systems that previously favored AMP, shifting the focus to overall page quality and user experience.
  • AMP by itself is not a ranking factor — what matters is speed, stability and usefulness of the page regardless of the technology behind it.
  • The technology is still supported and can be useful for large media and content portals with heavy mobile traffic.

Google formalizes its main page-quality criteria in Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content and Google Search Essentials . These guidelines now carry more weight than the mere fact that a page is built with AMP.

How AMP works today

In its classic form, the AMP approach assumes:

  • a separate AMP version of the page with limited HTML, CSS and predefined components;
  • minimal custom JavaScript and strictly controlled interaction patterns;
  • page caching on Google’s side (AMP Cache) for instant delivery from search;
  • a simplified design and templated layout to maximize speed.

From a technical standpoint, this is still an effective way to achieve “instant” pages — but at the cost of design flexibility, complex interactive elements and some monetization options. For a business, the key question is not whether AMP is “good” in isolation, but whether it serves the goals of a specific project.

The benefits of AMP in today’s landscape

Despite the shift in its role, AMP still has several strengths that remain relevant in the 2020s:

  • Predictably high speed on mobile. The constraints on layout and scripts make it easier to hit good Core Web Vitals scores when a page is focused on simple content consumption.
  • Consistent user experience. With few “heavy” elements and no intrusive pop-ups or aggressive scripts, AMP pages tend to behave predictably for visitors.
  • Good fit for news and articles. For large media sites, blogs and content platforms, AMP can still be helpful when the main objective is fast reading without distractions.
  • Ready-made component ecosystem. AMP offers a library of standard elements (carousels, video, images, forms), which simplifies development of typical content pages.

Key drawbacks of AMP you need to remember

For most commercial websites, the downsides of AMP are exactly what leads to rejecting it:

  • Restricted design and brand identity. It is hard to make AMP pages visually unique. For brands where design is part of the unique selling proposition, this is a critical limitation.
  • Duplicated structure. You need to maintain two versions of each page: the main one and its AMP counterpart. This complicates development, testing, analytics and updates.
  • More complex analytics and attribution. Because pages are cached on Google’s side, user interactions can differ from the classic pattern, which requires more careful analytics configuration.
  • Limits on monetization and interactivity. Not all ad formats, widgets, interactive blocks or custom JS solutions can be implemented cleanly within AMP.
  • Additional maintenance costs. For existing projects, moving to AMP means extra frontend work, testing, SEO configuration and content adjustments.

When AMP still makes sense

Based on observations from SEO practitioners, AMP can be justified in scenarios such as:

  • a large news site or media project with mostly mobile traffic and simple content templates;
  • article catalogs where the main goal is fast text reading rather than interaction with rich UI elements;
  • projects that already have AMP versions bringing stable traffic, where the business is not ready to invest in a complete frontend overhaul.

In such cases, it makes more sense not to “kill” AMP outright, but to run a technical and SEO audit, combining AMP template updates with broader site improvements. You can read more about a comprehensive promotion approach on the service page for comprehensive internet marketing .

When it’s better to invest in a modern mobile website without AMP

For most commercial projects (online stores, service companies, B2B websites, SaaS, local businesses) it is now more effective to build a fast, responsive site without AMP, focusing on:

  • lean HTML/CSS/JS without unnecessary libraries;
  • modern caching strategies and image optimization;
  • clear information architecture and logical URL structure;
  • optimization for Core Web Vitals and mobile UX.

This is exactly what Google recommends in its resources on improving Core Web Vitals and modern performance best practices .

If a business views SEO as a long-term channel, it makes sense to start with a technical audit of the site, plus an analysis of speed, structure and content. This is the kind of work done within comprehensive website promotion and classic SEO promotion services.

AMP or not: a practical decision-making framework

Step 1. Analyze page types and goals

  • news, articles, informational content — AMP can be considered as an option;
  • landing pages, e-commerce, complex forms, interactive interfaces — a fast responsive site without AMP is usually more advantageous;
  • multilingual and multi-region sites — it’s simpler to maintain a single flexible version.

Step 2. Assess your current speed profile

  • test key page templates in PageSpeed Insights and Search Console ;
  • identify which Core Web Vitals metrics are currently the weakest;
  • record a baseline (LCP, INP, CLS) before making any changes.

Step 3. Calculate the total cost of ownership

  • how much it will cost to develop and maintain AMP templates;
  • how this will impact design, analytics and ad integrations;
  • what alternative scenarios (optimizing the current frontend, moving to a new tech stack) are available to the business.

Step 4. Test on a limited segment

  • if possible, select a section or subset of pages to experiment with enabling or disabling AMP;
  • measure the impact on traffic, behavior metrics, depth of visit and conversions;
  • base your final decision on data, not just technical arguments.

This step-by-step approach is the same logic used in SEO and marketing audits carried out by the SEO-Evolution team for commercial projects: mobile traffic, technical health and real growth potential are evaluated separately, without being tied to any one specific technology.

Conclusion: the role of AMP today

  • AMP is no longer a “must-have ticket” to Top Stories or other search features.
  • Google’s focus has shifted to content quality, user experience and Core Web Vitals, regardless of the underlying technology.
  • AMP can still be useful for large media and content-heavy projects with simple page templates.
  • For most businesses, it is more effective to invest in a fast responsive site, technical optimization and a well-structured content strategy.
  • The decision to adopt or phase out AMP should follow an audit that considers site type, goals, resources and current performance.

The main point is not to chase technologies just for the sake of a “checkbox”, but to build a long-term strategy where mobile UX, solid Core Web Vitals and relevant content work together. In that model, AMP can be just one of the tools — not the center of your entire SEO strategy.