What is AMP, and do you still need it?
AMP is an HTML framework for fast pages. Learn how Google treats AMP pages today, why Core Web Vitals matter more, and when AMP still makes sense.
What is AMP? AMP is an open-source HTML framework for building fast pages, originally designed with mobile in mind. For years, many publishers built AMP mobile versions of their articles to appear in special mobile search features.
The more useful question now is whether you need it. For most businesses, our read is no.
How Google treats AMP pages today
Google's own page, About AMP on Google Search, opens with the key point: Google indexes AMP pages "just like other web pages" and applies the same standard to all pages, regardless of the technology used to build them.
So AMP is a way to build a page, not a ranking advantage. AMP pages can appear as rich results like any other page, and adding structured data still does not guarantee that.
What Google asks of AMP pages
If you do use AMP, Google's guidelines are short:
- The page must follow the AMP HTML specification and be valid.
- Users must be able to see the same content and complete the same actions on the AMP page as on the regular page, where possible.
- The AMP URL should make sense to users, such as amp.example.com/giraffes or example.com/amp/giraffes, not an unrelated domain.
Google also answers two common questions. AMP pages are not mobile-only; they display well on desktop too. But Google notes that AMP on desktop does not get search-specific features in Google Search results.
What matters more than AMP: page experience
Google's guidance on page experience says its core ranking systems look to reward content that provides a good page experience, and that Core Web Vitals are used by its ranking systems. It also says there is no single page experience signal.
Core Web Vitals are three measurements, defined on web.dev:
| Metric | Measures | Good |
|---|---|---|
| Largest Contentful Paint | Loading | 2.5 seconds or less |
| Interaction to Next Paint | Responsiveness | 200 milliseconds or less |
| Cumulative Layout Shift | Visual stability | 0.1 or less |
A page passes if it meets the targets at the 75th percentile of real visits. Any modern framework can hit those numbers. AMP is one way, not the only way.
Google keeps one caveat in view: it always seeks to show the most relevant content, even if the page experience is not great. Speed helps most when many pages answer the query equally well.
When AMP still makes sense
Our read:
- You already run AMP well and it is valid and in sync with your main pages. There is no urgent reason to rip it out.
- You publish Web Stories. Google notes that AMP pages can also appear as Web Stories.
When it usually does not:
- A small business site on a modern platform. Improve Core Web Vitals on the pages you have.
- Sites where AMP versions drift from the main pages. Keeping two versions in sync is real work.
How to check your own speed
Run your key pages through PageSpeed Insights and open the Core Web Vitals report in Search Console. Fix the slowest page types first, usually large hero images, heavy scripts and layouts that jump while loading.
Quick answers about AMP
Does AMP improve rankings? Google applies the same standard to AMP and non-AMP pages.
Is AMP only for mobile? No. Google says AMP pages display well on mobile and desktop.
Should I remove my AMP pages? Only with a plan. Google documents how to remove AMP pages properly, and redirects need care.
The takeaway
AMP is a tool, not a ranking boost. Most businesses get more from making their regular pages fast and stable against Core Web Vitals.
Sources
Checked October 3, 2026. Platforms change their guidance. The linked pages are the final word.
