We’ve entered a new era for enterprise mobility – a time when it’s reaching new heights of achievements. Needless to say, this has brought in the demand for some serious changes. One such change is the need for higher page loading speed.

How fast a page loads determines the success rate of an e-commerce business today. According to research, it has been found that around 40% of users tend to exit web pages that take longer than usual to load.

In order to overcome this issue, Google launched AMP or Accelerated Mobile Pages in 2015. In 2016, the tech giant went ahead and introduced a mobile search algorithm update as well, which led to the highlighting of AMPs in mobile searches.

A significant reduction in load times can go a long way in helping e-commerce retailers boost their web performance and visibility on Google’s SERP (Search Engine Results Pages).CLICK TO TWEET

So, what is AMP?

AMPs are open-source protocols that increase the load speed for pages on mobile browsers. Typically, AMP HTML pages load significantly faster than non-AMP pages. The increase in load speed can be 85% higher. At the very least, 15% higher.

Also, AMP supports multiple ad networks and is far more powerful than HTML. The data consumption that occurs with AMP is about eight times lower than what is consumed with the loading of an average web page.

AMP pages can be activated with the utmost ease on websites that are constructed using WordPress, Drupal and Magento.

How does AMP vary from Responsive Web Design?

AMP and Responsive Web Design, both, are developed using the same programming languages – HTML, JavaScript and CSS. However, they diverge when it comes to their end goal. Responsive Web Design aims to make websites more accessible on mobile devices.

AMP, on the other hand, aims to improve the speed at which these sites and their respective pages load on mobile devices. AMP can be implemented without redesigning a site, whereas Responsive Web Design requires that the site be redesigned for mobile device access.

Benefits of AMP for e-commerce

Below, we discuss the five core benefits of AMP for e-commerce sites:

The first is a reduced bounce rate. You see, visitors leave sites when pages take time to load. But with AMP, the load speed is vastly improved, thereby enhancing the overall user experience. This causes a reduction in the bounce rate and boosts the average time spent on a web page.

Then, there’s also an improvement in search engine visibility. A faster loading speed pushes your website up in the search results. This is one of the factors that Google measures in order to determine web page ranking. So, with AMP, your e-commerce site is likely to show up in the top search results.

Thirdly, AMP also simplifies the monetization process for your website. Websites are often loaded with advertisements, which is one of the ways in which these sites make money. With AMP, the load time reduces even with ads. This is because AMP supports a wide range of ad networks, which makes it possible for website owners to monetize their sites with the utmost ease.

AMP can also boost the effectiveness of online advertising campaigns.According to one study, it was found that e-commerce sites using AMPs as part of their email campaigns saw a 200% increase in click-through rates.CLICK TO TWEETApart from that, they also saw an 18% increase in ad performance. Needless to say, all this translates to an increase in customer engagement. For more on this, see Amp Ads for Faster and Better Advertising!

The fifth and final reason why your e-commerce site needs AMP is that you can gain new insights about your customers. AMP makes it possible for your e-commerce business to track conversions, returning customers/visitors, clicks, video engagement and even new visitors. There is also built-in support for Google Analytics that further aids the process of insight discovery. So, strategizing is much easier with AMP.

The implementation of AMPs in e-commerce sites

Google AMP for e-commerce sites is necessary for the purpose of good customer experience. However, it is not necessary for every page to have AMP implemented. You need to make sure you know where AMP is needed.

This is important because the AMP framework may limit other CSS or JavaScript elements. For example, no iframes.

Get started!

Getting started with AMP isn’t too difficult, and Google offers a range of resources, such as the Google Search Guidelines for AMP Pages, Google Search Consoles, the AMP Project Website, and the AMP Webmaster Help Forum.

In order to run a successful e-commerce store, it is extremely important for retailers to track and make sense of the latest trends and customer expectations. This determines success in the long run. With the growing preference towards mobile device-enabled internet access, AMP is, pretty much, the future of e-commerce.

So, do take the time to study everything about AMP for e-commerce product pages. The benefits are substantial and with the passage of time, the need for AMP only grows more significant. The goal of every e-commerce site is to provide the best user experience possible, and that greatly depends on using the latest tools.

AMP is one such tool and probably the best in the market today. So, make hay while the sun shines.

TOP 5 REASONS YOUR ECOMMERCE WEBSITE WILL NEED AMP IN 2019