4 Ways to Get Your WordPress Website on AMP
AMP stands for Accelerated Mobile Pages and was created to satisfy the need of website developers to convert their websites into a mobile-friendly format that still offers viewers web pages rapidly or an instant article.
When accessing a traditional website, mobile devices take more time than computers to request data and redirect viewers to the content being requested.
When accessing web content through Google, where a computer takes from 1-1.5 seconds to access a website, mobile devices can take up to 5 seconds to load content. To reduce the loading time of a website from mobile devices, website developers must integrate AMP into their website’s code; however, this is easier than it sounds. Below, is a guide to 4 options for getting an AMP HTML website.
The industry of online commerce experiences a constant ebb and flow of changes in the way in which the industry operates as standard. To establish a successful online presence means to learn to ebb and flow with the shifts in the marketplace and the needs of consumers.
Mobile viewing devices have changed the way that people around the world interact with technology and have established themselves in every facet of society. Therefore, it is imperative for website administrators to ensure the viewability of their web content from mobile devices, and the only way to do that is to get an AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) website.
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Why You Need Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)
In 2016, for the first time in history, the number of people accessing the Internet from mobile devices surpassed that of desktop computers. Since websites have traditionally been built exclusively for use on personal computers, they request a large amount of data and processing necessities.
This is no problem for a desktop computer; however, with the advent of mobile smartphones and tablets, all of which are designed around Internet usage and browsing, website platform development has been forced to evolve with the market.
AMP Website vs. Standard Website
When accessing a website through a search engine, the user will often be redirected several times, which goes unnoticed on a computer. However, mobile devices are designed with less processing power than an average computer and, therefore, these redirections will cause substantial loading delays for a user.
Apart from associating your website and brand with the feeling frustration that the user is experiencing, delayed loading time for your website means that potential customers might never see your website listed at all.
AMP integrated websites are placed higher up on Google’s search results than those who are not formatted for AMP HTML. This is, in part, because of the prioritization that a website receives from Google’s search engine algorithm, based on a website’s loading time. AMP websites are configured and coded to load in less than 1.5 seconds, thereby maintaining the important SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
4 Ways to Get Your Website, Including Small Business Website, on AMP
Fortunately, the Google AMP Project was started for the purpose of creating a versatile software platform, for which to integrate into an existing website’s code, allowing it to be viewed smoothly from mobile devices. Integrating AMP into your website creates a copy of your pre-existing website, which is the AMP website version.
The best way in which to go about integrating AMP into your website depends, in part, on what stage of website development you are in. WordPress is the common medium and the standard amongst eCommerce merchants. AMP can be integrated through plugins, themes, pre-designed combos, or through a hired service.
1. AMP Plugins
The most straightforward solution is to add an AMP plugin to your site. Integrating an AMP plugin into your website is easy, fast, and self-supporting. AMP plugins are the best way to go if you are integrating AMP into a website that is already completely designed and published online.
Usage and Benefit
Many AMP plugins are free to download and easy to install. The plugin will generate a copy of your website that automatically integrates the AMP coding into the copied version. Users can log onto your website from any viewing device and view content without any delay.
If a user is accessing your site from a mobile device, the AMP plugin works to instantly direct them to the plugin’s mobile site version, whereas users at a computer will be directed to your original website.
After installing an AMP plugin, any changes made to your website will be applied to its AMP counterpart as well. This benefits a website developer in that they only have to make changes to one site instead of treating their mobile page as an individual website.
AMP plugins are useful for sites that are already fully developed since you won’t have to start from scratch to create a new mobile friendly site. However, these plugins don’t offer a broad range of customization options.
A few AMP plugins include a mobile site drag-and-drop page builder, but even these have limited page design functionality. An AMP plugin is, more or less, a one-trick-pony, taking a website and creating a mobile friendly version, but, if developers want more creative control over the particular design of their AMP website, a plugin might come up short. AMP plugins are not meant for extensive design. They are simply a catalyst for mobile viewing platforms.
Example:
AMP for WP is one of the most downloaded and highly-rated WordPress AMP plugins available for free download. This plugin automatically adds accelerated mobile pages functionality to an existing website and includes many essential extensions and add-on capabilities for your mobile site.
Unlike many AMP plugins, AMP for WP integrates some higher functioning page builder tools, as well as WooCommerce, Google analytics support, social media comment and sharing support, and much more.
=> Check out our list of AMP plugins here.
2. Templates and Themes with a Built-In AMP Plugin
Unlike a stand-alone AMP plugin, templates with a built-in AMP plugin are perfect for website developers who want more design control over their mobile-friendly site. This option is also the best choice for those who are starting their website from scratch. A website theme or template with a built-in AMP plugin allows site developers to create their full website while knowing that their mobile counterpart will be reliable, functional, and fast.
Usage and Benefit
Website development is an involved and arduous task for most. Luckily, by downloading a theme or template, all of the site’s design elements are prefabricated and implemented. Designers have but to enter the specific content, via the easy to use customization interface and drag-and-drop tools.
Many themes with a built-in AMP plugin are designed to allow for a higher level of Amp site customization. The largest benefit to website developers is the ability to develop a single site while knowing that they will also have an entirely accessible AMP friendly site.
Templates and themes are the best way to create a website that looks polished and professional. An AMP plugin does not make a mobile website look any better than a typical site. It just makes it accessible and viewable.
So, if your original website is at all messy, cluttered, or formatted haphazardly, your counterpart AMP site will be equally as confused. By downloading a pre-made template or theme with a built-in AMP plugin, you are ensuring the professional quality of a user’s experience with your e-platform.
Example:
Chap is one of the most versatile themes with a built-in AMP plugin. Unlike many of the free-to-download theme options available, Chap allows a much higher level of customization and creativity for your mobile site. Chap is clean, quick, and concise, giving your website a polished and professional look.
The theme includes 11 original demos, which can be used as website templates. To take advantage of the higher functionality of Chap, it costs users around $60 to download but is a small price to pay for such a versatile tool.
=> Check out all of our AMP Ready WP Themes here.
3. AMP WordPress Themes and Templates
There are also options for those who want to design a proprietary AMP website, which is not connected to the main website. The upside to this is that an AMP WordPress Theme or Template is, generally, much cheaper than a full WordPress site theme or template. However, the downside is that one’s mobile web page is not correlated to an entire site. The usefulness of this option will depend on the utility of your online platform.
Usage and Benefit
AMP WordPress themes come in many shapes and sizes. Usually, however, their shape and size are specifically catered to a niche. For example, there are specific AMP templates and themes for restaurants, businesses, publishers, eCommerce, blogs, news, and more. The conciseness of the AMP coding makes for a much simpler user interface than that of a full site.
One of the greatest benefits of a proprietary AMP WordPress template is its ability to work in offline mode. For businesses like restaurants, even when offline, users can log on to view the menu, make reservations, or purchase a gift card.
Once the Internet returns, their requests will be sent on automatically to the business establishment. These themes are particularly useful to bloggers and online publishers. The inherently small amount of data processing power that it takes to view text on a website makes an AMP template perfect for content-based, non-centrally located businesses and services.
Example:
Pinna is a simple, malleable, and versatile AMP WordPress template. It is not specifically designed for any one kind of business or service, making it an excellent choice for any online website developer. It supports HTML5, high-resolution video content, scrolling image carousels, and more.
Pinna is perfect for a start-up blogger or online magazine. It provides all of the essential features that are necessary to build a fully functional AMP WordPress website, and it is priced very reasonably, at $14. Pinna does not carry all of the functionality of a full WordPress website, but it is thoroughly and effortlessly viewable from any device, be it a computer, phone, or tablet.
4. AMP Website Software Service
There are several good reasons to opt out of the “do it yourself” approach altogether. Perhaps your small startup does not yet have an online directory or website developer to spearhead the WordPress AMP integration process.
Alternatively, maybe your needs are too intricate and individual to be able to use a premade template effectively. Don’t worry. There is another side to the AMP movement: AMP website building services. That’s right. You don’t have to touch the keyboard once.
Usage and Benefit
Hiring a software company to create an AMP friendly website is as easy as anything. Let’s be honest. It will always be easier to hire someone to do something for you, rather than to do it yourself. Of course, it may also be a smarter decision for your business.
AMP website development services for hire offer many different options for the design, functionality, and support features of your website. You might decide to hire a service to create an AMP website that corresponds to the full site that you have already created, or you may choose to get a whole website/AMP website package.
Example:
One of the best AMP website service providers is WOMPMOBILE. WOMPMOBILE specializes in translating your businesses needs, desires, and goals into an intuitive online interface that satisfies both clients and their customers.
Higher conversion rates and faster performance means an increase in revenue from your online platform, which is what services like this specialize in. WompMobile will work to make your online platform instantly accessible, engaging, and stylish.
Once you have ventured into the world of hired website development services, there are not many options that won’t be available for an additional price. However, if the online traffic is high and the interface is technically demanding, it will behoove a business to enlist a hired service to create and administer your website.
A poorly functioning website can easily translate into a revenue loss. So, no matter which option for getting an AMP website you decide to go with, be sure that your result will be that of quality and professionalism.
