On: Fewer Than Half of Google Searches Now Result in a...

[bduerst]

>with seemingly no opt out (on the consumer or publisher side)

I though AMP was opt-in for publishers? As in you have to write the front-end spec and pick a CDN to cache with.

[treis → bduerst]

>I though AMP was opt-in for publishers?

It is but Google will only put you in the carousel at the top of the search if you use AMP. That's a significant enough driver of traffic where publishers can't afford to lose it.

[ignu → treis]

it's not just the carousel. it's organic rankings too.

we had an emergency AMP project after our traffic dropped 35% due to a smaller competitor implementing AMP and google rewarding them by boosting them in the search results.

[n3k5 → ignu]

That's depressing, but I will remember that when I come across an unnecessarily AMPified URL, I shouldn't blame the publisher for making this possible in the first place.

[ignu → bduerst]

It's not really. Google will highly reward sites with AMP (even when you're not searching on mobile.)

So unless you can survive getting bumped off of the first page of results, not implementing AMP isn't optional.

[ChrisAntaki → bduerst]

Yep, it's opt in for publishers. For users, the only way to opt out currently is to view in desktop mode.

[bduerst → ChrisAntaki]

Users can use encrypted.google.com to search on mobile, but yeah, there should be a search setting for them.

[Wowfunhappy → bduerst]

I've heard of this strategy before, but it has never worked for me. Encrypted.google.com just redirects to google.com, and I still get AMP.

I now use https://github.com/bentasker/RemoveAMP, but that's only possible because I'm lucky enough to have a Jailbroken iPhone. :/

[skinnymuch → Wowfunhappy]

Are you using a userscript app or extension for jailbroken iOS devices?

[Wowfunhappy → skinnymuch]

I'm using software that allows me to load userscripts in Mobile Safari on my iPhone.

I guess you'd call it an "extension"? It feels weird to use that term, as it implies (to me) that there's some sort of extension framework in place. There isn't, it's just code injection.

[skinnymuch → Wowfunhappy]

Thanks I’ll try looking it up!

Yeah extension does sound weird.

[Wowfunhappy → skinnymuch]

Oh, you're Jailbroken? Feel free to shoot me an email (in my profile), there's one thing that's a little tricky...

[skinnymuch → Wowfunhappy]

Okay cool I will!

[lern_too_spel → bduerst]

> pick a CDN to cache with.

Every link aggregator that indexes your AMP page will cache it, including Bing and Baidu. That's what makes safe prerendering possible.

[bduerst → lern_too_spel]

I was referring to the registered CDNs so you could get the icon in search results.

[lern_too_spel → bduerst]

That's what I was referring to as well. They cache your page automatically to enable safe prerendering. Here's how they work: https://medium.com/@pbakaus/why-amp-caches-exist-cd7938da245...