How-To

How to set up an AMP version of your news website

March 4, 2025 No comments yet

Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) is an open-source framework developed by Google to improve mobile web performance. For news publishers, AMP ensures articles load almost instantly on mobile devices, enhancing user experience and increasing engagement. However, maintaining monetisation and tracking requires careful implementation.

Implementing AMP benefits news publishers by:

  • Boosting page speed – AMP pages load faster, reducing bounce rates.
  • Improving SEO rankings – Google prioritises AMP-enabled content in search results and carousels.
  • Enhancing ad revenue – Faster load times lead to better ad viewability and click-through rates.
  • Supporting audience growth – AMP integration with Google Discover can increase traffic.

Step 1: Choose your AMP implementation method

There are multiple ways to enable AMP for your news website, depending on your CMS:

  • WordPress users: Install the official AMP for WordPress plugin for automatic AMP generation.
  • Custom-built sites: Develop AMP templates by creating stripped-down versions of your HTML pages.
  • Third-party CMS platforms: Check if your CMS (e.g., Drupal, Joomla) has built-in AMP support or requires plugins/extensions.

Deciding on the right approach ensures seamless integration without breaking site functionality.

Step 2: Create AMP-compatible HTML pages

AMP requires a simplified HTML structure. Key components include:

  • <html ⚡> tag – Declares the page as AMP-enabled.
  • AMP JavaScript library – Use <script async src="https://cdn.ampproject.org/v0.js"></script> to enable AMP.
  • AMP components – Replace standard HTML elements with AMP alternatives:
    • Use <amp-img> instead of <img>.
    • Use <amp-video> instead of <video>.
    • Use <amp-ad> for advertisements.
  • Valid AMP formatting – Ensure CSS is inline and JavaScript is limited to AMP-approved components.

AMP’s structured framework speeds up rendering while maintaining usability.

Step 3: Maintain branding and functionality

AMP pages often strip down excessive scripts, but you can preserve branding by:

  • Using AMP-friendly fonts and styles – Limit custom fonts to one or two and load them efficiently.
  • Ensuring mobile navigation remains clear – Implement <amp-sidebar> for menus.
  • Retaining interactive elements – Use <amp-accordion> for expandable content and <amp-carousel> for image sliders.

Balancing speed and design ensures AMP pages provide a consistent brand experience.

Step 4: Implement monetisation on AMP pages

AMP supports advertising and subscriptions, but setup differs from traditional pages:

  • AMP Ads: Use <amp-ad> to integrate Google AdSense, DoubleClick, or other ad networks.
  • Affiliate marketing: Ensure AMP-compatible tracking URLs for affiliate links.
  • Subscription paywalls: Use <amp-access> and <amp-subscriptions> for metered paywall support.
  • Sponsored content: Mark sponsored posts using <amp-analytics> for tracking and compliance.

Optimising ad placements and tracking ensures AMP pages remain profitable.

Step 5: Validate and test AMP pages

Before publishing AMP pages, ensure compliance with Google’s validation tools:

  • AMP Validator – Use AMP Validator to check code compliance.
  • Google Search Console – Submit AMP pages to monitor indexing and errors.
  • PageSpeed Insights – Analyse performance and mobile-friendliness.
  • Real-world testing – Open AMP pages on different devices to ensure usability.

Regular validation prevents AMP errors that could impact performance or SEO.

Step 6: Monitor AMP performance and refine strategy

Once AMP is live, track its effectiveness using analytics tools:

  • Google Analytics 4 – Use the amp-analytics component to track AMP page metrics.
  • Google Ad Manager – Optimise ad placement and revenue performance.
  • A/B Testing with AMP Experiments – Compare AMP vs. non-AMP performance to refine strategy.
  • Monitor audience engagement – Assess bounce rates and time-on-page for AMP visitors.

Ongoing analysis ensures your AMP implementation continues to enhance performance while maximising monetisation.

Final thoughts

AMP significantly improves mobile news website performance, increasing speed, engagement, and ad revenue. By carefully implementing AMP while maintaining branding and monetisation, publishers can leverage its benefits without sacrificing user experience. Regular validation and performance tracking ensure a seamless, profitable AMP strategy that aligns with audience expectations.

Michael is the founder and CEO of Mocono. He spent a decade as an editorial director for a London magazine publisher and needed a subscriptions and paywall platform that was easy to use and didn't break the bank. Mocono was born.

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