Official statement
Other statements from this video 42 ▾
- 42:49 Can hreflang really be used across multiple distinct domains?
- 48:45 Can hreflang really be used across multiple distinct domains?
- 58:47 Should you really avoid duplicating your content across two distinct sites?
- 58:47 Should you really avoid creating multiple sites for the same content?
- 91:16 Is it really necessary to index the internal search pages on your site?
- 91:16 Should you block internal search pages to prevent indexing of infinite space?
- 125:44 Do Core Web Vitals Really Influence Google's Crawl Budget?
- 125:44 Can reducing page size really enhance your crawl budget?
- 152:31 Does the internal links report in Search Console truly reflect the state of your link structure?
- 152:31 Why does the Search Console's internal links report show only a sample?
- 172:13 Should you really be concerned about redirect chains for Google's crawl?
- 172:13 How many redirects does Google really follow before it splits the crawl?
- 201:37 How does Google actually segment your Core Web Vitals by groups of pages?
- 201:37 How does Google actually segment your Core Web Vitals by page groups?
- 248:11 Is it true that AMP or canonical really captures the SEO signals?
- 257:21 Does the Chrome UX Report really count your cached AMP pages?
- 272:10 Is it necessary to redirect your AMP URLs during a change?
- 272:10 Should you really redirect your old AMP URLs to the new ones?
- 294:42 Is AMP really neutral for Google rankings, or does it hide an invisible visibility lever?
- 342:21 Why does copied content sometimes outrank the original despite the DMCA?
- 342:21 Is the DMCA really effective in protecting your duplicated content on Google?
- 359:44 Why does copied content outrank your original material on Google?
- 409:35 Why do your featured snippets disappear seemingly without a technical reason?
- 409:35 Do featured snippets and rich results really fluctuate randomly?
- 455:08 Is it true that mobile hidden content is really indexed by Google?
- 455:08 Is it true that Google really indexes hidden content in responsive CSS?
- 563:51 Can structured data really force the display of a knowledge panel?
- 563:51 Is there any structured markup that guarantees the appearance of a Knowledge Panel?
- 583:50 Why do most websites never get sitelinks in Google?
- 583:50 Can you really force sitelinks to appear in Google?
- 649:39 Do 301 redirects really transfer 100% of SEO juice without any loss?
- 649:39 Do 301 redirects really transfer 100% of PageRank and SEO signals?
- 722:53 Should you really delete or redirect expired content instead of keeping it indexable?
- 722:53 Should you really remove expired pages or can you leave them labeled 'expired'?
- 859:32 Are keywords in the URL a ranking factor or just a temporary crutch?
- 859:32 Do words in the URL really influence Google rankings?
- 908:40 Should you really add structured data to embedded YouTube videos?
- 909:01 Should you really add video structured data when you're already embedding YouTube?
- 932:46 Does Page Experience really only matter for mobile SEO?
- 932:46 Why is Google ignoring desktop Core Web Vitals in its ranking algorithm?
- 952:49 Do the API and Search Console interface really display the same data?
- 963:49 Can you use different templates for each language version without harming international SEO?
Google claims that AMP does not directly influence organic ranking. However, until the Page Experience update, AMP was required to access the Top Stories carousel on mobile. Since then, non-AMP pages with excellent Core Web Vitals can also vie for this premium visibility — changing the game for sites that were hesitant to implement AMP.
What you need to understand
Does AMP really boost ranking in standard SERPs?<\/h3>
The answer is no<\/strong>, and John Mueller states this plainly. AMP is not a direct ranking criterion in Google's algorithm. An AMP page and a standard HTML page with identical content and similar performance theoretically have the same chances of ranking.<\/p> What creates confusion is that for years, AMP was mandatory to appear in the Top Stories carousel on mobile<\/strong> — an ultra-visible position that generates significant traffic. Many publishers have invested in AMP not for a hypothetical ranking bonus, but to access this feature. And from the outside, it looked like an SEO advantage.<\/p> With the rollout of the Page Experience update (initially intended for May, ultimately stretched over several months), Google opened Top Stories to non-AMP pages<\/strong> — as long as they display excellent Core Web Vitals and adhere to news content criteria.<\/p> Specifically, if your mobile site offers a Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) under 2.5 seconds, a First Input Delay (FID) below 100 ms, and a Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) under 0.1<\/strong>, you can now compete for Top Stories without going through AMP. This is a major change for sites that found the AMP stack too restrictive or difficult to maintain.<\/p> Yes, but only in certain specific contexts. AMP ensures ultra-fast loading times by design through a centralized cache and optimized components<\/strong>. For publishers who do not have the technical resources to optimize their Core Web Vitals to the required levels, AMP remains a viable shortcut.<\/p> Moreover, some advertising formats or third-party widgets can degrade the performance of a standard page. In these cases, AMP enforces strict discipline<\/strong> that prevents deviations. But let's be clear: if you master frontend optimization, you no longer need AMP to access Top Stories.<\/p>What has changed with the Page Experience Update?<\/h3>
Does AMP still have technical relevance?<\/h3>
SEO Expert opinion
Is this statement consistent with what we observe in the field?<\/h3>
Absolutely. Field tests confirm that AMP alone does not improve organic positioning<\/strong>. Sites that migrated from AMP to optimized HTML pages reported no loss in organic traffic — as long as they maintained equivalent performance. However, abandoning AMP without an alternative optimization has sometimes caused a fall in Top Stories, reinforcing Mueller's thesis: AMP was a pass for certain features, not a ranking lever.<\/p> What remains unclear is the granularity of the Core Web Vitals thresholds required for Top Stories<\/strong>. Google communicates general tiers (good / to improve / poor), but in an ultra-competitive segment like news, it's unclear whether micro-differences in LCP or CLS affect eligibility. [To be verified]<\/strong>: Google has never publicly documented these precise thresholds for Top Stories.<\/p> First point: even if AMP is not a direct factor, speed is. And AMP mechanically speeds up loading. So indirectly, an AMP site may rank better than a slow site — but it's speed that matters, not the AMP label. The semantic nuance is important: it’s not AMP that boosts, but the performance it dictates.<\/p> Second point: Mueller's statement primarily concerns mobile<\/strong>. On desktop, Top Stories has never required AMP. And on mobile, the transition to Core Web Vitals as an eligibility criterion took time — some sites benefitted from preferential treatment during the transition phase simply because they were already AMP. Today, this ambiguity has dissipated, but it fueled years of debate.<\/p> If your site operates in a niche where Top Stories or Google News represent a significant share of traffic<\/strong> — news, sports, real-time finance — the question is not whether AMP boosts ranking, but whether it remains the easiest way to meet the required performance thresholds.<\/p> Additionally, some CMS or technical stacks make optimizing Core Web Vitals extremely costly in time and resources. In these contexts, AMP may remain a pragmatic solution<\/strong> — not for a hypothetical SEO bonus, but to ensure eligibility for certain features without overhauling the entire frontend architecture.<\/p>What nuances should be added to this statement?<\/h3>
In what cases does this rule not apply?<\/h3>
Practical impact and recommendations
Should you abandon AMP if you have already implemented it?<\/h3>
Not necessarily. If your AMP implementation is working well, generates no technical debt, and your Core Web Vitals are good<\/strong>, there is no urgent need to migrate. However, if AMP forces you to maintain two versions of each page, with extended publication times and recurrent bugs, it is time to reassess.<\/p> The right approach: audit your Core Web Vitals on your standard HTML pages<\/strong>. If they meet the thresholds (LCP < 2.5s, FID < 100 ms, CLS < 0.1), you can gradually switch. Start with a low-risk sample of pages, monitor the impact on Top Stories and overall traffic, and then generalize if the results are conclusive.<\/p> Relentlessly optimize your Core Web Vitals<\/strong>. LCP: reduce the weight of above-the-fold images, use a performant CDN, enable lazy loading on non-critical resources. FID: minimize blocking JavaScript, defer third-party scripts. CLS: specify the dimensions of images and iframes to avoid reflows.<\/p> Then, ensure your site adheres to Google News editorial criteria<\/strong>: original content, editorial transparency, identified authors, no aggressive clickbait. Without this, even with perfect Core Web Vitals, you will not be eligible. And check that your structured markup (Article, NewsArticle) is flawless.<\/p> First mistake: removing AMP suddenly without monitoring<\/strong>. If your standard pages are not up to par, you will lose access to Top Stories overnight. Test first in parallel, measure impact, and then switch.<\/p> Second mistake: believing that optimizing Core Web Vitals is a one-off task. It is a continuous project<\/strong>. Every theme update, every new plugin, every third-party script can degrade your performance. Set up automated monitoring (PageSpeed Insights API, Lighthouse CI, CrUX) to detect regressions before they affect your eligibility.<\/p>How can you ensure eligibility for Top Stories without AMP?<\/h3>
What mistakes should be avoided in this transition?<\/h3>
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
AMP améliore-t-il le classement dans les résultats organiques classiques ?
Peut-on accéder à Top Stories sans AMP aujourd'hui ?
Quels Core Web Vitals faut-il atteindre pour Top Stories ?
Dois-je abandonner AMP si je l'ai déjà implémenté ?
AMP reste-t-il pertinent pour certains sites ?
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