Is AMP still a ranking factor in Google Search?

Did AMP really enjoy exclusive SEO advantages previously?

For several years, AMP had access to privileged placements in mobile search results. The news carousel at the top of the page, in particular, was strictly reserved for AMP pages.

This premium positioning was a major competitive advantage for publishers who adopted the format. Many invested heavily in AMP solely to access this increased visibility — not out of technical conviction.

What changed in Google's position?

Google gradually opened these features to all fast pages, whether AMP or not. The news carousel now accepts any page meeting Google's performance criteria and news standards.

This evolution is part of a broader movement: the gradual abandonment of AMP as a mandatory format. Core Web Vitals took over as a universally applicable performance criterion.

What does Mueller's statement concretely mean?

Mueller officially confirms what many were already observing: AMP is no longer a technical prerequisite to access any search feature.

Key points to remember:

• No preferential treatment: AMP and non-AMP pages are evaluated on the same ranking criteria
• No penalty for removal: Removing AMP from your infrastructure causes no mechanical loss of visibility
• Performance remains key: What matters is speed and user experience, not the technical format
• Simplification possible: Maintaining two versions (AMP + standard) no longer delivers measurable SEO benefit

Is this statement consistent with field observations?

Yes, largely. Since the integration of Core Web Vitals as a ranking signal, we observe that well-optimized non-AMP pages perform as well — sometimes better — than poorly designed AMP equivalents.

The myth that AMP guaranteed a visibility boost has collapsed. Complete migrations from AMP to optimized standard pages showed neutral or positive results in terms of organic traffic.

What nuances should we add to this statement?

Mueller's statement is technically accurate but omits a crucial point: the transition is not without effort. An AMP page is inherently very fast — removing AMP without investing in optimizing your standard version can degrade your performance.

[To verify] Google remains vague about the exact weight of Core Web Vitals in the overall algorithm. Saying there is "nothing to lose" assumes your non-AMP version already achieves comparable scores — which is not always the case.

In what cases does AMP still have value?

If your technical stack doesn't allow you to achieve optimal mobile performance, AMP remains an effective workaround. This is especially true for sites running heavy CMS or loaded with uncontrollable third-party scripts.

Some publishers keep AMP not for SEO, but for advertising monetization: the format imposes constraints that accelerate ad loading, improving viewability and thus revenue. This is a business consideration, not SEO.

Should you remove AMP from your site immediately?

Not necessarily. AMP removal should be conditioned on your ability to maintain equivalent performance on your standard pages. If you lack resources to optimize properly, keeping AMP remains a viable option.

Test first on a sample of pages. Compare Core Web Vitals metrics between AMP and non-AMP versions, then monitor traffic evolution over 4-6 weeks before generalizing.

How to successfully migrate away from AMP?

The key: reproduce AMP's technical advantages without the framework. This requires a thorough audit of your scripts, images, and third-party resources.

• Audit your current Core Web Vitals (AMP vs standard) using PageSpeed Insights and CrUX
• Optimize image loading (lazy loading, WebP/AVIF formats, responsive sizing)
• Reduce render-blocking JavaScript — defer or remove non-critical scripts
• Implement a robust caching system (CDN, service workers)
• Configure redirects properly from old AMP URLs
• Remove rel="amphtml" tags from canonical pages
• Monitor Search Console for any indexation anomalies post-migration
• Verify that structured data (JSON-LD) is properly present on standard versions

What to do if you choose to keep AMP?

If AMP remains relevant for you, ensure your two versions are perfectly synchronized. Content, meta tags, and structured data must be identical — any divergence can create contradictory signals for Google.

Continue monitoring Google's announcements about AMP. The format is declining, and complete withdrawal of support cannot be ruled out in the medium term.