WordPress now supports Google’s AMP, enabling its sites to load faster on mobile

WordPress has announced that it now supports Accelerated Mobile Pages, Google’s ambitious project that wants to make the web load faster on mobile. Introduced in October 2015, the project, AMP, uses an open source HTML code framework to enable sites to load faster on mobile, an idea that is similar to Facebook’s Instant Articles.

The Automattic owned WordPress.com is one of the first companies to support AMP. In a blog post, the company said users will now start to see their sites loading faster on mobile. WordPress users will not have to set up AMP, it will be automatic. On the other hand, users that self host WordPress.com site can add a plugin that adds support for the Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) Project.

Read more: Google introduces Accelerated Mobile Pages for rich, faster content on mobile

A day ago, Google announced that AMP is now available on mobile search and that the company will now highlight AMP-enabled pages in its mobile search results. It is not clear if Google will prioritise these AMP enabled pages on mobile search. When Google launched AMP, it partnered with nearly 30 publishers such as Mashable, Atlantic Media, BBC, and The Economist to name a few.

AMP-enabled page loads four times faster, allowing mobile users in places with weak signals to still enjoy a mobile experience that is fast.

Nuzzel already supports AMP enabled articles but not many apps do but that is understandable as AMP is still a new thing. With time more apps will be optimised to support it.

Considering that WordPress commands 25 percent of the web, it is important that it is one of the first to support AMP, not only for its own benefit but to legitimise the Accelerated Mobile Pages project.