Accelerated Mobile Pages in Opencart

Amplifying E-Commerce Functionalities through AMP Technology

Let's start off with a very basic, real-life example. Suppose, I am a newbie and have initially started an e-commerce store.

For that, I am looking for plugins that would enhance the functionality of my website. While surfing for the same I came across Webkul's website.

Just imagine, as I hit the website's link, I encounter that it takes infinite time to open up. With this happening, I may switch to another website and here, Webkul might lose a customer.

In light of the above, it becomes quite essential to mention that "page load time" plays an exigent role in the e-commerce world.

It is quite obvious that a customer would prefer a website whose pages load at lightning fast speed rather than a website that is slow as a slug.

When talking of page speed, the first thing that pops in our minds is the AMP. Let's delineate the concept of AMP and how it has changed the page load scenario for the websites.

Mobiles and the AMP

In this era of bullet trains, how can we expect our online customers to stay and wait for the website to load?

Be it desktop or mobiles, no one has the time to sit back and watch the desktop or mobile screens while the page loads.

With the advancement in technology, no one is bereft of the importance of mobile phones in the day to day lives. From booking tickets to ordering food, mobiles phones have become an imperative part of each one's life.

For instance, a user decides to visits your online news portal. As the user hits your website's link, it fails to load and all that a user can see is a buffering icon.

You definitely would lose a valuable customer here as he would opt to head off to visit your competitor's website.

AMP is the Solution:

AMP is the way out for such scenarios. An AMP configured website will never let down a customer's expectation as it reduces all the unnecessary elements from the website.

AMP or Accelerated Mobile Pages enhances the performance and focuses on making the web pages extremely interactive. It's an opensource library which tends to make the web pages load almost instantly.

The main idea behind the faster page load is quick delivery of content to the users on mobile phones as maximum customers actually surf pages on the internet.

This would keep the interest of the user intact and so the website shall encounter less bounce rate.

Therefore, AMP is the solution, but the driving force behind AMP are- the JS, Cache Libraries and the HTML.

The Propelling Integrants Behind AMP

AMP: JS or JavaScript

  • Known as the Scripting Language, it is renowned for its robust nature.

  • It is responsible for enhancing the elements of a webpage.

  • It allows asynchronous JS, therefore, no setback in page display.

AMP: HTML

  • HTML integrates the AMP properties or AMP tags to render efficient performance of a website.

  • This can be achieved by simply replacing the HTML tags by the AMP configured tags.

  • A non-amp version of an AMP configured can also be created.

AMP: Cache

  • The major part in faster page loading is that of the AMP Cache.

  • Google simply saves the cache page of the AMP configured page.

  • As the user visits that page, it renders or fetches the page directly from the cache itself.

AMP: A Mandate Attribute for E-Commerce: 

AMP is an imperative aspect of the E-Commerce industry. Your network connectivity may play a part in the faster page load some times, but definitely, it is the AMP who rules the game.

Some Beneficiary Aspects

Enticing User Experience: A speedy page load initiates more user engagement. Obviously, if a page load is speedy the customer may develop an interest in navigating through more pages.

This way a website shall incur fewer bounce rates as the customers may stay for a longer time duration and engage with the website's content.

An Amp configured site is mobile friendly therefore and as almost everyone owns a mobile phone, therefore, it is quite easy for the users to access a website.

More Sales, More Revenue: It is likely that customers will return to a website if it is prompt and performs briskly at each of its pages (cart page, checkout page, billing page, etc).

Therefore, it is obvious that if customers are opting a website over and over again for their buying needs then that site shall surely generate real sales and higher conversion.

Enhanced Exposure and Visibility: The SERP page lists AMP powered websites on top.  This improves the CTR's or Click Through Rates for these websites.

Customers will always prefer navigating through a website which includes an AMP icon as they know that it shall not keep them waiting as they browse through the website's content.

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SERP Rankings: An AMP configured website shall exhibit on top of a Google SERP page, unlike the websites which do not perform fast.

Therefore the AMP affects the rankings of the websites which is also feasible for both mobiles and desktops. A better ranking makes it easy for the user's engagement with the website's content.

More CTR's and Fewer Bounce Rates: It is quite obvious that a slow processing website shall encounter more bounce rates.

For instance, if I am reading a blog online and encounter that the content is taking time to load, then it is much likely that I shall leave the website and look for other options.

If a website implements AMP, then the visitor's shall prefer clicking the link of that website and navigate through its content. This increases the CTR's and reduces the Bounce Rates as well.

Conclusion

Faster websites are the only solutions for customer retention as AMP focuses on delivering the actual or main content to the customer/ visitors.

If customers find the navigation process through a website faster, then only will they engage rigorously with the website's content.

Therefore, AMP must be the prime priority for every e-commerce website.