AMP Indexing FAQs: Everything You Need to Know -

Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) is a Google-backed framework designed to improve mobile page speed and performance. However, ensuring AMP pages are properly indexed in Google Search can be challenging.

This guide addresses frequently asked questions about AMP indexing, common issues, and best practices for troubleshooting.

What is AMP and How Does Google Index It?

Google indexes AMP pages similarly to regular pages but with some key differences:

AMP pages must be linked properly from the main (canonical) page.
Googlebot crawls and indexes AMP pages separately.
Google stores a cached version of AMP pages for faster loading.

Example of AMP linking on a desktop page:

htmlCopyEdit<link rel="amphtml" href="https://example.com/page/amp">

This tells Google where the AMP version of the page is located.

How Can I Check If My AMP Pages Are Indexed?

To check if Google has indexed your AMP pages:

Google Search Console (GSC): Go to AMP Report under Indexing.
Google Search Operator: Enter this in Google Search:bashCopyEditsite:example.com inurl:/amp
URL Inspection Tool in GSC: Enter the AMP page URL and check indexing status.

Why Are My AMP Pages Not Indexed?

If AMP pages are not indexed, some possible reasons include:

No Internal Links to the AMP Page
- Ensure the canonical (desktop) page links to the AMP version.
Blocked by Robots.txt
- Make sure AMP URLs are not blocked in robots.txt:makefileCopyEditUser-agent: Googlebot Allow: /amp/
Noindex Meta Tag in AMP Page
- If your AMP page contains this meta tag, remove it:htmlCopyEdit<meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow">
AMP Validation Errors
- Use AMP Validator to check for errors.
- Fix missing required AMP tags or invalid elements.

Should I Use a Canonical Tag on My AMP Pages?

Yes. AMP pages should always reference a canonical URL to avoid duplicate content issues.

Canonical tag on AMP page:htmlCopyEdit<link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/page">
AMP HTML link on the desktop page:htmlCopyEdit<link rel="amphtml" href="https://example.com/page/amp">

This setup ensures Google understands the relationship between the AMP and non-AMP versions.

Why is My AMP Page Indexed but Not Appearing in Search Results?

If your AMP page is indexed but not ranking in Google Search, consider the following:

Low-Quality Content – Ensure the content is relevant and engaging.
No Schema Markup – Add structured data to improve visibility in search results.
Slow Loading Time – Even though AMP is designed for speed, poor server response times can affect rankings.

Use Google’s PageSpeed Insights to test loading speed and performance.

How Can I Speed Up AMP Indexing?

To get AMP pages indexed faster:

Submit the AMP Page in Google Search Console
- Use the URL Inspection Tool and click Request Indexing.
Submit AMP URLs in Your XML Sitemap
- Add AMP URLs in your sitemap.xml:xmlCopyEdit<url> <loc>https://example.com/page/amp</loc> </url>
- Then submit it in Google Search Console → Sitemaps.
Use Google’s Indexing API (for publishers and news websites).
Share AMP Pages on Social Media to increase discovery.

What is Google’s AMP Cache and How Does It Work?

Google stores a cached version of AMP pages to improve loading speed for users.

How to View the AMP Cache Version of Your Page:

Format:arduinoCopyEdithttps://cdn.ampproject.org/c/example.com/page/amp
Test by appending this before your AMP URL:arduinoCopyEdithttps://www.google.com/amp/example.com/page/amp

To Clear the AMP Cache:

Use AMP Cache Update Tool.
Append #development=1 to the URL to check for cache issues.

Are AMP Pages Still Important for SEO?

AMP is no longer required for Google’s Top Stories, but it still offers benefits:

AMP helps improve mobile user experience and page speed.
AMP pages can increase engagement and reduce bounce rates.
If your site relies on fast-loading pages, AMP can still be useful.

However, Core Web Vitals (CWV) now play a bigger role in rankings. If your mobile pages are already optimized for speed and CWV, AMP may not be necessary.

Summary: Quick Fixes for AMP Indexing Issues

Issue	Solution
AMP Page Not Indexed	Check GSC’s URL Inspection Tool
Google Can’t Find AMP	Ensure canonical & amphtml tags are correct
Robots.txt Blocking AMP	Allow Googlebot access
Noindex Tag Present	Remove `<meta name="robots" content="noindex">`
Validation Errors	Fix issues in AMP Validator
AMP Not Ranking	Improve content quality & add structured data