Google Shifts AMP Serving: No More Cache For Search Results

Google Search has implemented a significant change in how it delivers Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP), effective July 1. Users clicking on an AMP result will now be directed straight to the domain’s AMP host page, rather than a cached version served by Google. This marks an end to the “viewer/cache serving path” that has been a long-standing feature of AMP in Google Search.

This update was confirmed by Google through a changelog, where it explicitly removed mentions of the AMP viewer, AMP Cache, and signed exchanges from its official AMP documentation. This move streamlines the user experience by eliminating an intermediary step in content delivery.

Historical Context of AMP Serving

Historically, when a user clicked an AMP result in Google Search, the page would be served from Google’s AMP Cache and displayed within an AMP viewer, often showing a google.com URL. Signed exchanges were introduced to allow the domain’s original URL to be visible instead of the Google-hosted version, offering a degree of branding consistency for publishers.

The gradual shift away from Google-controlled AMP serving began years ago. In 2021, Google removed AMP as a mandatory requirement for inclusion in the Top Stories carousel and phased out the distinctive lightning-bolt icon from search results. Mobile versions of Google News had already started bypassing AMP URLs, sending traffic directly to the publishers’ domains. This latest update extends the same direct routing approach to all sites within Google Search.

Implications for Publishers and SEO

For web publishers and SEO professionals, this change primarily affects the technical delivery of AMP content, not its visibility or ranking. Google has explicitly stated that AMP content “will continue to rank just like any other web page.” This means that the intrinsic SEO value of AMP, such as fast loading times and mobile-friendliness, remains relevant.

The discontinuation of the AMP Cache serving path also means that publishers no longer need to configure signed exchanges specifically for AMP to ensure their original URL is displayed. This could simplify some aspects of AMP implementation and maintenance. The decision to continue using AMP pages now becomes a more straightforward technical choice, similar to any other web development decision.

What This Means for Digital Marketers in India

For digital marketers and website owners in India, this update reinforces the importance of overall site performance and user experience. While AMP itself is no longer served from Google’s cache, the underlying principles of fast-loading, mobile-optimized content remain crucial for search ranking and user engagement. Businesses that have invested in AMP for speed benefits should continue to monitor their page performance and ensure direct loading is seamless. This also means more direct traffic to their own domains, potentially offering better analytics and control over user journeys.

Key facts:

Feature	Old Behavior (pre-July 1)	New Behavior (post-July 1)
AMP Page Delivery	Served from Google’s AMP Cache	Direct link to domain’s AMP host page
URL Display	google.com URL (unless signed exchange)	Domain’s original AMP URL
Ranking Impact	None (AMP still ranks normally)	None (AMP still ranks normally)

Moving Forward with AMP

Publishers who currently utilize AMP should review their configurations to ensure a smooth transition with direct linking. While the AMP cache and viewer are no longer part of the search experience, the framework itself continues to be supported. The focus should now be on optimizing the performance of the AMP host pages directly, ensuring they load quickly and provide an excellent user experience. This change empowers publishers with more direct control over their content delivery while maintaining the benefits of AMP’s optimized structure.

Source: Search Engine Journal, https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-ends-cache-served-amp-pages-in-search/581405/