Google’s push to adopt Web Stories has been compared to AMP, another lightweight web technology that received a similar push in its early days.
As AMP is no longer as supported as it used to be, and has become less important in search results, people are asking if the Web Stories format will replace it.
Google’s search advocate, John Mueller, took to Twitter to answer such a question from an SEO professional asking if Web Stories was the new AMP.
So Web Stories are the new amp? @JohnMu Or am I oversimplifying this new toy? #webstory
– Tammy Wood (@crazywoody) February 16, 2022
This is a fair question. In fact, when the Web Stories format launched in 2018, it was called “AMP Stories”.
This is because AMP is the underlying technology for Web Stories. However, there are differences between AMP and Web Stories, which Mueller noted in his response.
Difference Between AMP and Web Stories
Unlike AMP pages, Web Stories are not paired with equivalent HTML pages.
web story Yes HTML page. Although built on the AMP framework, they stand on their own.
“Somewhat — they’re built on top of the AMP framework, just don’t use the “pairing” setup. If you use a tool to generate them, they’re essentially just HTML pages that you can link to naturally from your site. “
Web Stories can be accessed and linked like any other web page. Web Stories are created without special links like AMP pages.
So why compare?
The comparison between AMP and Web Stories can stem from a number of factors.
Google Discover has a dedicated Web Stories carousel, reminiscent of the AMP carousel that used to exist in the early days of AMP.
Also reminiscent of the early days of AMP is Google’s support for Web Stories.
google has one Official WordPress Plugin Help publishers easily create and embed Web Stories on their sites.
Additionally, Google offers a programmatic advertising solution for Web Stories, giving publishers a way to monetize them.
Recently, Google developed a way for publishers to track the performance of Web Stories in Data Studio, using simple template.
This is all to encourage further adoption of the Web Stories format. The more successful Web Stories sites are, the more likely other sites will use them.
Last June, Google reported reach milestones 100,000 new web stories are added to the search index every day.
While that’s a big number, Google no doubt wants it higher. This is evident from the fact that Web Stories in Google Discover is only supported in the US, India and Brazil.
Last year, Mueller said Google may expand support for Web Stories If more sites start using them. So far, this has not happened.
Considering the Web Stories format was launched four years ago, the fact that it hasn’t been widely adopted isn’t necessarily a bad sign. Although that could mean we’ll see a big push from Google for more sites to join.
One thing is clear – Web Stories doesn’t elicit the same scorn among publishers that AMP does.
It’s likely that Google will either have to raise awareness about Web Stories, or give people an easier way to create them, or both.
Featured image: ThomasAFink/Shutterstock
