Websites built with Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) and Progressive Web Apps (PWA) have emerged as potent players in SEO. But with their unique technical nuances, ensuring optimal search engine visibility requires a specialized approach. That’s where the SEO audit for AMP and PWA websites comes in – it’s a deep dive into the technical and content aspects that fuel their search engine success.
Prepping for the Dive
- Set goals: What do you want to achieve? Increasing organic traffic, improving conversion rates, or boosting engagement? Defining goals helps tailor the audit and prioritize findings.
- Gather tools: Arm yourself with tools like Google Search Console, Lighthouse, AMP Validator, and PageSpeed Insights. These will provide valuable data and insights into website’s performance.
Diving into the AMP Depths:
- Validation is key: Use the AMP Validator to identify any code errors or inconsistencies that might hinder indexing and visibility. Ensure all AMP pages comply with Google’s guidelines.
- Speed is king: Test AMP pages with Google PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse. Prioritize optimizing loading times, minimizing JavaScript, and optimizing images for a swift mobile experience.
- Content consistency is crucial: Compare AMP content with the canonical versions to ensure consistency in titles, headings, and key information. Discrepancies can confuse search engines and hurt rankings.
- Structured data matters: Implement relevant structured data markup to enrich AMP pages with rich snippets and improve search result visibility.
Surfacing the PWA Treasures
- Performance perfection: Leverage Lighthouse to evaluate PWA’s overall performance, including metrics like first contentful paint, Largest Contentful Paint, and Time to Interactive. Aim for lightning-fast user experiences.
- Accessibility audit: Ensure PWA is accessible to everyone, regardless of device or ability. Use WAVE or Lighthouse accessibility audits to identify and address any potential barriers. Progressive enhancement
- FTW: Verify that PWA delivers a good experience even on basic devices by implementing progressive enhancements. Gracefully degrade functionality while maintaining core content and usability.
- Manifest magic: Check PWA’s manifest file for completeness and accuracy. Include icons, name, short_name, and theme_color to optimize install prompts and user experience.
- Offline capability: Test PWA’s offline functionality. Can users access essential content and features even without an internet connection? A seamless offline experience boosts engagement and SEO potential.
Emerging from the Audit
- Prioritize findings: Focus on the most critical issues that significantly impact SEO performance. Fix technical errors, implement content improvements, and address accessibility concerns first.
- Track progress: Monitor the website’s performance after implementing audit recommendations. Use Search Console and analytics tools to track traffic, engagement, and ranking improvements.
- Make it a continuous process: Regularly conduct SEO audits to stay ahead of the curve. New updates, algorithm changes, and evolving user behaviour necessitate ongoing assessments and adjustments.