Google has upped the ante with its popular Accelerated Mobile Pages initiative with the launch of new AMP Stories, which will combine fast loading visuals and text for a selection of the most immersive content on mobile devices.
Google is muscling in on the stories framework already used by Snapchat and Instagram to deliver clickable and swipeable news and articles to end users. It believes the new, open sourced format will empower publishers to pursue a range of new storytelling options, which will make content more relevant for audiences.
It is built with the mobile web in mind, but AMP Stories will also work on a desktop. Google said the format will not supporting advertising at launch, but the ability to do so will arrive in the near future, and publishers will be able to keep all of the revenue generated.
AMP product manager, Rudy Galfi believes Stories will eventually be a “really engaging ad format”, but for the time being, the focus on getting publishers on board. He also admitted that it is “too early to say” how these stories will affect the search side of things for the time being, and that feedback would help moving forward.
Doug Parker, Meredith VP of Digital Design, said the new format would enhance the creative element of mobile content. He added: “Our team can easily create beautiful, media-rich stories that our users will now be able to access quickly across the web. We continue to be focused on creating the best content for every platform and the creative possibilities on AMP stories are endless.”
