How to Use Google AMP Cache as a Free CDN

How to configure MODX CMS to serve Accelerated Mobile Pages, and leverage the Google AMP Cache for content delivery.

By YJ Tso  |  Updated: November 2, 2016  |  2 min read
How to Use Google AMP Cache as a Free CDN

What is AMP?

Accelerated Mobile Pages (aka "AMPs") are a special kind of mobile-friendly page that Google loves. In fact, Google will cache (store a copy of) your AMPs and deliver them directly to mobile users via Google's blazing fast, global CDN—for free.

Benefits of AMP

Google’s mission for AMP is to have content load instantly, everywhere. Google proved long ago that a faster web converts at higher rates; AMP allows them to serve pages much faster than virtually any other method today.

Recently, Google launched the Top Stories carousel to feature AMPs from around the Internet. It commands the coveted spot at the top of Google's Search Results Pages, and Google is indexing millions of new AMPs every week. With your content in that carousel, you get maximum visibility and reach.

According to metrics shared by Google and its preeminent AMP publishers, return users from mobile search increased 23% with the adoption of AMP, and while 40% of site visitors will abandon a page that takes more than 3 seconds to load, the fast load times of AMP pages makes that a non-issue.

The best part is, you can create and publish your content exactly the way you do now. Your AMPs can even contain analytics tags and ads, but you get lightning fast page loads at the top of Google search results.

It's SEO nirvana.

Ampify Your MODX Site

If you have a site built with MODX CMS, you can benefit from all the above, by simply installing an Extra and creating a Template for your AMPs.

Head over to the Extras Installer in your MODX site, or the Extras Repo, and download the brand new Ampify package. Optionally, install an Extra that handles Context routing—we recommend ContextGateway.

The Ampify readme on Github provides an example implementation using MODX Contexts, with screenshots and step-by-step instructions.

From day one, MODX provided unprecedented flexibility in presenting your content. From mobile sites, to responsive design, to APIs—MODX delivers your content, your way. With Google and AMPs, it can do it instantly and everywhere too!