Google is launching a developer preview of what it calls “AMP Stories.” This feature is bound to give the search engine a whole new look, so knowing about it is worthwhile.
The basics are simple really. First up, let’s begin with the “Stories” part. Any user of Facebook Instagram and Snapchat knows what the term means. If not, it is a full-screen display of content you can either tap or swipe through. It was started by Snapchat but then it was copied by Instagram and later Facebook.
Google is currently doing something of a like nature. The search giant has begun testing a Stories format that will appear in Google search (however, one must look for it). When you search for a publication say CNN, People for instance you might get a host of slideshow content created by that partner. It could be a slideshow of a top-10 list, little moving images, or some other “visually rich [way] of storytelling specifically designed for mobile,” as Google puts it.
The “AMP” part is a bit complicated in that it is standard for webpages which are extremely faster than existing mobile pages, and is almost entirely supported by Google. It was in some way a reaction to Facebook’s Instant Articles but served from Google search, Bing, and Twitter.
The “AMP” in “AMP Stories” apply Google’s version of stories being built on HTML-esque base. AMP stories are coded and served with loads of like tools used to make AMP articles, in that way they load fast and may even be cached aforetime on your phone before you click on them.
Vox Media was partner with Google to create the AMP Stories. Chief Product Officer of Vox Media, Joe Alicata, says AMP Stories are “a distinct, new way to tell stories,” as opposed to AMP articles, which are mainly faster ways to show content that would otherwise just be on a regular webpage. Although Google has stated that it’s not allowing ads in AMP Stories, Joe Alicata believes that there’s a possibility to monetize later on.
However, Google is yet to disclose the time AMP stories will be fully launched or where they will appear when they do.
