Google has introduced a product that is in its beginning stages called Google AMP (Accelerate Mobile Pages). However, despite its effectual benefits towards mobile users and advertisers, there are already existing concerns within the publishing world with the arrival of this tool.

First, let’s understand what Google AMP does. Google AMP will reformat mobile sites to load faster. The method in which this happens is by first loading text and images and then allowing JavaScript to load last. Google insists that with the advent of this product, it will maintain the integrity of the user experience by only including ads that do not diminish their experience. These AMP ad files will be “fast, safe, compelling and effective for users.”

Undoubtedly, users will wholeheartedly benefit from this since Americans spend more than 3 hours each day* using their mobile devices. While they’ve tolerated slow loading pages in the past, this can only indicate great news for them in their day to day experiences using their mobile. But, it’s not just publishers who can benefit from this adoption. It’s been said that publishers who partner with Google AMP will receive higher rankings in Google search results as a result of their partnership and consequently see an increase of traffic on their site.

That being said, there are a few concerns jumping out at publishers right off the bat:

• If publishers already use a form of vendor technology for the deliverance of their advertising, what if their old technology does not comply with Google AMP technology? The answer is that in the long run, Google would like to adopt other forms of ad delivery formats but, for now, publishers would have to use Google’s ad delivery tech. This leads us right to our next concern.
• Using Google AMP, especially in its in early stages, means conforming to Google’s requirements until otherwise noted– what can be understood as greater reliance on Google and their tech.
• In wanting to maintain the greatest user experience, AMP will only deliver ads that are “compelling.” The term compelling, as subjective as it is, means that AMP has discretionary freedom to define “compelling” however they deem fitting, making publishers nervous.

While it seems as though there are incredible benefits to adopting AMP, publishers should consider what their partnerships would entail should they go through with it. What are your initial thoughts?

*Source: Emarketer- Smart Insights- July 22, 2015