AMP validation errors can hurt your site’s mobile performance, SEO rankings, and user experience. Fixing these errors ensures your pages load faster, stay mobile-friendly, and are eligible for AMP-specific features like Google’s Top Stories carousel. Here’s what you need to know:

Focus on regular monitoring, testing fixes, and using professional help for complex issues to maintain compliance and improve site performance.

How to Validate & Debug AMP Pages

What Are AMP Validation Errors

AMP validation errors happen when your web pages fail to meet the strict coding rules set by the AMP framework. The AMP validator reviews your code and flags any issues, such as missing tags or forbidden elements. Fixing these errors ensures your AMP pages load quickly and perform well on mobile devices.

Common Causes of AMP Errors

A few key issues often lead to AMP validation errors:

  • Missing required tags: Every AMP page needs specific elements like the AMP boilerplate code, canonical links, and proper meta tags. Without these, your page won’t pass validation.
  • Invalid HTML and CSS: AMP has tight restrictions on HTML and CSS. For example, certain elements like <form>, <input>, and <object> aren’t allowed. Also, all CSS must be inline or placed within a single <style amp-custom> tag. Using external stylesheets or unsupported CSS properties will cause errors.
  • Layout attribute problems: AMP requires clear width and height attributes or responsive layout settings for media like images and videos. Missing or incorrect sizing information can trigger validation errors, as it disrupts the page’s loading process.
  • Disallowed JavaScript: Custom JavaScript is mostly blocked in AMP to maintain fast load times. Only specific AMP components and scripts, like analytics, are allowed. Adding unauthorized JavaScript will immediately break validation.
  • Incorrect use of AMP components: Misusing AMP-specific elements, such as <amp-img> without required attributes or improperly nesting components, can lead to errors. These technical issues need attention to ensure your pages function properly.

How AMP Errors Affect SEO

Ignoring AMP validation errors can seriously impact your search engine performance. Google won’t treat pages with AMP errors as valid AMP content, meaning they lose access to AMP-specific search features.

One of the biggest impacts is on search result visibility. Pages with errors can’t appear in Google’s Top Stories carousel, AMP cache, or other mobile-friendly search features. This often leads to lower click-through rates, especially for content-heavy sites like news outlets.

Page indexing may also slow down. While Google will still index the non-AMP version of your page, technical errors can make the process less efficient. Worse, search engines might see these issues as signs of poor site upkeep, which could hurt your domain authority.

Mobile user experience takes a hit as well. Instead of fast-loading AMP pages, visitors end up with slower mobile versions, increasing bounce rates and reducing time spent on the page.

Over time, repeated AMP errors can lead to lower mobile search rankings. With Google’s mobile-first indexing prioritizing fast, optimized content, losing AMP status puts your site at a disadvantage.

For publishers relying on mobile traffic – like blogs or news sites – AMP validation errors can cause a significant drop in organic visits. And when users encounter slower-loading pages, conversion rates may decline as well. Frustrated visitors are less likely to complete actions like signing up for newsletters or sharing content.

Next, let’s explore tools that can help you identify and fix these errors.

Tools for Finding AMP Validation Errors

Tracking down AMP validation errors calls for tools that pinpoint issues with precision. Thankfully, several platforms are available to help identify the root causes, making the process of fixing these errors much more manageable. Let’s dive into some of the most effective tools, starting with Google Search Console and the AMP Validator.

Using Google Search Console

Google Search Console

Google Search Console is your go-to resource for monitoring the health of AMP pages across your website. It provides detailed error reports that show exactly which pages have validation issues and how many users could be affected.

In the Coverage and Enhancements sections, you’ll find grouped error reports organized by validation type. These reports also track your site’s progress over time, making it easier to spot whether recent changes have introduced new errors or resolved existing ones.

For real-time checks, the URL Inspection Tool is invaluable. Simply enter any URL from your site, and Google will confirm whether the AMP version passes validation. If there are issues, it provides a breakdown of the errors, helping you zero in on what needs fixing.

Using the AMP Validator

AMP Validator

The AMP Validator is one of the most precise tools available for testing AMP validation. It offers two main methods to check for errors, each suited to different debugging needs.

For real-time browser testing, add #development=1 to the end of your AMP page URL. For example, if your page is https://example.com/amp-page.html, update it to https://example.com/amp-page.html#development=1. Then, open your browser’s developer console by pressing F12 or Ctrl+Shift+I. Validation errors will appear directly in the console messages.

Alternatively, use the online AMP Validator tool at https://validator.ampproject.org/. You can either input your page’s URL or paste the AMP HTML code directly into the tool. It provides detailed error messages, often accompanied by suggestions for resolving the issues.

Once you’ve made corrections, revalidate your AMP pages using either method. When your page meets all requirements, the validator will display the message "AMP validation successful."

Other Tools for AMP Diagnostics

In addition to Google’s tools, several third-party platforms can offer deeper insights into AMP validation issues:

  • Screaming Frog SEO Spider: This tool includes AMP validation as part of its site crawling process. During a crawl, you can review URLs with validation errors in the ‘AMP’ tab under the ‘Other Validation Errors’ filter. For more details, right-click on a problematic URL and select ‘Validation > AMP Validator’ to open the page directly in the online validator.
  • Sitebulb: Known for its detailed audits, Sitebulb is particularly helpful for identifying patterns in AMP errors. It can reveal whether specific templates or types of pages are consistently causing validation problems.

For more complex or recurring issues, professional technical SEO audits can be a game-changer. Services like those offered by SearchX provide thorough AMP diagnostics, helping businesses address validation errors that might affect mobile search rankings and user experience.

To get the best results, consider combining these tools. Start with Google Search Console for a broad overview, use the AMP Validator for detailed debugging, and explore third-party tools or professional audits for more intricate problems. Each tool plays a unique role in ensuring your AMP pages meet validation standards.

How to Fix Common AMP Validation Errors

Once you’ve identified AMP validation errors using diagnostic tools, you can apply specific fixes to bring your pages back into compliance. Most AMP issues fall into a few common categories, and each has a straightforward solution. Here’s how to address them.

Fixing Missing Required Tags

If you’re encountering MANDATORY_TAG_MISSING errors, it means some required AMP tags are missing. Every valid AMP document needs a specific set of tags and attributes to function properly.

Make sure your AMP document includes these essential tags:

  • <!doctype html> at the very top
  • <html amp> or <html ⚡> to declare the page as AMP
  • <meta charset="utf-8"> in the head section
  • <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width"> for mobile optimization
  • <link rel="canonical" href="..."> pointing to the non-AMP version of the page
  • <style amp-boilerplate> containing the required AMP boilerplate CSS
  • <script async src="https://cdn.ampproject.org/v0.js"></script> to load the AMP runtime

Some tags, like <html amp> and <meta charset="utf-8">, must appear exactly once. If you’re using extended AMP components such as <amp-img> or <amp-video>, include their corresponding script tags in the head. Missing these can result in TAG_REQUIRED_BY_MISSING errors.

For example, using <amp-carousel> requires this script tag:
<script async custom-element="amp-carousel" src="https://cdn.ampproject.org/v0/amp-carousel-0.1.js"></script>.

After addressing missing tags, check for invalid code syntax to resolve additional errors.

Correcting Invalid HTML/CSS

AMP has strict rules for HTML and CSS, and the AMP Validator will highlight any violations. Fixing these issues often involves replacing standard HTML with AMP-specific tags and removing unsupported code.

  • Replace <img> tags with <amp-img> and ensure they include width, height, and layout attributes.
  • Convert <video> elements to <amp-video> and use <amp-iframe> instead of <iframe>.

For CSS, all styles must be inlined within a single <style amp-custom> tag in the head section since external stylesheets are not allowed. Keep the CSS file size under 75,000 bytes (ideally closer to 14KB) and avoid forbidden syntax like !important, @import, @charset, and @namespace.

Fixing Layout Attribute Issues

Improper layout attributes are a frequent source of AMP errors. Every AMP element must have proper width, height, and layout attributes.

When converting an <img> tag to <amp-img>, follow this format:
<amp-img src="image.jpg" width="300" height="200" layout="responsive"></amp-img>
This ensures the image scales appropriately on different devices.

For <amp-video> elements, use:
<amp-video width="640" height="360" layout="responsive" controls>
For non-proportional elements like ads, use a fixed-height layout:
<amp-ad width="320" height="50" layout="fixed-height">.

Making AMP Pages Discoverable

To ensure search engines can find and index your AMP pages, check your meta tags and robots.txt configuration.

  • Update your canonical links to clearly define the relationship between AMP and non-AMP pages. On your standard page, include:
    <link rel="amphtml" href="https://example.com/amp-page.html">
    On your AMP page, include:
    <link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/standard-page.html">.
  • Review your robots.txt file to confirm it doesn’t block AMP pages. For example, remove any directives like Disallow: /amp/ that could prevent proper crawling.

Finally, double-check your viewport meta tag. It should look like this:
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,minimum-scale=1,initial-scale=1">
This tag is essential for AMP validation and ensures your content displays correctly on mobile devices.

After applying these fixes, revalidate your pages using the AMP Validator or your browser’s developer console to confirm all issues have been resolved.

sbb-itb-880d5b6

Testing Fixes and Monitoring AMP Compliance

Once you’ve applied fixes to your AMP pages, the work doesn’t stop there. Ongoing testing and monitoring are essential to keep your site AMP-compliant. After resolving validation errors, you need to confirm that the issues are truly fixed and establish a system to catch new problems before they affect your site’s performance.

Revalidating Fixed Pages

The first step is to verify that your fixes have done their job. Start by using the AMP Validator to test individual pages. Simply paste the URL of your AMP page into the validator at validator.ampproject.org. For more detailed error messages, including line numbers, open your browser’s developer console and add #development=1 to your AMP page URL.

Another method is through Google Search Console, though it takes longer to reflect changes. Go to the AMP section under Enhancements, locate the error type you’ve addressed, and select a few updated URLs. Then, click Validate Fix. Google will queue these pages for validation, but the process may take days or even weeks, depending on your site’s crawl frequency and Google’s schedule.

For immediate feedback, rely on the AMP Validator and developer console. Once individual pages are revalidated, make it a habit to regularly check your AMP status in Search Console to ensure ongoing compliance.

Regular Monitoring with Search Console

To stay ahead of any issues, monitor your AMP status in Search Console on a weekly basis. Enable email alerts to get notified of critical errors as soon as they arise. Pay close attention to the AMP status report, especially any new error types or sudden spikes in error counts.

The Coverage section in Search Console is another key area to monitor. It shows whether your AMP pages are being indexed correctly. A drop in indexed AMP pages often signals new validation errors that require immediate attention.

Routine checks are crucial, especially after making changes to your content, plugins, or theme, as these updates can often trigger new AMP errors. Weekly tracking and email alerts can help you catch and address problems quickly.

Using SEO Audits for Compliance

In addition to routine validation, conducting regular technical SEO audits is essential for maintaining long-term AMP compliance. Schedule these audits quarterly to review your entire AMP setup, not just the specific errors you’ve fixed.

During these audits, assess your AMP pages’ loading speed, mobile usability, and structured data. Ideally, AMP pages should load in under 2 seconds. If performance starts to lag, it could signal deeper technical issues that might not yet show up as validation errors.

For a more in-depth review, consider professional services like SearchX’s technical SEO audits, which go beyond basic validation. Their team examines your AMP implementation in the context of your overall SEO strategy, helping to ensure your AMP pages enhance your search visibility. This proactive approach can uncover hidden issues and optimize your pages for better performance.

To stay on top of things, use automated monitoring tools to check your AMP pages daily and alert you to any new issues. Document your AMP maintenance schedule and assign team members to oversee compliance. Persistent monitoring can help identify complex problems early, giving you the chance to address them before they escalate.

When to Get Expert Help

There are times when professional expertise is the best route to avoid complications and ensure your AMP setup meets all standards. This section highlights scenarios where expert intervention can make a meaningful difference in maintaining and optimizing your AMP compliance.

Fixing Persistent Errors

If you’re repeatedly fixing the same issues only to see them resurface, it could point to deeper structural problems that impact your overall SEO performance. Some technical challenges, like structured data mismatches – when AMP pages fail to properly communicate content types to search engines – require a higher level of schema markup expertise.

AMP’s restrictions on custom JavaScript can also create hurdles, especially if your site relies heavily on interactive elements or tracking codes. Modifying these features to align with AMP standards is often a tricky process. Additionally, recurring templating errors may signal underlying system issues that demand expert debugging. If your in-house developers are already juggling multiple projects, AMP maintenance might not get the attention it needs, making professional help a smart choice.

SearchX Technical SEO Services

SearchX Technical SEO Services

SearchX offers technical SEO services tailored to resolve even the most challenging AMP validation issues. Their team specializes in addressing persistent or advanced problems, focusing on root causes rather than temporary fixes.

Their technical audit dives deep into your entire AMP implementation, placing it within the broader framework of your SEO strategy. This process identifies conflicts between AMP requirements and your website’s functionality, suggesting solutions that maintain a balance between user experience and strong search performance.

SearchX also provides ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure your AMP setup stays compliant, especially after updates or changes to your site. Their team stays informed about evolving AMP guidelines and best practices, so your implementation keeps pace with the latest standards.

Beyond AMP validation, SearchX integrates AMP optimization into a broader technical SEO strategy. They address key aspects like site speed, mobile usability, and structured data, ensuring your AMP pages enhance overall search visibility rather than functioning as isolated fixes.

For businesses facing multiple validation errors, SearchX prioritizes solutions by tackling the most critical issues first. They also develop long-term strategies to prevent recurring problems. Thanks to their experience with industry-specific SEO, they can adapt AMP implementations to suit various business models, whether you run an e-commerce platform, a news site, or a service-oriented business.

When it comes to complex or enterprise-level AMP setups, having professional support is essential. These implementations require a level of expertise that ensures everything runs smoothly and efficiently.

Conclusion

Fixing AMP validation errors plays a key role in boosting mobile performance and improving search visibility. AMP-compliant pages can load up to 85% faster than standard pages, which helps keep users engaged and reduces bounce rates – a win-win for both user experience and SEO success. This advantage is especially important in the U.S., where mobile usage dominates, and Google prioritizes mobile-friendly content in its rankings.

This guide has walked you through practical steps to address AMP challenges effectively. Using tools like Google Search Console and the AMP Validator, you can identify issues and resolve them by adding missing tags, fixing HTML or CSS errors, and ensuring layout attributes are correctly set.

Ongoing monitoring is key to staying compliant. Websites that address AMP errors often see a 20-30% boost in mobile search visibility within three months. This happens because resolving errors can restore eligibility for features like Google’s Top Stories carousel, which significantly increases click-through rates and organic traffic.

Take this example: a U.S. news publisher corrected missing canonical tags and invalid CSS, regaining access to Google’s Top Stories carousel. As a result, their mobile organic traffic jumped by 20% in just one month.

For businesses struggling with complex or recurring AMP validation issues, professional help can turn patchwork fixes into long-term SEO gains. Services like SearchX’s technical SEO solutions address the root causes of errors and integrate AMP compliance into a broader SEO strategy, ensuring lasting improvements in search performance.

Ultimately, achieving AMP compliance isn’t just about fixing errors – it’s about building a strong foundation for mobile-first SEO success. With the right tools, a structured approach, and expert guidance when needed, maintaining AMP compliance becomes a manageable and rewarding part of your overall strategy. By doing so, you’ll not only resolve issues but also create a pathway to sustained mobile performance and measurable business growth.

FAQs

What happens if I don’t fix AMP validation errors on my website?

Ignoring AMP validation errors can seriously hurt your website’s performance and visibility. When pages have errors, search engines may not index them correctly, which means they’re less likely to show up in search results. Plus, AMP pages that don’t meet compliance standards lose access to AMP-specific features, which could lead to slower load times and a less engaging experience for users.

This often translates into higher bounce rates and reduced traffic – users simply won’t stick around on a page that’s slow or poorly optimized. To keep your search rankings strong and offer a smooth experience for your audience, it’s important to fix AMP validation issues as soon as possible.

How often should I check my AMP pages to keep them error-free?

To keep your AMP pages running smoothly and free of errors, it’s smart to review them on a regular basis – every week or two is a good rule of thumb. This becomes even more crucial after making changes to your site or when new AMP guidelines are introduced.

By staying on top of this, you can quickly identify and resolve any problems, ensuring a seamless experience for users and safeguarding your site’s visibility in search results.

When should I consider getting professional help to fix AMP validation errors?

If you’re dealing with complex, ongoing, or highly technical AMP validation errors, it might be time to seek professional assistance. This is particularly crucial if these issues are impacting your site’s search rankings or overall performance.

Experts can pinpoint the root causes of the errors and resolve them efficiently. They’ll make sure your AMP pages meet compliance standards and are fine-tuned to deliver a better user experience while maintaining strong search engine visibility.

Related Blog Posts