Founder of Goodspeed
Framer’s hosting infrastructure already includes built-in caching, but there’s more you can do to fine-tune it for even better speed optimisation. Faster load times are crucial—not only do they enhance user experience, but they also impact SEO rankings and conversion rates.
Studies show that 53% of mobile users abandon a page if it takes longer than three seconds to load, making efficient caching essential for retaining visitors.
This guide walks you through practical caching strategies for Framer websites, helping you implement optimisations without needing technical expertise.
By adjusting browser caching, asset management, and global content delivery, you can significantly improve Framer performance. Whether you're running a startup site, marketing page, or e-commerce platform, these techniques will ensure your Framer project loads as quickly as possible—every time.
1. Understanding Caching in Framer
Before customising caching settings, it's important to know what Framer already does behind the scenes for site optimisation and performance.
1.1 Built-In Hosting Caching
Framer automatically caches static assets—such as images, CSS, and scripts—through a global content delivery network (CDN). This ensures that users retrieve content from the closest server, reducing latency and improving page load speeds. Since websites that load within 1.65 seconds rank higher on Google, leveraging this built-in caching is a strong first step.
However, while Framer handles the basics, fine-tuning your caching strategy can unlock even greater speed improvements. Understanding how cached assets behave and when they refresh will help you avoid outdated content appearing for returning visitors.
1.2 Why Cache Matters for Framer
Framer websites often rely on interactive animations, dynamic visuals, and high-resolution media. Without caching, these elements reload fully on every visit, leading to longer load times and higher bounce rates.
Take Formula Bot, for example. After optimising caching and performance settings, the site achieved a 75% faster load speed, significantly improving user engagement. Additionally, these speed improvements helped push the brand from sixth to second position in Google rankings—proving that site speed directly influences SEO performance.
By implementing the right caching tweaks, you ensure seamless browsing experiences, reduced load times, and improved search visibility, all of which contribute to higher conversions and better user retention.
If you’re using a Framer template, check out our guide on Optimising Your Framer Template for Speed and Performance for more insights.
2. Basic Browser Caching Steps
Browser caching allows repeat visitors to load your site faster by storing files locally rather than downloading them each time. Setting this up correctly can significantly reduce load times.
2.1 Confirming Cache Behaviour
To check if your Framer site’s assets are cached properly, you can use Chrome DevTools:
Open your site in Google Chrome and press F12 (Windows) or Cmd + Option + I (Mac).
Navigate to the Network tab and refresh the page.
Look at the Cache-Control and Expires headers for your static files.
If the status shows “cached”, it means the asset is being stored locally and reducing unnecessary requests. This is crucial because studies show that sites with faster loading times achieve up to 3x higher conversion rates than slower competitors.
However, if cache headers are missing or incorrectly set, browsers may re-fetch assets unnecessarily, slowing down performance. Ensuring that caching is enabled for images, scripts, and style sheets will improve efficiency and provide better page speed insights for returning users.
2.2 Customising Content Updates
A common issue with caching is that old content may still appear to users even after an update. If you frequently modify your site, cached files might prevent visitors from seeing the latest version immediately.
To force updates, consider these approaches:
Re-publish your Framer project after significant changes—this prompts Framer’s CDN to invalidate outdated assets.
Use versioned filenames (e.g., logo-v2.png) to ensure that browsers recognise updated assets.
This strategy ensures that users always see fresh content without unnecessary delays. One of our clients, Zen Educate, praised Goodspeed’s ability to implement such optimisations, stating that our “reactivity, collaboration, and good energy” made a noticeable impact on their project’s performance.
Need to refresh your site design? Read our guide on Customising Your Framer Template: A Guide for Beginners.
3. Optimising Images & Assets for Effective Caching
Large media files are often the biggest culprits behind slow page speeds. While Framer automatically caches static assets, optimising images, backgrounds, and videos ensures they load quickly without consuming excessive bandwidth.
3.1 Preparing Assets Before Upload
Poorly optimised images can increase load times, reducing user engagement. Using compressed file formats and proper caching settings helps deliver media efficiently.
Use WebP over PNG or JPG: A WebP image can reduce file size by up to 30%, leading to faster rendering without sacrificing quality.
Compress images before uploading: Tools like TinyPNG and Squoosh shrink file sizes while maintaining sharpness.
Use correct dimensions: Uploading unnecessarily large images forces browsers to resize them, which slows down page performance.
For instance, our work on a Financial Services Site ensured that optimised images and assets contributed to rapid load times, helping to reduce bounce rates and enhance user experience.
3.2 Caching Large Backgrounds & Videos
Videos and large background images consume more bandwidth than other elements, making caching strategies essential.
Use a static placeholder image: This loads first while the video streams in the background, improving perceived performance.
Rename updated files: If you replace a background image, modify its filename (e.g., hero-v2.jpg) to prevent browsers from loading outdated cached versions.
Adjust video compression settings: Encoding in H.265 or WebM ensures smaller file sizes without losing quality.
By implementing these techniques, Framer sites maintain high visual quality without compromising speed, ensuring seamless user interactions.
If speed is a top priority, explore our Ultimate Guide to Speed Optimisation for Framer Websites for more advanced strategies.
4. Leveraging Framer’s Global Distribution
Framer’s hosting automatically distributes your site across multiple data centres, ensuring content loads quickly from the closest available server. This built-in global content delivery network (CDN) eliminates the need for complex third-party integrations.
4.1 Confirming Framer’s Edge Delivery
A “Content Delivery Network” helps serve assets faster by reducing geographical latency. Framer does this by:
Caching static files: Images, CSS, and scripts are stored in multiple locations for quicker retrieval.
Optimising delivery using HTTP/3: Studies show that HTTP/3 improves page load times by 55%, making it a critical part of Framer’s performance architecture.
Reducing Time to First Byte (TTFB): Faster TTFB means users see content sooner, reducing the risk of drop-offs.
Since Framer’s edge delivery is automatic, no additional configuration is needed—just ensure all assets are correctly optimised before publishing.
4.2 Potential Domain-Level Tweaks
If you’re using a custom domain, ensure it fully integrates with Framer’s CDN to maximise caching benefits.
Verify DNS settings: Your domain should be configured to route traffic through Framer, allowing all assets to load from cached locations.
Enable SSL certificates: This improves security while ensuring seamless browser caching.
Check load balancing: Ensuring traffic is evenly distributed prevents server bottlenecks.
By fully leveraging Framer’s distribution network, your site maintains consistently high performance for visitors worldwide.
“I was impressed by how quickly Goodspeed operated and how receptive they were to feedback,” said the CEO & Co-Founder of an AI Education Platform, reflecting our team’s ability to implement robust performance solutions efficiently.
5. Testing & Verifying Cache Effectiveness
Once caching is in place, it’s essential to test whether assets are being retrieved efficiently and that updates appear as expected.
5.1 Using DevTools & Lighthouse
Google Chrome’s Lighthouse tool helps assess caching performance by identifying how efficiently static files are loading.
Open Chrome DevTools and navigate to the Lighthouse tab.
Run an audit to check for cache effectiveness.
Look for 200 (from disk cache) or 304 not modified in the Network tab—these indicate properly cached assets.
Since Framer’s pre-rendering improves Google Lighthouse scores, well-cached sites score higher on performance audits. This means faster loading times, better SEO rankings, and reduced server load.
5.2 Cache Invalidation & Versioning
Even with caching in place, outdated assets may persist. If you update content and users still see old versions, apply these fixes:
Use versioned filenames: Instead of header.jpg, rename it header-v2.jpg to force browsers to fetch the new file.
Re-publish your site after major changes: This refreshes Framer’s CDN, ensuring updated content is delivered to visitors.
Adjust cache expiration settings: Setting appropriate expiry times ensures that frequently updated assets refresh when needed.
Ensuring that caching is enabled for images, scripts, and stylesheets will improve efficiency and provide better page speed insights for returning users.
6. Common Pitfalls with Caching in Framer
Even with a well-optimised caching setup, certain mistakes can negatively impact performance. Avoid these pitfalls to ensure your Framer site runs efficiently.
6.1 Not Re-Publishing After Significant Updates
One of the most common caching issues occurs when new content doesn’t immediately appear for returning visitors. This happens because browsers may still serve cached versions of old assets.
How to Fix It:
Always re-publish your Framer project after major changes to refresh Framer’s CDN and cache.
Check asset filenames—if replacing a file, rename it (e.g., hero-v3.jpg) to force browsers to load the updated version.
Failing to do this can result in inconsistent user experiences, especially for regular visitors.
6.2 Over-Reliance on Cache for Dynamic Content
Caching is essential for static assets, but relying too much on it for dynamic elements can cause issues.
For example, a pricing page that fetches live data from an API should not be aggressively cached. Otherwise, users may see outdated prices, leading to confusion and lost sales.
How to Fix It:
Use cache rules that exclude dynamic API responses from long-term caching.
Implement server-side cache control, ensuring only static elements benefit from extended caching.
These small adjustments preserve Framer performance while ensuring that up-to-date content is always displayed.
7. Keep Your Framer Site Faster with Smart Caching
Framer’s built-in caching already does a great job, but by taking a few extra steps, you can significantly boost speed and user experience.
Understand what’s already cached: Framer’s global CDN automatically optimises static content.
Use browser caching effectively: Ensure files are correctly stored for repeat visits.
Optimise images and assets: Reducing file sizes improves site speed and SEO rankings.
Test and verify caching: Using DevTools and Lighthouse helps you confirm assets are loading efficiently.
Avoid common pitfalls: Regularly re-publish after updates and exclude dynamic content from aggressive caching.
Implementing the right caching strategies for Framer websites is just one part of site optimisation, but it plays a crucial role in SEO, user experience, and conversion rates. Whether you're running a startup landing page, an e-commerce store, or a marketing site, these caching strategies will help you keep your Framer project running smoothly.
Need expert help fine-tuning your Framer site? Book a free performance consultation today or download our Framer migration checklist for further guidance.
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Written By
Harish Malhi
Founder of Goodspeed
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