Founder of Goodspeed
Google’s Core Web Vitals—Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)—are crucial performance metrics that directly influence your website’s SEO rankings, user engagement, and conversion rates.
If your site is slow, unresponsive, or visually unstable, visitors will leave before they even explore what you offer.
Framer provides a sleek, design-first approach to website building, but speed optimisation is essential to ensure smooth loading, seamless interactivity, and a stable layout.
This guide will help you measure, interpret, and improve Core Web Vitals for Framer website performance, ensuring smoother load times and better rankings without extensive coding knowledge.
1. What Are Core Web Vitals?
Core Web Vitals are Google’s way of measuring how well your website performs in terms of loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability. These are not just technical benchmarks—they are direct indicators of user experience. A slow or unstable site can lead to higher bounce rates, lower conversions, and weaker search rankings.
1.1 Understanding LCP, FID, and CLS
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures how fast the most important visual element on a page loads. If a hero image or main text block takes too long to appear, users may abandon the site out of frustration.
First Input Delay (FID): Gauges the responsiveness of a page when a user interacts with it. If clicking a button or filling out a form results in a noticeable lag, visitors may assume the site is broken.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Determines how much content unexpectedly moves while loading. Ever tried to click something, only for the button to shift down at the last second? That’s poor CLS in action.
1.2 Why Core Web Vitals Matter for Framer Websites
Framer is known for its highly interactive designs, animations, and large media elements. While these can create stunning visuals, they also increase load times and impact Core Web Vitals.
LCP challenges: Hero images, background videos, and large graphics can slow initial rendering.
FID bottlenecks: Custom code, interactive elements, and animations may delay responsiveness.
CLS issues: Auto-layout adjustments and dynamic content can cause elements to shift unpredictably.
However, with the right site optimisation techniques, you can still leverage Framer’s advanced design capabilities while maintaining top-tier performance.
Related Read: Optimising Your Framer Template for Speed and Performance: Tips and Tricks
2. Measuring Core Web Vitals on Your Framer Site
Before starting site optimisation, you need to diagnose where your site stands. Google provides several free tools to measure Core Web Vitals, giving you a clear snapshot of your site’s strengths and weaknesses.
2.1 Using Google PageSpeed Insights
Google PageSpeed Insights is one of the easiest ways to check your Framer site’s performance. Simply enter your URL, and it will generate two sets of data:
Lab Data: A simulated test that highlights areas for improvement.
Field Data: Real-world performance metrics from actual users (if available).
Pay special attention to LCP, FID, and CLS scores, as these determine your Core Web Vitals rating. If your LCP is over 2.5 seconds or CLS exceeds 0.1, it’s time to optimise.
Did you know? Websites on Google’s first page typically load in just 1.65 seconds. If your site is significantly slower, you may struggle to rank well in search results.
2.2 Other Diagnostic Tools: Lighthouse & Chrome UX Report
While PageSpeed Insights provides an overview, Lighthouse and the Chrome UX Report offer deeper analysis.
Google Lighthouse: Breaks down render-blocking resources, oversized images, and inefficient scripts affecting speed.
Chrome UX Report: Displays real-user performance data if your site has enough traffic.
For best results, test your Framer site on both desktop and mobile to get an accurate picture of Framer performance across different devices. Mobile optimisation is especially critical, as mobile pages load 70.9% slower than desktop on average—meaning an unoptimised mobile site could drive away half your potential visitors.
Related Read: How to Use Google PageSpeed Insights to Analyse Your Framer Site’s Speed
3. Improving LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) on Framer Sites
A slow Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) means users are left waiting for the most important content to load. Since Framer websites often use high-quality visuals and animations, optimising LCP is crucial for delivering a fast, engaging user experience.
3.1 Optimise Hero Images & Above-the-Fold Media
On most websites, the hero section—often a large image, video, or interactive element—is the largest content element. If it isn’t optimised, it can slow down LCP and frustrate users.
Ways to optimise LCP in Framer:
Use next-gen image formats: Convert images to WebP or AVIF, which offer superior compression without quality loss.
Resize images for different breakpoints: Large, uncompressed images hurt LCP scores on mobile devices. Uploading responsive images ensures Framer serves the right size for different screen sizes.
Lazy load below-the-fold images: This prevents unnecessary media from loading upfront, prioritising critical elements.
Websites with a 1-second load time see conversion rates that are 2.5–3x higher than slower-loading pages, making LCP a direct revenue driver.
Related Read: How to Optimise Images and Assets on Your Framer Website for Faster Loading
3.2 Preload Key Resources
One of the best ways to improve LCP on Framer websites is to tell the browser to prioritise critical resources. Preloading fonts, hero images, and key scripts ensures they load faster, preventing delayed rendering.
How to preload assets in Framer:
Add preload tags for fonts and hero images in Framer’s custom code section.
Minimise font swapping by preloading key typography to avoid layout shifts.
Reduce third-party scripts that block rendering, as they can cause delays in LCP loading.
For example, Formula Bot achieved 75% faster loading speed with Goodspeed by optimising asset delivery and minimising render-blocking elements.
4. Enhancing FID (First Input Delay) for Better Interactivity
A poor First Input Delay (FID) means your site feels slow and unresponsive, leading users to abandon interactions. Framer’s animations and interactive elements can impact FID, making it essential to optimise JavaScript execution.
4.1 Limit Heavy JavaScript Execution
Excessive JavaScript blocks the main thread, delaying user interactions such as clicks, scrolls, and form submissions.
How to reduce JavaScript bloat in Framer:
Defer non-critical JavaScript: This ensures that scripts load after the page’s primary content.
Minimise third-party tracking scripts: Too many analytics and ad scripts increase load times.
Optimise Framer animations: Overloading pages with multiple animations consumes processing power, increasing delays.
4.2 Streamlined Animations & Interactions
Framer’s fluid animations are a major selling point, but too many complex transitions can lead to delays in interactivity.
Best practices to improve FID:
Reduce the number of animation triggers per page.
Use hardware-accelerated CSS animations instead of JavaScript-heavy transitions.
Test your FID in Google Lighthouse to see if animations are increasing the main-thread execution time.
5. Reducing CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) to Avoid Jumpy Pages
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) occurs when content unexpectedly moves as a page loads, making the site feel unstable and frustrating. Since Framer websites often include dynamic elements and responsive layouts, addressing CLS is essential for smooth user experiences.
5.1 Reserve Space for Images & Media
Unspecified image and media sizes are the leading cause of CLS issues. Without defined dimensions, Framer will dynamically resize elements as content loads, causing unexpected layout shifts.
How to prevent CLS in Framer:
Set explicit width and height values for images and videos.
Avoid lazy loading for above-the-fold content, as it can cause elements to shift upon rendering.
Ensure that banner ads, pop-ups, and embedded content don’t resize dynamically.
46% of mobile and 47% of desktop pages meet the recommended CLS score of below 0.1, meaning nearly half of websites need improvement in this area.
5.2 Manage Dynamic Elements
Content dynamically loading after the initial page render often pushes down existing content, frustrating users.
Ways to avoid CLS in Framer:
Use placeholders for dynamic content, ensuring a stable page structure.
Animate pop-ups or banners smoothly rather than having them appear instantly.
Test CLS performance in Lighthouse, adjusting layout stability accordingly.
6. Framer-Specific Techniques & Settings
Framer provides a powerful design framework, but if not configured correctly, it can lead to slow performance, layout instability, and interactivity delays. Proper speed optimisation is essential to ensure fast load times and a smooth user experience.
6.1 Simplify Layer Structure
A cluttered layer hierarchy in Framer can lead to unnecessary reflows and render delays, impacting Framer performance.
How to optimise layers in Framer:
Minimise nesting: Avoid excessive grouping and deeply nested elements, as they can slow down rendering.
Use auto-layout for efficiency: This ensures that sections remain fluid and adaptable without performance penalties.
Consolidate similar elements: Combining overlapping layers reduces processing strain, preventing render bottlenecks.
6.2 Use Framer’s Built-In Hosting Wisely
Framer’s hosting is optimised for performance, leveraging global edge servers to deliver fast-loading sites. However, proper configuration is crucial to fully benefit from its speed enhancements.
Best practices for Framer hosting:
Ensure your domain settings are correctly configured to take advantage of Framer’s CDN-backed performance.
Enable preloading for critical assets like hero images and key typography to reduce initial load times.
Monitor hosting analytics to track load times and identify bottlenecks.
7. Monitoring & Iterating for Long-Term Performance
Optimising Core Web Vitals for Framer website performance isn’t a one-time task. Regular monitoring ensures your site maintains fast load speeds, responsiveness, and stability as new content is added.
7.1 Post-Optimisation Testing
After making performance improvements, it’s essential to retest your Framer website to measure effectiveness.
Recommended testing cycle:
Google PageSpeed Insights → Check LCP, FID, and CLS scores.
Lighthouse Reports → Identify lingering performance issues, such as render-blocking resources.
Field Data (Chrome UX Report) → Analyse real-user performance trends over time.
HTTP/3 improves page load times by 55%, making it essential to test if your server and hosting provider support it.
Related Read: Creating a Maintenance Checklist for Ongoing Speed Optimisation in Framer
7.2 Performance Checklist for Future Pages
To maintain site optimisation and ensure top-tier Framer website performance, establish a checklist for all new pages and updates.
Compress all hero images and visuals before uploading.
Check Lighthouse scores before publishing.
Minimise custom JavaScript execution to avoid delays.
Reserve space for all images to prevent layout shifts.
Following this structured approach ensures every new page remains optimised for speed and SEO.
8. Common Pitfalls & Quick Fixes
Even well-designed Framer websites can suffer from avoidable mistakes that impact speed, stability, and user engagement. Here’s how to quickly address common performance pitfalls.
8.1 Over-Reliance on Large Background Videos
High-resolution background videos can dramatically increase LCP, leading to sluggish load times.
Quick Fix:
Replace background videos with compressed MP4 loops or lightweight GIFs.
Use static fallback images for mobile users to prevent excessive bandwidth consumption.
8.2 Loading Unnecessary Scripts
Excessive third-party scripts (such as chat widgets, tracking pixels, and ad codes) slow down FID, delaying interactivity.
Quick Fix:
Audit and remove unused scripts using Google Tag Manager.
Load non-essential scripts asynchronously to prevent blocking main-thread execution.
Self-host fonts instead of relying on external font APIs to reduce render delays.
8.3 Neglecting Mobile or Different Viewports
Designing with a desktop-first mindset can cause slow mobile load times and poor responsiveness.
Quick Fix:
Test all Framer pages at multiple breakpoints (mobile, tablet, desktop).
Enable responsive layouts by using Framer’s auto-layout and fluid scaling options.
Reduce mobile asset size—since mobile pages load 70.9% slower than desktop pages, uncompressed media can significantly impact performance.
Conclusion
A Framer website should be more than just visually stunning—it should be fast, responsive, and stable to provide a seamless user experience. Core Web Vitals aren’t just about rankings; they reflect real-world usability. A slow site frustrates users, a laggy interaction drives them away, and unexpected layout shifts create a poor browsing experience.
By focusing on speed optimisation, interactivity improvements, and layout stability, you can ensure your site performs at its best. Simple tweaks like compressing images, reducing unnecessary scripts, and optimising animations can significantly enhance both SEO rankings and user engagement.
A high-performing Framer site doesn’t happen by accident—it requires continuous monitoring and iterative improvements. Regularly test your site with Google PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse, and ensure ongoing site optimisation as new content and features are added.
Need expert help? Book a free consultation to optimise your Framer website speed or download our Framer migration checklist for guidance.
Written By
Harish Malhi
Founder of Goodspeed
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