Founder of Goodspeed
You’ve successfully migrated your website to Framer for its design flexibility and intuitive content management, but now comes the critical next step—ensuring peak performance. A poorly optimised site can lead to slower load times, frustrated users, and even a drop in search rankings.
Fortunately, Framer’s built-in infrastructure supports speed and scalability, but to fully unlock its potential, you need to fine-tune elements like Core Web Vitals, caching, media assets, and third-party integrations.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through practical strategies to boost your site’s speed, enhance user experience, and maintain top-tier performance—without compromising on functionality.
If you’re still planning your move, check out our Framer migration services built to support seamless transitions and post-launch optimisation.
1. Why Performance Matters More Than Ever
A fast website is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. Speed impacts everything from SEO rankings to conversion rates, making performance a critical factor for businesses, startups, and agencies relying on their online presence.
1.1 The Impact on User Experience & Conversions
Users expect pages to load within two seconds or less—any delay after a Framer site migration leads to increased bounce rates and lost opportunities. Research shows that poorly managed website migrations can cause up to an 80% drop in organic traffic, requiring months to recover. If you’ve just switched to Framer, ensuring a smooth and high-speed experience is key to retaining visitors and converting them into customers.
For startups and agencies, speed is especially important. A high-performance website builds credibility, increases lead generation, and supports seamless digital experiences. Take the case of Formula Bot, a SaaS company that worked with Goodspeed to optimise its Framer site. The result? 75% faster performance and an improved user experience, leading to higher engagement and retention.
1.2 Understanding Core Web Vitals in a Framer Context
Google’s Core Web Vitals—Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)—are benchmarks for measuring user experience. If your site scores poorly after a Framer migration, you risk lower search visibility and frustrated visitors.
Framer naturally supports fast-loading, visually stable sites, but to ensure you meet Google’s performance standards, you need to:
Optimise LCP by compressing images and using efficient loading techniques.
Improve FID by minimising third-party scripts and reducing JavaScript execution time.
Reduce CLS by specifying image dimensions and avoiding unnecessary layout shifts.
Want more speed optimisation tips? Read our guide on improving Framer performance.
For expert-led performance audits and Core Web Vitals optimisation, our Framer agency provides tailored support to help brands meet Google’s performance standards.
2. Assessing Your Framer Site’s Current Speed
Before making any improvements, you need a clear picture of your website’s current performance. A speed audit helps identify bottlenecks and prioritise fixes.
2.1 Recommended Speed Audit Tools
To measure and track your site’s performance, use Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, and Lighthouse. These tools assess:
Time to Interactive (TTI): The time it takes for a page to become fully interactive.
Total Blocking Time (TBT): The delay caused by scripts that prevent responsiveness.
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): The time it takes for the largest visible element to load.
A well-optimised Framer site should aim for an LCP under 2.5 seconds and a TBT close to zero. If your scores are lagging, you’ll need to reduce render-blocking resources and streamline your page structure.
2.2 Sample Speed Audit Table
Tool | Primary Metrics | Free/Paid | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
PageSpeed | LCP, FID, CLS | Free | Quick checks, |
GTMetrix | Performance + structure, | Freemium | Detailed waterfall |
Lighthouse | Performance, | Free | Local audits, |
3. Streamlining Code & Design Elements
While Framer provides a sleek and responsive design experience, excessive scripts, unoptimised images, and unnecessary animations can still slow your site down. The goal is to refine your design choices while ensuring speed and efficiency.
3.1 Optimise Images & Media
One of the most common culprits of slow page speeds is unoptimised images. Large files increase load times, especially on mobile devices. To keep your Framer site migration running smoothly:
Use next-gen formats like WebP and AVIF, which offer high-quality visuals at significantly smaller file sizes.
Enable lazy loading, ensuring images only load when they enter the user’s viewport.
Compress images using tools like TinyPNG or Squoosh before uploading them to Framer.
A well-structured image optimisation strategy can reduce load times significantly.
3.2 Trim Excessive Animations or Interactions
Framer is known for its smooth animations, but overusing them can increase render times and negatively affect Core Web Vitals like Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). To prevent this:
Keep animations lightweight and only use them where they enhance user experience.
Test animations on real devices to ensure smooth transitions without lag.
Reduce motion-intensive effects, particularly parallax scrolling, which can consume unnecessary system resources.
3.3 Minimise External Libraries & Fonts
Every additional external script adds a delay to your website’s loading time. To keep things lean:
Limit third-party libraries and remove unused scripts.
Use system fonts whenever possible to reduce font load times.
Bundle and minify JavaScript to decrease execution delays.
Reducing reliance on third-party assets can significantly speed up site performance, especially on mobile devices.
4. Leveraging Framer’s Built-In Features for Speed
Framer provides a powerful infrastructure that optimises site speed, but you need to take full advantage of these built-in features for maximum performance.
4.1 Built-In CDN & Caching
Framer hosts content using a globally distributed Content Delivery Network (CDN), which reduces latency by serving files from the closest server to the user. To ensure Framer’s caching system is working effectively:
Check caching rules to confirm assets are being properly stored for repeat visits.
Monitor image and script requests to verify they load from Framer’s CDN rather than third-party servers.
With HTTP/3 integration making it 33% faster, Framer’s hosting system is designed for speed—but improper asset management can still create bottlenecks.
Discover how Framer’s Built-In CMS simplifies content management post-migration.
4.2 Automatic Versioning & Asset Management
One of Framer’s biggest advantages is its automated asset handling, which prevents outdated files from affecting performance. To get the most out of this:
Keep your project organised—remove unnecessary images, videos, and scripts.
Optimise page layouts to reduce content bloat and improve load efficiency.
Regularly auditing Framer’s asset management settings can keep your site running at peak speed without requiring additional external tools.
5. Using Third-Party Tools & Integrations Wisely
Third-party tools can extend functionality, but too many can slow down your site. Striking the right balance between essential and non-essential integrations is key.
5.1 Evaluate Necessary vs. “Nice-to-Have” Integrations
Many site owners migrate to Framer and retain all the third-party scripts they used previously—without evaluating if they’re still necessary. This can lead to slower load times. Ask yourself:
Do you really need multiple analytics tools?
Is your live chat widget worth the extra delay in page load?
Are there lighter alternatives for essential scripts?
Many sites experience a 10–30% traffic loss in the first month after migration due to mismanaged scripts, metadata updates, and URL changes. Reducing unnecessary integrations can help prevent this issue.
5.2 Offloading Heavy Tasks with Serverless Functions
For resource-heavy processes, serverless functions can keep your Framer site lightweight. Instead of running complex logic on the front end:
Use cloud-based functions to handle form submissions, authentication, and personalisation.
Offload large database queries to reduce client-side processing.
Framer’s React-based architecture and AWS-powered hosting make it well-suited for serverless functionality, reducing the need for excessive front-end scripts.
Need help building serverless workflows or advanced logic? Our Framer developers can help you extend your site’s functionality while keeping it lean and performant.
6. Ongoing Monitoring & Continuous Improvement
Optimising your Framer site’s performance isn’t a one-time task—it requires regular monitoring and updates to maintain speed and efficiency. By establishing a routine review process, you can prevent slowdowns and ensure your website consistently delivers a smooth experience.
6.1 Scheduling Routine Performance Reviews
Regularly reviewing your website’s performance helps catch potential issues before they impact user experience. To stay ahead:
Conduct monthly speed audits using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse.
Check Core Web Vitals in Google Search Console to track site speed, responsiveness, and stability.
Monitor third-party integrations—over time, some plugins may become outdated or slow down your site.
A well-managed performance strategy can help avoid the 80% organic traffic loss that poorly executed website migrations often experience. Proactively optimising your site will ensure it remains fast, accessible, and user-friendly long after the migration.
6.2 Quick Fixes vs. Strategic Upgrades
Not all performance improvements require a major overhaul. Understanding the difference between quick fixes and long-term upgrades can help maintain efficiency while planning for future growth.
Quick Fixes:
Compress newly uploaded images to keep file sizes small.
Remove unused fonts, scripts, or integrations that no longer add value.
Review and adjust caching settings for optimal asset loading.
Strategic Upgrades:
Redesigning page layouts for better LCP and CLS scores.
Transitioning to serverless functions for handling large user interactions.
Implementing a fully optimised content strategy to balance design with performance.
By consistently refining your Framer site, you ensure that your website stays fast, scalable, and optimised for future growth.
7. FAQs: Your Top Performance Queries Answered
Can a Framer site match or outperform custom-coded pages in speed?
Yes, if optimised correctly. Framer’s built-in CDN, asset management, and pre-rendering can match or exceed traditional custom-coded sites in performance.
What if I notice a performance drop right after migration?
Review your site for unoptimised images, third-party scripts, and caching settings. Running a speed audit will help identify bottlenecks.
Is a CDN included, or do I need a separate one?
Framer includes a global CDN by default, ensuring that your site loads quickly across different regions.
How often should I re-check page speed metrics?
At least once a month or after any major site changes.
Taking Your Framer Site to the Next Level
A successful switch to Framer is only the beginning—keeping your site optimised requires continuous improvements and smart performance management.
By focusing on speed audits, image optimisation, animation efficiency, and third-party script management, you can ensure that your site remains fast, scalable, and user-friendly after your Framer migration.
The key is to proactively monitor your site’s performance and implement both quick fixes and long-term improvements to keep up with user expectations.
Maximise your site’s performance—book a free consultation to optimise after migration.
Written By
Founder of Goodspeed
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