Migrating your website to Webflow can offer numerous benefits, from advanced design capabilities to superior SEO tools. However, receiving a bad Core Web Vitals report post-migration can be concerning. Core Web Vitals are critical metrics set by Google to evaluate the user experience of your website, and poor scores can significantly affect your search engine rankings. This guide will help you understand these metrics and provide actionable steps to improve your scores using Webflow.
Understanding Core Web Vitals
Core Web Vitals focus on three main aspects of user experience: loading, interactivity, and visual stability. These are measured by the following metrics:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures loading performance. Ideally, LCP should occur within 2.5 seconds of when the page first starts loading.
- First Input Delay (FID): Measures interactivity. Pages should have an FID of less than 100 milliseconds.
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Measures visual stability. Pages should maintain a CLS of less than 0.1.
For more information, you can refer to Google Web Vitals.
Identifying Core Web Vitals Issues
To identify where your website is failing, use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, or Google Search Console.
Common Issues and Fixes in Webflow
1. Improving Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
Common Issues:
- Large images or videos
- Slow server response times
- Render-blocking JavaScript and CSS
Fixes in Webflow:
Actions and Descriptions Table
| Action |
Description |
| Optimize Images |
Compress images using Webflow's image optimization features. Use modern formats like WebP for faster loading. |
| Use Lazy Loading |
Implement lazy loading for offscreen images and videos to improve initial load times. |
| Minimize CSS and JavaScript |
Remove unnecessary CSS and JavaScript. Webflow allows you to minify CSS and JavaScript files, reducing their size and improving load times. |
| Leverage Webflow's CDN |
Ensure your website is using Webflow's Content Delivery Network (CDN) to deliver content faster to users based on their geographic location. |
| Preload Key Resources |
Use Webflow's settings to preload critical resources (fonts, CSS) so they are fetched and used by the browser earlier in the page load process. |
2. Reducing First Input Delay (FID)
Common Issues:
- Heavy JavaScript execution
- Long tasks blocking the main thread
Fixes in Webflow:
Actions and Descriptions Table
| Action |
Description |
| Optimize JavaScript |
Break up long tasks and defer non-essential JavaScript. This can be done using Webflow's custom code settings and integrations. |
| Use Web Workers |
Offload expensive calculations to Web Workers, preventing them from blocking the main thread. |
| Minimize Third-Party Scripts |
Reduce the number of third-party scripts loaded on your site. This can be managed through Webflow's custom code integrations and settings. |
3. Enhancing Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
Common Issues:
- Unsized images
- Ads, embeds, and iframes without dimensions
- Dynamically injected content
Fixes in Webflow:
Actions and Descriptions Table
| Action |
Description |
| Set Explicit Dimensions |
Always set explicit width and height for images, ads, and embeds to prevent layout shifts. |
| Preload Fonts |
Preload fonts to avoid shifts caused by font loading. Webflow allows you to add font preload links in the custom code settings. |
| Avoid Layout-Adjusting Animations |
Avoid animations that alter layout dimensions. Use transform animations instead, which do not trigger layout recalculations. |
Practical Steps for Webflow Optimization
- Use Clean and Minimalistic Design:
- Avoid overly complex designs that require heavy resources.
- Stick to essential elements and streamline the user interface.
- Optimize Images and Media:
- Use Webflow’s responsive image feature to serve appropriately sized images based on the user’s device.
- Compress and use modern image formats like WebP.
- Minimize JavaScript and CSS:
- Remove unused CSS and JavaScript. Use Webflow’s minification options to reduce file sizes.
- Defer non-essential scripts to improve initial load times.
- Implement Lazy Loading:
- Lazy load images and videos that are not immediately visible to reduce initial load time and improve LCP scores.
- Leverage Webflow’s Hosting and CDN:
- Ensure you are using Webflow’s built-in CDN to distribute content efficiently.
- Utilize Webflow’s server-side features for faster content delivery.
- Use Preload and Prefetch:
- Preload important resources like fonts and critical CSS.
- Prefetch resources that are likely to be needed for subsequent navigation.
Monitoring and Continuous Improvement
Improving Core Web Vitals is an ongoing process. Regularly monitor your website’s performance using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and Google Search Console.
Tools and Descriptions Table
| Tool |
Description |
| Google PageSpeed Insights |
Provides detailed performance reports and suggestions for improving Core Web Vitals. |
| Google Search Console |
Monitors your website's performance in search results and provides reports on Core Web Vitals issues. |
Expert Tips for Maintaining Good Core Web Vitals
- Regular Audits: Perform regular performance audits using tools mentioned above to catch and resolve issues promptly.
- Keep Up with Best Practices: Stay updated with the latest web performance best practices and apply them to your site.
- User Feedback: Collect and analyze user feedback to identify any performance issues that may not be evident from automated tools.
- Test on Multiple Devices: Ensure your website performs well across various devices and network conditions. Webflow’s responsive design tools can help optimize for different viewports.
- Iterative Improvements: Continuously test, analyze, and iterate on your site’s performance. Small, incremental changes can significantly improve overall user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.
Where to go from here?
Improving Core Web Vitals is essential for maintaining a high-performing website and ensuring a positive user experience. By following best practices, you can enhance your site’s loading performance, interactivity, and visual stability. Regular monitoring and optimization will help you maintain good Core Web Vitals scores, ultimately benefiting your search engine rankings and user satisfaction.
At Tuesday, we specialize in optimizing websites for performance and user experience. If you need assistance with your Webflow site, our team of experts is here to help. Contact us today to learn how we can improve your Core Web Vitals and take your website to the next level.
