Consent Management Platforms (CMPs) are often overlooked in the technical optimization of websites, but their choice and configuration can have a significant impact on navigation and overall site performance. So, how can you ensure that your CMP contributes to a seamless and compliant user experience? This article will guide you through best practices and explain why performance indicators, especially Google’s Core Web Vitals, deserve your attention.
Why is Web Performance Essential for User Experience and SEO?
Patience is rarely a virtue when it comes to accessing content online. Loading times, ease of interaction, visual stability: every detail counts in delivering an optimal user experience, and it is essential to ensure that content is displayed quickly and browsing is fluid.
Web performance involves optimizing these factors while considering the site's technical environment (servers, CMS, etc.) and its third-party partners (CMP, chat modules, payment systems, etc.). These elements, referred to as third-party (3P) components, must be carefully chosen and integrated to avoid negative impacts on website performance.
Ultimately, the impact of web performance on user navigation experience and SEO ranking factors makes it a crucial topic for websites.
The CMP as an Essential Partner for Web Performance
As a third-party partner, a CMP can affect a website’s performance. It plays a critical role in the user journey from the very first moments of interaction. But how can technical performance be balanced with regulatory compliance?
The consent banner typically appears at the start of the user’s journey—right when the page loads—making it one of the first interactions a visitor has. As such, its integration must not cause any delays.
From a technical standpoint, the CMP is one of the first scripts executed when a page loads. Its role is to trigger partner scripts only after collecting user consent.
For all these reasons, the Axeptio tech teams focus on optimizing CMP performance based on Google’s Core Web Vitals criteria.
Measuring Web Performance with Google Core Web Vitals
To evaluate web performance, Google has defined a set of key indicators known as the Core Web Vitals. These metrics measure not only page load speed (LCP) but also interactivity (INP) and visual stability (CLS). Understanding these indicators is essential to identifying areas for optimization.
Google Core Web Vitals Metrics
- LCP (Largest Contentful Paint)
This criteria easures how long it takes for the main content of a page to load. A good score means the content load time in under 2.5 seconds. - INP (Interaction to Next Paint)
This measures load time and page responsiveness after user interaction. Since March 2024, INP has replaced the First Input Delay (FID) metric. An acceptable INP score should be under 200 milliseconds. - CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift)
CLS measures unexpected layout shifts during page loading and navigation. Instead of measuring time, it calculates a score that worsens when page elements shift unexpectedly.
Axeptio’s CMP Performance Optimization Efforts
“We have been working intensively to optimize our performance scores, now achieving above-average results—critical for search engine rankings.” — CTO d’Axeptio
You can read the full interview on the Optimize Matter blog with Axeptio’s CTO about the Crucial Role of Web Performance for CMPs in 2024.
Axeptio’s CMP performance optimization includes reducing script size, improving server response times, and optimizing user interactions with the platform. These optimizations enhance user experience while ensuring compliance with Google’s Core Web Vitals.
To track and compare technologies, Google provides a performance dashboard on Looker Studio. The data comes from the CrUX (Chrome User Experience) database, which measures Core Web Vitals scores from Chrome users on both desktop and mobile.
Best Practices for CMP Configuration to Improve Web Performance
Setting up a CMP is not just about displaying a banner. Here are a few key recommendations to ensure that your CMP does not negatively affect your website’s overall performance:
- Choose the right banner format: A non-intrusive banner disrupts navigation less than a consent wall. Since a consent wall can be the most important element to load on a page, it may negatively impact LCP scores.
- Set a delay or a scrolling trigger: A banner that does not completely block navigation and appears a few seconds after page load is preferable. With Axeptio’s CMP, you can configure a time delay or scroll trigger before displaying the module.
- Optimize tag management: If using a tag manager (e.g., Google Tag Manager), optimizing how tags are managed can improve web performance. Limiting the number of vendors activated upon user consent can significantly boost performance, especially in TCF configurations.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution—achieving the best performance requires trade-offs.
The CMP’s Role in Website Integration
It’s clear that a CMP is more than just a compliance tool—it directly impacts user experience and web performance.
By adopting best configuration practices and monitoring key performance indicators such as Core Web Vitals, businesses can get the most out of their CMP while ensuring a smooth and enjoyable browsing experience for users.
The Axeptio team continuously optimizes CMP configurations to deliver top-tier performance aligned with market standards.
You can also catch up with Axeptio’s Web Performance Conference at SEO Square, where you will learn to improve web performance while staying fully compliant!
It's possible to combine Web performance and compliance.
Test Axeptio and find out how to improve your Core Web Vitals while complying with regulations.
