Boost page performance and privacy by replacing standard YouTube embeds with a lightweight, cookie-safe, lazy-loading solution that works inside Webflow CMS.
⚙️ Problem
Traditional YouTube iframes loaded about 2 MB of unused JavaScript (base.js, embed-player.js, etc.) on every page.
Lighthouse showed a Performance score around 33, even with minimal assets.
The embed also triggered third-party cookies and “permission-policy” console warnings, which impacted both SEO and Core Web Vitals (LCP / FCP).
💡 Solution
Implemented Smart Video, a script that:
After adding Smart Video, Lighthouse performance jumped from 33 → 84 + while maintaining perfect Accessibility (100), Best Practices (100), and SEO (100) scores.
JavaScript load size dropped from roughly 2 MB → under 10 KB, and third-party cookies were eliminated entirely thanks to YouTube nocookie embeds.
Smart Video trims heavy embeds, protects privacy, and keeps full creative control inside Webflow Designer — an easy upgrade for any CMS-driven site looking to rank higher and load faster in PageSpeed Insights.
The screenshots below illustrate a real performance audit where standard video embeds and unused scripts were slowing the site down. After optimization, the Performance score jumped from 33 to 84, and all Best Practices reached 100 — proving small changes can have big impact.
I’m currently testing new Webflow app features, but to finish development I need a paid Webflow plan that allows script injection for testing and verification.
If you enjoy seeing how I build tools like this from Supabase logins to animation systems, 3D experiences, and more, your support helps me reach that goal.
I’m aiming to raise $30 to cover the Webflow plan so I can publish and test the next app publicly.
Every bit helps. Just click the Support button on my site to contribute 💪🏾
