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Introduction to the 3D Globe

Discover Zenovay's signature 3D Globe visualization - watch your visitors appear in real-time from around the world.

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Last updated: January 15, 2025

The 3D Globe is Zenovay's signature feature - a stunning real-time visualization that transforms your visitor data into an interactive experience.

What is the 3D Globe?

The 3D Globe displays your website visitors as markers on an interactive Earth visualization:

  • Real-time markers: See visitors appear as they land on your site
  • Geographic insight: Instantly understand your global reach
  • DiceBear avatars: Each visitor gets a unique avatar based on their visitor ID
  • Interactive exploration: Rotate, zoom, and click markers for details

Why the 3D Globe Matters

Beyond Charts and Numbers

Traditional analytics show data in tables and charts. The 3D Globe adds a new dimension:

Traditional View3D Globe
Numbers and percentagesVisual geographic context
Static snapshotsReal-time activity
Abstract dataTangible visitor representation
Separate reportsUnified world view

Use Cases

Presentations & Meetings

  • Impress stakeholders with live visualization
  • Demonstrate global reach to investors
  • Show real-time campaign performance

Team Dashboards

  • Office displays showing live activity
  • Marketing war rooms
  • E-commerce command centers

Personal Motivation

  • See the real people visiting your site
  • Celebrate reaching new countries
  • Watch growth in real-time

Accessing the Globe

From the Dashboard

  1. Log into your Zenovay dashboard
  2. Navigate to a domain and open the Globe view
  3. The globe loads with your current real-time visitor data

Your First Look

When you first open the Globe, you'll see:

The Earth

A 3D Earth rendered with the Mapbox dark theme:

  • Country borders visible
  • Dark color scheme optimized for marker visibility
  • Smooth rotation and zoom animations

Visitor Markers

DiceBear avatar markers representing visitors:

  • Location: Where the visitor is approximately located (based on IP geolocation)
  • Size: Scales based on the visitor's value score (higher value = larger marker)
  • Avatar: Unique DiceBear Open Peeps avatar generated from the visitor's ID
  • Pulse: New visitors pulse when appearing

Activity Feed

Side panel showing:

  • Recent visitors in chronological order
  • Visitor avatars and country flags
  • Page being viewed
  • Click any visitor to fly the globe to their location

Top Stats Overlay

Live statistics displayed at the top:

  • Active visitor count
  • Page views
  • Bounce rate
  • Country and device breakdowns

Globe Controls

The control bar in the top-right provides five buttons:

ControlAction
ShareEnable sharing and copy the public globe link
Music PlayerToggle ambient background music
ReloadRefresh visitor data
FullscreenToggle fullscreen mode

Globe Navigation Basics

Mouse Controls

ActionControl
RotateClick and drag
ZoomScroll wheel
Select markerClick on a visitor marker

Touch Controls

On touch devices:

  • Rotate: One finger drag
  • Zoom: Pinch gesture
  • Select: Tap a marker

Understanding Visitor Markers

Marker Appearance

Each marker represents a visitor:

  • Position: Approximate location based on IP geolocation, with city-level geocoding when available
  • DiceBear avatar: Unique avatar that stays consistent for the same visitor
  • Size variation: High-value visitors (score 80+) get larger markers and may have avatar accessories

Location Accuracy

IP-based geolocation is accurate to city level but not exact addresses. This is normal and protects visitor privacy.

If a visitor's coordinates appear unreliable (more than 6,000 km from the country center), the globe falls back to country-center coordinates and attempts city-level geocoding via the Mapbox API.

Real-Time Activity

The Globe updates in real-time using Supabase real-time subscriptions:

New Visitors

When someone visits your site:

  1. Marker appears at their approximate location
  2. Activity feed updates with the new visitor
  3. Stats overlay reflects the new count

Visitor Expiration

Visitor markers are shown for a rolling 2-minute window:

  • Markers represent visitors who loaded a page within the last 2 minutes
  • Older markers are removed automatically
  • Up to 50 active markers are displayed at once

Fallback Refresh

In addition to real-time updates, the globe refreshes data every 30 seconds as a safety net, but only when the browser tab is visible.

Performance Considerations

Browser Requirements

For optimal Globe performance:

  • WebGL-capable browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
  • Hardware acceleration enabled
  • 4GB+ RAM recommended

Mobile Performance

The Globe works on mobile but:

  • Battery consumption increases with 3D rendering
  • May lag on older devices
  • Landscape orientation recommended

Common Questions

Why don't I see any markers?

  • Check if tracking is installed correctly on your website
  • Verify your website is receiving traffic
  • Ensure the globe is connected (check browser console for errors)
  • Try clicking the Reload button

Why are locations approximate?

IP-based geolocation is accurate to city level but not exact addresses. VPN usage, mobile networks, and corporate proxies can further affect accuracy.

Can visitors see the Globe?

By default, the Globe is only visible in your dashboard. You can enable a public share link to let anyone view the globe with a unique URL.

Next Steps

Now that you understand the basics:

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