Geographic Tracking Guide
See where in the world your files are being downloaded from with detailed location analytics.
What is Geographic Tracking?
Track file access by location:
- Country of origin for each download
- City/region (when available)
- Time zone information
- Map visualization of access
- Identify unexpected access locations
Accessing Geographic Data
- Go to Analytics for your share
- Click "Geographic" or "Location" tab
- View world map with indicators
- See country breakdown table
- Hover for detailed information
Map Visualization
Interactive World Map
- Color-coded by download volume
- Green = few downloads
- Yellow = moderate downloads
- Red = high download concentration
- Gray = no downloads
Heatmap Features
- Hover over countries for stats
- Click for detailed breakdown
- Zoom to specific regions
- Customizable date range
- Export map as image
Country Breakdown
Top Countries Table
| Country | Downloads | % of Total | Avg Download Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 150 | 45% | 2.5 MB |
| Canada | 45 | 13% | 2.3 MB |
| United Kingdom | 35 | 10% | 2.5 MB |
| Germany | 25 | 8% | 2.4 MB |
| Australia | 20 | 6% | 2.5 MB |
| Other | 65 | 18% | 2.3 MB |
Regional Analysis
Continental Breakdown
- North America: Percentage of downloads
- South America: Percentage of downloads
- Europe: Percentage of downloads
- Asia: Percentage of downloads
- Africa: Percentage of downloads
- Oceania: Percentage of downloads
Time Zone Patterns
- UTC-8 (Pacific): Peak 9am-5pm
- UTC-5 (Eastern): Peak 8am-6pm
- UTC+0 (GMT): Peak 8am-6pm
- UTC+1 (Central Europe): Peak 9am-6pm
- UTC+8 (Asia): Peak 10am-7pm
City-Level Insights
City Breakdown
For high-volume shares, see city-level data:
- New York: 45 downloads
- London: 28 downloads
- Toronto: 25 downloads
- Sydney: 15 downloads
- Berlin: 12 downloads
Regional Concentration
- Identify clusters of access
- See if concentrated in major cities
- Detect unusual geographic patterns
- Plan distribution strategies
Unexpected Access Detection
Security Considerations
- Notice if accessed from unexpected countries
- Flag if someone accesses from multiple countries simultaneously (impossible - VPN use)
- Alert on unusual IP ranges
- Track suspicious geographic patterns
Example Scenario
You shared files with US team member:
- Download 1: New York (expected)
- Download 2: London (unexpected - possible VPN)
- Download 3: Hong Kong (same IP as #2 - likely VPN)
Use Cases
Global Company Distribution
- Send to all employees worldwide
- Track access by office location
- Verify all regions accessed content
- Identify areas needing resend
International Marketing Campaign
- Target different regions
- Measure regional engagement
- Identify underperforming markets
- Plan future campaigns
Compliance & Data Residency
- Verify files accessed only in permitted countries
- Ensure GDPR compliance (EU access)
- Detect export control violations
- Document geographic access for audit
Data Privacy
What We Track
- ✓ Country (based on IP geolocation)
- ✓ City (when database available)
- ✓ Time zone
- ✓ IP address class (not full IP)
Privacy Protections
- ✗ We don't track personal identifiers
- ✗ No name or email without login
- ✗ No home address or exact location
- ✗ IP geolocation can be imprecise
GDPR Compliance
- IP addresses anonymized in reports
- Geographic data is non-personal
- Users can request data deletion
- Full audit trail available
Customizing Geographic View
Filtering Options
- Filter by date range
- Show only specific countries
- Zoom to region of interest
- Compare time periods
Export Options
- Export map as PNG image
- Export geographic data as CSV
- Include in PDF report
- Share with team members
Advanced Features
Country Restrictions
Pro+ plan feature:
- Block access from specific countries
- Whitelist only certain countries
- Compliance with export regulations
- OFAC/sanctions enforcement
Geographic Anomaly Detection
Available when supported:
- Alert on impossible travel patterns
- Detect same person in 2 places instantly
- Flag unusual access locations
- Automatic security response
Trends & Patterns
Analyzing Trends
- Track geographic trends over time
- Notice seasonal patterns
- Identify growth markets
- Plan expansion strategies
Example: Quarterly Comparison
- Q1: US 50%, UK 20%, Canada 15%, Other 15%
- Q2: US 48%, UK 22%, Canada 15%, Other 15%
- Q3: US 45%, UK 25%, Canada 15%, Other 15%
- Trend: UK growing, US declining
Best Practices
Security Monitoring
- Review geographic data weekly
- Note any unusual countries
- Cross-reference with expected recipients
- Investigate anomalies
Performance Optimization
- Note download times by region
- Optimize servers for top countries
- Consider CDN for fast access worldwide