diff --git a/public/images/og.png b/public/images/og.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9f37af5
Binary files /dev/null and b/public/images/og.png differ
diff --git a/public/textures/earth-black-marble.jpg b/public/textures/earth-black-marble.jpg
index 6889180..8e46853 100644
Binary files a/public/textures/earth-black-marble.jpg and b/public/textures/earth-black-marble.jpg differ
diff --git a/skills/context/progress-tracker.md b/skills/context/progress-tracker.md
index c61ca93..e706699 100644
--- a/skills/context/progress-tracker.md
+++ b/skills/context/progress-tracker.md
@@ -85,10 +85,9 @@ All seven homepage sections are built, wired, and animated (scroll-driven entran
 
 ## Next Steps
 
-1. Performance review and optimization.
-2. og image and description.
-3. SEO, tracking validation, and launch metadata.
-4. Staking page (remove `TEMP(staking-page)` comments when shipping).
+1. og image and description.
+2. launch metadata.
+3. Staking page (remove `TEMP(staking-page)` comments when shipping).
 
 ## Latest Handoff
 
diff --git a/src/app/layout.tsx b/src/app/layout.tsx
index 238f5db..0ddb9eb 100644
--- a/src/app/layout.tsx
+++ b/src/app/layout.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,15 @@ import {
   SITE_HEADER_SCROLL_BOOTSTRAP_SCRIPT,
   SITE_HEADER_SCROLL_CRITICAL_CSS,
 } from "@/lib/layout/site-header-scroll";
+import {
+  OG_IMAGE,
+  OG_PAGE_URL,
+  SITE_DESCRIPTION,
+  SITE_NAME,
+  SITE_TAGLINE,
+  SITE_URL,
+  TWITTER_HANDLE,
+} from "@/lib/site";
 import "./globals.css";
 
 const monaSans = Mona_Sans({
@@ -19,16 +28,47 @@ const monaSans = Mona_Sans({
   display: "swap",
 });
 
+// `optional` avoids the late font-swap repaint that made the hero subtitle's
+// LCP land at font-arrival time; the preloaded font still wins on fast loads.
 const openSans = Open_Sans({
   variable: "--font-open-sans",
   subsets: ["latin"],
-  display: "swap",
+  display: "optional",
 });
 
+const openGraphTitle = `${SITE_NAME} — ${SITE_TAGLINE}`;
+
 export const metadata: Metadata = {
-  title: "Cortex Global",
-  description:
-    "A global network of local hubs, education, events, services, and real projects around emerging technology.",
+  metadataBase: new URL(SITE_URL),
+  title: {
+    default: SITE_NAME,
+    template: `%s | ${SITE_NAME}`,
+  },
+  description: SITE_DESCRIPTION,
+  applicationName: SITE_NAME,
+  openGraph: {
+    type: "website",
+    locale: "en_US",
+    url: OG_PAGE_URL,
+    siteName: SITE_NAME,
+    title: openGraphTitle,
+    description: SITE_DESCRIPTION,
+    images: [
+      {
+        url: OG_IMAGE.url,
+        width: OG_IMAGE.width,
+        height: OG_IMAGE.height,
+        alt: OG_IMAGE.alt,
+      },
+    ],
+  },
+  twitter: {
+    card: "summary_large_image",
+    site: `@${TWITTER_HANDLE}`,
+    title: openGraphTitle,
+    description: SITE_DESCRIPTION,
+    images: [OG_IMAGE.url],
+  },
 };
 
 // HeaderUpcomingEvent filters by UTC date at render; hourly ISR keeps the promo fresh.
diff --git a/src/components/sections/mission/mission-cards-client.tsx b/src/components/sections/mission/mission-cards-client.tsx
index cd7f66f..acf3dc3 100644
--- a/src/components/sections/mission/mission-cards-client.tsx
+++ b/src/components/sections/mission/mission-cards-client.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {
   MissionIllustrationFallback,
 } from "@/components/illustrations/mission-illustration";
 import { DESKTOP_MQL, useIsDesktop } from "@/hooks/use-is-desktop";
+import { useInView } from "@/hooks/use-in-view";
 import { useReducedMotion } from "@/hooks/use-reduced-motion";
 import { gsap, ScrollTrigger, useGSAP } from "@/lib/gsap-setup";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
@@ -140,6 +141,7 @@ export function MissionDesktopStack({
   const [activeIndex, setActiveIndex] = useState(0);
   const [entranceComplete, setEntranceComplete] = useState(false);
   const reducedMotion = useReducedMotion();
+  const { ref: inViewRef, inView } = useInView();
 
   const markEntranceComplete = useCallback(() => {
     entranceCompleteRef.current = true;
@@ -265,7 +267,10 @@ export function MissionDesktopStack({
 
   return (
     <div ref={pinRef} data-mission-pin className="hidden xl:block">
-      <div className="site-container flex flex-row items-start gap-11">
+      <div
+        ref={inViewRef}
+        className="site-container flex flex-row items-start gap-11"
+      >
         <div
           className="flex shrink-0 flex-col"
           style={{
@@ -304,7 +309,7 @@ export function MissionDesktopStack({
                 {isActive ? (
                   <MissionExpandedCard
                     card={card}
-                    illustrationActive={entranceComplete}
+                    illustrationActive={entranceComplete && inView}
                     className="h-full border-0"
                   />
                 ) : (
@@ -333,6 +338,7 @@ export function MissionMobileCards({ cards }: MissionCardsProps) {
   const carouselRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
   const scrollRafRef = useRef<number | null>(null);
   const isDesktop = useIsDesktop();
+  const { ref: inViewRef, inView } = useInView();
 
   const setCarouselRef = useCallback((node: HTMLDivElement | null) => {
     if (node === null && scrollRafRef.current !== null) {
@@ -368,7 +374,7 @@ export function MissionMobileCards({ cards }: MissionCardsProps) {
   }, []);
 
   return (
-    <div className="mt-6 md:mt-8 xl:hidden">
+    <div ref={inViewRef} className="mt-6 md:mt-8 xl:hidden">
       <div
         ref={setCarouselRef}
         onScroll={handleCarouselScroll}
@@ -378,7 +384,7 @@ export function MissionMobileCards({ cards }: MissionCardsProps) {
           <MissionExpandedCard
             key={card.id}
             card={card}
-            illustrationActive={!isDesktop && activeIndex === i}
+            illustrationActive={!isDesktop && inView && activeIndex === i}
             className="mission-carousel-card"
           />
         ))}
diff --git a/src/components/webgl/globe/globe-canvas.tsx b/src/components/webgl/globe/globe-canvas.tsx
index 69a4d1b..7541c31 100644
--- a/src/components/webgl/globe/globe-canvas.tsx
+++ b/src/components/webgl/globe/globe-canvas.tsx
@@ -83,16 +83,19 @@ export function GlobeCanvas({
   reducedMotion,
   rotationY,
   onReady,
+  active = true,
 }: {
   reducedMotion: boolean;
   rotationY: number;
   onReady?: () => void;
+  /** When false (hero off-screen), the frameloop idles to save CPU/GPU. */
+  active?: boolean;
 }) {
   return (
     <Canvas
       dpr={resolveGlobeDpr()}
       resize={{ scroll: false }}
-      frameloop={reducedMotion ? "demand" : "always"}
+      frameloop={reducedMotion || !active ? "demand" : "always"}
       gl={{
         antialias: true,
         alpha: true,
diff --git a/src/components/webgl/hero-webgl-background.tsx b/src/components/webgl/hero-webgl-background.tsx
index 48d1a7e..f73cbe4 100644
--- a/src/components/webgl/hero-webgl-background.tsx
+++ b/src/components/webgl/hero-webgl-background.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
   type ReactNode,
 } from "react";
 import dynamic from "next/dynamic";
+import { useInView } from "@/hooks/use-in-view";
 import { useIsLargeScreen } from "@/hooks/use-is-desktop";
 import { useReducedMotion } from "@/hooks/use-reduced-motion";
 import { useWebGLSupport } from "@/hooks/use-webgl-support";
@@ -127,7 +128,13 @@ function StaticGlobeImage() {
   );
 }
 
-function WebglGlobe({ reducedMotion }: { reducedMotion: boolean }) {
+function WebglGlobe({
+  reducedMotion,
+  active,
+}: {
+  reducedMotion: boolean;
+  active: boolean;
+}) {
   const [ready, setReady] = useState(false);
 
   return (
@@ -137,6 +144,7 @@ function WebglGlobe({ reducedMotion }: { reducedMotion: boolean }) {
         reducedMotion={reducedMotion}
         rotationY={DEFAULT_GLOBE_ROTATION_Y}
         onReady={() => setReady(true)}
+        active={active}
       />
     </GlobeCanvasErrorBoundary>
   );
@@ -150,12 +158,14 @@ export const HeroWebglBackground = memo(function HeroWebglBackground() {
   const reducedMotion = useReducedMotion();
   const isLargeScreen = useIsLargeScreen();
   const webgl = useWebGLSupport();
+  const { ref: inViewRef, inView } = useInView();
 
   const showLiveGlobe = isLargeScreen && webgl;
   const showStaticGlobe = !showLiveGlobe;
 
   return (
     <div
+      ref={inViewRef}
       aria-hidden="true"
       className="absolute inset-0 -z-10 bg-bg-canvas"
       style={{ pointerEvents: "none" }}
@@ -163,7 +173,9 @@ export const HeroWebglBackground = memo(function HeroWebglBackground() {
     >
       {showStaticGlobe ? <StaticGlobeImage /> : null}
 
-      {showLiveGlobe ? <WebglGlobe reducedMotion={reducedMotion} /> : null}
+      {showLiveGlobe ? (
+        <WebglGlobe reducedMotion={reducedMotion} active={inView} />
+      ) : null}
 
       {/* Ambient spill — warm glow rising from the bottom-anchored globe */}
       <div
diff --git a/src/hooks/use-in-view.ts b/src/hooks/use-in-view.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aca2ee8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hooks/use-in-view.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { useCallback, useState } from "react";
+
+type UseInViewResult = {
+  /** Attach to the element whose viewport visibility should be tracked. */
+  ref: (node: Element | null) => (() => void) | undefined;
+  inView: boolean;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Tracks whether an element intersects the viewport, for pausing ambient
+ * animation loops (WebGL frameloop, infinite GSAP timelines) off-screen.
+ *
+ * `inView` flips to true as soon as 1px is visible and back to false only
+ * when the element is fully out of view, so loops never pause mid-frame
+ * while partially visible. Defaults to true (SSR and pre-observe), so
+ * content is never blocked from animating before the observer fires.
+ */
+export function useInView(): UseInViewResult {
+  const [inView, setInView] = useState(true);
+
+  const ref = useCallback((node: Element | null) => {
+    if (!node || typeof IntersectionObserver === "undefined") return;
+
+    const observer = new IntersectionObserver(([entry]) => {
+      setInView(entry.isIntersecting);
+    });
+    observer.observe(node);
+
+    return () => {
+      observer.disconnect();
+      setInView(true);
+    };
+  }, []);
+
+  return { ref, inView };
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/site.ts b/src/lib/site.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0d19d66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/site.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+export const SITE_NAME = "Cortex Global" as const;
+
+export const SITE_URL =
+  process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SITE_URL ?? "https://www.cortexglobal.xyz";
+
+export const SITE_TAGLINE = "Local Service. Global Impact." as const;
+
+export const SITE_DESCRIPTION =
+  "Cortex serves all individual, business, and community needs through our globally distributed professional network — local citizens providing expertise, guidance, and connection to the top industry professionals in all verticals. Everything for Everyone. Everywhere." as const;
+
+export const TWITTER_HANDLE = "Cortex_Global_" as const;
+
+export const OG_IMAGE_PATH = "/images/og.png" as const;
+
+/** Bump to bust social-platform image caches without changing routes or image paths. */
+export const OG_CACHE_VERSION = "3" as const;
+
+export const OG_PAGE_URL = `/?v=${OG_CACHE_VERSION}` as const;
+
+export const OG_IMAGE = {
+  url: `${OG_IMAGE_PATH}?v=${OG_CACHE_VERSION}`,
+  width: 2170,
+  height: 1139,
+  alt: `${SITE_NAME} — ${SITE_TAGLINE}`,
+} as const;