diff --git a/app/root/page.tsx b/app/root/page.tsx
index 8302452..0e28d1b 100644
--- a/app/root/page.tsx
+++ b/app/root/page.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import {
   ExternalLink,
   FolderKanban,
+  Globe2,
   ImageIcon,
   LockKeyhole,
   ShieldAlert,
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ const copy = {
   maintenance: "Wartungsmodus",
   maintenanceTitle: "Wartungsmodus",
   maintenanceVisitorsClosed: "Website fuer Besucher geschlossen",
+  maintenanceVisitorsShort: "Besucher gesperrt",
   maintenanceDescription:
     "Wenn aktiv, werden alle Seiten auf die Coming Soon Seite weitergeleitet.",
   maintenanceOpen: "Website fuer Besucher offen",
@@ -67,6 +69,7 @@ const copy = {
   uiKitDescription: "Globale Referenz fuer Cards, Buttons, Inputs und Surface Levels.",
   uiKitAction: "Zur UI Kit",
   media: "Media",
+  siteSettings: "SEO",
   portfolio: "Portfolio",
   portfolioTitle: "Portfolio",
   portfolioDescription: "Kategorien, Projekte, Abschnitte und Dateien verwalten.",
@@ -74,6 +77,9 @@ const copy = {
   mediaTitle: "Media Library",
   mediaDescription: "Uploads, externe URLs und Verwendungsorte zentral verwalten.",
   mediaAction: "Zur Media Library",
+  siteSettingsTitle: "SEO",
+  siteSettingsDescription: "Favicon, Site Name, Description, Subhead und globale SEO Defaults verwalten.",
+  siteSettingsAction: "Zu SEO",
   loginTitle: "Root Login",
   loginText: "Nur autorisierte Nutzer duerfen diesen Bereich verwenden.",
   passwordLabel: "Passwort",
@@ -238,6 +244,14 @@ export default async function RootPage({ searchParams }: RootPageProps) {
       badgeVariant: "outline" as const,
       action: copy.mediaAction,
     },
+    {
+      label: copy.siteSettingsTitle,
+      summary: copy.siteSettingsDescription,
+      status: copy.authStatusOk,
+      href: "/root/site-settings",
+      badgeVariant: "outline" as const,
+      action: copy.siteSettingsAction,
+    },
     {
       label: copy.portfolioTitle,
       summary: `${projects.length} ${copy.totalProjects} / ${categories.length} ${copy.totalCategories}`,
@@ -263,11 +277,11 @@ export default async function RootPage({ searchParams }: RootPageProps) {
       logoutAction={logoutAction}
       headerTitle={copy.title}
       headerDescription={copy.subtitle}
-      headerActions={
+      sidebarTopContent={
         maintenanceEnabled ? (
-          <Button asChild variant="destructive" className="hidden sm:inline-flex">
-            <Link href="/root/maintenance">{copy.maintenanceVisitorsClosed}</Link>
-          </Button>
+          <p className="px-1 text-xs font-medium text-destructive">
+            {copy.maintenanceVisitorsShort}
+          </p>
         ) : null
       }
     >
@@ -294,7 +308,7 @@ export default async function RootPage({ searchParams }: RootPageProps) {
               title={copy.totalProjects}
               value={String(projects.length)}
               description={copy.projectCountDescription}
-              icon={FolderKanban}
+              icon={Globe2}
             />
           </MotionFade>
           <MotionFade delay={0.2}>
@@ -302,13 +316,21 @@ export default async function RootPage({ searchParams }: RootPageProps) {
               title={copy.totalCategories}
               value={String(categories.length)}
               description={copy.categoryCountDescription}
+              icon={FolderKanban}
+            />
+          </MotionFade>
+          <MotionFade delay={0.25}>
+            <DashboardCard
+              title={copy.siteSettingsTitle}
+              value={copy.authStatusOk}
+              description={copy.siteSettingsDescription}
               icon={Shapes}
             />
           </MotionFade>
         </section>
 
         <section className="grid gap-6 xl:grid-cols-[minmax(0,1.5fr)_minmax(320px,1fr)]">
-          <MotionFade delay={0.25}>
+          <MotionFade delay={0.3}>
             <Card className="border-border/70 bg-card/95 shadow-sm">
               <CardHeader>
                 <CardTitle>{copy.tableTitle}</CardTitle>
@@ -349,7 +371,7 @@ export default async function RootPage({ searchParams }: RootPageProps) {
           </MotionFade>
 
           <div className="grid gap-6">
-            <MotionFade delay={0.3}>
+            <MotionFade delay={0.35}>
               <Card className="border-border/70 bg-card/95 shadow-sm">
                 <CardHeader>
                   <CardTitle>{copy.systemStatusTitle}</CardTitle>
diff --git a/components/root/root-dashboard-shell.tsx b/components/root/root-dashboard-shell.tsx
index 40c9d67..bffcf31 100644
--- a/components/root/root-dashboard-shell.tsx
+++ b/components/root/root-dashboard-shell.tsx
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ type RootDashboardShellProps = {
   headerTitle: string;
   headerDescription: string;
   headerActions?: ReactNode;
+  sidebarTopContent?: ReactNode;
   toolbar?: ReactNode;
   children: ReactNode;
 };
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ export async function RootDashboardShell({
   headerTitle,
   headerDescription,
   headerActions,
+  sidebarTopContent,
   toolbar,
   children,
 }: RootDashboardShellProps) {
@@ -91,12 +93,15 @@ export async function RootDashboardShell({
       items={sidebarItems}
       sidebarIconSrc={mediaBindings.favicon?.url}
       sidebarTop={
-        <Button asChild variant="outline" className="w-full justify-between">
-          <Link href={getLocalizedPath("de")} target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">
-            {copy.backToSite}
-            <ArrowLeft className="h-4 w-4" />
-          </Link>
-        </Button>
+        <div className="space-y-2">
+          <Button asChild variant="outline" className="w-full justify-between">
+            <Link href={getLocalizedPath("de")} target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">
+              {copy.backToSite}
+              <ArrowLeft className="h-4 w-4" />
+            </Link>
+          </Button>
+          {sidebarTopContent}
+        </div>
       }
       sidebarFooter={
         <>