Content Guideline

Why the Guideline Matters

• We are a global premium brand.

• Our website is our most important digital flagship.

• Inconsistencies weaken brand trust and damage perception.

• Quality is not optional – it is our standard.

The outcome of your content adaptation is your responsibility. Every published page must meet the global requirements before going live.

The Content Adaptation Process

The website relaunch follows a clearly defined process:

Kick-Off & OnboardingReview and understand the guideline in full.

Content Adaptation (Self-Responsible)Apply content to modules in strict alignment with the guideline.

Q&A & ClarificationOpen questions are clarified within one week after kick-off.

Final AlignmentInternal presentation and final check before go-live.

Translation & Launch

After go-live, responsibility does not end. The website is a living system that requires continuous maintenance, updates and quality control.

Focus on the 8 Core Pages

The highest brand relevance and traffic lie within these eight pages:

• Homepage

• Seller Page

• Valuation Page

• About Us Page

• Career Page

• Agent Page

• Lipa Page

• Business Divisions Page

These pages require special attention. Alignment with the global guideline is mandatory.

Visual Language

Our photography defines our premium perception.

General Look & Feel

• Warm, natural and authentic

• Light to medium tones

• Clean compositions

• Strong use of white space

• Elegant and modern aesthetic

Four Key Image Categories

• Properties – aspirational, high-quality interiors and exteriors

• Lifestyle – luxury moments beyond real estate

• People – confident, professional, authentic

• Brand Moments – clean, premium, elegant

Image Requirements

• 72 dpi for Storyblok upload

• RGB only (no CMYK mix)

• Maximum 1 MB file size

• Correct landscape/portrait ratios for staff portraits

• No oversaturation

• No yellow filters

• No white overlays

• No poor-quality or badly composed images

Do not use images from other countries to avoid license violations. Always ensure correct licensing and documentation.

Asset Management & CMS Discipline

Uploading content into Storyblok requires precision.

Mandatory fields must always be completed:

• License (Single / Company / Network – including owner) - it has to follow the exact structure, for example: Single - Engel & Völkers GmbH

• Source (agency or photographer + context)

• Original_Filename

• EV_Contact

• AI-generated assets must be declared

URL Slugs

• Think about the slug before setting it in StoryBlok since it's hard to change afterwards

• Use short slugs that make the content clear

• Use your target keyword in the slug, if feasible

• Always use "-" (hyphen) to separate words

• Avoid years, dates etc. if not necessary (e.g. /marktbericht-erding is better than /marktbericht-erding-2026)

• Don't use capital letters (e.g. /immobilienmarkt-schleswig-holstein is better than /Immobilienmarkt-Schleswig-Holstein)

• Adapt slugs for languages (with AI)

Learn more about what a slug is.

Accessibility & SEO for Images

• Clear, descriptive Titles/Captions (no use of - or _)

• Proper ALT Text (under 125 characters)

• Natural language

• No keyword stuffing

• Make adjustments for other language versions if multiple languages are covered (with help of AI)

Technical Discipline

• Paste text without formatting (Shift + Ctrl + V)

• Make sure, when you copy names, to not inlcude any space at the end of the word, as it will cause an error

• Never break “Engel & Völkers” into two lines

• Follow glossary terminology

• Place SEO keywords in H1, H2 and intro sections

Formatting errors cause technical problems and additional workload across teams. Clean CMS work is part of your quality responsibility.

Text Tonality & Writing Style

Our writing reflects our premium positioning.

Our Writing Principles

Short & Sweet

• Clear

• Concise

• Easy to understand

• Mobile-first mindset

Active Language

• Use verbs, not noun constructions

• Avoid long, nested sentences

• One thought per sentence

Professional & Elegant

• Never colloquial

• Never overly complex

• Emotional – but controlled

• Excellence must resonate subtly

Headlines

• Ideally one line on desktop

• Check length on mobile

• Keep visually balanced text blocks

• SEO guideline: Try to incorporate the target keyword (and/or variations) in some headlines

Message per Module

Each module has a defined:

• Target group

• Core message

• Tonality

• Image direction

Only editable elements marked in the guideline may be adapted. Imagery marked as “not to be changed” must remain untouched.

The messaging across pages follows a strategic logic:

• Homepage: Showcase the full world of Engel & Völkers and subtly suggest the best price promise.

• Seller & Valuation Pages: Emphasize expertise, market knowledge and the “best possible price.”

• Agent & Career Pages: Position Engel & Völkers as the leading premium employer.

• About Us: Communicate heritage, scale, leadership and global success.

• Business Divisions: Demonstrate service excellence beyond traditional brokerage.

Consistency in message hierarchy is essential.

SEO & Auto-Generated Pages

SEO plays a strategic role:

• Geo-location + keyword combinations are central.

• Auto-generated SEO pages are managed by E&V Tech.

• Do not create parallel structures.

If in doubt, contact the tech team before making structural changes.

Use of Keywords

• Think of a target keyword (and variations) that are not covered yet.

• Keywords ought to appear in most relevant spaces on the page, especially in meta data, H1, some H2 and intro sections

• Use Meta Title and Meta Description to underline the content on the site

• Meta Title should use between 45 and 65 characters (including spaces)

• Meta Description should use between 130 and 150 characters (including spaces)

Ongoing Responsibilities After Go-Live

After launch, you are responsible for:

• Maintaining brand consistency

• Updating facts & figures

• Reviewing licenses

• Keeping shop/advisor images up to date

• Removing outdated content

• Ensuring legal compliance (GDPR, image rights)

• Updating translations

• Monitoring top navigation, header & footer changes

“After the launch is before the launch.” Continuous improvement is expected.

Our Premium Standard

Every piece of content must answer these questions:

• Does this reflect a global premium brand?

• Is the language elegant, clear and professional?

• Does the imagery match our visual identity?

• Is the CMS work technically flawless?

• Is the message aligned with the defined module objective?

If the answer is not clearly “yes,” it is not ready to publish.

Final Note to Content Editors

You are not just filling modules.
You are shaping the global perception of Engel & Völkers.

Precision, consistency and excellence are non-negotiable.
Follow the guideline carefully. Protect the brand. Deliver premium quality – every time.