Before replacing an oil and gas website, inventory its pages, documents and contact routes. Keep what remains accurate and useful, map any necessary URL changes and test the new site before launch. A redesign can change how the business is presented without discarding information that customers already use.
Record the pages and documents that matter
Start with the existing sitemap, navigation and important downloads. Add landing pages that appear in Search Console or Analytics, then ask the sales team which links they send to customers. A page with little search traffic may still support a proposal or an active customer relationship.
For each URL, record its purpose, content owner and proposed treatment: keep, update, merge, redirect or retire. Include product sheets and publication archives. Save the current files so the team can compare versions and recover material if something is missed.
Keep the URL when the page still serves the same purpose
A new design does not require a new address for every page. If the topic and purpose remain the same, retaining the URL reduces unnecessary migration work. If a page moves or several pages are consolidated, map the old address to the closest relevant replacement.
Use a permanent server redirect for a genuine move. Avoid sending every retired page to the homepage; a buyer looking for a specific product or document needs a relevant destination. If there is no replacement, return an appropriate not-found response. Google recommends a URL mapping and monitoring after a move; rankings can fluctuate while changes are processed.
For URL mapping, redirects and post-move monitoring: Google's guidance on site moves with URL changes.
Separate factual review from design feedback
A more polished layout can make an old claim look newly approved. Assign reviewers for service scope, specifications, qualifications, biographies and locations. Record unresolved questions instead of allowing the design team to guess.
Review photography as evidence as well as decoration. Confirm that product and team images are current and that there is permission to publish them. Campaign artwork must not imply that the company owns a particular facility, operates specific equipment or completed the work shown.
Test how an enquiry reaches the team
Check each published email address, phone link and form destination. A visually successful form is not enough: confirm delivery, any error message and the response process. Keep tests identifiable so they cannot be mistaken for customer demand.
If different teams handle sales, recruitment and operational enquiries, verify each route separately. Agree who checks the inbox after launch and how missed or misdirected enquiries will be handled. A clicked email link indicates intent to write; it does not prove that an enquiry arrived.
Review the complete page on real screen sizes
Check navigation, long headings, specification tables, expanded controls and contact actions on small screens. Read text over photographs in its rendered state. Test keyboard focus and make sure information does not disappear when motion is reduced.
Use the technical checks alongside a visual review. A successful build cannot tell you whether a label is unreadable or an image crop hides the product. Confirm that the page title, main content and internal links are available to search engines, and that private review pages remain private.
Give launch an owner and a recovery plan
Record who can approve launch, access the hosting account and restore the previous version. Keep domain and email records accounted for when changing hosting. Confirm the intended canonical domain and update the sitemap to include only the public pages that actually exist.
After release, check page responses, redirects, documents and contact delivery again. Compare search and enquiry data over complete periods, allowing for reporting delays and small samples. A careful launch reduces avoidable errors; it cannot guarantee unchanged rankings or immediate indexing.