When you are starting out on the Internet and just putting together your first website or blog it is very important that you choose the right webhost.

How Shared Web Hosting works is that a group of clients share virtual space on the web server. How many accounts share this virtual space varies by host. Some host providers have a few hundred shared accounts on the same server, where as others have a few thousand. Also know as virtual hosting, Shared Web Hosting shares much more than just virtual web space on a server.

These hosting plans will usually provide only one root directory for all of the domains and sites you plan to build. You will also be allowed one "primary domain". All other domains will have to be "parked" or added on to the primary domain. Without getting too technical, let's just say that some Shared Web Hosting UK scripts don't "play" well with others. And many just don't like being installed in sub-directories!

As a rule of thumb, if you choose a domain name, consider first whether you could find any .com extension which is recognised as most valuable extension. If .com is not available, consider .net extension. If both .net and .com are not available, you might want to consider .org or straight go to your country top level extension.

Just because you have used Affordable Web Hosting doesn't mean it has to be poor quality hosting. There are lots of very good quality hosts available at very affordable prices. Also be aware of what comes as standard with your hosting and what comes as paid extras. Check that your potential host uses a popular control panel such as Cpanel. Some hosts use free panels and although they work fine, if the time comes when you have to move your website to a new host, control panels like Cpanel make the process a lot easier.

Ask for reviews about particular provider in the leading hosting/webmaster forums. This way you will be able to find out more about host's reputation among its peers. You will see what are the pros and cons of the service. Note there is no "perfect provider" but there are a lot of awful ones.

These 3 companies have proven themselves to thousands of customers over the years and all offer an affordable web hosting plan that will be right for your situation.