If you are an absolute beginner this is where you should start. if you already have your own domain name and web hosting you can fast forward to part 3.
Most companies offer a few different types of Shared Web Hosting services. The only difference usually being how much disk space you want or how much transfer allowance you need.
User generated content simply put, is allowing your site visitors to add their content to your site. It may be some feedback on a product or review. It could be a posting on your Shared Web Hosting UK forum. How about letting visitors post articles to your site or allowing them to add themselves to your business directory?
Will they hold your domain to ransom when you come to transfer away? Can you be in full control of your domain at all times? Is the company just another reseller of a reseller of a reseller?!
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.
(2). Get A Linux Plan - A Linux plan is more reliable and use up less resources than windows. A word of caution here though, unlike windows that is not case sensitive linux is, so make sure that you use all lower case letters in your file names to avoid any recognition problems.
If you're not comfortable asking a company a whole bunch of questions then just find a friend who has a few websites online and ask them which host they use - like I said a recommendation from a trusted friend is worth its weight in gold when it comes to shared web hosting.