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.
This means your Shared Web Hosting company will keep up the maintenance and updates, and provide technical support for its users. This is a huge benefit for those who do not have the time, knowledge or resources (like many small businesses I know) to do this. In this sense it makes huge sense to go with Shared Web Hosting UK. The average cost of a reliable shared web hosting package is less than $7.00 per month. You will be paying at least ten times that amount for a dedicated server.
Most domain name registration services do not include full email. If you want email Shared Web Hosting UK services with your domain name an additional charge is likely. In most cases you will only get email forwarding. Even for straight forward POP3 email, expect only 1 or 2 email accounts as standard.
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.
Another key ingredient to finding Affordable Web Hosting is to make sure the control panel is simple to use. Most people that own websites aren't programmers. The webhost should provide you with an easy-to-use program that allows you to manage the site. If possible, try to see a demo. This is a great way to really get a feel for the controls. It's the equivalent of taking a car for a test-drive. See how your website might look sitting behind 'the wheel' of their control panel.
Another thing you need to consider is the facilities and the features of the cheap web hosting plan you want to buy. For example consider the following; will my site be available for my visitors to see and access at any time and any day of the week? Will I get up to 99% up time as a minimum requirement for hosting my site? Do not just jump at any web hosting service just because it is very cheap without considering the facilities on ground. Search carefully for what you want.
Finally, when you choose a host - always think that it is the best friend of your site. When you make a friend in real life you always consider lot of things before choosing and also overlook minor mistakes to keep a long term relation. A web host is a real friend for you as it provides your business keep running online 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.