Choosing a web host

Choosing a host is a bit of a nightmare. If you have a recommendation from someone you trust, then that's a good starting point. Otherwise the problems you face are an overwhelming array of choices, and a market flooded with advertising/ misinformation/ unscrupulous companies. Here are a few do's and dont's:

1. Don't pay any attention to "top 100" type webhost listing sites. Its all advertising - companies just pay to get on these lists.
2. Do look around for genuine comments from users on forums etc. If you find a lot of negative comments about a particular host, stay clear. A lot of positive comments is good, but be aware that some of these could be fake comments. Use judgement.
3. Don't focus exclusively on the numbers that hosts advertise. You might be tempted to look for the highest hosting/traffic limits to cost ratio (i.e. biggest bang for your buck!). This is exactly what many hosts are counting on - they unrealistically inflate their numbers to attract customers. 5000 GB traffic for $5 a month could not actually be supported by a host.
4. Do look for a decent server uptime (99.5% +).
5. Do run a whois on the host. Has the company been around for long? If not, you might be increasing your risk. Many webhosts come and go in a short time - its a competitive market.
6. Do test out a prospective host's support. Give them a call/ email and ask them something about hosting - how long did they take to respond and were they helpful?
7. Do consider what you will really need. How much traffic do you anticipate? How much space do you need? Remember that with most hosts you can upgrade to a higher package if traffic etc exceeds your initial expectations. Also consider what server-side support you want (php, ssi, whatever...). Dont forget to check out what versions the host is running.
8. Do some more research. Search for "choosing a web host" or similar - read some articles (e.g. how to choose a web host).
   

Most of all, look for a company that you think is honest and reliable. It's much more important to find a host that will respond to your support requests, accurately charge you for services, and stay in business, than a host that offers high traffic and storage limits for low cost.

I personally ended up going with hostgator. I chose them for 2 main reasons - positive reviews on forums, and the fact that they have some sensible advice about choosing a webhost here (some of which is repeated in the above). I can't say if they are the best company out there, but so far I am happy, and would recommend them. They provide good site stats, and my html and php stuff worked first time. I have a couple of issues using their web-based email but that's relatively minor.