I am planning to renew my domain name and web hosting this coming May but I do not like my present hosting company. I have no complain about their services but I felt that they lack what I need, maybe the price? Anyway I still have time to look for another hosting company. I visited a website that list their top ten best web hosting company best on many factors like prices, technical supports and quality of services like how fast your website will appear on the browser.
What I like about in a web hosting is that they should be faster in solving their client problem like in how to set-up and an easy to follow procedure on how to solve a problem is the best. Some websites are also giving freebies like free ads for a website to promote. I think that is good too especially if you do not have traffic yet. Some listings in this website are in fact award winners last 2011 as best web hosting so I think you can decide if you will visit the site. I am browsing lately and I like one of the providers.
My advice really is to ask a friend who purchased a web hosting before, I believe he can give you a good provider best on his own experience.