If you're planning on launching a new website, or are looking for memorable URLs to use in campaigns or as link shorteners, choosing a domain hack for your small business could be a great option.

A domain hack is the process of combining two or more levels of your domain name to create a word, phrase, or name. These can include the subdomain, second level domain and top-level domain (TLD).

An example of a domain hack could be “shop.organic", or “comeplay.poker". These domain hack examples are achieved through the combination of the second level domain and a TLD. As you can see, these both create memorable phrases that could be highly relevant to the visitor.

Taking the example one step further, the inclusion of a subdomain could create the domain hack “why.shop.organic".

Sometimes the domain hacks split up a word over the different elements of a URL. For example, if you owned a pet store called Whiskered, you could register a domain ending in .red, with "Whiske" as the second-level domain. Put it all together and your domain would spell out "Whiske.red".

A famous example from the early days of the Web is the social bookmarking web service Delicious, which promoted itself with the domain hack "del.icio.us".

Why Register a Domain Hack for your Small Business

There are a number of reasons why you might choose to register a domain hack for your small business. Some common examples include:

• Your domain name isn't available: It's very common to find your ideal domain name is already taken. Opting for a domain hack is a great way to find a domain name you can still be very happy with.
• It's cheaper: Competition for mainstream domain names is high. This often means that they tend to be quite expensive (even overpriced). The right domain hack is a credible alternative at a cheaper price.
• It's more memorable: Using an everyday domain name might not be hugely exciting. Choosing the right domain hack will create a highly memorable domain name.
• Prevent others from taking it: You may choose to purchase a domain hack simply so others can't use it. This might seem petty, but a competitor purchasing a domain hack that closely resembles your brand name is a legitimate threat to your business.

Once you've made a decision to purchase a domain hack, but aren't sure what your options are, iwantmyname includes domain hacks in its available domain results.

How to Use a Domain Hack

A domain hack used correctly can be a powerful asset for your small business. Below are a number of use cases for which you might choose to deploy your domain hack:

• Main website domain name: If your chosen domain hack is memorable and fits your brand, it is a great option to use as your main website domain name.
• URL shortener: If you have a long domain name, you could use a domain hack to create a memorable URL shortener for use in your social posts and email.
• Landing page: A domain hack could be very useful when you're creating a landing page for an event or campaign.
• Domain forwarding: Domain hacks can be great for domain forwarding, where you redirect a domain to your preferred URL, especially if you want to pick up common typos for your domain, or harness the potential of high volume search terms.
• Email address: The right domain hack could also be used to create a memorable email address for your small business.

The right domain hack has the potential to offer your business a very memorable domain that costs you less and can be used in a wide variety of ways.

What are you waiting for?