This post is a guest blog from Joe Blakely, member of Holdcom's Audio Production team and mastermind behind many of our video projects.

The world of video production can be vast and wild. If you're going to use it as a business marketing or customer service application, you're going to have to decide how vast and wild your videos will be. And if you'er going to take advantage of video marketing via mediums like YouTube and Vimeo, you are going to want to make sure you promote an image of your business in a professional manner. YouTube has been around for a while, and it probably was never meant to be a platform for business use, but guess what? Everybody is using it now, including business, because it's powerful and has a wide and ongoing reach.

So before you get too far, or too deep, here are a few good things to remember and prepare for your journey into the video world:

Brainstorm a good idea
Make sure you are catching your viewers eye (Visually appealing)
Make sure you retain your audience's attention span (1-3 mins max, depending on subject)
Have fun and be creative

Now here are the three biggest secrets that the non-seasoned video producer needs to know before creating video for the Internet:

Lighting- You could have the best camera, actors, and director in the world but if the video isn’t lit well, it will not be visually appealing. Lighting is what separates the homemade video look from a professional looking production.
Audio- So you have your scene lit, your shot in focus, and start filming. Everything goes great, but when you go to edit it, it sounds terrible. It is crucial to have good audio, which means having good mics and using the proper mics for what you are trying to achieve. Using an on-camera mic works for filming Mikie in the kiddie pool but for a business video on the web, it's a big no-no. If you're struggling with recording your own audio, a professional voice over can enhance your final content.
Visuals- With technology today, you don’t need to break the bank and buy a camera that costs $10,000 (if you want to you can), but you're not going to get away with a disposable. So remember the last two tips weigh in with this one (Bad lighting + Bad audio + Great Camera = Not Great Video). You can achieve a lot by having a decent camera and a steady tripod.

If the viral video phenomenon has taught us one thing, it's that a great, well-executed idea can have major impact. On YouTube, if someone really likes your video, they can post a reply, which references the original. These spinoffs help to make your video more popular. For your business, quality is key. Even if you decide to make a super funny, out of the box video, remember that it's representing your business. You can be crazy, fun, and edgy, but keep a professional image. Taking the time to make a high quality video, both in content and production, is key.

Updated from original publication on 10/20/2011.