With the explosion of video on the web -- videoblogging, vidcaps, vodcasts, and mash-ups -- any B2B marketing program should consider greater use of these new media tools to help tell the story. To help guide you with your new media videos, I offer these thoughts:

1. Don't do-it-yourself. You get one chance to make a first impression, and a poor online video viewing experience can turn off viewers. You can't imagine the mistakes that are possible just from capturing sound and lighting issues alone.

2. Give some serious consideration about the best ways to re-purpose your video for multiple uses.

3. Talking heads can get really boring, really fast. Include a variety of graphic elements to keep the viewer interested. Think 3D, animation, special visual effects, scene changes, interesting backgrounds and above all an interesting script. Shoot some "B" roll footage that you can use between scenes. Keep dense text off the screen.

4. Don't make your viewer have to leave your corporate website to view the video. Embedding your program directly into multiple independent locations within your corporate website, on channel partners' sites, or on a publishers' site will help increase exposure for your program and your other web content.

5. Viewers like to control how and when they watch a video. Give them options. A media player with a search option, for example, allows viewers to search for relevant content and a table of contents.

6. Use interactivity. The power of online video is twofold: 1) it is a highly engaging medium and 2) viewers can take immediate action on what they see. Give the viewer choice points during the programming. If you integrate calls to action like "send me more information" into the program, you will build relationships with viewers and increase vital viral opportunities.

7. Use a video delivery platform that has tracking and measurement built in. A huge transition is happening in the business world today, including B2B. Some $12 billion in ad spending moved from TV to Online advertising in 2007. Why? Viewers have control and businesses can gain immediate action from their video while better targeting their customers. Your online video platform should have tracking and reporting capabilities built in so that you can better understand your audience.

8. Visit other B2B websites, look at their videos and take notes. See what other B2B companies are doing with their online video. You'll be amazed by the sophistication or the lack of it.

9. Keep the video short. Rule of thumb, no longer than 5 minutes. If you have more information to communicate, break it up into smaller videos and tag each accordingly. This will eliminate the boredom factor while keeping the viewer looking for more information in smaller segments.

10. Optimize your video for search. Give search engines something to index and rank. Surround your videos with relevant on-page html, relevant user keywords describing your video content, a relevant title helps too. And add the word "video" to your title, description and tags. Also optimize your URLs to contain video information.