The reason? There is no single secret to Metacafe success; rather, there are several things you can do to boost your video's chances. And we're going to tell you about them right here.

Note that most of these tips are just suggestions -- there's no "sure thing" at Metacafe -- but these suggestions are a great place to start. Let's begin with an obvious step…

1. Focus, focus, focus…

Before you touch that camcorder, focus on what works -- and what doesn't -- at Metacafe. And DON'T look at our top all-time videos, at least not at first. For some producers, those big winners can be discouraging. ("Yeah, right, like I can do flips from a dead standstill and videotape myself at the same time…")

Look at the smaller hits: the most viewed videos of the day,  week and month. Sometimes the greatest "inspiration" comes in the form of a not-quite-brilliant video ("That made money?! I could've done that blindfolded…")

Also explore the video collections of our producers and see which clips scored for them and which ones fell short. What categories do the hits fall in? Why do you think the others stalled?

Conduct these reviews periodically, since tastes shift as the Metacafe audience grows and evolves. And every now and then, a producer will introduce something that launches an all-new hit category. (Massages, anyone?) So keep watching!

2. Play by the rules!

Don’t go to all the work of planning and crafting your "sure-fire" video, only to have it rejected from Producer Rewards. Be sure to adhere to ALL the eligibility requirements.

In short, your video must be:
•    100% original -- you must have the rights to all the content, including the music.
•    Between 20 seconds and 6 minutes long.
•    Rated no higher than 13+ (no sexual content or graphic violence).

3. Dress for success.

Want viewers? Create irresistible "packaging" surrounding your video:
•    Your thumbnail image should be eye-catching.
•    Your title should be provocative.
•    And your tags should include words that people would likely search for.

Again, study what works and what doesn't. Just be truthful! If your packaging is misleading -- e.g., it features a thumbnail of an attractive woman when your video is about fixing your computer -- then your clip will be rejected from Producer Rewards.

4. Keep 'em coming.

If your video doesn't succeed right away, don't give up on it. Make and submit another video. We've seen several cases where a producer has several videos that don't go anywhere, then she hits a homerun with a new video. This new video compels viewers to see what else she's created, and this causes her old videos to take off as well.

We especially encourage you to submit to our contests, which provide greater visibility, not to mention potential prizes.

Finally, as mentioned, tastes shift at Metacafe, so while your work might not have touched a nerve before, it could now. Since video submissions are free, use us to practice your filmmaking and to experiment with different styles and subjects. There's no penalty for trying!

5. Build that momentum.

Should your video qualify for Producer Rewards, tell the world about your hit -- and by "world," we mean the news media. Granted, CNN probably won't take your call, but your hometown newspaper might ("Local filmmaker scores internet hit…").

And don't just stop there. We had one video take off because a producer's college newspaper wrote about it, word spread, and the next thing that producer knew, he was talking to David Letterman.

So hit up your college paper. And that blog that covers the subject matter of your video. And your local news websites. You never know…

6. Don't place all your bets on one video.

Most of the producers who've made thousands of dollars at Metacafe have NOT done it with just one video; they do it with a portfolio of videos that make a few hundred dollars each. With a portfolio, videos help support each other -- if someone likes one of your hit videos, they'll probably check out what else you've done.

As you can see, getting your idea on tape is only part of being a successful Metacafe producer. The rest is about figuring out what works, then spreading the word when your video strikes gold. For our top producers, figuring out the "game" is half the fun. (Of course, the money is nice, too.)