PowerPoint is one of the most popular software tools for creating professional presentations. It is user-friendly, and one can pretty quickly learn all the necessary elements. And it has a variety of excellent features, especially when it comes to integrating media files. If you want to create a truly outstanding presentation, this ultimate guide is what you need.
The process can be divided into two main parts – working on the content and the visuals.
Content of the Presentation
It is not a surprise that content comes first. After all, no matter how stunning the slides look, if there is no useful information, or the text is all over the place, it is not good. Here is how to prepare your content.
Work on the Topic
Whether you are a student or a professional, you probably have the topic chosen. Start by researching it completely, whether it is market segmentation data, causal analysis essay topics, or Renaissance art specifics. Make sure you know the subject well and have all the credible information and sources to reference in the end.
Create a Structure
Now, it is time to work on the structure. It starts with the message, goal, and audience. The message is the main information you want to communicate. The goal is something you want to achieve – inform, persuade, or motivate to take an action. And the audience is the people you are giving a presentation to.
You might be making it for a college class or Open Engagement Conference, but it still has to be logical and cohesive. One can use the traditional essay structure, with the thesis, main argument, and conclusion. Another great way is to give data, a problem, and a solution.
Write a Script
The PowerPoint presentation should be an addition to what you have to say, not the other way around. Start by writing the script of your speech. Some prefer to write the full text, others choose only bullet points – do what works for you. It will help keep the flow and logic of the speech. It will also show what information should be on slides.
Choose Slide Text
The main mistake many people make is that they put the whole script on slides. This way, the audience just reads the text and doesn’t listen. It also makes the slides overwhelming with information and very hard to perceive and remember. Choose only facts, figures, stats, or visuals that support what you are going to say. Slides should not make a talking point for you.
Visual Design
Now, it is time to use all the amazing features PowerPoint has to offer.
Create a Unique Template
Of course, one of the strong points of this software is that it has a good amount of standard templates to choose from. There are also thousands of premium ones online. The main con is that standard ones are pretty boring or overused. And the premium ones are not for everyone.
Students probably wouldn’t like to pay for something to make a poetry analysis essay presentation for their literature class. It is fair. So, what is the solution? Create your own template! It doesn’t have to be complex; the less is more in this case.
Choose Colours and Fonts
The next rule is not to go overboard with the design. Of course, one might think that using tons of animations is fun, but it all depends on the topic and the audience. The general rule is to stay minimalistic – it always looks elegant.
Choose two or three colours for all slides. Select readable fonts, preferably from one family. For example, Helvetica is a safe and not-so-boring decision. Colours should be matching and not too aggressive. Make sure that the focal point is the text, not stunning themes.
Add Great Pictures
To make slides more engaging and interesting, one might add pictures. You can find lots of options on free platforms with photos, like Unsplash, for example. Select the ones with high resolution to avoid pixelation.
One of the exciting ideas is to go a bit abstract about it. You can include a picture that doesn’t directly portray the topic but has the same emotional meaning.
Integrate Video
Another dashing feature of PowerPoint is that one can add videos to it. There are two ways to approach it – the video from your computer or from the Internet (YouTube works like a charm with PowerPoint). But remember that videos from YouTube will play only if you have an Internet connection during the presentation.
It is easy to do via the “Insert” feature where you can click “video” and then “online video”. Now, you can insert a link to a YouTube clip. Or one can choose the “video from PC” feature.
Add Some Audio
If appropriate, one can incorporate audio files into their slides. The music can play throughout the presentation in the background or only on one slide as an example.
You can do it through the same “Insert” feature but with the “Audio” button. Select an audio file on your computer to add it to a slide.
Finish With a Strong Point
It is almost done – you only need to choose the last words. Depending on the topic and the goal, it can be a call to action, an argumentative conclusion, or a Q&A section. One can also add a slide with references in the end if it is essential for the given data.
In Summary
PowerPoint is a splendid tool that helps master presentation. But the secret to creating a truly outstanding one is not only in different templates and fonts. It all starts with the content you are going to share and the main message.
