ppt presentation do's and don'ts

• About Deck Sherpa
• Why Deck Sherpa
• Sherpa Wisdom

Do’s and Don’ts of Designing PowerPoint Presentations – What’s Important

Animations Bullet Point Presentations Business Presentation Corporate Presentation Design Data Visualization PowerPoint Design PowerPoint Presentation Professional Presentation Design

Discover the essential do's and don'ts of designing PowerPoint presentations. This will ensure you never struggle to maintain your audience's interest again. If you've ever crafted slides only to face a crowd of disengaged onlookers, you know how crucial engaging presentations are. Even seasoned speakers can stumble if their PowerPoint lacks clarity and visual appeal. By mastering how to make the best PowerPoint presentation, you can ensure that you deliver your message concisely and memorably. It helps you avoid the pitfalls of overwhelming text and disorganized designs.

8 Do's And 8 Don’ts Of PowerPoint Presentations

When it comes to the do's and don'ts of designing PowerPoint presentations, understanding the key elements can make all the difference. Whether you're aiming to inform, persuade, or engage, the way you design your slides plays a pivotal role in how your message is received. By focusing on essential design principles and avoiding common pitfalls, you can create a presentation that not only looks professional but also resonates with your audience. Let's delve into the crucial do's and don'ts that will elevate your PowerPoint skills and help you deliver your message effectively.

8 PowerPoint Do's: Enhancing Your Slides for Impact

1. opt for minimalist design.

Simplicity is key in the do's and don'ts of designing PowerPoint presentations. A minimalist design helps your audience focus on what's important without getting distracted by too many details. This approach, emphasizing how to make the best PowerPoint presentation, involves using a clean layout, ample white space, and limiting the number of elements on each slide. By keeping it simple, you enable your audience to absorb and retain the information more effectively.

2. Eliminate Clutter with Design Rules

Effective presentation design is all about clarity and engagement. The 5-5-5 rule suggests limiting yourself to five words per line, five lines per slide, and five text-heavy slides in a row to avoid overwhelming your audience. The 10-20-30 rule by Guy Kawasaki advocates for 10 slides in a 20-minute presentation with a minimum 30-point font size. Lastly, the 6x6 rule recommends no more than six bullet points per slide and six words per bullet. These guidelines help in creating slides that are easy to follow and impactful.

3. Enhance Engagement with Quality Visuals

Using high-quality visuals is a fundamental aspect of PowerPoint presentation do's and don'ts. Graphics, images, and charts serve as powerful visual aids that can make your presentation more engaging and easier to understand. They can break up text, illustrate points, and add a layer of storytelling to your presentation. Remember, a relevant and striking visual can convey your message more powerfully than words alone.

4. Foster Brand Consistency

Consistency in your presentation's formatting reinforces your brand and message. This involves using a consistent color palette, typography, and design elements throughout your slides. Such a consistent design not only looks professional but also makes your presentation more coherent and memorable to the audience.

5. Prioritize Accessibility

Ensuring your PowerPoint is accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities, is crucial. This means checking color contrasts, providing text alternatives for images, and ensuring your presentation can be navigated without a mouse. Making your presentation accessible is a key step in being inclusive and reaching a wider audience effectively.

6. Incorporate Custom Icons and Illustrations

Custom icons and illustrations can add a unique and personal touch to your presentation, making it stand out. These design elements, tailored to your message, can enhance understanding and retention. Avoid generic clip art in favor of custom graphics that align with your content and branding.

7. Employ Subtle Animations

Animations can be a useful tool when used sparingly. They should enhance, not distract, helping to emphasize key points or transition smoothly between topics. Subtle animations can guide your audience's attention and contribute to a dynamic and engaging presentation.

8. Control Your Presentation's Pace

Timing is everything. Pacing your delivery ensures that your audience stays engaged and can absorb the information you're presenting. It's important to allocate time wisely, giving each slide its moment, without rushing or dragging the presentation.

8 PowerPoint Don'ts: Avoiding Common Pitfalls

1. avoid busy backgrounds.

Distracting backgrounds can make your text hard to read and divert attention from your main message. Stick to simple, clean backgrounds that support your content rather than competing with it. This helps keep your audience focused on what you're saying, not where you're saying it.

2. Refrain from Overloading Slides with Text

Too much text can overwhelm your audience, making it hard for them to follow along and retain information. Use bullet points strategically to convey information concisely and keep your audience engaged. Remember, slides are there to support your speech, not to serve as a script.

3. Move Beyond Basic Bullets

While bullet points are a common feature in presentations, relying solely on them can become monotonous. Mix up your slide formats with visuals, charts, and other elements to keep your audience interested and engaged. This variety can make your presentation more dynamic and memorable.

4. Maintain Formatting Consistency

Inconsistent formatting can be jarring and detract from your message's professionalism. Ensure that your slides are uniformly styled in terms of fonts, colors, and layout. This consistency helps build a cohesive narrative throughout your presentation.

5. Limit Animation Use

While animations can add interest, too many can be distracting and detract from your message. Use animations purposefully and sparingly to enhance your presentation without overwhelming your audience with too much motion.

6. Avoid Using Unsupported Graphics

Ensure that all your graphics and visuals are supported by your presentation software and the hardware you'll be using. Unsupported graphics can lead to technical issues that disrupt your flow and distract your audience.

7. Never Plagiarize

Originality is key in presentation design. Ensure all your content is original or properly credited. Plagiarizing not only undermines your credibility but also disrespects the original content creators.

8. Don't Improvise Your Speech

In designing PowerPoint presentations, don't overlook the importance of rehearsing your speech. It's not just the slides that matter but also how you present them. Spend time aligning your speech with your visuals to keep the audience engaged. Practicing ensures your delivery is smooth and your information clear, making your professional PowerPoint presentations effective. Thorough preparation will help you captivate your audience from start to finish.

In the realm of PowerPoint presentation do's and don'ts, striking the right balance between informative content and engaging design is crucial. By adhering to these guidelines, you're not just creating slides; you're crafting a narrative that captures and retains your audience's attention. Remember, the success of your presentation hinges on both the clarity of your content and the effectiveness of your design. As you employ these strategies in your professional PowerPoint presentations, you'll not only keep your audience engaged but also convey information in a way that's impactful and memorable. Embrace these practices to ensure your next presentation stands out for all the right reasons.

Come to Deck Sherpa for Professional PowerPoint Presentations

Understanding and implementing the do's and don'ts of designing PowerPoint presentations is crucial for maintaining your audience's engagement and effectively delivering your message. These guidelines are not just rules; they are the building blocks for creating slides that are clear, impactful, and memorable. By focusing on essential design elements like minimalism, consistency, and quality visuals, you can elevate your presentation and ensure your message resonates with your audience. Following these principles helps in avoiding common pitfalls that can detract from your presentation's effectiveness, ensuring your key points are communicated clearly and your audience stays connected throughout your presentation.

Looking to make your next PowerPoint presentation stand out? Deck Sherpa, India's leading presentation design agency, is here to help. Our expert design team is well-versed in all these essential tips, crafting presentations that captivate and inform, for clients both in India and around the globe. Whether you're presenting locally or on an international stage, let us help you create a presentation that resonates and engages. Visit our Showcase page on the Deck Sherpa website to see our work and discover how we can elevate your next presentation. Let's make your message unforgettable together.

Use any of the following touchpoints to get in touch with us:

☎️ 1800 121 5955 (India)

📧 us at [email protected]

📲 Send a WhatsApp message

Fill in your details on the Contact Form on the website

Q. What are the dos and don’ts of PowerPoint presentations? A. The dos and don'ts of PowerPoint presentations include keeping a simple design, using high-quality visuals, maintaining consistency, and avoiding overwhelming text or distracting animations. Q. What are presentation design rules? A. Presentation design rules include guidelines like the 5-5-5 rule, the 10-20-30 rule, and the 6x6 rule, which help in creating clear, impactful, and engaging slides. Q. What is the 7 rule in PowerPoint? A. The 7 rule in PowerPoint suggests limiting each slide to no more than seven bullet points and seven words per bullet to ensure clarity and retain audience engagement.

Related Posts

Professional corporate presentation solutions you need for winning clients, how to create an effective medical ppt for healthcare professionals, powerpoint specialist: why professional design outshines diy.

Don’t Present Without These 16 PowerPoint Dos and Don’ts

Table of Contents

Have you ever struggled to hold your audience’s interest during a presentation? Painstakingly created slide after slide only to be met with bored, disengaged faces? 

Even the most confident speakers can falter when it comes to crafting compelling PowerPoint decks. Without proper slide design best practices, it’s easy to lose your audience in a sea of dense text, chaotic graphics, and disorganized content.

You don’t have to suffer through presenting lackluster slides anymore. In fact, following simple PowerPoint best practices can totally transform your deck from meh to marvelous.

In this post, we’ll share 16 PowerPoint dos and don’ts to level up your presentations and captivate audiences. These tips will help you create professional, visually striking slides your viewers will remember.

16 Dos And Don’ts Of Powerpoint Presentations

Here are some important 16 presentation dos and don’ts you need to keep in mind while creating slides and presenting them.

PowerPoint Dos

Let’s start with the best practices and strategies to implement when designing PowerPoint presentations . What techniques should you use to create memorable, polished slides?

1. Keep It Simple With Minimalist Design

Let’s start with a common mistake – overcrowded, distracting slide design. We get the temptation to tart up slides with fancy backgrounds. But resist the urge! Fancy templates with complex colored patterns or photos unrelated to your content just make it harder to digest key information.

Instead, embrace the power of simplicity. Stick to minimalist templates and avoid template themes with extra decorations. Use neutral backgrounds and empty negative space to let your content shine. Remember, your audience came for your message, not for clip art kittens. Keep slides clean and attention stays where it should be.

2. Cut the Clutter – Follow the 6×6 Rule

Now for another slide buzzkill – mammoth blocks of dense text. You may be tempted to pack slides with long sentences and paragraphs. Don’t give in! Text-heavy slides are guaranteed to lose audiences fast.

For easy-to-digest nuggets, follow the handy 6×6 rule. Limit slides to just 6 lines of text maximum, with each line containing 6 words max. Anything more turns into an overwhelming wall of words.

Stick to concise phrases, short sentences, and bulleted lists. Use just keywords and supporting stats – leave nonessential info out. With this less is more approach, key points will stick better.

SlidesAI is a text-to-presentation add-on tool that converts walls of text into beautiful slides. It does this automatically generate condensed phrases and bullet points from your text ensuring clutter-free slides throughout your presentation.

3. Boost Engagement With Quality Visuals

Speaking of key points sticking better…you know what helps even more? Quality graphics and visuals!

Research shows we process images 60,000 times faster than text. So reinforce your points with strong visuals. Use high-resolution photos, charts, illustrations, and infographics. But avoid clipart or random stock photos – ensure every graphic clearly supports your narrative.

Well-designed visuals make presentations more memorable and engaging. Just remember to optimize graphics for high-resolution viewing and include alt-text (alternative text) descriptions for accessibility. Then watch those visual aids boost information retention and audience interest.

SlidesAI has a library of 1.5M high-quality premium stock images that you can select and include in your slides.

4. Create Brand Consistency With Formatting

Imagine a presentation where every slide had a totally different layout, colors, and font… no visual consistency at all. It would look sloppy and amateurish, right?

Formatting matters – big time! Brand your presentation by using consistent design elements throughout all your slides.

Pick one professional font combination and stick to it. Limit your color palette to 2-3 colors max. Maintain alignment and space elements consistently.

With unified branding, your deck will feel polished, intentional, and visually pleasing. Bonus – consistent branding also boosts memorability as the audience becomes familiar with your “look”.

SlidesAI ensures complete branding consistency across all presentation slides by applying your color schemes , fonts, etc to designs through artificial intelligence.

5. Check Accessibility Settings

Speaking of memorability, if some audience members can’t actually view your slides, they certainly won’t remember your message.

Ensure your presentation is inclusive and accessible to all by checking key settings. Use color contrast and legible fonts so those with visual impairments can still grasp the content. Optimize images with alt text descriptions. Verify videos are captioned.

It may take a bit more effort up front but making your presentation accessible opens your message to a wider audience. It also demonstrates corporate responsibility.

6. Create Custom Icons and Illustrations

Most PowerPoint templates come with generic icons. However, you can amplify brand personality and memorability by creating custom icons and simple illustrations.

Don’t just use a generic checkmark when you can insert your own branded indicator relevant to your company. Design illustrated characters to represent concepts. Even use emojis strategically to inject fun and improve recall.

Handcrafted visuals, even if basic in style, make presentations stand out and drive home key points better than generic clip art ever could.

7. Use Subtle Animations – But Not Too Many!

Animations, when used well, can help guide the audience’s eye and transition between ideas smoothly. Emphasize key points and important transitions with subtle animations.

Entrance and exit effects can focus attention while builds and motion path animations can demonstrate processes dynamically. Use sparingly and subtly for the best impact.

But avoid going animation crazy with sounds and excessive movement. That becomes more distracting than engaging. Limit animations so they enhance content rather than detract.

8. Pace Your Delivery

Creating stellar slides is an excellent start but don’t stop there. The live delivery is just as crucial. Invest time practicing your presentation with your slides.

Rehearse the flow and pace of your narrative. Refine and memorize transitions between slides . Nail your timing to keep the audience engaged. Get so comfortable delivering your content that the slides become natural visual aids.

With great slides and honed delivery skills, your audience will hang on to your every word from the introduction to a powerful conclusion.

Create presentation slides with AI in Seconds in Google Slides

10M+ Installs

Works with Google Slides

PowerPoint Donts

Just as important as the dos are the don’ts. What pitfalls should you avoid when designing PowerPoint presentations?

9. Don’t Use Distracting Backgrounds

Remember our tip to embrace minimalism? Well, the opposite is using distracting backgrounds. Avoid loud colors, complex patterns, or images totally unrelated to your content. At best, they are distracting. At worst, they make key info harder to comprehend.

Stick to simple, neutral backgrounds. If using an image, ensure it directly reinforces your narrative. Anything extra risks your message getting visually lost. Keep backgrounds clean so content remains the focal point.

SlidesAI avoids using distracting backgrounds like crowded templates or unrelated images in the presentations. It focuses on simple, clean backgrounds to keep attention on your key content.

10. Don’t Overwhelm With Walls of Text

We covered the 6×6 text limit rule earlier. But even with 6 lines and 6 words, slides can become text walls without good visual breakdown. Big blocks of text are tiring to read and make retainment tough.

Instead, thoughtfully chunk text into concise sections. Use headers, subheaders, and bullet points to organize key bits. Align text left for easier scanning. Supplement with supporting imagery. Breaking up text improves comprehension drastically.

11. Don’t Rely On Boring Bullets

Speaking of bulleted lists, bullet overkill is another issue that turns slides into snore fests. Slides crammed with back-to-back bullet points lose audiences fast. The endless text blurs together with minimal memorability.

For memorable content, limit bullets to key takeaways only. Then reinforce each point visually – a photo, icon, chart, etc. Quality visuals boost memorability way more than a slide stuffed with 11 bullet points ever could.

12. Don’t Use Inconsistent Formatting

Remember, formatting matters! Shifting layouts, fonts, and color schemes appear disjointed and sloppy. The mismatched design screams amateur hour.

Establish a visual style and stick to it slide to slide. Use the same fonts, limit your color palette, and space elements consistently. Most importantly – maintain alignment across all slides. With unified branding, your presentation will look polished and professional.

SlidesAI ensures your presentation formatting stays consistent slide to slide by applying your preferred color palette, fonts, etc through its intelligent algorithms.

13. Don’t Include Unnecessary Animations

Animations can be great for guiding the viewer’s eye and demonstrating motion. But avoid going overboard. Excessive animations, sounds, and movement become more distracting than engaging.

Use animations subtly and intentionally . Emphasize only key points and important transitions with simple builds or entrance effects. Anything superfluous, whether flying text or whooshing sounds, pulls attention away rather than enhancing content.

Keep it simple and purposeful. Let smooth, minimal animations work behind the scenes rather than take center stage away from your narrative.

14. Don’t Use Unsupported Graphics

Only include images, photos, charts, etc that directly support the ideas and messaging in your presentation. Don’t insert fluffy visuals that have no clear tie to your content.

Every visual aid you present should clearly reinforce your narrative rather than derail tangents. Unsupported graphics quickly become distractions. They also undermine your credibility if audiences can’t grasp the connection.

Keep it focused. Be intentional about every visual you include. Remove anything superfluous that doesn’t serve a purpose.

15. Don’t Plagiarize Content

While it’s fine to find inspiration from other presentations, copying chunks of text or visuals without proper attribution is unethical. Never pass off someone else’s hard work as your own.

Always credit sources directly within your presentation if incorporating external ideas, quotes, charts, images, etc. Also, avoid violating copyright laws by inserting visuals without licensing them appropriately first.

Your presentation should showcase your unique ideas, voice, and message. Ensure you create original content or properly cite anything derived from others. Your integrity depends on it.

16. Don’t Wing Your Speech

With great slides completed, don’t just wing it on presentation day. The live delivery is just as crucial. Invest time to refine your pacing, transitions, slide timing, and flow.

Practice your speech thoroughly with the deck so your narrative and movements feel natural. Nail down transition phrases between slides. Get 100% comfortable presenting your content.

With stellar slides and a well-rehearsed delivery, your presentation is sure to wow audiences from start to finish.

There you have it – 16 PowerPoint dos and don’ts for creating memorable, professional PowerPoint presentations. Apply the dos to make high-impact slides, and avoid the don’ts for mistake-free presentations.

Put these PowerPoint best practices into play and watch your ordinary slides transform into extraordinary visual stories. Your audiences will be engaged from start to finish.

But even with these tips, crafting stunning presentations can be time-intensive. Instead, let SlidesAI do the work for you using the power of AI.

SlidesAI integrates with Google Slides and PowerPoint (coming soon) to instantly generate professional presentation decks from your content. Simply input your text – SlidesAI will turn them into visually cohesive slides designed for audience engagement.

SlidesAI saves tons of time by handling slide layouts, formats, graphic design, and branding tailored to you. The AI delivers presentation-ready slides in seconds.

Take your Presentation skills from amateur to pro – try SlidesAI for free today!\

• No design skills required
• 3 presentations/month free
• Don’t need to learn a new software

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the dos and don’ts of powerpoint presentations.

Key PowerPoint dos include simple designs, concise text, quality visuals, consistency, accessibility, custom icons, subtle animations, and practice. Don’ts involve distracting backgrounds, walls of text, boring bullets, inconsistent formatting, excessive animations, irrelevant graphics, plagiarism, and winging it.

What is the 5 by 5 Rule in PowerPoint?

The 5 by 5 rule recommends having no more than 5 lines of text per slide and 5 words per line. This keeps each slide focused and text easy to digest. Too much text overwhelms audiences.

What is the 7 Rule on a PowerPoint Presentation?

The 7 rule states that your slides should have no more than 7 bullet points. Like the 5 by 5 rule, this maintains simplicity for the audience. More than 7 bulleted items become hard to retain.

What are the 5 Rules of PowerPoint?

5 key rules are: don’t cram slides with too much text, minimize slides for emphasis, utilize quality visuals, stick to a consistent format, and limit animations. Following these makes presentations professional, clean, and engaging.

Related Posts

Mastering PowerPoint: How To Change Color Scheme In PowerPoint

Ever looked at your PowerPoint presentation and thought it lacked a bit of color pizzazz? Sometimes, a splash of color can make all the difference between an ordinary and an extraordinary presentation.  Whether you want to align your slides with your brand’s color scheme, emphasize certain points, or simply inject some visual interest, knowing how […]

How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation?

PowerPoint presentations are a go-to for clear and informative content delivery. But what if you want your presentation to run on repeat, like at a kiosk or digital sign? The good news is, that PowerPoint has a built-in feature to loop your slideshow, ensuring your message stays on display without interruption.

How to Add Fonts to PowerPoint?

The font you choose can make a major difference in your PowerPoint presentations. While the default fonts are okay, you might want to add your own for a more specific look. Luckily, adding fonts to PowerPoint is quite easy. This can improve the appearance of your slides and help you get your message across more clearly. In this article, we’ll show you the simple steps to add fonts in PowerPoint, letting you personalize your presentations and keep your audience engaged.

Save Time and Effortlessly Create Presentations with SlidesAI

Presentation Training Institute

A division of bold new directions training, the do’s and don’ts of powerpoint.

PowerPoint is a great tool for creating visual aids for a presentation. The slides can help presenters share key information while enhancing clarity and understanding. It can be an effective tool for presenters by providing visual support to the spoken content. However, like any presentation software tool, there are certain do’s and don’ts that presenters should keep in mind when creating a PowerPoint presentation. Here are some of the most common do’s and don’ts of PowerPoint to help presenters make the most of their presentations. 

PowerPoint Do’s

• DO keep slides simple and avoid overcrowding them with text. Each slide should focus on only one main idea. Avoid adding too much text and information to each slide, as this can overwhelm and confuse the audience. 
• DO use visuals effectively. One of the benefits of PowerPoint is that it enables you to incorporate visuals into your presentation. Visuals such as charts, graphs, and images can help to clarify concepts while also making your presentation more engaging. 
• DO use bullet points. Bullet points are a great way to summarize key points and make it easier for your audience to follow along. 
• DO practice good design principles. Although PowerPoint is full of choices when it comes to fonts, backgrounds, and layouts, it’s preferable to stay consistent with your design throughout your presentation. Use a consistent color scheme, font style, and layout to make your presentation more cohesive and professional. 
• DO keep it concise. Your PowerPoint should be a visual tool used to supplement your spoken presentation. It should not act as a script that you are reading directly. Rather, keep your slides concise and use them to emphasize key points rather than to provide detailed information.

PowerPoint DON’TS

• DON’T read from your slides. One of the most common mistakes presenters make when using a PowerPoint is treating it like a script and reading every word. This will make your presentation boring and unengaging. 

2.DON’T use distracting animations. Many presenters are tempted to use animations and transitions to add a fun visual element to their presentation but in reality, these flashy animations can be distracting and can make your presentation look unprofessional. Keep animations to a minimum when creating your slides.

• DON’T have too many slides. It is common for presenters to have way too many slides when creating a PowerPoint. Keep your information concise and only include slides that are necessary to convey your message.
• DON’T use hard to read colors and fonts. You want your slides to be clean, professional, and easy to read so avoid bright backgrounds and dark fonts. Instead, aim for a high contrast between background and text so as not to strain the audience’s eyes.

PowerPoint can be an engaging tool for adding visual interest to your presentation. By following these do’s and don’ts, you can create a powerful and impactful PowerPoint that helps convey your message more effectively to your audience.

Request a Free Quote regarding any of our programs, courses, workshops & seminars!

Do’s and Don’ts of PowerPoint Presentations | Creating Effective Powerpoint Presentations

In the modern business and academic landscapes, PowerPoint has become an essential communication tool. Though the software makes it simple to create sleek, visually appealing slides, crafting a truly effective PowerPoint requires strategy and finesse. This article will provide extensive tips and guidelines to help you create professional, polished presentations that fully engage audiences and clearly convey information. Therefore take a few minutes and check out what are the actual dos and don’ts.

Table of Contents

Do’s of PowerPoint Presentations

Effective PowerPoint presentations are not just about creating slides; they are about engaging your audience and conveying your message with clarity. Here are the essential do’s to keep in mind –

Follow the 10/20/30 Rule

Coined by PowerPoint expert Guy Kawasaki, this formula ensures impactful presentations. Use no more than 10 slides, present for no longer than 20 minutes, and use a minimum font size of 30 points. This prevents slides from becoming cluttered and text-heavy, ensuring your audience can easily absorb the information.

Use High-Quality Graphics and Images

Visuals play a crucial role in capturing your audience’s attention. High-resolution images appear crisp and clear when projected, making your presentation more visually appealing. Use relevant photos, charts, and graphs, but avoid generic clipart. When using charts, ensure they are legible and avoid problematic red/green color combinations.

Maintain Consistent Style and Theme

Consistency in your presentation design is key to creating a polished, professional look. Stick to a single cohesive font style, color scheme, and layout. Avoid the temptation to overuse transitions or animations, as this can detract from your message’s clarity.

Practice and Time Your Presentation

Rehearse your presentation multiple times while timing yourself. This will help you refine your pacing and ensure a smooth flow of information. Adjust anything that needs modification to fit within the time limits without rushing or dragging.

Engage Your Audience

Your audience’s engagement is crucial to the success of your presentation. Keep them actively involved by maintaining eye contact, asking rhetorical questions, using humor, and limiting the time you spend facing the screen. Engaging your audience can help maintain their focus and interest.

Provide Handouts if Appropriate

Handouts can be valuable for your audience to take notes and reference details later. However, avoid the common mistake of simply printing your slides. Instead, use handouts to summarize key takeaways and essential information, helping your audience retain the most important points.

Arrive Early to Prepare

Arriving early at the presentation location allows you to meet attendees, check equipment, adjust the room setup, and get comfortably settled before starting. This preparation time ensures a smoother start and helps to reduce any pre-presentation jitters.

Check Equipment and Connectivity

Technical glitches can be a presenter’s worst nightmare. To avoid this, thoroughly test the projector, slides, microphone, pointer, Wi-Fi, and any other equipment or connectivity requirements ahead of time. Identifying and addressing technical issues in advance will help your presentation run smoothly.

Don’ts of PowerPoint Presentations

While knowing what to do is important, understanding what not to do is equally crucial. Here are the common pitfalls to avoid in your PowerPoint presentations –

Don’t Make Slides Too Text-Heavy

Each slide should convey its core point with a few bullet points or a short paragraph. Elaborate verbally rather than overwhelming your slides with dense blocks of text. Remember, your audience should listen to you, not read your presentation verbatim.

Avoid Complex Builds and Transitions

Fancy animations between slides may seem appealing but can end up being distracting and time-consuming. Stick to simple transitions like fades or wipes for a more seamless presentation experience.

Don’t Use Unreadable Color Schemes

Light text on dark backgrounds or busy backgrounds can make slides hard to read when projected. Opt for high-contrast color options to ensure readability.

Steer Clear of Clip Art

Cheesy or overused clip art can make your presentation look unprofessional. Instead, opt for original graphics or high-quality stock images that enhance the visual appeal of your slides.

Don’t Read Directly from Slides

Your slides should support your spoken words, not replace them. Speak conversationally and use slides as visual aids rather than reading bulleted lists word-for-word.

Don’t Overwhelm with Too Many Slides

Limit the number of slides in your presentation. For a 30-minute presentation, it’s recommended to keep it within 10-15 slides at most. More slides can make it challenging to delve into topics properly and maintain your audience’s engagement.

Don’t Go Over Time Limit

Rehearse and refine your presentation to ensure you stay within your allotted time. Use a timer to help you stay on track and make any necessary adjustments to avoid running too short or too long.

Don’t Forget Accessibility Needs

Make your presentation inclusive by ensuring text color contrast is suitable for those with color blindness. Add alt text for images to make your content accessible to all, and check for screen reader compatibility to accommodate individuals with visual impairments.

Final Verdict

With mindful planning, preparation, and presentation strategy, PowerPoint can elevate any presentation. Avoid common missteps like slide overload, distracting builds, and boring stock images. Instead, focus on simplifying topics, visualizing concepts, practicing delivery, and actively engaging your listeners. Following the dos and don’ts outlined above will allow your presentation and message to shine.

People Also Ask

Q: how many slides are recommended for a 30-minute powerpoint presentation.

Experts recommend limiting a 30-minute PowerPoint presentation to 10-15 slides maximum. This ensures adequate time for discussing and explaining each point or topic thoroughly.

Q: What is the ideal font size for text in PowerPoint slides?

To ensure text remains clearly legible and readable in a projected presentation, use a minimum font size of 30 points. Larger font sizes of 44-54 points are ideal for titles and headers.

Q: Should you provide printed handouts of your PowerPoint presentation?

Handouts allow audience members to take notes and reference presentation details later on. However, simply printing all your slides as handouts results in people tuning out during the actual presentation. Instead, summarize key takeaways, facts, statistics, and conclusions on handouts.

Q: What file types work best for graphics and images in PowerPoint?

JPEG, PNG, and GIF files are optimized for PowerPoint. Ensure all images are high resolution so they appear crisp and not pixelated or distorted when projected.

Similar Posts

How To Narrate A Powerpoint Presentation On Mac | Step By Step Guide

To record audio or video on a PowerPoint presentation on a Mac, you can use the built-in recording features of Microsoft PowerPoint. Follow these step-by-step instructions to narrate powerpoint presentations on mac. How To Record Voice And Narrate On A Powerpoint Presentation On Mac Here are 12 steps to record on your PowerPoint presentation on…

A Proper Guideline For Drawing In Apple Keynote

Keynote is designed for creating visually appealing and engaging presentations that can be used for various purposes, such as business meetings, academic lectures, product launches, and more. Lets see how to use this software for drawing. How To Draw In Keynote With Apple Pencil Figure: Creating a new presentation. Figure: Preparing canvas for drawing. Figure:…

What Are the 3 Dots on Keynote Slide? Everything About It

Keynote presentations allow speakers to go beyond static slides and incorporate dynamic elements that capture the audience’s attention. But with great power comes great responsibility. Understanding the purpose and proper use of builds, animations, and other enhancements is key to creating an effective Keynote presentation. This brings us to the three little dots. Those innocuous…

What Are The Advantages of Digital Presentation? | Explained With Six Aspects

Digital presentations present a great opportunity to engage and captivate the audience with digital multimedia tools. It can be an amazing option to increase the learning curve of concepts among the students as well as captivate the dealers in business meetings. In this article, we will dive a bit deeper into this subject. What Is…

What Does It Mean to Use Too Much Jargon in a Slide Presentation?

Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful presentations. However, the overuse of jargon can quickly hinder understanding and alienate your audience. Jargon, the specialized vocabulary of a particular profession or group, can be a barrier to comprehension, especially for those unfamiliar with the terminology. In the realm of slide presentations, where the goal is to…

How to Record a Presentation on Teams? 7 Steps Guide

Using Microsoft Teams makes it simple to record a group presentation. This tutorial will show you how to use Microsoft Teams’ video call feature to record a narrated presentation. We may screen share and record our desktop and anything visible on it, including PowerPoint slides, using the video call feature. Let’s dive into the deep of…

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.