how to make a video in a powerpoint presentation

Tutorial: Save your PowerPoint as a Video

It pays to know how to save PowerPoint as video. Whether you are preparing a PowerPoint presentation for work, school , non-profit, staff training or investor relations. Content marketing is one of the biggest trends of the past couple of years and knowing how to distribute your content via various media is critical to business success. This article will guide and show you, step by step, how to save your PowerPoint presentation in video format. Next, we discuss the advantages of PowerPoint to video conversion and how you can put a single presentation to greater use. This guide is written by 24Slides’ Powerpoint experts and includes instruction on using PowerPoint for Mac.

6 Reasons to save PowerPoint as video

So you are considering saving your PowerPoint presentation as video? Before we show you how to do it, let’s talk about why it’s a great idea to convert your PowerPoint to video.

• You can show your presentation to a wider audience by sharing the video on YouTube and other video platforms.
• Your audience do not need to have a copy of Microsoft PowerPoint to view your presentation.
• Burn your presentation video on CD or DVD and giveaway as promotional material to clients or potential customers.
• Leverage your presentation and increase the return on investment (ROI) of your presentations by distributing them as video.
• The technical ability of your audience will not become a barrier to delivering your message. Your video becomes easy to access without the knowledge and understanding of powerpoint.
• Your audience will see your presentation exactly as you have intended it to be seen. Unlike sharing it as a presentation, some slides may get deleted or changed.

Now that you know why you’re on the right track by learning how to save PowerPoint presentations as video, let’s get into the process of exactly how to do it.

How to save PowerPoint 2010 as a video

If you are still using PowerPoint 2010 to create your presentations, you’ll be pleased to know you can still convert your PowerPoint to video. The process is som simple that you’ll wonder why you haven’t been doing this all along.

Whether your presentation contains just text or is a multimedia presentation with sound narration, transitions and video, you will be able to convert it into video. Microsoft PowerPoint allows you to save PowerPoint as video in Windows Media Video (.wmv) file format. If you plan for sharing your presentation as a video before creating it, you can decide whether to record the narration before creating the presentation.

Here are the steps you need to follow:

• Create your PowerPoint presentation as normal and save it.
• If you’re using narration for your presentation, record the narration and add timings to the slideshow.
• Select the File menu and click on Save & Send .

• Under the Save & Send menu, find and click on Create a Video .

• Click on the Computer & HD Displays option to customise the video size and quality (small, medium and large size & quality).

• Click the Don’t Use Recorded Timings and Narrations to select if you’re using timings and narrations.

• Click Create Video and another dialogue box opens.

• Enter appropriate filename and saving location to save your newly created video.

Once your presentation to video conversion is complete, the video is ready to share via Facebook, Youtube, Vimeo or email.

How to save a PowerPoint 2007 presentation as video

There are many users still running Microsoft Office 2007, hence PowerPoint 2007 on their computers. If you are one of them, don’t worry, there are ways to convert your PowerPoint to video using a bundled Microsoft product, Windows Movie Maker.

If you want to convert a PowerPoint 2007 presentation to video and you are running a newer version of the program, you can open the file within PowerPoint 2013. You can then use the Create a Video feature to convert your PowerPoint to video.

Alternatively, if you only have access to PowerPoint 2007 and have a copy of Windows Movie Maker installed, you can save your presentation as image files (.jpg). Once you’ve saved each slide, fire up Windows Movie Maker and start a new project.

Next, import all the slides you saved as images into the new project and create your video.

Note: You can include transitions in Windows Movie Maker. However, animations will not convert when you save the slides as image (.jpg) files. Make sure you modify your slides to remove any animations and ensure you do not lose vital parts of your message before saving as images.

If your presentation has narration, you can import the the sound file directly into Windows Movie Maker. If you do not have the source audio file, you can save the presentation as a web page (a separate .wav file is created). You can then import the .wav file into your Windows Movie Maker video.

How to convert your PowerPoint to video in PowerPoint 2013 in 7 Steps

Turning your PowerPoint 2013 presentation slides into a video is easier than you think. In seven simple steps, you can turn your presentation into a video you can share with viewers wherever they are. Here’s how you do it.

• Access Powerpoint’s Backstage View by clicking on File.

• Select Export and click on Create a Video to access the video export menu.

• Click on the Create a Video option and expand the Computer and HD Displays option to select output video size and quality settings.

• Click on the drop down arrow to expand the Use Recorded Timings and Narrations menu. Use this to select whether you’re using recorded timings or not. If not using recorded timings and narrations, set the duration of each slide using the timings option at the bottom.

• Click the Create Video button to show the Save As dialogue box.

• Select the location where you want to save your video and choose a suitable filename for the video file. Also choose the video file type.

• Click Save and PowerPoint will begin converting your presentation to video. This may take a couple of seconds or a few minutes depending on the size of your presentation.

When the video creation is complete, the video is ready to view, upload to your website, Facebook, YouTube or sharing by email.

How to save a presentation as a movie file in PowerPoint For Mac

If you have an Apple computer running a Mac version of PowerPoint, you can convert your presentation into a movie for easier and wider distribution. The process is similar to Windows system with the inevitable differences between the operating systems. In just a few simple steps, you will be able to turn your powerful presentation into a movie file. The following limitations apply:

• The output is a .mov file compatible with only the Quicktime player or 3rd party converting programs.
• You will lose transitions and animations within the presentation and so make sure you modify your presentation prior to converting it.
• You will also lose narration during the conversion process, you may wish to add the narration as an audio soundtrack to the movie.

The steps are as follows:

• Click on File and choose Save as Movie .

• Click Movie Options to add a background soundtrack (music or your narration) or credits.

• Click Movie Settings to adjust the output quality and video size settings. You can also choose the slide durations, to create a looping video and slide transitions under this option.

• Click OK to close the Movie Options dialogue box.

• Click Save to start creating your video. The process will take a couple of seconds or longer depending on the size and quality options you select.

Once the process is complete, your movie is ready for playback or to convert into other file formats and share via Social Media or other outlets. If you’re using PowerPoint for Mac 2008 and 2011, these steps will work for either.

How to create a video from PowerPoint 2016

You can create a full-fidelity video from your presentation in PowerPoint 2016 in MPEG-4 (.mp4) or Windows Media Video (.wmv) format. In just six steps, you can turn your presentation into a video you can share and distribute on Facebook, YouTube, burn to DVD or via email. Here’s how you go about it:

• Click on the File tab to show file options.

• Scroll down and select Export and navigate to Create a Video.

• Select your video settings preference (video quality, timings and narration, video size).

• Click on Create a Video.

• Choose a filename, saving location and video type (.mp4 or .wmv).

• Click on Save to start video creation process.

This article has shown you how to convert and save PowerPoint as video. Once you’ve delivered a powerful presentation to an audience, making it available afterwards is always a great idea, especially for training presentations. To maintain the presentation in its entirety, saving it as a video and distributing it is the best option. By converting a presentation to video, you are able to reach a wider audience through YouTube, Facebook and other video hosting and sharing sites. We hope you’ve gained some useful insights on how you can achieve that following the simple, step by step guides for the version of PowerPoint you are running.

Did you know?

At 24slides, we provide stunning Powerpoint presentation services and are able to help you and your team have an incredible presentation to film. Take a look at some examples of our work and let’s get in touch . Alternatively, feel free to browse and download hundreds of free Powerpoint templates from our library.

You might also find this interesting: How to Create Social Media Videos With PowerPoint

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Most people know that you can create PowerPoint presentations with pictures, music, images, web content, and text, but one little known trick is the ability to save PowerPoint presentations as videos.

PowerPoint presentations have been a long time favorite for use in business and academic presentations all over the world. They are highly versatile and offer a wide variety of features that you can use to enhance them.

In order to save your PowerPoint as a video you will first need to create a presentation or download the sample  we used for this tutorial.  Once you have the document open, you will need to save it as a video.  Begin by pressing “File.”

Instead of following the logical train of thought and opening the “Save” section, you will need to click on “Export,” then click on “Create a video.”

Once you do this, you will see the “Create a Video” option.  This will offer a few options in the form of two drop-down menus and a time value box.

The first drop-down box is where you will choose the quality of your exported video.  These three options will also determine the size of your exported video file.  For the purposes of this example, we will choose the second option to reduce the size of the video without compromising too much video quality.

The second drop-down menu allows you to include or exclude any timings or narrations that you inserted on your PowerPoint presentation.  Since the sample document has no timings or narrations, we will leave this as is.  The “Use Recorded Timings and Narrations” will be unavailable if you don’t have any of them in your presentation.

The time value box is where you can edit the amount of time that your slides will appear in the video.  The default time is set at 5 seconds.  For this tutorial, we will set it to 3 seconds.  Lastly, you need to click on the “Create Video” button.

You will now be taken to the “Save” dialog box.  Browse to the location where you want to save the file and give it a name then press “Save.”

While the video is being created, you will see the small progress bar at the bottom of your PowerPoint window.  Wait till this is done and then go to your video.

Now you can double-click your video file and it will automatically play with your video player. Remember that the more slides you have and the more time you allot to each slide, the more space the video will take up in the end. This handy export tool is great for automating presentations or for uploading them as videos to online video sharing services like Facebook or YouTube.

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How to make a PowerPoint presentation into a video

Looking to turn your PowerPoint slides into a video? Well, you’re in luck. Microsoft PowerPoint has a built-in feature that lets you convert the presentation. This is especially useful if you want to share the presentation with someone, especially if they don’t have PowerPoint.

To get started, open the PowerPoint presentation you would like to turn into a video and click the “File” tab in the top-left corner of the window.

IDG / Marshall Gunnell

Next, click “Export” in the left-hand pane, and then select “Create a Video” under the Export options.

Now it’s time to pick the video quality and the recorded timings and narrations . There are four different options to choose from when it comes to video quality:

• Ultra HD (4K) : The largest file size available with ultra-high quality.
• Full HD (1080p) : A large file size with full high quality.
• HD (720p): A medium file size with moderate quality.
• Standard (480p): The smallest file size with the lowest quality.

Once you’ve selected the video quality, use the option below it to choose if you want to include recorded timings and narrations or not.

Next, you can adjust how many seconds each slide should be shown during the video. The default is 5 seconds. Click the up or down arrow to increase or decrease the timing by 1-second increments. When ready, click “Create Video.”

Finally, choose a location to save the video on your computer. Once selected, PowerPoint will then begin the conversion. The amount of time required to convert the presentation to video depends on the size of the presentation and the quality of the video you selected.

You can monitor the progress of the conversion at the bottom of the PowerPoint presentation. You’ll receive a notification when the conversion is complete.

Author: Marshall Gunnell

Recent stories by marshall gunnell:.

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5 Ways to Embed a Video File in Microsoft PowerPoint

Last Updated: June 14, 2024 Fact Checked

Embedding a Web Video

Embedding a video file, embedding a stock video, using android, linking movie files (powerpoint 2007).

This article was co-authored by Mitch Harris and by wikiHow staff writer, Rain Kengly . Mitch Harris is a Consumer Technology Expert based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mitch runs his own IT Consulting company called Mitch the Geek, helping individuals and businesses with home office technology, data security, remote support, and cybersecurity compliance. Mitch earned a BS in Psychology, English, and Physics and graduated Cum Laude from Northern Arizona University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,144,379 times.

If you want to spruce up your PowerPoint presentations, you can add a video to your slides. If you have a video file on your computer, you can easily embed it into your presentation. You can also embed YouTube videos, use looping stock videos, or, on older versions of PowerPoint, link to the videos. This wikiHow will show you how to add a video to Microsoft PowerPoint using your Windows, Mac, or Android device.

The Best Ways to Embed a Video in PowerPoint

• Copy a YouTube URL. In PowerPoint, click "Insert' → "Video" → "Online Videos/Movie". Paste the URL and click "Insert".
• To embed a video file, click "Insert" → "Video" → "This Device" → select a file → "Insert".
• To use a stock video, click "Insert" → "Video" → "Stock Videos" → select a video → "Insert".

• You must have a subscription to use Office 365 . [1] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source
• Adding a video to your PowerPoint can help you make a great presentation .

• You can insert a video from supported websites such as: YouTube, SlideShare, Vimeo, Microsoft Stream, and Flip.

• On Mac, this will look like Online Movie .

• You'll see a preview of the video.

• To adjust when the video plays, click the drop-down menu next to Start: . Select In Click Sequence , Automatically , or When Clicked On .
• Check the boxes to apply any of the following: Play Full Screen , Hide While Not Playing , Loop until Stopped , and/or Rewind after Playing .
• Click Volume to adjust the video's volume. Select Low , Medium , High , or Mute .

• Select the web video and click the Video Format tab.
• Click Poster Frame on the left of the toolbar.
• Click Image from File… .
• Select From a File , Stock Images , Online Pictures , or From Icons .
• Select the image source from the chosen method, and then click Insert .

• Stock videos work best as a background graphic to your PowerPoint text, since these videos loop seamlessly

• The stock video will be added to your slide. By default, it will cover the entire slide.

• PowerPoint is available for Android in the Google Play Store .

• The menu will open.

• If you want to take a video using your camera, tap Open Camera instead.
• The video file will be added to your PowerPoint.

• Videos can only be "embedded" (included in the presentation file itself) in PowerPoint 2010 or newer.

• Click the Office button and select "Publish."
• Select "Package for CD" and then select your presentation.
• Ensure that "Linked files" is selected in the "Options" menu.

Community Q&A

Tips from our Readers

• In the newest version of PowerPoint, to embed a YouTube video, all you have to do is go to insert, video, online video and then paste the link for the video.

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• ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/insert-a-video-from-youtube-or-another-site-8340ec69-4cee-4fe1-ab96-4849154bc6db#OfficeVersion=Windows
• ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/insert-audio-or-video-in-powerpoint-for-android-95e0a2af-35fb-405a-8536-cdcd934f659a
• ↑ https://support.office.com/en-us/article/My-movie-doesn-t-play-190cf574-183d-4b7f-b627-3783a14b7b07?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US
• ↑ https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Add-and-play-a-movie-in-a-presentation-f3fcbd3e-5f86-4320-8aea-31bff480ed02

About This Article

1. Open the slide. 2. Click Insert . 3. Click Movie . 4. Click Movie from File or Video on my PC . 5. Select the video and click OK . 6. Click Playback . 7. Choose how to play the video. 8. Save your presentation. Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Make an Eye-catching Video Presentation in Minutes | InVideo

• video presentation

Video is now the undisputed king of mediums in business communication. HubSpot reports that 85% of companies use videos in their marketing efforts. From webinars to demos, from sales presentations to investor pitches, and from welcome videos to online tutorials, videos are the go-to channel. Clearly, video marketing  is on the surge.

And video presentations are among the most widely used formats for video marketing. But how exactly can you create winning video presentations, to begin with?

Simply by signing up to InVideo for business where you get tailor-made template and video editing services on demand so you can spend your time running your business. Sign up for a free demo here. 

Video Presentations Q&A

Before we get into the meat of our guide, let’s quickly answer a few commonly asked questions.

1. What is a Video Presentation?

A video presentation is a form of communicating with an audience with the aid of a video or completely using a video. The video could be made of PowerPoint slides , still images, animation, or actual video footage.

2. Why Should I use Video Presentations?

Common reasons for using videos as presentation aids include:

- Overcoming space/time limitations - Using video as a visual aide to drive your point home - Video enables you to compress a lot of information into a digestible size

3. How do I make a Video Presentation?

Thanks to the advancements in technology, making video presentations has become very easy. It has also become more affordable than it was a couple of years ago. While different video makers have different steps to take when making a video , here are the basic steps to follow:

- Come up with a concept for your presentation. - Craft an engaging script . - Decide on the visual assets (and format) you’ll use. - Use a professional video editing app to bring it all together. - Promote the video.

Pro tip: To make things even easier, you could sign up to InVideo for business and get presentations made for your brand using the editing-on-demand services.  Sign up for a free demo here . 

4. How do you begin a Presentation?

You can open your presentation in 7 ways:

1. Share an anecdote or short personal story. 2. Kick-off with a provocative statement. 3. Present a startling statistic or data. 4. Tell a good clean joke that suits the audience. 5. Ask a loaded rhetorical question. 6. Show the audience a compelling visual. 7. Hook people with a fascinating quotation.

5. How do you Make a Video Presentation with PowerPoint?

Turning a PowerPoint presentation into a video is easy. Just follow these steps:

Step 1: On the File  menu, select Save  to make sure you have saved all your recent work in PowerPoint presentation format (.pptx).

Step 2: On the File  menu, select Save As .

Step 3: Select the folder location where you want to store your PowerPoint Show file.

Step 4: In the Save as type  box, choose PowerPoint Show (*.ppsx) .

Step 5: Select Save . That’s it.

Now that we’ve answered a few basic questions, let’s dig deeper into why videos are so powerful.

What Makes Video Presentations so Effective?

Why do they increase the impact of your message?

Well, it’s simple, really – people are visual creatures. This means we take in more information by watching than by reading. Remember the saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words”? Besides that, here are 4 other reasons video is so effective:

1. Conveys emotions better

No other communication channel conveys emotions better than video. That’s because video caters to the brain’s visual and auditory systems, helping the viewer pick up on cues like body language, facial expressions, imagery, and music.

2. Cements information better

According to research , people remember 10% of what they hear and 20% of what they read. However, they remember a staggering 80% of what they experienced. In short, visuals are easier to remember than text or audio because they help your audience “experience” your message. It makes video an essential part of creating presentations your audience will remember for a long time.

3. Makes it easier to digest information

Especially when explaining complicated concepts, video is a great way to present information in an easy-to-understand way. Not only is the format easy to take in, but it also makes breaking down concepts easier.

4. Builds relationships fast

I’m sure you know the marketing mantra: people buy from people they know, like, and trust. Nothing beats video in making prospects or your audience know, like, and trust you…   fast. Video is an instant relationship builder. It’s the next best thing to live face-to-face communication.

A video is a great tool that has made it easier to communicate thoughts and ideas with people – not just in a room, but even across the globe.

6 Types of Video Presentations You Need to Know

Video presentations come in different flavors, depending on their purpose.

1. Educational Presentations

These are mainly used in teaching and learning sets online or in a classroom setting. These make it easier for the teacher to convey information and the students to grasp the concepts.

Use this template

2. Sales Presentations

The field of sales has evolved tremendously in the past decade. With customers being savvier, sales reps must play the game well if they’re to bag sales. One way they can do that is by creating story-based sales video presentations.

Sell more with pro video presentations

Use 5000+ InVideo templates to get started

3. Investor Pitches

Need to woo an investor? One of the best ways to do that is by using a video pitch. This will help you present your business plan in a visually appealing way so they can easily grasp your business concept.

4. Promotional Videos

Whether you’re promoting an existing product or a new one, video is your best bet for getting eyeballs on your product (or cause). People relate better to what they can see, making video the best medium for presenting your promotions (like product reviews, for example).

5. Employee Training and Onboarding

Video presentations are great for conducting employee training and onboarding. One of the main reasons for this is that video helps reduce the resources spent on these 2 important aspects of employee relationship management.

6. Informational Videos

As the name suggests, the informational/how-to type of presentation serves to pass on important information. Why video in this case? Because it’s more engaging and can pack a lot of information in a short clip.

Pro tip: You can get tailor-made templates to create any kind of presentation for your brand or business using InVideo for business . Sign up for a free demo here . 

How to create killer Video Presentations – 4 Tips

Now you know why video presentations are important and which scenarios to use them in. Now to the fun part – tips on creating killer video presentations. Let’s get to it, shall we?

Tip #1 - Know your Audience

The most important aspect of creating a stellar presentation is to know and understand your audience. Even if you use the best video presentation maker , if you don’t target a specific, clearly defined audience, your presentation will flop. Understanding your audience will help you:

A. Communicate effectively

Effective communication involves knowing the language and examples that resonate with your audience.

B. Choose the right visuals

Certain visuals are more impactful when used on a particular audience. Study those that your audience will easily understand and relate to.

C. Connect on an emotional level

No matter the type of presentation, it’s crucial to connect with your audience on an emotional level. And to do that, you need to understand the emotional triggers to push in your video presentation.

Invest in adequate audience research. While it may be time-consuming (and a bit costly), it will pay off in the end.

Idea #2 - Brainstorm video content ideas

Now that you have gathered enough audience data, it’s time to brainstorm some content ideas. Whether you’re creating your talk solo or as a team, 3 crucial questions will lay the foundation of your brainstorming session:

1. What do you want the video to achieve? 2. Which emotions do you want the video to evoke? 3. What will visual elements help your video achieve its goal?

The answers to these questions will help guide your ideas. They are key to creating a killer video that your audience will love.

Tip #3 - Craft engaging scripts

Audience research? Check.

Great idea? Check.

Now we get to another interesting stage of creating great video presentations  – crafting an engaging script. Whether it’s a live presentation, a webinar, or even a product review, you’ll need a great script to ensure you keep your audience engaged.

Even if you love creating impromptu videos, having a script for your video presentations is important. And no, you need not be Quentin Tarantino to produce a great video script (although it won’t hurt to learn how to become a good copywriter). Here are 3 reasons a good video script is a must:

1) Helps structure your video

To ensure your video has a smooth and progressive flow, you’ll need a good script.

2) Eliminates “dead spots”

Dead spots, or moments of inactivity, are a great turn-off in a video. They reek of unprofessionalism and can lead to your audience disengaging. The best way to eliminate dead spots is to craft a solid video script .

3) Keeps you on track

It’s very easy to get sidetracked when creating a video . However, with a script, you minimize the instances of going off-topic.

Creating scripts for your videos is a best practice that shouldn’t be overlooked. If anything, invest more in your script than the visuals as a good script can save a video with poor visuals.

Pro-tip: Once you’re confident about your script, it is time to make things even more clear. A  storyboard will allow you to break down your video visually, scene by scene, describing what is happening in it.

Tip #4 - Invest in the Right Tools

With video, one thing you should never skimp on is the tools you use, particularly your video editing software. While there is a gazillion free video editing software on the market, it’s highly recommended that you use a professional video editor . And that means going the paid route.

Why should you spend on a video editor when there are countless free options available? Here’s why:

A. Get more (professional) features

Creating professional-looking videos requires a lot of resources and features. Most free video editors lack the features that will enable you to create professional videos.

B. Avoid branding and ads

With video editing software, free is never free. That’s because you pay through being forced to include the video editors brand in your work. In other words, you pay by advertising for them. Besides branding, some free video editors may subject you to irritating in-app ads.

If there’s one thing that’s inevitable when it comes to software, it’s that one time or another you’ll encounter glitches. This is where paid video editors have a great advantage over their free counterparts – you’ll have access to customer support.

From hardware (like cameras) to software (like video editing software), the tools you use will determine the quality of your videos. Invest in professional tools, and your presentations will sweep your audience off their feet because they’ll be more polished.

Pro tip: If you don't have the time or bandwidth to find your way around an editing tool, simply sign up to InVideo for business and get presentations created using tailor-made templates and on-demand editing services. Sign up for a free demo here . 

Tip #5 - Adopt Video Presentation Best Practices

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel when creating presentations . Most winning video presentations are based on common fundamental principles that work. Here are some you need to know:

1) Create impactful intros (and outros)

Your intro is the most important part of your presentation as it sets the tone for the rest of the talk. If you can’t engage your audience with your intro, you probably won’t get another chance to engage them.

2) Keep it short, sharp, and sweet

No matter how engaging your video is, always remember it’s not a movie. The point is to keep your audience engaged enough to pass on your information, no more no less.

3) Be professional

Don’t throw out your professional etiquette just because you’re on (or using) video. Maintain professionalism in your video presentations by, for example, using clean language and maintaining a good posture.

4) Use quality sound

Sound plays an integral part in presentations. Whether it’s music or speech, make sure it’s crisp, clear, and audible.

By following these (and other) video presentation best practices, success is inevitable. Remember, the presentation is not about you; it’s about your audience. So, ensure that your presentations provide a good user experience for your audience.

Make video presentations in minutes

With customizable InVideo templates

Looking for a great Video Presentation Template? Here’s what you should consider

Templates are lifesavers. They help you create a decent presentation in a snap, even if you are a newbie.

Here are 3 simple questions to help you determine if a template is good:

1) Is it editable? – Are you able to change things like playback speed, effects, or text, so you produce something you like? Stay away from rigid templates that don’t give you the freedom to create with ease.

2) Is it customizable? – Can you design brand-specific clips using your company’s colors, fonts, and styling? Good templates give you wiggle room to include your brand’s specific needs.

3) Is it campaign-specific? – Different videos fit different scenarios. Ideally, you want templates tailored to your current campaign.  That way, you have less tweaking to do because the templates are close to what you want.

Pro Tip: Get more tailor-made templates for your video presentations by signing up to InVideo for business . Sign up for a free demo here . 

5 Awesome Video Presentation ideas to bring The House Down

Presentation is both an art and science. Get the balance right, and you have the audience eating out of the palm of your hand. Here are some ideas to help you do just that.

Idea #1 - Tickle them with humor

Humor is a powerful learning tool.

According to studies by Physiology Org humor leads to learning because of it:

- Attracts and sustains attention. - Relieves tension and produces a relaxed atmosphere. - Enhances participation. - Increases retention and motivation. - Bonds the student and the teacher.

However, to reap all these benefits, the humor must be appropriate and on-topic. So spice up your presentation with a joke or two. The result? Your audience will laugh and learn.

Idea #2 - Use Relevant Examples

Effective presenters use timely, powerful illustrations.

The word illustration comes from the Latin term ‘illustration,’ which means illumination. So practical examples are like windows of your presentation. They let light in. They help people see or understand the material better.

Here are 5 questions to ask about your illustrations:

1. Are they relevant to the topic? 2. Are they suited to the audience? 3. Are they suited to the time limit? 4. Are they enlightening? 5. Are they well told?

Grab compelling examples from books, movies, TV shows, history, children, current events, and captivating real-life incidents. Use good illustrations ram your points home.

Idea #3 - Wield Questions like a Ninja

Questions are an integral part of learning.

Sharp questions aid learning. Plus, they keep listeners highly engaged.

Ask questions:

- At the beginning of your presentation to draw your audience in. - In the middle of the presentation to revive waning audience interest. - At the end of the talk, so the audience reflects on the material.

Also, allow the audience to ask questions. When your audience asks questions, they switch from passive spectators to active participants.

Idea #4 - Be Minimal

Have you ever sat through a presentation and felt:

- Dazed? - Confused? - Strained?

More than likely, the reason is the presenter drowned you in a blaze of inessential stuff. There was too much going on you couldn’t cope with.

Minimalism is removing all unnecessary material, leaving only the bare minimum needed to put your points across. It means using just enough text, visuals, scenes, or slides to make the point and no more. A minimal presentation is clean and uncluttered.

Simple yet intriguing. Plain but profound. Basic but punchy.

Most importantly, it makes learning easy and enjoyable.

Idea #5 - Connect emotionally with a story

Stories are speakers’ most powerful weapons. That’s because stories play a dual purpose –

- Engage intellectually - Connect Emotionally

And an emotional connection is key to bringing the house down with your presentation. Why?

An emotional connection:

- Endears you to your audience - Makes your presentation memorable - Inspires your audience to take action

By using a relevant story in your video presentation, you’ll ensure that your audience walks the entire journey with you from intro to outro.

6 PowerPoint Presentation tips to wow your audience

No business video guide is complete without PowerPoint, the staple software for business presentations.

Here are 6 golden rules to help you nail your next PowerPoint presentation and leave your audience crying for more:

1. Keep Things Simple

Legendary artist Leonardo da Vinci once said something profound:

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication".

With the plethora of apps and templates at your disposal, you will be tempted to complicate things. Don’t. Keep things simple.

Simple design. Simple colors. Simple story.

People get swamped and confused by complicated stuff but easily absorb and appreciate straightforward material.

2. Good visual contrast

What use is your blockbuster presentation if the audience can’t see it?

You want people to enjoy your presentation, not endure it. If you use dark fonts on dark backgrounds or light fonts on light backgrounds, you’ll strain your audience’s eyes. They’ll struggle to see your lovely slides.

Classic black-on-white color contrast does just fine. You can use colors like red, blue, or yellow for headings and images. If you don’t like black and white, you can use other colors you prefer as long as the contrast of your combination is bold and strong.

3. Use a few words and animations

It’s easy to go overboard with fancy animations and a gushing stream of words. Only use as many words as it takes to get your point across and no more.

Too many words cause the audience to read rather than listen. Remember, your slides are there to compliment your talk, not substitute it. Also, a lot of words will fill up many slides that wear your audience down.

Ruthlessly cut out senseless animations that don’t add value to your talk.

4. Use excellent images

Images are to a presentation, what water is to fish. Without them, your presentation becomes bland. It lacks the needed fizz to keep your audience hooked. But only include relevant images.

Not only that. Above all, make sure all pictures are of high quality. Amateur-looking clip art causes the audience not to take you seriously.

Pro-tip: Get access to millions of stock assets and tailor-made templates with InVideo for business . Sign up for a free demo here . 

5. Smooth and fast transitions

While PowerPoint transitions can make your presentation engaging, don’t overdo them, especially the advanced ones. Not only do they quickly drain power on weaker machines, but they also distract the audience. Stick to simpler and faster transitions like wipe or slide.

6. Avoid overloading your slides

In presentations, less is more.

Having a lot going on your screen confuses and overwhelms listeners.

Cramming too much info into your slides is a big no-no. Clutter is your enemy. Strip your slides down to essential words and images. Your audience will love you for it and leave you with many takeaways.

Pro looking Video Presentations – No longer an option

With Industry 4.0 fast coming into its own, going digital is no longer an option for businesses and speakers.

And one of the most important communication mediums in the digital age is video. That’s why you can’t afford to ignore video any more. Whether you’re speaking before a live audience or seeking to disseminate information to a global audience, video presentations are the way to go.

Need a great tool to create stunning video presentations? Then make sure to schedule a demo and see just how much you can do with InVideo for business. 

Let’s create superb videos

How to Embed a Video in PowerPoint Like a Pro

In today’s digital age, where attention spans are shorter than ever eight seconds  incorporating a video into your presentations can be a game-changer.

Did you know that  a single minute of video is worth 1.8 million words?

That’s right videos can convey complex information quickly and effectively, making your PowerPoint presentations engaging but also more memorable.

Whether you’re looking to captivate your audience, illustrate a point more vividly, or add a dynamic element to your slides, embedding video can transform your presentation from mundane to magnificent. 

In this blog, we’ll walk you through embedding a video in a PPT and talk about the advantages and best practices. Let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

Boosts audience engagement, simplifies complex topics, saves time with quick and effective messaging, elevates your professionalism, approach 1: add video into powerpoint from a file, approach 2: add a video from a link, step 1: open powerpoint, step 2: navigate to the desired slide, step 3: click ‘insert’, step 4: choose ‘video’, step 5: select the video source, step 6: insert video, step 7: adjust size and position, step 8: customize playback options, step 9: save the presentation, movie file (mpg, mpeg), adobe flash media (swf), windows media video file (wmv), windows video file (asf, avi), mp4 video file (mp4, m4v, mov), fine-tune your voiceovers for a perfect delivery, bring your videos to life with natural, expressive voices, connect with a global audience through multilingual support, why embedding videos in a ppt is a game-changer.

PowerPoint presentations are a staple in corporate and academic settings, but a static slide show can sometimes fall flat. Your audience craves dynamic content that grabs their attention and holds it from start to finish. 

Videos do just that! They breathe life into your PPTs, changing them from mundane speeches into captivating experiences. Here’s how adding videos can transform your presentations:

Visual content is king. With 88% of professionals prioritizing it, adding videos to your presentations is necessary. They break the monotony of static slides, making your presentation more interactive and lively. 

For instance, a PPT on environmental conservation might use a video display of a wildlife habitat with a voiceover to grab attention. This dynamic display turns a passive audience into an active one, keeping them hooked.

People retain 95% of a message they watch in a video compared to only 10% when reading it. Videos provide a visual and auditory learning experience that enhances information comprehension and retention. They can break down complex information that is difficult to explain with text and images alone into digestible chunks, making it easier for the audience to understand.

A video can deliver your message in seconds, keeping your presentation sharp and impactful. Instead of a lengthy explanation, insert a short clip reinforcing your point. This efficiency allows you to cover more ground, saving time.

Besides, embedding a video in PPT makes it a permanent part of your presentations. You can share or access it anytime, creating a reusable knowledge base perfect for consistent training and onboarding.

Most people prefer learning about products or services through video. Inserting videos in your PowerPoint slideshow meets this expectation, making your presentation look professional and well-curated. This attention to detail can impress your audience and enhance your credibility as a presenter.

Ready to turn these benefits into reality? Let’s explore the step-by-step process of incorporating a video into PowerPoint presentations.

Different Ways to Embed a Video into a PowerPoint Presentation

Adding a video to your PowerPoint presentation is straightforward, regardless of the operating system you use. Choose from these two simple methods: inserting a video from an existing file or using a web link. Let’s walk through the steps:

Step 1: Fire up the PowerPoint App

Launch Microsoft PowerPoint from the ‘Start’ menu on your PC or the ‘Applications’ folder on your Mac.

Step 2: Select the desired slide

Open your PowerPoint presentation in the ‘Normal View.’ Choose the slide where you want to embed the video.

Step 3: Click on the ‘Insert’ tab

Click the ‘Insert’ button in the top menu bar to access options for adding various media types.

Step 4: Choose the desired video file

Select ‘Video on My PC’ (or ‘Video on My Mac’ if you’re using a Mac). Browse your computer to find and select the downloaded video file. Click the ‘Insert’ radio button on the bottom right of the dialog box or press ‘Enter’ to add the video.

What do you do if you want to insert a video from a web page or directly link a YouTube video? Follow these steps:

Step 1: Open your browser

Open the desired web page on your computer. Locate the YouTube video or any clip you want to embed. Then, copy the URL from the address bar.

Step 2: Go to the desired slide

In the PowerPoint presentation, navigate to the slide where you want to insert the video from the link. Then, click on the ‘Insert’ radio button in the top menu bar.

Step 3: Select Online Video

Click ‘Video’ and select ‘Online Video’ from the drop-down menu.

Step 4: Paste the video URL

Paste the URL of the online video, such as a YouTube video link, and select ‘Insert.’ PowerPoint will validate the link and insert the video into your slide, ready to stream during your presentation.

What are the Steps to Embed an Online Video in PowerPoint Slides? 

Embedding a video into your PowerPoint slide involves nine simple steps. Here’s a detailed guide to help you get it right:

Click on the PowerPoint icon from your desktop, taskbar, or start menu. Ensure you have the latest version for the best compatibility with multimedia elements.

Open the PowerPoint file where you want to embed the video. Create a new PowerPoint presentation if you don’t have an existing file ready.

Next, head to the specific slide where you want to insert the video. Use the navigation pane on the left side panel of the screen to select it.

Click on the main menu bar at the top of your PowerPoint window and then on the ‘Insert’ tab to open a new dialog box with options for inserting different elements into your presentation.

Within the ‘Insert’ tab, look for the ‘Video’ group. This dialog box contains different options for adding videos to your slide. Click on the ‘Video’ button. A drop-down menu will appear.

Choose ‘This Device’ to locate a desired video file on your computer (PC or Mac). If you prefer an online video, select ‘Online Video’ and paste the video link.

After selecting the video source, select ‘Insert’ to embed it into your PowerPoint presentation. The video will now appear on your slide.

Once the video is on your slide, adjust its size and position. Use the corner handles to resize the video and drag it to the desired location.

Click on the video to access playback options. Here, you can decide how to play the video during your presentation:

Start Automatically: The video will play as soon as the slide appears

On Click: The video will play when you click on it

Loop: The video will continue until you move to the next slide

Go to ‘File’ in the top menu, then right-click ‘Save As’ to choose your save location and name your file.

Best Video File Formats for PowerPoint

PowerPoint supports a variety of video file formats. Knowing which formats are compatible can save you time and prevent playback issues. Check out this brief breakdown:

MPG and MPEG are excellent choices for inserting videos in PowerPoint. They deliver to-notch output with efficient compression, which is ideal for slide shows requiring sharp clips without large file sizes.

Top use cases:

Product demos

Event highlights

SWF files support interactive content and animations, making them great for dynamic presentations. While less common today, they are still valid in older PowerPoint versions. Convert these files to a more supported format for better compatibility and security.

Interactive tutorials

Legacy presentations

WMV files offer high compatibility and seamless integration with PowerPoint. This format is beneficial if you use the Windows operating system because you don’t have to embed code or need additional software to run it on Windows.

Training videos

Corporate presentations

ASF and AVI are universal and widely supported formats. AVI is known for its high-quality video and audio, perfect for outstanding presentations. ASF is excellent for streaming content, ensuring continuous play from a web page.

Streaming media

MP4 and its variations are the most popular video formats due to their compatibility across different devices. They offer excellent finesse and compression, ensuring your PowerPoint slideshow looks great without consuming much storage space.

Cross-platform presentations

Comprehensive video content

Use these supported video formats to create more dynamic and engaging PowerPoint slides. Seamless video integration will enhance your audience’s experience.

How to Enrich Your Presentations Using Murf Studio?

Imagine captivating your audience with a video presentation that is so engaging that it feels like a conversation. That’s the power of Murf Studio, an innovative tool that transforms your videos with professional-grade voiceovers.

Embedding these enriched videos into your presentations elevates the impact and effectiveness of your message. Here’s how Murf turns your videos into compelling stories, guiding your audience throughout:

Murf lets you customize every aspect of your voiceover pitch, speed, and pauses. This precise control ensures a seamless, engaging experience that enhances video content.

For example, you can slow the pace for complex information or add strategic pauses for emphasis, making your video more digestible and impactful.

Choose from 120 + natural, expressive voices that sound incredibly human-like. Murf offers voices across various accents, tones, and styles, ensuring you find the perfect match for your video. 

Need an authoritative tone for a corporate presentation or a warm, friendly voice for a more casual meeting? Whatever your project demands, Murf has the perfect voice to bring your videos to life and set the right vibe.

Create voices in multiple languages to ensure your message resonates with global viewers. It is especially beneficial for international companies or educators who must communicate with a diverse audience. By providing voiceovers in multiple languages , you can make your video accessible and relatable to non-native speakers, expanding your reach and impact.

Bottom Line

Embedding videos in PowerPoint can transform your presentations, making them more engaging, professional, and globally accessible. Using suitable file formats and Murf’s powerful features will boost your presentation’s impact.

Ready to elevate your presentations? Try Murf Studio today and create videos that captivate your audience from start to finish.

1. How do I adjust the size and position of the embedded video?

It’s easy! Click on the video to select it, then use the handles around it to resize. Drag the video to your desired position on the slide.

2. Are there any limitations on the length of the video to be embedded?

No strict length limits exist, but longer videos can increase the size of your presentation file. It might cause performance issues, so keep your PPT concise and impactful.

3. Will the embedded video play automatically during the presentation?

Indeed! PowerPoint offers action buttons, so you can adjust the settings in the playback options to fit your presentation style.

4. How do I ensure the embedded video works on different devices?

Stick to widely supported formats like MP4. Test your presentation on various devices to ensure everything is flawless.

5. Is it possible to loop the embedded video continuously?

Yes, you can! In the playback settings, select the “Loop until stopped” option. Your video will keep playing until you decide to move on.

6. How do I use Murf’s voiceover for any video before inserting it in text to speech?

Upload your video to Murf, create the perfect voiceover with your desired settings, and export the final video. Then, follow the steps to embed this video in your PowerPoint presentation. Easy and effective!

You should also read:

Why Marketers Should Use AI Voice Over for Marketing Videos

How to Create Training Videos in Seven Easy Steps

How to create engaging videos using TikTok text to speech

Home Blog Presentation Ideas 23 PowerPoint Presentation Tips for Creating Engaging and Interactive Presentations

23 PowerPoint Presentation Tips for Creating Engaging and Interactive Presentations

PowerPoint presentations are not usually known for being engaging or interactive. That’s often because most people treat their slides as if they are notes to read off  and not a tool to help empower their message.

Your presentation slides are there to help bring to life the story you are telling. They are there to provide visuals and empower your speech.

So how do you go about avoiding a presentation “snoozefest” and instead ensure you have an engaging and interactive presentation?  By making sure that you use your slides to help YOU tell your story, instead of using them as note cards to read off of.

The key thing to remember is that your presentation is there to compliment your speech, not be its focus.

In this article, we will review several presentation tips and tricks on how to become a storytelling powerhouse by building a powerful and engaging PowerPoint presentation.

Start with writing your speech outline, not with putting together slides

Use more images and less text, use high-quality images, keep the focus on you and your presentation, not the powerpoint, your presentation should be legible from anywhere in the room, use a consistent presentation design, one topic per slide, avoid information overwhelm by using the “rule of three”.

• Display one bullet at a time

Avoid unnecessary animations

• Only add content that supports your main points
• Do not use PowerPoint as a teleprompter
• Never Give Out Copies of the Presentation

Re-focus the attention on you by fading into blackness

Change the tone of your voice when presenting, host an expert discussion panel, ask questions, embed videos, use live polling to get instant feedback and engage the audience.

• He kept his slides uncluttered and always strived for simplicity
• He was known to use large font size, the bigger, the better.
• He found made the complex sound simple.

He was known to practice, practice, and keep on practicing.

Summary – how to make your presentation engaging & interactive, fundamental rules to build powerful & engaging presentation slides.

Before we go into tips and tricks on how to add flair to your presentations and create effective presentations, it’s essential to get the fundamentals of your presentation right.

Your PowerPoint presentation is there to compliment your message, and the story you are telling. Before you can even put together slides, you need to identify the goal of your speech, and the key takeaways you want your audience to remember.

YOU and your speech are the focus of this presentation, not the slides – use your PowerPoint to complement your story.

Keep in mind that your slides are there to add to your speech, not distract from it.  Using too much text in your slides can be distracting and confusing to your audience. Instead, use a relevant picture with minimal text, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

This slide is not unusual, but is not a visual aid, it is more like an “eye chart”.

Aim for something simpler, easy to remember and concise, like the slides below.

Keep in mind your audience when designing your presentation, their background and aesthetics sense. You will want to avoid the default clip art and cheesy graphics on your slides.

While presenting make sure to control the presentation and the room by walking around, drawing attention to you and what you are saying.  You should occasionally stand still when referencing a slide, but never turn your back to your audience to read your slide.

You and your speech are the presentations; the slides are just there to aid you.

Most season presenters don’t use anything less than twenty-eight point font size, and even Steve Jobs was known to use nothing smaller than forty-point text fonts.

If you can’t comfortably fit all the text on your slide using 28 font size than you’re trying to say and cram too much into the slide, remember tip #1.4 – Use relevant images instead and accompany it with bullets.

Best Practice PowerPoint Presentation Tips

The job of your presentation is to help convey information as efficiently and clearly as possible. By keeping the theme and design consistent, you’re allowing the information and pictures to stand out.

However, by varying the design from slide to slide, you will be causing confusion and distraction from the focus, which is you and the information to be conveyed on the slide.

Technology can also help us in creating a consistent presentation design just by picking a topic and selecting a sample template style. This is possible thanks to the SlideModel’s AI slideshow maker .

Each slide should try to represent one topic or talking point. The goal is to keep the attention focused on your speech, and by using one slide per talking point, you make it easy for you to prepare, as well as easy for your audience to follow along with your speech.

Sometimes when creating our presentation, we can often get in our heads and try to over-explain. A simple way to avoid this is to follow the “Rule of Three,” a concept coined by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle.

The idea is to stick to only 3 main ideas that will help deliver your point.  Each of the ideas can be further broken into 3 parts to explain further. The best modern example of this “Rule of Three” can be derived from the great Apple presentations given by Steve Jobs – they were always structured around the “Rule of Three.”

Display one sentence at a time

If you are planning to include text in your slides, try to avoid bullet lists, and use one slide per sentence. Be short and concise. This best practice focuses on the idea that simple messages are easy to retain in memory. Also, each slide can follow your storytelling path, introducing the audience to each concept while you speak, instead of listing everything beforehand.

Presentation Blunders To Avoid

In reality, there is no need for animations or transitions in your slides.

It’s great to know how to turn your text into fires or how to create a transition with sparkle effects, but the reality is the focus should be on the message. Using basic or no transitions lets the content of your presentation stand out, rather than the graphics.

If you plan to use animations, make sure to use modern and professional animations that helps the audience follow the story you are telling, for example when explaining time series or changing events over time.

Only add engaging content that supports your main points

You might have a great chart, picture or even phrase you want to add, but when creating every slide, it’s crucial to ask yourself the following question.

“Does this slide help support my main point?”

If the answer is no, then remove it.  Remember, less is more.

Do not use PowerPoint as a Teleprompter

A common crutch for rookie presenters is to use slides as their teleprompter.

First of all, you shouldn’t have that much text on your slides. If you have to read off something, prepare some index cards that fit in your hand but at all costs do not turn your back on your audience and read off of your PowerPoint.  The moment you do that, you make the presentation the focus, and lose the audience as the presenter.

Avoid Giving Out Copies of the Presentation

At least not before you deliver a killer presentation; providing copies of your presentation gives your audience a possible distraction where they can flip through the copy and ignore what you are saying.

It’s also easy for them to take your slides out of context without understanding the meaning behind each slide.  It’s OK to give a copy of the presentation, but generally it is better to give the copies AFTER you have delivered your speech. If you decide to share a copy of your presentation, the best way to do it is by  generating a QR code  for it and placing it at the end of your presentation. Those who want a copy can simply scan and download it onto their phones.

Tips To Making Your Presentation More Engaging

The point of your presentation is to help deliver a message.

When expanding on a particularly important topic that requires a lengthy explanation it’s best to fade the slide into black.  This removes any distraction from the screen and re-focuses it on you, the present speaker. Some presentation devices have a built-in black screen button, but if they don’t, you can always prepare for this by adding a black side to your presentation at the right moment.

“It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.”

Part of making your presentation engaging is to use all the tools at your disposal to get your point across. Changing the inflection and tone of your voice as you present helps make the content and the points more memorable and engaging.

One easy and powerful way to make your presentation interactive is experts to discuss a particular topic during your presentation. This helps create a more engaging presentation and gives you the ability to facilitate and lead a discussion around your topic.

It’s best to prepare some questions for your panel but to also field questions from the audience in a question and answer format.

How To Make Your Presentation More Interactive

What happens if I ask you to think about a pink elephant?  You probably briefly think about a pink elephant, right?

Asking questions when presenting helps engage the audience, and arouse interest and curiosity.  It also has the added benefit of making people pay closer attention, in case they get called on.

So don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if rhetorical; asking a question engages a different part of our brain. It causes us to reflect rather than merely take in the information one way. So ask many of them.

Asking questions can also be an excellent way to build suspense for the next slide.

(Steve Jobs was known to ask questions during his presentations, in this slide he built suspense by asking the audience “Is there space for a device between a cell phone and a laptop?” before revealing the iPad) Source: MacWorld SF 2018

Remember the point of your presentation is to get a message across and although you are the presenter, it is completely fine to use video in your PowerPoint to enhance your presentation.  A relevant video can give you some breathing time to prepare the next slides while equally informing the audience on a particular point.

CAUTION: Be sure to test the video beforehand, and that your audience can hear it in the room.

A trending engagement tool among presenters is to use a live polling tool to allow the audience to participate and collect immediate feedback.

Using a live polling tool is a fun and interactive way to engage your audience in real-time and allow them to participate in part of your presentation.

Google Slides has a built-in Q&A feature that allows presenters to make the slide deck more interactive by providing answers to the audience’s questions. By using the Q&A feature in Google Slides, presenters can start a live Q&A session and people can ask questions directly from their devices including mobile and smartphones.

Key Takeaways from one of the best presenters, Steve Jobs

He kept his slides uncluttered and always strove for simplicity.

In this slide, you can easily see he is talking about the battery life, and it uses a simple image and a few words. Learning from Jobs, you can also make a great presentation too. Focus on the core benefit of your product and incorporate great visuals.

Source: Macworld 2008

SlideModel.com can help to reproduce high-impact slides like these, keeping your audience engagement.

He was known to use large font sizes, the bigger, the better

A big font makes it hard to miss the message on the slide, and allows the audience to focus on the presenter while clearing the understanding what the point of the slide is.

He found made the complex sound simple

When explaining a list of features, he used a simple image and lines or simple tables to provide visual cues to his talking points.

What made Steve Jobs the master of presentation, was the ritual of practicing with his team, and this is simple yet often overlooked by many presenters.  It’s easy to get caught in the trap of thinking you don’t need to practice because you know the material so well.

While all these tips will help you create a truly powerful presentation , it can only achieve if applied correctly.

It’s important to remember when trying to deliver an amazing experience, you should be thoroughly prepared. This way, you can elevate your content presentation, convey your message effectively and captivate your audience.

This includes having your research cited, your presentation rehearsed.  Don’t just rehearse your slides, also take time to practice your delivery, and your tone.  The more you rehearse, the more relaxed you will be when delivering. The more confident you will feel.

While we can’t help you with the practice of your next presentation, we can help you by making sure you look good, and that you have a great design and cohesiveness.

You focus on the message and content; we’ll focus on making you look good.

Have a tip you would like to include?  Be sure to mention it in the comments!

Like this article? Please share

Audience, Engaging, Feedback, Interactive, Poll, Rule of Three, Steve Jobs Filed under Presentation Ideas

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2 Responses to “23 PowerPoint Presentation Tips for Creating Engaging and Interactive Presentations”

Very great advices!

Greetings ! A compact composed communication for the host to have an impact -VOICE

Thank You ?

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From ideas to screen: How to make presentation videos that shine

What type of content do you primarily create?

Visuals can mean the difference between a killer presentation and a lost opportunity.

For salespeople, it’s difficult to close a deal without business presentations to back up your pitches. For marketers and business owners, video presentations help communicate ideas and share results from projects to ensure future success. 

Customers also love high-quality visuals, like branded explainer videos and product tours. They’re the fuel that drives eight in 10 people to make online purchases. 

But what makes a good presentation? And how can you engage viewers throughout your video? This guide covers what you need to know about creating video presentations, no matter the purpose.

What is a video presentation ?

A video presentation refers to a sequence of visuals combined with audio to convey information, arguments, ideas, or narratives. It can be about a product, service, internal business reports, or even a topic of interest.

Video presentations can range from simple slideshow-style videos with voiceovers to more complex productions involving animations, live-action footage, music, sound effects , and more.

A good video presentation provides information clearly and concisely. But the best video presentations engage your target audience with professional video quality: a good camera and mic, skilled editing, and a confident presenter. 

There are a ton of different types of video presentation formats you can choose from, including:

• Animated explainer videos
• Employee onboarding videos
• Screen recordings
• Training videos
• Product demos
• Microsoft PowerPoint presentations with a talking head
• Sales presentations
• Awards presentations

Benefits of a video presentation 

These are great reasons to put in the effort to produce this type of video content.

Enhanced engagement

Video recordings—whether on social media or hosted on your website—are great for engagement and getting your audience’s attention. Wyzowl found that 95% of marketers have said video marketing has helped them increase brand awareness, 90% say it has helped generate leads, and 87% said it has helped them increase sales.

Visual clarity

There's a reason many people suggest something like "If you can learn it, you'll find it on YouTube." The presentation video format is unique in its ability to teach and demonstrate, similar to the in-person experience you'd get with a tutor or salesperson. 

The same Wyzowl report found that 96% of marketers say videos have helped increase user understanding of products and services. In short: video helps customers retain your information.

Global reach and accessibility

Video presentations are a great way to reach a global audience. More than half of people say they’re more likely to share a video with others than any other type of content. 

A video presentation is also better for accessibility than other content types. With video editing software , you can:

• Easily add subtitles and annotations to your video footage for those with hearing loss.
• Add an audio description voiceover for those with sight loss.
• Change the color filters for those with color blindness.

Personal connection

Building a personal connection with your audience is critical for overall brand engagement. A video presentation, especially one with a person in the video, helps you do that. Research shows that students have positive feelings for videos presented by an instructor, for example.

How to create a video presentation

Step 1. plan and prepare.

Proper planning and preparation can help the rest of your presentation creation process run smoothly. 

Think about what you’ll say, and use a storyboard to build out a visual plan of your presentation ideas. Storyboarding your presentation, instead of making it on the fly, will help you stay focused when you fire up your presentation software. (You don’t need to be an artist; just set out the scenes in a way that makes sense to you.)

At this point, start writing the video script for your presentation. You’ll know what to say and when to say it, and won’t fill your presentation up with filler words like “um” and pauses when trying to think about what to say next. 

Step 2. Gather resources

After you’ve completed your paper storyboard and script, it’s time to go digital. With Descript, you can build your slideshows into the video editor just like any slideshow tool . 

To create a presentation video in Descript:

• Hit New project .
• Import any media (images, infographics, short video clips, GIFs, or sounds) you want to include in your presentation.
• Drop your visuals into the script and edit them into a sequence, or work scene by scene by adding a / at the beginning of each slide.
• Add the background of your presentation, then your script in the left panel.
• Add captions to your presentation by hitting the T icon at the top and choosing Captions.

When you've set up all your slides, you can get fancier and add transitions, extra media, and special effects later.

But maybe you’d prefer to create the presentation using more familiar software, like Prezi, PowerPoint slides, or Google Slides. In that case, you can import the presentation into Descript later or use its screen recording functionality. (If you upgrade your Descript plan, you can create your own video presentation templates to use over and over again, if that’s your style.)

Step 3. Record your presentation video

With your slides all set up, it’s time to turn them into a video. This step is pretty straightforward if you’ve used Descript to make the presentation slides. All you’ll need to do is go to the beginning of the presentation and hit the Record button at the top of the screen:

 If, like in the image example above, you’ve written your script into the scenes, change the default setting Record into script to Record new layer . This preserves your script so you can read from it whil recording your presentation video. 

Decide if you want to record a voiceover only (leaving the record option as Audio only ), or add a floating head video with your webcam to show yourself as the speaker by clicking the Screen option. Either way, go through your script as the slides move along. 

If you created your presentation in another software like Google Slides, there may be no built-in option to record your presentation over the slides. In that case, use Descript’s screen recorder to film your screen with audio. The video file will be ready and waiting for you in the video editor when you finish recording.

Step 4. Edit and enhance

At this point, you’ve got the basic presentation down. It’s time to bring out your inner filmmaker and turn the slideshow into something special. 

With Descript’s free video editor, you can:

• Add title screens to introduce your presentation.
• Choose from a library of background music.
• Change the fonts of your captions and any other text layer.
• Add cool slide transitions.
• Improve audio quality with Studio Sound .

Descript’s video editing is different (and easy) since you can edit the video using the script instead of a traditional timeline editor. This makes the process super efficient since you can quickly identify what needs cutting. Simply delete the part of the script you don’t want, and the accompanying video will disappear.

Step 5. Review and fine-tune your video

What makes Descript extra special is the ability to edit your audio by taking out filler words you might have accidentally recorded. Remove “ums,” “uhs,” and awkward pauses in a single click with filler word removal . 

If, like me, you also have a habit of forgetting to say something important, you can use Descript's Overdub feature to add those few missed words without re-recording the whole scene. The software will create an AI clone of your voice to fix audio mistakes. 

With your video presentation fine-tuned, you’re ready to save and share it with the world. Click the Publish button in the top right corner and download the MP4 file, or export it directly to a platform like YouTube or Wistia.

6 key elements for crafting a great video presentation

Now you know the practical how-tos of making a presentation video, let’s look at some key elements that turn a good video presentation into a great one. 

Clear and engaging content

Visual appeal, narration and voice quality, engagement techniques, structure and flow.

• Audience-centric approach 

No one likes feeling confused. If your presentation isn’t clear, you’ll end up frustrating your audience. A nice trick for clarity is to imagine you’re explaining your presentation to a child; don’t use big words to sound smart. Presentations that are clear from the start are naturally more engaging.

Gone are the days of 360p Nokia footage. Even if you don’t have a professional camera setup, you can still record a video on a PC, phone, or webcam with high quality. But don’t forget about the images and text overlays. No one wants to try deciphering pixelated visuals—use the highest quality video resolution you can.

Even the best-quality video presentation can be ruined by bad audio. Poor-quality narration is hugely frustrating to viewers. Prioritize your audio quality, especially for information-rich videos like presentations, and use Studio Sound to remove distracting background noise from your presentation video.

When it comes to video presentations, you should think like a salesperson. You can't expect your audience to believe the information you give them if they don't trust you. Engage your audience by telling a personal story, describing relatable scenes, or emphasizing important points throughout your video.

Treat your presentation like a story with a beginning, middle, and end. Information should flow nicely from one point to the next. Do a test run through your slides before you start recording to ensure any questions don't crop up prematurely because the viewer thinks you haven't covered it (when you do a few slides later). 

Learn: Narrative structure: How to compose the best story for your footage

Audience-centric approach

It's pretty much always to the audience's benefit when you make a presentation video, so you shouldn't focus too much on yourself. Address your audience's needs and go above and beyond to answer any questions they may have. Otherwise, why would they listen to you?

5 tips to help you craft remarkable video presentations

Now we know what makes a great presentation video, here are five bonus presentation tips to create yours. 

1. Practice and rehearse

You won’t always get it right the first time, and that’s okay. But the more you practice before hitting record, the better your presentation video will be—and the less legwork you’ll need to do throughout the video editing process.

2. Invest in good equipment

Top-notch equipment makes your life easier throughout the video creation process. Replace your webcam with your iPhone to improve picture quality, and invest in editing tools that allow you to record and edit in the same dashboard.

3. Optimize lighting

Another area where you can improve the quality of your video is the lighting technique . If you have the budget, you can use a simple ring light, but if you don’t have the cash to invest in video equipment, use natural light (such as a window) behind your camera.

4. Engage with eye contact

If someone was talking to you and they weren’t looking at you, you’d probably be a little confused or uncomfortable, right? It’s the same with video. Look into the camera when making video presentations to simulate real eye contact with your audience. If you forget, use Descript’s Eye Contact AI effect to fix it.

5. Keep it concise

If you waffle on with unnecessary information or get sidetracked on a story, you’ll lose your audience’s attention, and they’ll click away or switch off. Stick to your video script and keep your presentation concise.

Elevate your video presentations with Descript

Creating an informative and engaging video presentation isn’t the easiest task in the world. You’ve got to know your audience and what they want, present the information confidently, and do it with visually appealing content.

With Descript, you can take your presentation video to the next level with an editing experience that allows you to:

• Record your screen on a Mac or Windows device
• Create and record slides (with voiceover) in one dashboard
• Remove filler words with a single click
• Use Studio Sound to remove background noise from your presentation
• Turn your presentation into a YouTube video, or download it as an MP4 file

Take a free tour of Descript and see why thousands of creators love its video editing platform.

How to make presentation videos FAQ

How do i make a presentation video for free.

• Choose a slideshow software like Descript
• Create your slides
• Add transitions 
• Record your voiceover
• Edit your presentation
• Share your video 

How do I video myself when presenting a PowerPoint?

Use PowerPoint’s built-in recording feature and choose the “Cameo” option to record yourself when presenting. Or, use Descript’s screen recording feature and have the presentation ready for editing when you finish recording. 

How do I make an audio-video presentation?

If you don’t want to record yourself on video, use a screen recorder to film your presentation slides. Video presentation makers like Descript allow you to record a voiceover.

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• Presentations

How to Learn PowerPoint Quickly (Complete 2024 Beginner's Guide + Video)

Trying to figure out how to use PowerPoint? This PowerPoint tutorial for beginners will help get you started. Learn basic tools as well as how to use PowerPoint templates in this PowerPoint beginner's guide. 

In this PowerPoint tutorial for beginners, I'll help you get up and running in Microsoft PowerPoint. Ever wanted to know how to use PowerPoint templates? You'll learn how to use PowerPoint to build a presentation in less time than you ever thought possible. We'll also cover some PowerPoint best practices to make sure you're doing things the easy way.

Remember to check out Envato Elements. One low price gets you unlimited access to thousands of professional PowerPoint presentations —as well as fonts, stock photos, audio, and much more! It's the ultimate resource for fast, simple, and professional assets.

Guide to Making Great Presentations (Free eBook Download)

Before you read on, be sure to grab our free eBook:  The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations . It'll help you master the presentation process, from initial idea through to writing, design, and delivering with impact.

How to Learn PowerPoint Quickly (Beginner Tutorial With Tips Video) 

Are you ready to start learning PowerPoint? Watch this quick screencast to learn all about what PowerPoint is and how to use it . It's a perfect PowerPoint tutorial for beginners. 

Or study the complete written tutorial below.

Jump to content in this section:

What Is PowerPoint?

How to use powerpoint's ribbon, the steps to create a powerpoint presentation for beginners, how to power up powerpoint, how to customize a premium ppt template quickly (in 5 simple steps), powerpoint tools to learn (for presenters), 5 tips and tricks for a successful powerpoint presentation, more beginner powerpoint tutorials (free to learn online).

Microsoft PowerPoint is undoubtedly the most popular app used to give presentations. You're likely to see PowerPoint presentations being used for everything from presentations at the world's largest companies to grade schoolteachers sharing lessons.

PowerPoint is often the butt of the joke. Many decry PowerPoint as boring and a crutch for poorly prepared speakers.

Only a bad carpenter blames the tools. And like any tool, PowerPoint is incredibly useful when used properly. Use it as an aid on your speaking engagements to build comfort and drive points visually with your audience.

In this tutorial, we're going to focus on working inside of PowerPoint to build a presentation. This PowerPoint guide has everything you need to get comfortable in the app. To master the app, we'll talk about and cover the most common steps a rookie PowerPoint user needs to know.

Here are the key actions you'll need to take to build a PowerPoint presentation:

• You'll need to add  slides,  the individual pages in the presentation.
• You'll add  content  to the slides, such as text boxes, images, charts and graphs.
• Change themes and styles  to make your presentation look professional and fit the occasion at hand.
• Prepare presentation aids like  Speaker Notes  and Presenter View to help you feel comfortable with presenting.

We'll cover each of these in this PowerPoint tutorial so that you can get up and running quickly. 

To get up to speed with PowerPoint, it helps to understand the layout of the app. Let's walk through the key menu options so that you can learn PowerPoint quickly. If you understand the way that the app is laid out, you're likely to find any feature you need quickly.

This part of the PowerPoint guide will focus on the interface. Note that these previews are in Microsoft PowerPoint for Mac OS, but the same will apply for PC.

1. The Ribbon

The ribbon menu is found across many of Microsoft's apps, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. It lives above the main area of the application. In this example, "Home" is the selected tab in the Ribbon.

The ribbon contains a series of tabs that you can switch between. Each of these have a unique set of tools to work with your presentation differently. When you switch tabs on the ribbon, you'll see new buttons and options to change your presentation:

• Home . A general-purpose collection of the most common tools that you'll use in PowerPoint.
• Insert . An all-in-one tool to add every imagine-able type of content, such as tables, pictures, charts, video, and more.
• Draw. Use this tab to draw elements in your presentation.
• Design . Controls the look and feel of your presentation with theme and style settings.
• Transitions . Add animations when you switch slides.
• Animations . Controls the order and style that objects will enter or exit your slide with.
• Slide Show . Control settings related to the way your presentation appears when sharing it with an audience.
• Review. Check spelling, check accessibility, and leave comments on your presentation here.
• View. You can choose multiple ways to view your work from this tab. 
• Record. Record video, audio, or take a screenshot here.
• Acrobat. You can create PDF files using Adobe Acrobat from this tab.
• Tell Me. Click this to ask a question—it's an easy access help space.

Now that you understand the layout, you've got a better idea of how you can jump to the feature you need. Let's dive a bit deeper into how you can use several of these key tabs.

2. The Home Tab

Use it for: a general selection of the most popular tools in PowerPoint.

I usually stay on the Home tab when I'm working in PowerPoint. The reason is because it's got practically every tool you need. From adding a new slide to changing text and paragraph settings, the Home tab is the default for most users.

3. The Insert Tab

When you're working on adding content to a slide, the  Insert  tab has every possible tool to add new content to a slide. Choose one of these types of objects to add it to the slide.

PowerPoint has a variety of views that are simply different ways to work with the same presentation. Change the view to get a different perspective on your content.

Use views for a different way to edit and build your PowerPoint presentation.

In the screenshot below, you can see the difference between the default  Normal  view and  Slide Sorter  view. Normal view shows each slide front and center. Slide Sorter view creates thumbnails that you can drag and drop to reorder the presentation. 

Normal View in Microsoft PowerPoint

Slide Sorter View in Microsoft PowerPoint

5. The Design Tab

An attractive presentation can really grab your audience's attention. We use themes and styles in PowerPoint to add visual appeal to the presentation, and the  Design  tab really controls these settings.

On the Design tab, click one of the themes to restyle the presentation. Or try out a different Style thumbnail to overhaul the color theme.

We've tackled the interface of PowerPoint, so you should be feeling comfortable with how to get around the app. Now, let's talk about the actions you'll find yourself using repeatedly and how you can do that in PowerPoint. Whether you want to know how to use PowerPoint templates or how to build a presentation from scratch, these will be handy.

1. How to Add Slides

Think of  slides  as the individual units in your presentation that you can fill with content. To insert a new slide, go to the  Insert  tab on PowerPoint's ribbon. Then, click on the  New Slide  button to add a new slide to your presentation.

Each of the thumbnails that you'll see on the sidebar represents a slide. Then, you'll add content to each slide.

There's no practical limit to the number of slides that your PowerPoint file can contain. But you should consider how many slides it actually takes to make your point. It's often the 

2. How to Add Content

Content is what defines each slide. PowerPoint accommodates a wide range of content like text, graphs, tables, charts, and more.

The easiest way to add content is to start off by choosing a  Layout,  which you can choose from the  Home  tab. This PowerPoint template comes with premade layouts we can choose from too.

These layouts have content boxes that are easy to add your own content to. Simply choose a layout, and then start adding your content.

3. How to Choose a Theme and Style

After you build out your presentation's content, it's a great idea to think about adding visual style. For this, you'll jump over to the  Design  tab, and click on one of the thumbnails for a theme. Choosing a new theme in this PowerPoint template made it easy to switch from an orange to a green theme. Check it out. 

Using a PowerPoint theme is the preferred alternative to adding backgrounds, color and type styles to each slide. Changing the theme typically will adjust the entire presentation simultaneously. This greatly reduces the time involved with building a presentation.

With just these three steps, you've got the repeatable sequence of actions needed to build a presentation. 

With every creative app I've ever learned, there are always those insider tricks of the trade that you learn many months later. They make you wish that you had known them all along and think about the many hours you wasted on the learning curve.

PowerPoint is no exception to this rule. It's especially important that you can cut to the chase when you're rushing to prepare for your presentation.

The best way to save time on your presentation is to start with a pre-built PowerPoint theme .  And you can find those on Envato Elements, which is an unlimited download service for creatives.

Discover  simple PowerPoint template designs with powerful features on Envato Elements. The right premium PPT template  will help you make a great presentation quickly. 

Browse through these  simple professional presentation designs  that you can use today:  

Now, most of the files that you'll grab from the Elements PPTX themes will appear to be finished presentations. You might be wondering how to use these pre-built presentations for your own needs.

Curious about how to use PowerPoint templates? To use Elements themes, it's really all about cutting it down to the slide designs that you'll use. A premium theme is really about the ideas  that are included as part of it. Simply use these ideas as starting points that you can add your own content to.

Again, the value of Elements is that you can download as many files as you want while you're a subscriber. And if you stop subscribing, you'll still have the right to use the creative assets you grabbed. It's much faster than building every slide from scratch.

When you contemplate how to use PowerPoint, don’t imagine building slide decks from scratch. That’s where premium PPT templates come in. They take the hard work out of using PowerPoint. 

You can take advantage of designer styles in a simple format. That’s the ultimate PowerPoint lesson to take to heart. Let’s look at just how easy it is to customize premium PPT templates in this quick PowerPoint training tutorial!

If you want to follow along, download the beautiful Agio PowerPoint template from Envato Elements.

Let's get started:

1. Choose Slides for Your Presentation

Premium PowerPoint PPT templates often include hundreds of handcrafted slides. For you, it’s best to select only a handful to build a slide deck. In PowerPoint, find Slide Sorter on the View tab. 

In Slide Sorter view, click and drag on the slide thumbnails to reorder them. Hold down Shift , click, and press Delete to remove unwanted slides. Jump back and start working by clicking Normal on the View tab.

2. Add Your Own Text

The PowerPoint basics include text and images. Adding custom text is one of the easiest and most common edits to make. 

Pre-built layouts include text boxes already arranged on the slide. To add your own words, highlight the contents of any text box. Then, simply start typing. Repeat throughout the presentation. 

3. Add Images

Wondering how to add PowerPoint presentation images? The easiest way is to turn to premium templates with image placeholders. Identify them by finding the image icons on a given slide. Jump to where images are stored on your computer. 

Then, simply drag and drop them onto the placeholder. Not only will all your photos import automatically, they’ll also size and scale to fit perfectly!

4. Change Object Colors

Changing theme colors is a fast way to adjust the visual look of your slides. For example, change object colors to add a bit of contrast. 

To get started, click on any object, like a shape, to select it. Choose Format at the top menu, to view your formatting options. Try Format Object to open the Format Pane .

In the Format Pane, you can choose things like a new Fill Color for this shape. 

5. Customize Fonts

No Microsoft PowerPoint tutorial would be complete without customizing fonts. Sometimes, it’s easy to overlook text as a design element, but with a few quick edits you can make your words really stand out. 

Highlight a block of text, then go up to the Font section of the Home tab. You’ll see drop downs to change the font style, size, and color. After that, add quick effects like bold letters, italics, and more!

The content and design will vary greatly from one presentation next. But, no matter what the goal of your presentation is, there are common tools that every presenter can benefit from using. We've developed PowerPoint lessons for those tools.

Let's focus on the most valuable tools for speakers in this PowerPoint tutorial. I always mention these tools as a way to build confidence and comfort for presenters.

1. Speaker Notes

Forget writing out note cards or keeping a printed outline nearby. Speaker notes are a way to add the things you need to say to each slide.

Speaker notes are added to each individual slide, and the best way to add them is from  Normal  view. Click on  Notes  below the presentation area and type your slide-specific notes.

Speaker notes will show up in printed copies of your presentation. So, it's easier to build them into PowerPoint instead of scribbling note cards you may lose.

2. Presenter View

Another feature that's a must-use is Presenter View , which is perfect for two screen setups while presenting. While your audience will see the presentation you've built on the projector or LCD screen, you'll have your own private view with speaker notes, upcoming slides, and more.

Turn on Presenter View from the slideshow tab by clicking  Use Presenter View.

Check out a full guide below on getting the most from Presenter View:

3. Spelling and Grammar Check

There's nothing worse than missing a key typo before you give your presentation. To avoid this problem, it's a great help to run a spelling and grammar check before you give your presentation.

To check for common spelling issues, simply jump to the  Review  tab and click Spelling . PowerPoint will check for the most common issues and allow you to correct them as needed.

4. Insert Multimedia

You can use multimedia in your PowerPoint presentations, and they can really enhance the experiences. Remember, you can find these tools in the Ribbon, via Insert . For example, how about inserting a short audio clip of a quote or maybe a short video relevant to your topic? If you'd like to make these additions, Insert makes it very easy to do.

Want to learn more about adding Multimedia to your PowerPoint presentations? Check out these free tutorials to learn more:

5. Add Bullet Points 

How you organize your content can make a huge difference—both for your audience and for you, as the presenter. Presenting a long passage of text can be difficult and even boring for the viewer. Consider breaking your content up into easy to read and easy to digest bullet points. 

PowerPoint makes this easy. When you edit your text, select Home in the Ribbon. There, again, you'll see your text options. Need some extra help with bullet points? Check out this easy-to-follow walkthrough:

6. Transitions and Animations

PowerPoint has so many different options, when it comes to transitions and animations. You can have specific transitions from slide to slide. You can animate specific elements in your presentations.

Looking the PowerPoint Ribbon, remember to turn to the Animations section. There, you can find a host of options that you can apply to your presentation.

Never used these tools before? Check out these walkthroughs. They'll show you how it's done.

In this PowerPoint tutorial for beginners, you’ve learned how to use PowerPoint presentation templates. We walked through a quick PowerPoint lesson to customize them. But you may be wondering: is that enough to deliver a winning PowerPoint presentation? 

Part of PowerPoint training comes from adopting the tips and tricks used by the best presenters. Follow these, and you’ll have a happy (and engaged) audience every time!

1. Have a Clear Objective

Let’s face it: we’ve all endured lengthy, boring PowerPoint presentations that seem to drift without a clear purpose. When you build your own PowerPoint, start with a goal in mind. Typically, that goal will be to inform or persuade an audience. It pays to outline that goal in advance and work towards your objective with a series of clear and concise slides.

It may sound daunting, but you can learn the technique in moments with our full PowerPoint training to help build persuasive slide decks:

2. Illustrate Concepts With Infographics

A key PowerPoint lesson for beginners is this: never get bogged down trying to talk through concepts. Visual aids are essential, and audiences demand them today. Infographics are a successful presenter’s best friend. Infographics combine information and graphics to create stunning visuals. 

Learn to build them yourself. Or sample from the very best pre-built PPT templates today in our infographic-centric set of PowerPoint instructions:

3. Be Subtle Animations and Transitions

Animations and transitions: fundamental elements of any deck, they should be used sparingly. When carefully applied, they create beautiful segues between slides. They can also help introduce new ideas in exact sequence. But use too many, and they become obnoxious distractions guaranteed to annoy an audience. 

Moderation is the name of the game here. Read our full Microsoft PowerPoint tutorial on animations to use them with confidence:

4. Be Interactive to Engage the Audience

No matter how compelling your narrative, you can’t simply talk to an audience and expect full participation. Instead, you need to engage your audience. A quick and fun way is with a quiz slide. They get the audience involved and help your slide deck stay focused. 

Even better: pre-built templates make it a breeze. They're PowerPoint instructions inside a PPTX file. Get started building interactive quizzes in PPT today with our guide on how to create PowerPoint quizzes:

5. Close Strong for an Enduring Message

The very best PowerPoint presentations make a great first impression. But equally (and perhaps even more) important is the winning last impression. It’s critical to conclude with a strong close. Leave on a memorable anecdote, recap your key points, or make a big “ask.” All these techniques and more help to ensure a strong close.

Don’t go it alone. We’ve created expert PowerPoint training on building a strong close. Check it out here:

This PowerPoint tutorial helped you get off the ground with using Microsoft PowerPoint. You learned the steps for creating slides and the shortcut to a better presentation with pre-built themes.

At Tuts+, we've been building out a series of PowerPoint tutorials that can help you build your presentation skills. Check out all these PowerPoint tutorials for free. One ideal place to start is the PowerPoint Ultimate Tutorial Guide that we've developed. If you're feeling nervous about giving a presentation for your job or freelance practice, try out more of these tutorials like the ones below.

Need Help? Grab Our Making Great Presentations eBook (Free)

You can find more information in our eBook on making great presentations . Download this PDF eBook now for FREE with your subscription to the Tuts+ Business Newsletter.

It'll help you master the presentation process, from: initial creative ideas, through to writing, design, and delivering with impact.

Get Started Using PowerPoint Today

Presentations can be daunting to take on, but a bit of knowledge about Microsoft PowerPoint can ease the process. We've got tutorials that show you how to create a PowerPoint presentation, for beginners. Jump to the following links to speed up your learning process and spend less time in PowerPoint:

• Envato Elements is the best place to grab premium PowerPoint templates  that save you hours of design work and leave you with a finished presentation that you'll feel confident in.
• Courses included with Envato Elements are complete walkthroughs of how to build a presentation. They're perfect PowerPoint tutorials for beginners.
• The PowerPoint Ultimate Tutorial Guide  is a complete learning resource with the top tutorials to take you from beginner to expert. 

Editorial Note : This post was originally published in 2017. It's been comprehensively revised to make it current, accurate, and up to date by our staff—with special help from Andrew Childress and Daisy Ein .

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Create a presentation

Create a presentation in PowerPoint

Create presentations from scratch or start with a professionally designed, fully customizable template from Microsoft Create .

Tip:  If you have Microsoft Copilot it can help you create a presentation, add slides or images, and more. To learn more see  Create a new presentation with Copilot in PowerPoint.

Open PowerPoint.

In the left pane, select New .

Select an option:

To create a presentation from scratch, select Blank Presentation .

To use a prepared design, select one of the templates.

To see tips for using PowerPoint, select Take a Tour , and then select Create , .

Add a slide

In the thumbnails on the left pane, select the slide you want your new slide to follow.

In the  Home tab, in the  Slides  section, select  New Slide .

In the Slides section, select Layout , and then select the layout you want from the menu.

Add and format text

Place the cursor inside a text box, and then type something.

Select the text, and then select one or more options from the Font section of the Home tab, such as  Font , Increase Font Size , Decrease Font Size ,  Bold , Italic , Underline , etc.

To create bulleted or numbered lists, select the text, and then select Bullets or Numbering .

Add a picture, shape, and more

Go to the  Insert  tab.

To add a picture:

In the Images section, select Pictures .

In the Insert Picture From menu, select the source you want.

Browse for the picture you want, select it, and then select Insert .

To add illustrations:

In the Illustrations section, select Shapes , Icons , 3D Models ,  SmartArt , or Chart .

In the dialog box that opens when you click one of the illustration types, select the item you want and follow the prompts to insert it.

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