Microsoft PowerPoint is a presentation program, created by Robert Gaskins and Dennis Austin at a

software company named Forethought, Inc. It was released on April 20, 1987, initially for Macintosh
computers only. Microsoft acquired PowerPoint for about $14 million three months after it
appeared. Wikipedia

What Does PowerPoint Slideshow (PPT) Mean?

A PowerPoint slideshow (PPT) is a presentation created on software from
Microsoft that allows users to add audio, visual and audio/visual
features to a presentation. It is a Microsoft software considered to
be a multimedia technology and also acts as a tool for collaboration
and content sharing. PowerPoint is included in Microsoft Office, making it
one of the most well-known and widely used brands of presentation
software.

A PowerPoint slideshow is also known as a PowerPoint presentation.

7 Reasons Why You Still Need

PowerPoint
Meetings are critical to business success, but they consume a lot of your most
precious resource – time. One meeting among a small team can fill an entire
day’s worth of hours. And studies show that disorganized meetings are
associated with lower market share, innovation, and stability. So, how can you
ensure your meetings are both effective and efficient?

PowerPoint can help! Get more out of every minute in meetings by

employing PowerPoint presentation design. When used well, PowerPoint is
still a meeting’s most indispensable tool. At eSlide we have seen our clients
experience greater meeting success – and greater business success –
through better visuals and better meeting communications.

Here are seven reasons why you still need PowerPoint, and why you should
use it at your next meeting:
1. PowerPoint Keeps Meetings On Topic

A good PowerPoint helps the presenter keep the meeting organized and
moving at a good pace. With virtual meetings, keeping an audience focused is
even more of a challenge, so having a good PowerPoint presentation design
will help the presenter stay in command of the audience’s attention. Even
simply using an agenda slide will help attendees stay on topic and ensure you
accomplish what you need.

2. PowerPoint Boosts Presenter Confidence

Most people dislike public speaking so anything that makes the job easier is a
win. Having a well-designed slide deck can serve as a content guide for
presenters, so they don’t have to worry about forgetting any of their important
points. This allows them to relax and feel more confident so they come across
as more knowledgeable, authoritative and engaging. All of this makes it more
likely that audiences will pay attention and be convinced by their message.

3. PowerPoint Enables Quick Communication of Complex Ideas

PowerPoint allows presenters to translate complex ideas, facts, or figures into

easily digestible visuals. Visual representations of information activate the
right hemisphere of the brain, which allows viewers to interpret, expound, and
engage with what they’re seeing. In the case of a PowerPoint presentation,
this right-sided brain function makes perfect use of the software’s primary
purpose, i.e., translating detailed information into visuals that enable the
presenter to avoid audience confusion and keep the meeting moving.

4. PowerPoint Makes Your Presentation and Presenting Better

The act of creating a PowerPoint deck – putting ideas ‘on paper’ – forces the
presenter to hone their message. By going through this process, they become
more familiar with their content. This refinement exercise gives them a better
chance of delivering a well-crafted and well-executed presentation. Think of it
as a series of practice sessions that solidify a presenter’s ideas in their own
mind, resulting in a stronger, more focused presentation.

5. PowerPoint is Perfect for Visual Messaging

PowerPoint is often maligned for being boring, but this is a problem of use
rather than something inherently wrong with the software. When used
properly, i.e., as a visual medium, it’s the perfect vehicle for communicating in
meetings. Research shows that the brain consumes and comprehends
images more effectively than words alone. Using visual representations of
information in a PowerPoint presentation design allows the audience to digest
the presenter’s ideas instantaneously, without the need for additional
explanation.

6. PowerPoint Allows the Audience to Be ‘In The Moment’

When a presenter uses PowerPoint, attendees know they can have the deck
afterward so they can focus on listening rather than taking notes during the
meeting. This allows the audience to give the presenter their full attention,
going on the journey as the presenter tells it. And because a PowerPoint deck
is a perfect post-meeting handout, the presenter’s work is done when the
presentation is finished.

7. PowerPoint Helps You Deliver a More Memorable Message

Well-crafted PowerPoint presentation design that makes the most of this

visual medium enables an audience to remember ideas and messages
better. Studies show that humans retain visuals easier than they do words,
whether spoken or written down. Therefore, a presenter is more likely to move
their audience to action if the audience can better recall what it is they have
been asked to do after the meeting is over.

Bonus Tip: PowerPoint Presentation Design Professionals Save You

Valuable Time

Your time is valuable, so don’t spend it on anything you don’t have to. eSlide
has been working with top executives from Fortune 500 companies around
the globe for more than 20 years. PowerPoint presentation design and
enhancement is all we do. Let us focus on your presentation design, so you
can focus on your content and meeting preparation.

13 Things to Include in Your Next

Powerpoint Presentation

Scott Gerber
Community Member
Updated Feb 21, 2023

Your visual presentation can be improved with these

13 tips and tricks.
When putting together a presentation or deck for a big meeting, including a visual element is key.

However, having too many of the wrong things in your PowerPoint could harm your pitch rather than
help. To help make your next investor meeting a success, 13 entrepreneurs from YEC share what
you shouldn’t forget to include in your next PowerPoint.

1. Information not on your slides

Having literally worked on PowerPoint itself once upon a time, it pains me to say that I’ve seen far
too many decks which act as a word-for-word transcript. A much better strategy is to limit each point
you want to make to 1-3 words on the slide. Your now extemporaneous talk will be more engaging,
flow more naturally and give you greater flexibility to adjust on the fly for the audience. – Amit
Kumar, CardSpring

2. An objection slide
After presenting the benefits of your proposition, end by addressing the critical issues. Most
presenters avoid these, but there’s always a critical guy in the audience who will bring them up.
You’re much better positioned if you bring them up first and point out how you’re going to find the
right solution together. – Steli Efti, Close.io
3. An agenda
I always add an agenda as the second or third slide. This way, it sets everyone’s expectations for
the meeting. It also helps with the flow of the presentation so everyone knows what the purpose of
the meeting is and how everything connects. – Juliette Brindak, Miss O and Friends

4. A call-to-action slide

What is the action you want people to take as a result of listening to your presentation? Put that
action up on the concluding slide so you make sure that your presentation achieves its purpose.
– Brett Farmiloe, Markitors

5. Key takeaways
By concluding your slide with a brief summary of some of the key points highlighted throughout the
presentation, you can control the last memory that your audience will have of your presentation. Use
it as a way to highlight some of the top selling points behind your brand. – Phil Laboon, Eyeflow
Internet Marketing

6. Engaging visuals
When preparing a presentation for a big meeting, make sure your slides are not crammed with text.
One of the best ways to convey your points and make a lasting impression is to use a lot of
interesting and effective visuals like graphs or infographics in your presentation. Not only will this
place the attention of meeting attendees on you as a presenter, but it will be more effective too.
– Doreen Bloch, Poshly Inc.
7. Your logo

Including your logo is your chance to have a small branding moment on each page. – Ashley
Mady, Brandberry

8. Backup slides
Include backup materials for detail questions. Your presentation should be concise and to the point,
always moving toward your target outcome. But sometimes detail-oriented audience members want
to veer into the weeds and go off-presentation. Quickly address their questions with backup slides,
materials or handouts. Then get back to your presentation and target outcome. – Matt
Hunckler, Verge

9. Updated data
It’s great to have a tried-and-true deck, but if you’re too attached to your favorite PowerPoint you
may fail to notice when a certain slide has gone stale. Revisit every single number and date to make
sure they’re current, especially if they make reference to your business’ traction or market. – Heather
Schwarz-Lopes, EarlyShares

10. Who you are

Whether it’s an investor pitch, an academic talk, or just any kind of presentation, you need to make it
clear to your audience why you are there taking their time and why they should trust you. Talk about
your past accomplishments and other projects you’ve worked on as a way to build credibility. No
need for your life story — 30 seconds should be enough. – John Rood, Next Step Test Preparation
11. A clear roadmap

Creating and establishing a clear roadmap in your speech allows the audience to keep track with
you. No one likes going through multiple slides with no clear indication where they are in the
presentation. – Kenny Nguyen, Big Fish Presentations

12. The answer to “so what?”

Your audience subconsciously asks “So what?”. If I’m the reader, I want to know why what I’m
reading is important, why it’s relevant to me, and what I can specifically do about it. – Ben
Lyon, Kopo Kopo, Inc.

13. Contact information

Don’t forget to prominently display your contact information on your last slide. Whether you’re using
the PowerPoint for a presentation or emailing your deck, you want the recipients to follow up with
you. So make it easy for them to do so. And often just seeing your contact information will remind
them that they should. – Nicolas Gremion, Free-eBooks.net

Techopedia Explains PowerPoint Slideshow (PPT)

A PowerPoint slideshow is generally considered very easy to create, as no
knowledge of design is required to create slideshows. PowerPoint slideshows
can include embedded images, audio and video to provide better visual
impact. PowerPoint slideshows are also flexible, allowing presenters to
customize the slides to fit their needs. Microsoft provides many standard
templates and themes for PowerPoint slideshows in order to help presenters
in developing slides.

PowerPoint slideshows are considered to be one of the easiest, most useful

and most accessible methods to create and present visual aids. Reordering
the presentation is easy with the drag-and-drop feature. For presenters, it
helps to improve audience focus, increase visual impact and also increase
interactivity and spontaneity during a presentation. For certain topics,
PowerPoint slideshows help users in analyzing and synthesizing complexities.
It supports and encourages teaching and learning processes.

Tips for Making Effective PowerPoint

Presentations
Updated August 08, 2017

Slideshows are quick to produce, easy to update and an effective way to

inject visual interest into almost any presentation.

However, slideshows can also spell disaster even for experienced presenters.
The key to success is to make certain your slideshow is a visual aid and not a
visual distraction.

Tips for Making Effective PowerPoint Presentations

 Use the slide master feature to create a consistent and simple design
template. It is fine to vary the content presentation (bulleted list, two-
column text, text and image, etc.), but be consistent with other
elements such as font, colors and background.
 Simplify and limit the number of words on each screen. Use key
phrases and include only essential information.
 Limit punctuation and avoid putting words in all-capital letters. Empty
space on the slide will enhance readability.
 Use contrasting colors for text and background. Light text on a dark
background is best. Patterned backgrounds can reduce readability.
 Avoid the use of flashy transitions such as text fly-ins. These features
may seem impressive at first but are distracting and get old quickly.
 Overuse of special effects such as animation and sounds may make
your presentation “cutesy” and could negatively affect your credibility.
  Use good-quality images that reinforce and complement your
message. Ensure that your image maintains its impact and resolution
when projected on a larger screen.
 If you use builds (lines of text appearing each time you click the
mouse), have content appear on the screen in a consistent, simple
manner; from the top or left is best. Use the feature only when
necessary to make your point, because builds can slow your
presentation.
 Limit the number of slides. Presenters who constantly “flip” to the next
slide are likely to lose their audience. A good rule of thumb is one slide
per minute.
 Learn to navigate your presentation in a nonlinear fashion. PowerPoint
allows the presenter to jump ahead or back without having to page
through all the interim slides.
 Know how to and practice moving forward and backward within your
presentation. Audiences often ask to see a previous screen again.
 If possible, view your slides on the screen you’ll be using for your
presentation. Make sure the slides are readable from the back row
seats. Text and graphic images should be large enough to read but not
so large as to appear “loud.”
 Have a Plan B in the event of technical difficulties. Remember that
transparencies and handouts will not show animation or other special
effects.
 Practice with someone who has never seen your presentation. Ask
them for honest feedback about colors, content and any effects or
graphic images you’ve included.
 Do not read from your slides. The content of your slides is for the
audience, not for the presenter.
 Do not speak to your slides. Many presenters face their presentation
onscreen rather than their audience.
 Do not apologize for anything in your presentation. If you believe
something will be hard to read or understand, don’t use it.

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The Seven Deadly Sins of PowerPoint Presentations

By Joseph Sommerville

It’s not surprising PowerPoint© slideshows have become the norm for visuals
in most business presentations. Slideshows are quick to produce, easy to
update and effective to inject visual interest into the presentation. However,
slideshows can also spell disaster even for experienced presenters. The key
to success is to make certain your slide show is a visual aid and not a visual
distraction. For the best results, avoid these common “seven deadly sins” of
PowerPoint© presentations.

1. Slide Transitions and Sound Effects: Transitions and sound effects

can become the focus of attention, which in turn distracts the
audience. Worse yet, when a presentation containing several effects
and transitions runs on a computer much slower than the one on which
it was created, the result is a sluggish, almost comical when viewed.
Such gimmicks rarely enhance the message you’re trying to
communicate. Unless you are presenting at a science fiction
convention, leave out the laser-guided text! Leave the fade-ins, fade-
outs, wipes, blinds, dissolves, checkerboards, cuts, covers and splits to
Hollywood filmmakers. Even “builds” (lines of text appearing each time
you click the mouse) can be distracting. Focus on your message, not
the technology..

2. Standard Clipart: Death to screen beans! PowerPoint© is now so

widely used the clipart included with it has become a “visual cliché.” It
shows a lack of creativity and a tired adherence to a standard form.
First, make certain that you need graphical images to enhance your
message. If you do, use your own scanned photographs or better-
quality graphics from companies such as Photo Disc
(www.photodisc.com) or Hemer’s Photo Objects (www.hemera.com).
Screen captures can add realism when presenting information about a
Website or computer program. Two popular screen capture programs
are Snagit (www.techsmith.com) for Windows and Snapz Pro
(www.ambrosiasw.com) for Macintosh. Both are available as
shareware.

3. Presentation Templates: Another visual cliché. Templates force you

to fit your original ideas into someone else’s pre-packaged mold. The
templates often contain distracting backgrounds and poor color
combinations. Select a good book on Web graphics and apply the same
principles to your slides. Create your own distinctive look or use your
company logo in a corner of the screen.

4. Text-Heavy Slides: Projected slides are a good medium for depicting

an idea graphically or providing an overview. Slides are a poor medium
for detail and reading. Avoid paragraphs, quotations and even
complete sentences. Limit your slides to five lines of text and use
words and phrases to make your points. The audience will be able to
digest and retain key points more easily. Don’t use your slides as
speaker’s notes or to simply project an outline of your presentation.

5. The “Me” Paradigm: Presenters often scan a table or graphical

image directly from their existing print corporate material and include
 it in their slide show presentations. The results are almost always sub-
optimal. Print visuals are usually meant to be seen from 8-12 inches
rather than viewed from several feet. Typically, these images are too
small, too detailed and too textual for an effective visual presentation.
The same is true for font size; 12 point font is adequate when the text
is in front of you. In a slideshow, aim for a minimum of 40 point font.
Remember the audience and move the circle from “me” to “we.” Make
certain all elements of any particular slide are large enough to be seen
easily. Size really does matter.

6. Reading: A verbal presentation should focus on interactive speaking

and listening, not reading by the speaker or the audience. The
demands of spoken and written language differ significantly. Spoken
language is shorter, less formal and more direct. Reading text ruins a
presentation. A related point has to do with handouts for the audience.
One of your goals as a presenter is to capture and hold the audience’s
attention. If you distribute materials before your presentation, your
audience will be reading the handouts rather than listening to you.
Often, parts of an effective presentation depend on creating suspense
to engage the audience. If the audience can read everything you’re
going to say, that element is lost.

7. Faith in Technology: You never know when an equipment

malfunction or incompatible interfaces will force you to give your
presentation on another computer. Be prepared by having a back-up of
your presentation on a CD-ROM. Better yet is a compact-flash memory
card with an adapter for the PCMCIA slot in your notebook. With it, you
can still make last-minute changes. It’s also a good idea to prepare a
few color transparencies of your key slides. In the worst-case scenario,
none of the technology works and you have no visuals to present. You
should still be able to give an excellent presentation if you focus on the
message. Always familiarize yourself with the presentation, practice it
and be ready to engage the audience regardless of the technology that
is available. It’s almost a lost art.

Joseph Sommerville has earned the title “The Presentation Expert” for
helping professionals design, develop and deliver more effective
presentations. He is the principal of Peak Communication Performance, a
Houston-based firm working worldwide to help professionals develop skills in
strategic communication.

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Tips for Effective PowerPoint Presentations

Fonts

 Select a single sans-serif fonts such as Arial or Helvetica. Avoid serif

fonts such as Times New Roman or Palatino because these fonts are
sometimes more difficult to read.
 Use no font size smaller than 24 point.
 Use the same font for all your headlines.
 Select a font for body copy and another for headlines.
 Use bold and different sizes of those fonts for captions and
subheadings.
 Add a fourth font for page numbers or as a secondary body font for
sidebars.
 Don’t use more than four fonts in any one publication.
 Clearly label each screen. Use a larger font (35-45 points) or different
color for the title.
 Use larger fonts to indicate importance.
 Use different colors, sizes and styles (e.g., bold) for impact.
 Avoid italicized fonts as these are difficult to read quickly.
 Avoid long sentences.
 Avoid abbreviations and acronyms.
 Limit punctuation marks.
 No more than 6-8 words per line
 For bullet points, use the 6 x 6 Rule. One thought per line with no more
than 6 words per line and no more than 6 lines per slide
 Use dark text on light background or light text on dark background.
However, dark backgrounds sometimes make it difficult for some
people to read the text.
 Do not use all caps except for titles.
 Put repeating elements (like page numbers) in the same location on
each page of a multi-page document.
 To test the font, stand six feet from the monitor and see if you can
read the slide.

Design and Graphical Images

 Use design templates.

 Standardize position, colors, and styles.
 Include only necessary information.
 Limit the information to essentials.
 Content should be self-evident
 Use colors that contrast and compliment.
 Too may slides can lose your audience.
 Keep the background consistent and subtle.
 Limit the number of transitions used. It is often better to use only one
so the audience knows what to expect.
 Use a single style of dingbat for bullets throughout the page.
  Use the same graphical rule at the top of all pages in a multi-page
document.
 Use one or two large images rather than several small images.
 Prioritize images instead of a barrage of images for competing
attention.
 Make images all the same size.
 Use the same border.
 Arrange images vertically or horizontally.
 Use only enough text when using charts or graphical images to explain
the chart or graph and clearly label the image.
 Keep the design clean and uncluttered. Leave empty space around the
text and graphical images.
 Use quality clipart and use it sparingly. A graphical image should relate
to and enhance the topic of the slide.
 Try to use the same style graphical image throughout the presentation
(e.g., cartoon, photographs)
 Limit the number of graphical images on each slide.
 Repetition of an image reinforces the message. Tie the number of
copies of an image to the numbers in your text.
 Resize, recolor, reverse to turn one image into many. Use duplicates of
varying sizes, colors, and orientations to multiply the usefulness of a
single clip art image.
 Make a single image stand out with dramatic contrast. Use color to
make a dramatic change to a single copy of your clip art.
 Check all images on a projection screen before the actual presentation.
 Avoid flashy images and noisy animation effects unless it relates
directly to the slide.

Color

 Limit the number of colors on a single screen.

 Bright colors make small objects and thin lines stand out. However,
some vibrant colors are difficult to read when projected.
 Use no more than four colors on one chart.
 Check all colors on a projection screen before the actual presentation.
Colors may project differently than what appears on the monitor.

General Presentation

 Plan carefully.
 Do your research.
 Know your audience.
 Time your presentation.
 Speak comfortably and clearly.
 Check the spelling and grammar.
  Do not read the presentation. Practice the presentation so you can
speak from bullet points. The text should be a cue for the presenter
rather than a message for the viewer.
 Give a brief overview at the start. Then present the information. Finally
review important points.
 It is often more effective to have bulleted points appear one at a time
so the audience listens to the presenter rather than reading the
screen.
 Use a wireless mouse or pick up the wired mouse so you can move
around as you speak.
 If sound effects are used, wait until the sound has finished to speak.
 If the content is complex, print the slides so the audience can take
notes.
 Do not turn your back on the audience. Try to position the monitor so
you can speak from it.

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Tips for Making Effective PowerPoint Presentations

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Home » Content Writing Tips » 11 Factors to Design An Effective PowerPoint Presentation

Date: March 7, 2021
Effective PowerPoint Presentation

With the advancement in technology, PowerPoint presentations are very essential not only
in the schools and colleges but also in the government and the corporate environment. In
colleges and universities, the instructors use to give projects and assignments to the
students and the students then have to present these tasks with the visual aid called the
PowerPoint presentation.

The PowerPoint presentation is just like the visual aid that facilitates the students to express
their views in an organized way. In the corporate environment for the launching of the
project, like the new products, the concerned departments used to prepare a presentation to
express and their ideas and upcoming plans to the audience.

It is very difficult for the instructors and the students to learn every point of the
lecture/assignment so it is better to use PowerPoint. To grasp the audience it is essential for
the presenter to develop the presentation in a very professional way and for this, the
presenter needs to be user-friendly with the computer. Learning the technical aspect is the
key to make a good presentation.

Factors Of Good PowerPoint Presentation

Following are the factor which needs to be considered very carefully while making the
presentation:
1. Animation

It makes the presentation more innovative and gives a different touch to the audience.

2. Colors Scheme:

The presenter should choose colors that are soothing for the eyes rather than painful colors.

3. Images/Pictures:

The presenter should use colorful pictures related to the topic to attract the readers more
because it has been proved that it is easy to grasp the attention of the audience with the
help of the videos and picture clips between the slides.

4. Errors:

Spelling, grammatical and punctuation errors should be avoided because it creates an

adverse impact on the audience. For this, you must take help from professional tools
like Spell Check, Grammar Check to make the text more authenticated.

5. Bullets:

The presenter should give the ideas and facts in bullets rather than in the paragraphs
because points are more readable and comprehensible.

6. Sequence of Slides:

This is the most essential factor for creating an effective presentation but most presenters
neglect this one. So in the first slide, the presenter should always write the name of the
topic and then write the road map to the presentation to make the audience get involved. At
the end of the presentation, there should be a slide of questions and answers to make it
more professional.

7. Font Size:

The font size of the headings should be different than the size of the sub-points. Mostly 14
and 12 font sizes are common in use.

8. Backgrounds:
The maker should use sophisticated colors in the background so that the text could easily
be read.

9. Exterior of Presenter:

It is as important as the material of the presentation because obviously if the presenter is

having a business formal or semi-formal then it increases the competency to involve the
audience. Also your good communication skills, pronunciations and accent attract the
audience. Here I have a secret tip for you to use Text to Speech tool and rehearse your text
in a more relaxed way.

10. Body language:

This factor is highly recommended because your body language should show confidence
and determination while speaking. Your gestures and eye contact with the audience make
the presentation more successful.

11. Verbal Communication:

The verbal communication should be aligned with the text of the PowerPoint slides, if it
contradicts, then the audience could be confused about the presentation topic and the value
of the presentation.

We believe that these factors make your presentation remarkable and help you to get your
purpose. Good Luck and design your presentation!