Category: Tips & Tricks

This is How Visual Marketing Grows Your Business

business

design

Marketing

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Visual Marketing

Jan 08, 2017

In today’s highly competitive marketplace, visual marketing has become a critical component of any successful business strategy. Visual content grabs attention, communicates messages quickly, and makes brands more memorable. From social media posts to advertisements, websites, and presentations, visual marketing helps businesses stand out, connect with audiences, and drive conversions.Here’s how visual marketing can grow your business and elevate your brand:

1. Captures Attention Instantly

In a world where consumers are bombarded with information, visual content is one of the most effective ways to cut through the noise. People process images faster than text, and a well-crafted visual can grab attention in seconds.How It Helps:

  • Quick Engagement: Visuals, whether they’re images, infographics, or videos, catch the eye and make your audience pause and take notice.
  • Short Attention Spans: In the digital age, attention spans are shorter than ever. Visual content can quickly communicate your message before the audience moves on.

Example: A scrolling social media feed filled with text posts might make users lose interest, but an eye-catching image with a bold headline can stop them in their tracks and lead them to click or learn more.

2. Strengthens Brand Recognition

Consistent and well-designed visual content enhances brand recognition, making your business more memorable and easier to identify. This includes everything from your logo and color scheme to the style of visuals you use across different platforms.How It Helps:

  • Creates a Visual Identity: By using a cohesive color palette, fonts, and design elements, your brand becomes more recognizable to consumers. Over time, this builds familiarity and trust.
  • Increases Memorability: Studies show that people are more likely to remember visual information than written text. Using consistent visuals helps imprint your brand in the minds of your audience.

Example: Think about brands like Coca-Cola or Apple. Their logos, colors, and overall visual identity are so strong that you can recognize them without even seeing the company name.

3. Builds Emotional Connections

Visual marketing appeals to emotions, helping to create a deeper connection with your audience. People are naturally drawn to images that evoke feelings, and emotional marketing can drive engagement, loyalty, and action.How It Helps:

  • Tells a Story: Visuals are powerful storytelling tools. A compelling image or video can quickly convey a narrative, making your message more relatable and impactful.
  • Elicits Emotional Responses: Visuals that tap into emotions—happiness, nostalgia, excitement, or even concern—create a stronger bond between the brand and the consumer, encouraging them to take action.

Example: A nonprofit organization using an emotionally powerful image of people benefiting from their services can inspire donations and support more effectively than text alone.

4. Increases Engagement and Conversions

Visual content, particularly on social media and websites, drives higher engagement rates. Posts and pages with visuals get more likes, shares, and comments, and they often lead to better conversion rates.How It Helps:

  • Boosts Social Media Performance: Social media platforms prioritize visual content. Posts with images or videos tend to receive significantly more engagement compared to text-only posts.
  • Improves Conversion Rates: Landing pages with relevant images or videos can lead to higher conversion rates. Product photos, demo videos, or infographics that explain your offering can guide customers towards making a purchase or signing up.

Example: An e-commerce brand featuring high-quality product images and videos on its product pages will likely see better conversion rates than one with minimal or low-quality visuals.

5. Simplifies Complex Information

Infographics, charts, and diagrams simplify complex ideas, data, and processes, making them more accessible to your audience. This is especially useful when you’re trying to convey technical or detailed information quickly.How It Helps:

  • Enhances Understanding: Visual aids like infographics and charts break down complicated information into digestible, easy-to-understand chunks.
  • Boosts Retention: Audiences are more likely to remember information presented in a visual format than through text alone, making your message more impactful.

Example: A company introducing a new software tool might create an infographic that explains its features and benefits in a clear, concise manner. This helps potential customers understand the product quickly without reading through a lengthy explanation.

6. Increases Website Traffic and SEO

Visual content plays an important role in SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Well-optimized images, infographics, and videos can help your website rank higher in search results, driving more organic traffic.How It Helps:

  • Boosts Search Rankings: Search engines favor pages with multimedia elements. Adding optimized images and videos to your website can improve your rankings in search results.
  • Attracts Backlinks: Infographics and other types of shareable visual content often attract backlinks from other websites, which further improves your site’s authority and SEO performance.

Example: A blog post that includes a well-designed infographic is more likely to be shared by other websites, resulting in backlinks that improve your search engine ranking and attract more visitors to your site.

7. Enhances Customer Trust and Credibility

High-quality visual content not only engages your audience but also builds trust and credibility. When your business consistently produces professional and well-crafted visuals, it conveys reliability and expertise.How It Helps:

  • Demonstrates Professionalism: Well-designed visuals reflect the quality and professionalism of your brand, making customers more likely to trust your business.
  • Humanizes Your Brand: Videos, in particular, can show the people behind your brand, building a personal connection and fostering trust among your audience.

Example: A tech company producing how-to videos and tutorials with real employees speaking to the camera can help humanize the brand and build customer trust.

Final Thoughts

Visual marketing is a powerful tool for growing your business. By capturing attention, strengthening brand recognition, building emotional connections, and driving engagement, visual content can significantly impact your bottom line. Whether you’re designing eye-catching social media posts, creating infographics, or producing engaging videos, investing in visual marketing will help you stand out in a crowded marketplace and grow your brand’s reach and impact.

2017 Checklist: What Your Business Needs to Do to Start the Year Wisely

business

Business Checklist

gif

Gifographics

New Year

Presentation Agency

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Jan 03, 2017

It’s already the third day of 2017. My, how time flies, doesn’t it? With the new year, though, how much have you done? Or, perhaps, a better question would be, “How far are you willing to go this year?”Past the fireworks and new year’s feast lies an unknown. The uncertainty of the future. But then again, it’s a brand-new start… isn’t it? Blank slate, anyone?New beginnings can be looked at in a myriad of ways: positively, negatively, pragmatically, stoically, and so on. If you’re one who holds new years in a high note, then you’re sure to hope for the best in 2017—like the past years as they started. Others can be unconcerned, at worst be apathetic, and just go on with their daily grind. Not saying this is wrong, mind you.No matter how you look at it, the new year is about to give another set of challenges—other chances to grow, opportunities to take, and lessons to learn. But before that, you have to be prepared for them. Check out the infographic below to know how you and your business can have a fresh start to be wiser.Business Checklist for 2017If you hold on to the thought that how you start your year will affect the rest it, then stop. It doesn’t work that way. Just stop. You may start the year in a good mood, but someone or something may ruin parts of it. Or the other way around: 2017 may start in a bad way, but someone or something will turn all of it around. When you begin your day, does it always stay good or bad?And there’s the lesson there: don’t just wait for your year, or day, to be magically fixed. It’s your effort that will get you through the day or through the year.You decide your own future. A more familiar version of that is, “Life is what you make it.” This presentation design agency made it because of hard work. You can too. “Decide my own future.” How’s that for a New Year’s resolution?

Resources:

Evans, Lisa. “4 Ways to Get into a Positive Mindset for the New Year.” Entrepreneur. December 18, 2013. www.entrepreneur.com/article/230427Ratliff, Joseph. “The Myth of The New Year’s ‘Blank Slate.’” Medium. December 31, 2013. www.medium.com/challenging-the-status-quo/the-myth-of-the-new-years-blank-slate-11b342611a36#.e7dl0fmf6

Looking for creative presentations that can leverage your business? Enjoy free PowerPoint templates from SlideStore! Sign up today.

You’re Doing It Wrong: PowerPoint Rules You Should Be Following

Guy Kawasaki

Nancy Duarte

powerpoint rules

Seth Godin

Jun 08, 2015

For years now, people have been relying on PowerPoint to communicate ideas, sell products, facilitate meetings, and conferences. Many presenters, however, still fall short and end up with lousy, poorly designed slides that do nothing but torture their audience. Thankfully, there are experts in the field who have set the rules or standards for others to follow. After a quick search, we found two sets of the most popular PowerPoint rules that many people subscribe to. Both may not be all-encompassing but they are excellent guidelines, nonetheless.

Guy Kawasaki’s 10/20/30 Rule of PowerPoint

Guy Kawasaki is a venture capitalist, among other things. If we’re going to talk about quality and importance of simplicity in presentation design, he’s the go-to, well, Guy. He practically listens to hundreds of pitches all the time, making him knowledgeable of what works and doesn’t. For him, a PowerPoint presentation should:

  • Feature 10 slides or less
  • Last no more than 20 minutes
  • Contain font not smaller than 30pt

This rule is applicable to pitches and office meetings. And because most people cannot absorb more than 10 concepts in a single meeting, it is best that you limit your presentation to 10 slides. The 20-minute duration should give you enough time to host a Q and A discussion afterwards. A 30-point typeface will make information on a slide large enough to be readable without making it look too crowded.

Seth Godin’s Five Rules for Creating Amazing Presentations

Seth Godin is a man of many interests and as a public speaker, he’s no stranger to PowerPoint presentations. He even wrote an e-book about it. If you want to create an amazing presentation, here are the points we have taken from the book:

  1. Use no more than six words on every slide (If you include too much text, the audience will simply read the slides ahead of you).
  2. Do not use cheesy images and look for professional stock photos instead.
  3. Avoid fancy transitions such as dissolves, spins, etc, as these can be distracting, making you seem less professional.
  4. Use sound effects, but not the built-in types. You may want to rip from CDs or use the “Proust effect.”
  5. Do not provide print collateral at the start of the meeting. You want your audience to focus on the presentation, not read ahead of you.

Great presentations can trigger the right emotions, inspire change, and move people. These two sets of rules can raise the level of your next presentation from boring to life-changing. You don’t need to choose between the two, though. Applying both of them is sure to produce excellent results. But whatever you do, here’s another rule for you to remember. This one’s from presentation expert Nancy Duarte: Never deliver a presentation you would not want to sit through. Now, if there’s One PowerPoint Rule to rule them all, that would be it.

3 Building Blocks for More Convincing Presentations

convincing presentation

powerpoint presentation

Presentations

May 04, 2015

To create more convincing presentations, it’s essential to focus on three fundamental building blocks: Structure, Clarity, and Emotional Appeal. These elements ensure that your presentation is both persuasive and memorable.

1. Clear and Logical Structure

  • Why it matters: A well-organized presentation helps your audience follow your argument and builds credibility. When information is presented in a structured manner, it becomes easier to digest and understand.
  • How to apply:
    • Use a clear beginning, middle, and end. Start with an attention-grabbing introduction, follow with supporting points in the body, and conclude with a strong call to action or summary.
    • Use signposts throughout (e.g., “First, let’s discuss…,” “In conclusion…”) to help guide your audience through the presentation.

2. Clarity and Simplicity

  • Why it matters: Presenting too much information or using overly complex language can confuse or overwhelm your audience. Clear, concise communication ensures that your key messages are easily understood.
  • How to apply:
    • Focus on one key message per slide or section. Avoid overcrowding slides with too much text or data.
    • Use simple and direct language. Break down complex ideas into understandable concepts, using visuals like charts, graphs, or images to explain data or processes.

3. Emotional Appeal

  • Why it matters: Facts and figures alone are often not enough to persuade. Emotional appeal engages your audience on a personal level, making your message more compelling and memorable.
  • How to apply:
    • Use storytelling: Personal anecdotes, real-life examples, or case studies that resonate with your audience make your presentation relatable and impactful.
    • Appeal to your audience’s values or emotions by emphasizing the human impact of your topic, such as how your solution solves a real-world problem or improves lives.

By focusing on these three building blocks—structure, clarity, and emotional appeal—you can create presentations that are not only convincing but also resonate with your audience on a deeper level.

5 TED Talk Secrets for Persuasive PowerPoint Presentations

persuasion

public speaking

TED talk

Apr 29, 2015

It’s difficult to make ideas stick on an emotional and rational level. How do TED speakers pull it off without breaking a sweat?It all begins with knowledge and expertise. They know their topics so well that they can explain things in simple terms. This simplicity also lets them explain why people should care about their stories. You can apply their techniques for more persuasive PowerPoint presentations.According to brand communication expert Carmine Gallo, there are five secrets that’ll help you get your point across like the TED Talk pros.

Stick to Eighteen Minutes

Regardless of topic, TED presenters boil their content down to an eighteen-minute presentation.According to research by Lloyds TSB, adults can only pay attention for five minutes. Given this drastic drop in attention span, keeping people interested for at least thrice as long becomes a challenge.This is why speakers like Al Gore get straight to the point. Avoid boring your audience by not using too much jargon, walls of text, or distracting images in your slides. The less superfluous presentation elements you have, the more time you’ve got to spare for content that matters.

Play to Your Passions

TED Talk pros have one signature trait: motivation. They’re genuinely interested, if not passionate, about their topics. This passion drives them to share their knowledge with others.They’re genuinely interested, if not passionate, about their topics. This passion drives them to share their knowledge with others. Think of a hobby you enjoy doing. You can also look back to a significant moment in your life. Now, pretend you had to tell a stranger all about it—how would you do it?In a 2013 TED Conference, Richard Turere described himself as a boy who was very interested in electronics. As a child, he spent considerable time studying discarded mechanical parts.What was he presenting during that conference? It was a lighting system designed to scare off lions from livestock farms. Turere used trivia about his childhood to make the audience confident in his capabilities.Similarly, showing the audience that you’re invested in what you do boosts your credibility in their eyes.

Relate It to Personal Experiences

To catch people’s attention, you need to connect with them on an emotional level. You can do this by tapping into your audience’s shared beliefs.TED presenters use this approach because they’ve often lived and breathed whatever they’re talking about. This personal experience makes them eager to share what they’ve gone through with others.In the previous example, Turere recounted his early years living on his family’s farm where they contended with lions that attacked the livestock.At eleven years old, he designed a series of mounted lights that would go on and off at certain intervals, giving lions the impression of people patrolling the area. This not only protected his family’s farm, but that of their neighbors as well.Like Turere, use your life experiences to talk about why you do what you do, and why it’s important to you. Aside from the emotional bond you’ll be forming with your listener, adding a personal story can also make it easier to get your core message across, especially if it’s directly related to your pitch.Because it’s something you know, the familiarity of the experience will serve as a guide to draw your key points from.

Keep Your Slide Designs Simple

Even in TED Talks, simplicity is key.Al Gore held a TED Talk on climate change, with a PowerPoint that contained mostly images. His slides had almost no text whatsoever.Visual-based slides left him with more room to give information in the simplest way possible. The audience didn’t need to split their attention between reading from his slides and listening to his speech.The slides were used to supply the imagery he needed. No need for extra jargon or any bells and whistles. All he needed were the facts and their implications.

Minimize Your Content

Remember that you are the focus of the talk. You are the person sharing your stories to people who probably know nothing about what you do, let alone what you’ve gone through.At this point, you can ask yourself questions like:

  • What experiences can I share in order to drive my point across?
  • What questions can I use to challenge their perceptions of this topic?

While a simple yet striking PowerPoint design can help supply the imagery you need, remember that what you share must come from you alone. It’ll affect your speech content, delivery style, as well as your tone of speaking. Your personal experiences, values you live by, and even your own tastes can influence what you deliver when presenting.–A pitch won’t make much of an impact if the message isn’t meaningful enough on its own.TED speakers effectively communicate with audiences because they talk to people on the same level. They include their own life experiences and shared beliefs, and package their stories in ways that are easy to digest. They do this not only to connect with their listeners, but also to give credibility to their discussions.Fortunately, life isn’t only experienced by TED speakers.Everybody has the capacity to move people with their own words. You can also take something from your own experience and weave it into a story that will positively affect other people.Even the simplest anecdote can become the key that pushes people to take action.In the end, it’s the lessons that your stories can teach that matter the most.

References:

Gallo, Carmine. “How to Give a ‘TED-Worthy’ Presentation.” Bloomberg Business Week. June 1, 2010. Accessed April 29, 2015.”Giving a Speech? Conquer the Five-minute Attention Span.” Fortune. July 10, 2013. Accessed April 29, 2015.”Enhance Your Sales Presentation by Appealing to Emotions.” SlideGenius, Inc. September 15, 2015.”Notes from TED: Presentation Tips from Memorable TED Talks.” SlideGenius, Inc. February 16, 2015. Accessed April 29, 2015.“Richard Turere.” TED. Accessed April 29, 2015.Kermeliotis, Teo. “Boy Scares off Lions with Flashy Invention.” CNN. February 26, 2013. Accessed April 29, 2015. Featured Image: Huffington Post

5 Tips to Help You Finish Your PowerPoint Deck on Time

powerpoint deck

Powerpoint tips

presentation tips

Mar 12, 2015

Here are five tips to help you finish your PowerPoint deck on time:

1. Use a Pre-Designed Template

  • Why it works: Using a professional, pre-designed template saves you time on design decisions, such as layout, colors, and fonts. Templates give you a structured framework to quickly fill in content.
  • How to apply: Choose a template that fits your content and branding. Platforms like SlideGenius or SlideStore offer ready-made designs for different presentation needs, from corporate decks to pitch presentations.

2. Prioritize Key Content First

  • Why it works: Focusing on the most important content first ensures you cover your core message, even if you’re running short on time. Filling in additional details or polishing the design can be done afterward.
  • How to apply: Create an outline of your main points and design those slides first. Once the essentials are in place, go back to add supporting details, visuals, or transitions.

3. Set a Timer for Each Task

  • Why it works: Allocating specific time slots to tasks helps keep you focused and prevents you from spending too much time on one slide or element.
  • How to apply: Use a timer or productivity app to give yourself strict time limits for different tasks (e.g., 15 minutes for each slide). Stick to your schedule to avoid getting bogged down in unnecessary edits.

4. Limit Design Edits

  • Why it works: Spending too much time on slide design can slow down your progress. Focus on functionality and readability instead of obsessing over perfect aesthetics.
  • How to apply: Choose one font, stick to a simple color palette, and avoid overcomplicating your slides with excessive animations or transitions. Save design tweaks for the end if time permits.

5. Delegate or Automate Repetitive Tasks

  • Why it works: If you’re short on time, delegate tasks like data entry, formatting, or creating graphics to a team member or use automation tools. This frees up time for you to focus on critical elements like crafting your message.
  • How to apply: Use features like PowerPoint’s Design Ideas or SmartArt to quickly create layouts and visual elements. If working in a team, consider real-time collaboration through Microsoft OneDrive or Google Slides to divide tasks.

By implementing these strategies, you’ll be able to streamline your workflow and complete your PowerPoint deck efficiently while ensuring quality.

A Short Presentation Guide for Introverts

introversion

introverts

presentation guide

presentation tips

Mar 11, 2015

Presentations can pose more than the usual challenge for introverts. After all the preparation, an introvert presenter also has to worry about facing a large group of people.It’s commonly believed that most introverts aren’t particularly inclined to group situations. However, it doesn’t automatically mean that introverts can’t handle pitching to a crowd. Best-selling author Susan Cain is a perfect example.Unlike their counterparts, introverts are better with intrapersonal or “inward-turning” activities. An introvert will have little difficulty preparing the basic aspects of his presentation, like content and design. The real challenge is learning to be comfortable in front of a crowd and making sure all ideas are properly shared with the audience.If you’re among the millions of people who identify as introverts, here’s a presentation guide that will help you command your presence in front of an audience:

Learn what you can about the audience

You might be better prepared to face a large crowd if you have enough information about them beforehand.Because introverts are said to be better attuned to the needs of others, knowing that your presentation is exactly what the audience is expecting may put you at ease.Of course, to get to that point, do some research first.Learn what you can about the audience so you can tailor your presentation closer towards their expectations. In particular, answer these questions to identify the approach you need to take.

Don’t skimp on practice 

There’s no other way to feel comfortable about presenting than by practicing your skills.It will take a little bit more time, but it can go a long way in making sure that your presentation is properly delivered and executed.Even with a tight schedule, you can still set aside some time to practice your presentation bit by bit.Practice how you want to say each part of your presentation, as well as how you plan to use your body language to emphasize your points.Continue practicing after everything so that you’re ready when the next presentation opportunity heads your way.

Embrace your anxiety 

It doesn’t matter whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, feeling nervous about a big presentation is completely normal.Not everyone will feel fully confident about any task if there’s a lot of pressure to perform properly. The harder you try to ignore your anxiety, the more your discomfort will be evident to the audience. All you can do is accept how you feel and work to make sure it doesn’t get in your way.Start by performing relaxation and movement exercises right before the presentation.You can also try to pump yourself up with some powerful music.Try to get yourself excited so that you can start at a positive note.–Presentations are hard work, especially for introverts who have to work outside their comfort zone. Use this guide to make sure you’re well prepared to face the audience and create a sustained connection with them. 

References:

“4 Different Ways to Practice Your Presentation Skills.” SlideGenius, Inc. September 15, 2014. Accessed March 11, 2015.”4 Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Audience.” SlideGenius, Inc.. August 28, 2014. Accessed March 11, 2015.Cain, Susan. “The Power of Introverts.” The Huffington Post. Accessed March 11, 2015.”Introversion.” Psychology Today. Accessed March 11, 2015.”Presentation Set Up: 5 Things to Do Before You Start Speaking.” SlideGenius, Inc. September 2, 2014. Accessed January 28, 2015.The Power of Introverts. Susan Cain. TED, 2012. Featured Image: Paintings by Robert via flickr

A Guide to Making a PowerPoint Style Guide

PowerPoint Design

powerpoint style guide

Powerpoint tips

Mar 06, 2015

Corporations and organizations often use a style guide to ensure that all their visual materials maintain a consistent and cohesive look.Because it’s impossible to keep track of every PowerPoint deck created in such an environment, a style guide guarantees that every presentation will correspond to your organization’s brand identity. Before starting on your style guide, familiarize yourself with PowerPoint’s Slide Master function to create and customize templates first. This makes it easier to accomplish once you begin distributing it throughout the organization.Here are areas you need to focus on:

Leverage branding

Every design rule or suggestion that you put down should contribute to your branding efforts. As we’ve discussed in the past, an easy way to integrate branding into PowerPoint design is through the clever use of colors.Set down some rules on the color scheme that everyone should use for presentations. Keep your brand’s logo and overall aesthetic in mind, making sure your rules for the color scheme goes well with both. Let your colors stand out so that the audience can see that your slides are part of a larger, unified whole.Another way to leverage branding is by using visual metaphors that correspond to your brand identity. Include suggestions for images and illustrations people should use in their PowerPoint designs.

Establish rules following best PowerPoint practices

Aside from branding, a PowerPoint style guide also helps you maintain the quality of all the slide decks presented in your organization’s name.As such, it’s important that you establish key rules that follow the best PowerPoint practices. Be strict about the use of bullet points and the amount of text included in a single slide. Establish pointers on how data should be presented. There are different ways to do it, but all in all, you should make sure that charts and graphs don’t get too overwhelming by inputting only the content that matters to your pitch.Something else you can consider is making suggestions that can help manage the length of your company’s presentations.In this PowerPoint style guide from the American Marketing Association, there’s a suggestion that a PowerPoint deck should match its length in number of slides. For example, 10-minute presentations should have no more than 10 slides.

Add reminders for presentation delivery

It might seem unnecessary, but you can also include a few reminders on how presentations should be delivered.While a PowerPoint style guide may be focused on design, its overall objective should touch on improving presentations delivered throughout your organization. Also remind others to be more careful with the way they present their slides. After all, the point of creating PowerPoint slides is to enhance the message people are delivering with their presentations.At the end of the day, what matters is what audiences are left with. If the delivery is improved, you can expect outcomes to improve as well.–A PowerPoint style guide is a way you can make sure presentations are organized and consistent with the company’s overall message. Have a clear vision on how you want these presentations to look like, and what kind of impact you want them to leave on audiences.These are the things you need to have defined and clarified in your PowerPoint style guide:

  • Use of logo
  • Color scheme
  • Font type and size
  • Use of bullet points
  • Use of images, icons, and illustrations
  • Presenting data in charts and graphs
  • Editing and cutting back on slides
  • Pointers on presenting slides to make the most of the visual aids

Keep these in mind and start establishing some rules and pointers to maximize your use of effective visuals.

References:

Chapman, Cameron. “Why Your Brand Needs a Style Guide, and How to Create One.” Webdesigner Depot. Accessed March 6, 2015.”Design Ideas: How to Improve PowerPoint Templates.” SlideGenius, Inc. December 9, 2014. Accessed February 4, 2015.”Improve Your Presentations with the Power of the Metaphor.” SlideGenius, Inc. November 17, 2014. Accessed January 12, 2015.”PowerPoint Style Guidelines.” American Marketing Association. Accessed March 6, 2015.”The Top 10 Best PowerPoint Design Practices.” SlideGenius, Inc. November 18, 2014. Accessed March 6, 2015. Featured Image: Death to the Stock Photo

Sound Slides: A PowerPoint Tutorial on Music and Sound Effects

PowerPoint Design

Powerpoint tips

powerpoint tutorial

Mar 05, 2015

Adding background music or sound effects to your PowerPoint presentation can enhance the mood, create emphasis, and keep your audience engaged. PowerPoint allows you to add various audio files to your slides, which can be played automatically, on a loop, or triggered by a click.Here’s how to add music or sound effects to your PowerPoint slides:

Step 1: Prepare Your Audio File

Before adding music or sound effects, ensure that your audio file is ready. PowerPoint supports audio formats such as MP3, WAV, and WMA.How to Do It:

  • Save the audio file to a location you can easily access from PowerPoint.

Step 2: Insert the Audio File

Inserting audio into a PowerPoint slide is a simple process.How to Do It:

  • Go to the slide where you want to add the audio.
  • Click on the Insert tab in the PowerPoint ribbon.
  • Select Audio, then choose Audio on My PC from the dropdown menu.
  • Navigate to the location of your audio file, select it, and click Insert.

Step 3: Customize Audio Playback Settings

Once the audio is added, you can customize its playback options.How to Do It:

  • Select the audio icon that appears on your slide.
  • In the Audio Tools tab, go to the Playback section and choose how you want the audio to play:
    • Start Automatically: The audio will play as soon as the slide is shown.
    • Start On Click: The audio will play when you click the icon.
    • Play Across Slides: The audio will continue to play even as you transition to different slides.
    • Loop Until Stopped: The audio will keep playing on repeat until you manually stop it.

Step 4: Hide the Audio Icon

If you don’t want the audio icon to appear during your presentation, you can hide it while still allowing the sound to play.How to Do It:

  • Select the audio icon.
  • In the Playback tab, check the box next to Hide During Show.

Step 5: Preview the Audio

Before presenting, make sure the audio plays correctly by previewing the slide.How to Do It:

  • In the Playback tab, click the Play button to test the audio.
  • If you’re playing music across multiple slides, test the transition to ensure it flows smoothly.

Final Thoughts

Adding music or sound effects to your PowerPoint slides can make your presentation more engaging and dynamic. Just make sure the audio enhances your message without overwhelming or distracting the audience. Test the sound quality and volume before your presentation to ensure it’s balanced with your spoken content.

Are Your Online Presentations Working For You?

online presentations

Powerpoint tips

presentation tips

Mar 02, 2015

There are many advantages to reaching out and connecting with your audience online. Consider integrating online content marketing as part of your strategy for optimal audience engagement.What better way to pique your target audience’s interests than providing them with content that’s both useful and relevant to their interests? That said, online presentations can significantly improve your brand’s visibility online.As you know, a presentation is both a visual and informative medium. Take note of the ways you can cut back lengthy PowerPoint presentations and turn them to more SEO-friendly slides. In the process, don’t forget to check if the end product lines up with your objectives.Ask yourself these questions to make sure your online presentations are working for you:

How relevant are your online presentations? 

According to NN Group co-founder Jakob Nielsen, majority of online users spend only about 10 to 20 seconds browsing through a web page to find what they’re looking for. If the page doesn’t have that information, they’ll skip over to the next link.Don’t let the same thing happen to your online presentations. If the audience skips past the thumbnail of your online presentation, they might never scroll back to have a second look.Make sure you’re relevant to what they might be searching for.Create a presentation offering to give them tips or advice, but don’t make it too generic.Business consultant, Mark Evans, stresses the importance of fitting the needs and interests of your target audience by learning as much as you can about them.From that knowledge, create a headline and title slide that will surely catch people’s attention.

Can your content sustain interest? 

Now that you’ve caught your audience’s attention, the next step is figuring out how to engage and keep them interested.Keep them on your page by highlighting your core message and key takeaways.Don’t present your online pitch in a roundabout way. Define your presentation’s premise from the get go and put your main points forward.This lets your target audience tell that your ideas are in line with what they’re looking for.They’ll keep clicking to see what’s on the next slide.

Do you have a clear Call-to-Action?

After making a compelling argument, leave your audience with one last powerful statement. Before they move on to find something else to read, don’t forget to make your pitch.That’s what a Call-to-Action is for. Should they contact you for inquiries? Should they follow you on social media?End with a clear-cut statement that lets the audience know what you want them to do next.–We can’t emphasize enough how much online presentations can help your brand in the long run. Engage your target audience and gain the leads you need by keeping these 3 things in mind. If you want help with designing an online presentation audiences will never forget, contact us to schedule a conversation with our PowerPoint experts.

References:

“5 Steps To An Integrated Approach To SEO-Friendly Content Marketing.” Marketing Land. March 11, 2014. Accessed February 27, 2015.Evans, Mark. “The Importance of Really Knowing Your Target Audiences.” Forbes. March 20, 2013. Accessed February 27, 2015.”How Long Do Users Stay on Web Pages?” Nielsen Norman Group. Accessed February 27, 2015.”Perfecting Your Presentation Title Slide.” SlideGenius, Inc. October 16, 2014. Accessed February 27, 2015.”Why Your Presentations Need Better Slide Headlines.” SlideGenius, Inc. November 3, 2014. Accessed February 27, 2015.