how to make presentation attractive in powerpoint

7 EASY tips that ALWAYS make your PPT presentation attractive (even for beginners)

By: Author Shrot Katewa

Designing a presentation can take a lot of effort, especially if you are a beginner. All the options that software like PowerPoint presents can be overwhelming. Add to that the design skills needed to create a presentation. Not everyone is blessed with the aptitude and the skills to design. Despite this, anyone (including a beginner) can create attractive presentations almost every single time!

We strongly believe that anyone can create a beautiful presentation; even if you are a beginner. In today’s article, we share our mantra for creating absolutely beautiful and attractive presentations almost every single time!

You don’t need to know all the advanced features of PowerPoint. Just keep in mind the steps that we have mentioned below, and you will have a much better-looking presentation than you imagined it to be.

Tip 1 – Create an awesome Title Slide for an awesome first impression

We extensively covered a few methods using which you can easily create an awesome title slide for you PPT (link – https://owlscape.in/how-to-easily-make-an-awesome-first-slide-in-powerpoint )

A title slide is the first slide of your presentation. It mostly contains the title of your presentation and also showcases the topic on which your presentation is based. The title slide is also often the slide that is displayed even before the start of your presentation. Thus, it is important to have an awesome title slide as it can create a good first impression which can lead a subtle positive bias in the mindset of your audience. This can set the tone for the rest of your presentation.

However, creating a title slide can be challenging for some. This can be difficult especially if you are at a beginner level. In one of our previous post, we extensively covered a few methods using which you can easily create an awesome title slide for your PPT (link – https://owlscape.in/how-to-easily-make-an-awesome-first-slide-in-powerpoint )

Tip 2 – When using color, stick to the basics

If you think that simply adding text on a blank PowerPoint file means that you haven’t chosen a color scheme, then you can not be any more wrong! By simply adding text that is black on a default white background of a PPT file in itself creates a contrast and thereby a black and white color scheme! Obviously, that is not enough as that is the most basic color form which helps us read the content.

Colors are an important part of our life. Same is the case with a presentation. Every presentation needs to have colors on it. Using colors on a presentation can bring life to an otherwise lifeless looking presentation. Colors can help differentiate an important piece of information in an overcrowded content mix.

Consider the above image. Do you notice the colors used for the slide? Also, do you notice any issue with the slide? That’s correct! Grey and white text is difficult to read on a similar background in the above image.

Adding colors to your slides can often grab your audiences’ attention. However, this holds true only if the colors are used appropriately! Not knowing or not using the right color choice can equally easily distract or thwart your audiences’ attention. It may also make your presentation a bit distasteful. Not to mention the difficulty that can be caused in reading the text.

Choosing a color scheme can depend on a lot of factors. If you don’t have experience in design, choosing a color scheme can be a daunting task! There are primary colors, secondary colors, tertiary colors. Then there is a hue, tint, tone, shade and other similar terminologies to deal with. Add to that the color combinations such as complementary, split complementary, triads, tetrads etc.. This can all be very confusing!

As a beginner, the easiest way to choose a color combination is to go for a monochromatic color scheme. You CAN NOT go wrong with a monochromatic color scheme.

So what is a monochromatic color scheme? A monochromatic color scheme is a set of colors which are essentially shades of a single color (technically, they can be shades, tints or tones which give multiple variations of a single color).

So how does one use a monochromatic color scheme in PowerPoint? Well, it’s pretty simple! When you choose the color of a particular element on the slide through the “Shape Fill” option, simply choose colors from a single set. For example – in the above image, you may want to select a color of your choice such as blue, and then use variations of just blue throughout your presentation. However, be sure to maintain contrast between the text and the background color. This means, if the background is dark blue, be sure to make the color of the text as white or light shade of blue and vice-versa.

Remember, choosing a color scheme is important, however, maintaining consistency throughout can set your presentation apart and make it look professional. For instance, if you choose a color scheme for the heading of a slide, be sure to stick with it throughout the presentation.

Tip 3 – Introduce Contrast

So now that you have chosen a color scheme, it is important to use the color scheme to create a visual appeal. Using the same colors on every single slide with the same white background can also sometimes create monotony. This is especially true if we are using a monochromatic color scheme. One such way to combat this is to introduce contrast.

Introduce contrast by reversing font color on a slide

In the previous point, we touched upon the importance of maintaining contrast between the text and the background. This not only makes the slide visually appealing, but also makes the text easy to read. Let’s look at an example –

In the above slide design, the designer has very judiciously created contrast on the slide. Use of white fonts on a darker background makes the text stand out. Likewise, using the dark colored font on a white background creates a great balance and an interesting contrast. Introducing such contrast can enhance the visual appeal of the slides.

Also note the consistency in the color of the icons. While having white colored icons on a blue background wouldn’t be wrong, ensuring that the icons look consistent makes the presentation design very professional.

There are multiple ways to create a contrast on a single slide. Using 2 or 3 variations of the same color for different elements can be another method. However, the aforementioned method is the simplest and easiest to follow for beginners while creating a stunning visual appeal.

Introduce contrast using a contrasting slide

Another method of introducing contrast in your presentation is to use a contrasting slide. While, introducing contrast on a slide by reversing font color is important. Even so, having the same background throughout the presentation can make the PPT monotonous. In such a scenario, we can have a complete slide with a contrasting color to that of the other slides in the presentation. Let’s look at an example –

The above slide added in an array of slides with white background can help break the monotony and break the contrast on our presentation. However, choosing the right slide for such a contrast is important. A general rule of thumb could be to pick the slide with just a few words or a single sentence. Such a contrast can also be introduced if we intend to have a quotation in our presentation.

One important point to note here would be to ensure that we use the primary dark color that we chose while selecting our monochromatic color scheme.

Tip 4 – Choose these fonts

One of the most important aspects of your PPT is the content of your presentation. The content that you would like to communicate can be presented using one of thousands of font choices! (Yes, you read it right! There are literally thousands of fonts out there!). So, how do you choose a font?

A simple rule of thumb is to pick fonts that are clear and legible; fonts that won’t tire the eyes of the reader even with extended looks at your slides. This is especially important when we can’t avoid a few content heavy slides.

Font Styles –

There are various font styles. However, the two most common font styles that we should most definitely consider are Serif and Sans Serif.

Serif fonts have little strokes called “serif” attached at the end of each letter. Serif fonts give a more traditional feel. They are classy, literary and high-end. Serif fonts have been used in books and literature for decades. They are highly legible and our eyes are accustomed to it. These fonts are a great choice if you intend to have too much of text on the slides (note – we generally do not recommend having too much of content on the slides)

Sans Serif fonts don’t carry the strokes at the end of each letter. “Sans” has been derived from the French word “Sanz” which literally means “without”. Thus, the name itself means without Serif. These font types are more modern, and give a clean and a sleek look to your slide designs.

So, which font to choose?

If you wish to go with Serif font type , we recommend Times New Roman . If you think your preference is to go with Sans Serif fonts , we would recommend choosing Calibri or Arial . However, there is no right or wrong. At OwlScape, we do not prefer having too much text on the slides which give our presentations a much more modern feel. Therefore, our default font preference ends up being a Sans Serif font.

A common school of thought is to consider these fonts very boring. However, the reason we not just recommend these to others but in fact also use these fonts in our own presentations is because these fonts work. Times New Roman is a serious and a reliable font, and Arial is a professional font. You simply can’t go wrong with these. They are not boring. Rather, they are safe.

However, if you wish to go beyond these fonts, my next best recommendations would be to use Merriweather (Serif), Roboto (Sans Serif) , Montserrat (Sans Serif) or Source Sans Pro (Sans Serif). Each font has its own characteristic, pros and cons. Use of fonts is an art in itself. Thus, for beginners, we always recommend using Times New Roman, Calibri or Arial.

Keep these things in mind while choosing the fonts

It is important to remember a few things while working with the content on your presentation. They are as follows –

• Choose one font – As a beginner, it is easy to fall into the temptation of using multiple fonts. Using multiple fonts is not a crime. But, it does require a good bit of understanding of the science behind it and the complementary layout in which it can be used. Thus, until you’ve mastered the use of one font, I wouldn’t recommend using multiple fonts in your presentation.
• Alignment – A common problem across presentations is the alignment of the text. My recommendation is to keep the text left aligned. Why? Because the most natural way our eyes read text is from left to right, and top to bottom. Thus, text which is left aligned is easier on the eyes.
• Use Bold font selectively – When we use bold version of the fonts, we are simply increasing the weight of the fonts. The purpose of making the fonts bold is often to guide the attention of the audience. Thus, if the words to be made bold are not chosen wisely, it can defeat the very purpose of using bold fonts. As a rule of thumb, using headings and/or sub-headings, features, important words, and numbers are a good choice to be made bold.
•   Font size – Choosing the right font size can be challenging. This may vary significantly based on your audience size, and the manner in which the presentation is delivered (large audience or small screen through email).  A general rule of thumb would be to go no less than a 30 point font size.
• Choose standard fonts – If you choose to go beyond the three fonts that we have recommended above, ensure that the fonts you choose are standard fonts. This means, they are either part of the Google fonts (for online presentations) or the Microsoft Office font family. You can still choose other fonts, however, do remember to share the fonts that you have used when sharing the presentation file with your colleagues or client. Otherwise, in the absence of the fonts you used, PowerPoint will substitute the presentation with alternative fonts and this can greatly alter the design of your presentation.

Tip 5 – Use images in your presentation

Almost everyone will tell you that using images for your presentation is important. Heck, I’m sure you would have seen at least one of those many TEDx presentations that only have pictures on their PPT.

So why is that? Why is using images in your PPT presentation important? Using images in your presentation is important because it enhances the look and feel of your presentation. Images also increase the retention capability of your audience as our human mind can better retain content when it is related with an image. Moreover, using images judiciously helps break the monotony of the presentation. Sometimes, use of images in your presentation also help to explain the concept better.

Images can make a good presentation great. The importance of using images can not be stressed more. But, when should you be using the images on a slide? Should you use an image on every single slide? While some events like the TEDx format may demand that, but obviously, using images on every single slide may not be the right way to go about making a presentation.

When to use images?

You don’t need an image on every single slide. But there are a few areas where you may want to consider using an image. Let’s look at a few of these –

1. Title slide –

In general, title slides don’t have a lot of text. In such a scenario, simply having plain text in an otherwise blank slide can make it boring. This makes it a perfect slide to have an image on.

2. Product slide –

When talking about your product or a feature of your product, it can make a significant impact when your audience sees the product that you are talking about. Again, a great slide to use images on.

3. Team slide –

There are two ways you could use an image on this slide. If you are introducing an individual member of your team, then having small profile pictures of your team members can be a good idea. Alternatively, you could also use a group photo on your presentation for a team slide.

4. Events & exhibitions –

If you want to talk about the events that your company did, then one of the best ways to do that is to showcase a couple of photos from each event.

5. Office/ site locations –

Some organisations have fantastic offices. If you are an employee of one such organisation and want to talk about features of your office or manufacturing site that offer great benefits for the employees, use pictures!

6. Clients/Partners –

When people talk about using images on their PPT, they often forget that using logos of companies that they have worked with also constitute as images. This can be a great way of using images to enhance visuals of your presentation as opposed to just writing a list of client names.

7. Explaining a concept –

(Image source ) Drag the divider to the left or the right to see the complete image

Sometimes, concepts are better explained visually. Simply having a powerful image can easily and quickly convey the concept to your audience.

The above list is not exhaustive. It is only indicative in nature. There are several other ways and slides on which you can use images. Again, there is no right or wrong, and it is not necessary that you use images for each one of the points mentioned above.

How to find images for your presentation?

There are multiple ways to find an image for your presentation. Here are the top 3 methods that I recommend –

• Using Online Images in PowerPoint – Microsoft has this inbuilt feature within PowerPoint that allows you to get royalty free images from the web directly in your presentation . To use this tool, simply click on “Insert”, then click “Pictures” and select the “Online Pictures” option. You can then simply search for the image that you are looking for.
• Using free image websites – While you can buy images from several different websites, there are a few sites that allow you to get high resolution royalty free images for free. My favourite website is Unsplash . It has got some really cool images, many of which I have used in the actual presentations created for clients.
• Using free, legal Google Images –  Is it really free and legal? Our recommendation is to always stick to the paid websites if possible. If that may be difficult, as much as possible, refrain from using Google Images even though some might be license free to use.

Finding the perfect image for your presentation can be time consuming. In one of our earlier posts, we shared detailed insights on where you can find images for your presentation. Be sure to read more on this topic from this link – https://owlscape.in/can-i-use-google-images-for-my-presentation/

Do’s and don’ts when using images for your PPT

Now that we’ve understood why to use images and which slides to use the images in our presentation, it is important for us to remember a few things when we work with images. Let’s have a look at these points –

Do’s –

• Use legal images – We can’t stress this enough. When you use images for your presentation, please ensure you have legal rights to use the images. Ensure that you give credit wherever it is due.
• Use relevant images – Okay, I agree. This is a bit obvious. But, I’ve seen a lot of people making this mistake. Images that are not relevant can simply fail to make an impact on your audience. If you are struggling to identify what image would be relevant, a simple Google search on the topic name can help you understand what kind of image should be used.

Don’ts –

• Don’t use images that are pixelated – Often, in search of that perfect picture, you may come across images that don’t have a good resolution. As a result, they get pixelated as soon as you put the presentation on a big screen. Ensure that the pixel density is at least 150 dpi for on screen output (ppt viewed on small screen when shared through email) and 300 dpi for a projector output.
• Don’t change the aspect ratio – Don’t change the aspect ratio of the original image. This makes subjects in the image look all weird. The easiest way to avoid this problem would be to lock the aspect ratio. You can do this by selecting the image, and right click, then select “Format Object”. On the format options, click on “Size & Properties” and ensure that there is a check mark for “Lock aspect ratio” option.

Tip 6 – Replace bullets points in your PPT with these

This is a cool tip! I assure you, just by following THIS ONE TIP, your presentation design will  take a jump ahead of a vast majority of the presentations out there. Trust me, this will set you apart.

The problem is that over 65% of the world’s population falls in the age group of 15 – 64 years ( source ). You might be wondering what’s that got to do with bullet points? The thing is that about 90% of this population is responsible for creating presentations, and most of them learned making presentations about 5-10 years ago. This is the period when making bullet points was considered the best way to present the content. So, while the software itself has evolved during this course of time, the skills to present the content hasn’t. While, this is a problem, the cool thing is that just by overcoming this one little challenge, you are ahead of at least a good 50-55% of the presentations that are created every single day!

So what can you do instead of using bullet points? There are broadly 3 ways in which you could get rid of your bullet points. Let’s have a look at them –

Option 1 – Use PowerPoint’s built-in SmartArt function

This is by far the easiest way to replace your bullet points. Microsoft PowerPoint created the SmartArt function with this particular objective in mind. All you need to do is open a blank slide, click on “Insert” tab, then click “SmartArt”, and choose the type of SmartArt that you would like to insert depending on the type of content you have on your slide.

There are a ton of varieties of SmartArt that you would be able pick and choose. You will almost always find an option for the type of content you are having on the slide.

SmartArt is easy and fast. However, while this is great if you are starting out in the world of presentation design, we do not use SmartArt in the designs that we create for our clients at OwlScape. If you have a bit of time at hand, and have a fair idea of working with shapes on PowerPoint, we would strongly recommend using the following methods.

Option 2 – Use Icons as an alternative to bullet points

Icons can easily serve as an alternative to bullet points on PowerPoint. Using icons can be a great way to make your presentation slides visually appealing. The objective of using icons on a PowerPoint slide is really to communicate the point quickly and visually. Thus, it is important to use an icon which is relatable to content.

If you have multiple bullet points, simply identify the key message from each bullet point. Then, identify and search for an icon applicable for that key message. Next, find a simple way to represent it on a slide. The easiest way to do this is to insert a shape, could be rectangle, square, curved square or a circle, and put the icon over the shape. Make sure that the icon is not the same color as that of the shape. I usually recommend using white color icons and changing the color of the shape.

You obviously don’t have to create the icon. You can easily find it in a few quick steps. Simply go to the “Insert” tab, click on “Icons”, and search for the icon you are looking for from the bar that opens up on the right side of the screen.

Option 3 – Use Infographics as an alternative to bullet points

A slightly more advanced method is to use infographics to replace bullet points from your content. Just like icons, infographics add a significant visual appeal to your presentation design. If you have a decent understanding of how to work with shapes, you can easily create infographics for your PPT presentation as well.

In case you are struggling to create your own infographics, you can also buy templates online for a few dollars. There are several websites that can help you find paid infographics.

Tip 7 – Follow the rule of thirds for slide design

This is another great tip that is often missed by most people who create a PowerPoint presentation. The rule of thirds is a concept which has been derived from Photography. Thus, it is obvious that most presentations tend to lack this basic design principle.

Consider the below images –

( Image source ) Drag the divider to the left or the right to see the complete image

Which one looks better? Most of us would find that the content laid out in the image on the left is better of the two. Why? The answer is simple. It is because the design on the slide follows the rule of thirds.

So what is the rule of thirds in PowerPoint? The rule of thirds is a design principle where content is designed and laid out in a way that it follows any combination of a 3 by 3 grid system. Using the rule of thirds in slide design ensures balance to the design of the slide.

To follow the rule of thirds in PowerPoint slide designs, you need to work with guides. Simply open a blank slide, and right click anywhere on the white section of the slide, click on “Grid and Guides”, by clicking the guides option, it will bring up two thin dotted grey lines on your slide. By adding guides, you can create a 3 by 3 grid system.

To help our users understand this important concept, we intend to write a detailed article on how to work with grids and guides on PowerPoint, and we will update the link in this section soon. Be sure to come back to this article and check this section out.

Now that we’ve seen how the 3 by 3 grid looks, let’s go back to the image on the left.

Notice how the image has taken the top ⅔ rd of the slide horizontally. Also note the manner in which the 3 points are laid out in the three grids horizontally. Just by arranging the various elements in the grid system gives a well balanced design to the slide.

We highly recommend learning the grid system using the guides and following the rule of third even if you are a beginner. This will vastly improve your slide designs. The best part is – working with guides is very easy to learn and it only takes a few minutes.

I hope the aforementioned tips will greatly improve the designs of your PowerPoint slides, and help you impress your managers, colleagues and audience. Follow these design tips and you will almost always be able to create an effective presentation.

Our goal on this blog is to create content that helps YOU create fantastic presentations; especially if you have never been a designer. We’ve started our blog with non-designers in mind, and we have got some amazing content on our site to help you design better.

If you have any topics in mind that you would want us to write about, be sure to drop us a comment below. In case you need us to work with you and improve the design of your presentation, write to us on [email protected] . Our team will be happy to help you with your requirements.

Lastly, your contribution can make this world a better place with better presentations. All you have to do is simply share this blog in your network and help other fellow non-designers with their designs!

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How to Make a Beautiful PowerPoint Presentation: A Simple Guide

Ready to craft a beautiful and attention-grabbing powerpoint presentation we’ll walk you through slideshow design tips, show you some tricks to maximize your powerpoint skills, and give you everything you need to look really good next time you’re up in front of a crowd..

In this post, we’ll cover:

Key Elements of Winning PowerPoints

Illustrative, not generic, supportive, not distracting, inspiring and engaging, other considerations when creating a slideshow.

How many times have you sat through a poorly designed business presentation that was dull, cluttered, and distracting? Probably way too many. Even though we all loathe a boring presentation, when it comes time to make our own, do we really do any better?

The good news is you don’t have to be a professional designer to make professional presentations. We’ve put together a few simple guidelines you can follow to create a beautifully assembled deck.

We’ll walk you through some slide design tips, show you tricks to maximize your PowerPoint skills, and give you everything you need to look really good next time you’re up in front of a crowd.

And, while PowerPoint remains one of the biggest names in presentation software, many of these design elements and principles work in Google Slides, as well.

Let’s dive right in.

1. Use Layout to Your Advantage

Layout is one of the most powerful visual elements in design, and it’s a simple, effective way to control the flow and visual hierarchy of information. It’s also one of the most important elements to consider when thinking about how to make your PowerPoint look better.

For example, most Western languages read left to right, top to bottom. Knowing this natural reading order, you can direct people’s eyes in a deliberate way to certain key parts of a slide that you want to emphasize.

You can also guide your audience with simple tweaks to the layout. Use text size and alternating fonts or colors to distinguish headlines from body text.

Placement also matters. There are many unorthodox ways to structure a slide, but most audience members will have to take a few beats to organize the information in their head—that’s precious time better spent listening to your delivery and retaining information.

Try to structure your slides more like this:

And not like this:

Layout is one of the trickier PowerPoint design concepts to master, which is why we have these free PowerPoint templates already laid out for you. Use them as a jumping off point for your own presentation, or use them wholesale!

Presentation templates can give you a huge leg up as you start working on your design.

2. No Sentences

This is one of the most critical slide design tips. Slides are simplified, visual notecards that capture and reinforce main ideas, not complete thoughts.

As the speaker, you should be delivering most of the content and information, not putting it all on the slides for everyone to read (and probably ignore). If your audience is reading your presentation instead of listening to you deliver it, your message has lost its effectiveness.

Pare down your core message and use keywords to convey it. Try to avoid complete sentences unless you’re quoting someone or something.

Stick with this:

And avoid this:

3. Follow the 6×6 Rule

One of the cardinal sins of a bad PowerPoint is cramming too many details and ideas on one slide, which makes it difficult for people to retain information. Leaving lots of “white space” on a slide helps people focus on your key points.

Try using the 6×6 rule to keep your content concise and clean looking. The 6×6 rule means a maximum of six bullet points per slide and six words per bullet. In fact, some people even say you should never have more than six words per slide!

Just watch out for “orphans” (when the last word of a sentence/phrase spills over to the next line). This looks cluttered. Either fit it onto one line or add another word to the second line.

Slides should never have this much information:

4. Keep the Colors Simple

Stick to simple light and dark colors and a defined color palette for visual consistency. Exceptionally bright text can cause eye fatigue, so use those colors sparingly. Dark text on a light background or light text on a dark background will work well. Also avoid intense gradients, which can make text hard to read.

If you’re presenting on behalf of your brand, check what your company’s brand guidelines are. Companies often have a primary brand color and a secondary brand color , and it’s a good idea to use them in your presentation to align with your company’s brand identity and style.

If you’re looking for color inspiration for your next presentation, check out our 101 Color Combinations , where you can browse tons of eye-catching color palettes curated by a pro. When you find the one you like, just type the corresponding color code into your presentation formatting tools.

Here are more of our favorite free color palettes for presentations:

• 10 Color Palettes to Nail Your Next Presentation
• 10 Energizing Sports Color Palettes for Branding and Marketing
• 10 Vintage Color Palettes Inspired by the Decades

No matter what color palette or combination you choose, you want to keep the colors of your PowerPoint presentation simple and easy to read, like this:

Stay away from color combinations like this:

5. Use Sans-Serif Fonts

Traditionally, serif fonts (Times New Roman, Garamond, Bookman) are best for printed pages, and sans-serif fonts (Helvetica, Tahoma, Verdana) are easier to read on screens.

These are always safe choices, but if you’d like to add some more typographic personality , try exploring our roundup of the internet’s best free fonts . You’ll find everything from classic serifs and sans serifs to sophisticated modern fonts and splashy display fonts. Just keep legibility top of mind when you’re making your pick.

Try to stick with one font, or choose two at the most. Fonts have very different personalities and emotional impacts, so make sure your font matches the tone, purpose, and content of your presentation.

6. Stick to 30pt Font or Larger

Many experts agree that your font size for a PowerPoint presentation should be at least 30pt. Sticking to this guideline ensures your text is readable. It also forces you, due to space limitations, to explain your message efficiently and include only the most important points. .

7. Avoid Overstyling the Text

Three of the easiest and most effective ways to draw attention to text are:

• A change in color

Our eyes are naturally drawn to things that stand out, but use these changes sparingly. Overstyling can make the slide look busy and distracting.

8. Choose the Right Images

The images you choose for your presentation are perhaps as important as the message. You want images that not only support the message, but also elevate it—a rare accomplishment in the often dry world of PowerPoint.

But, what is the right image? We’ll be honest. There’s no direct answer to this conceptual, almost mystical subject, but we can break down some strategies for approaching image selection that will help you curate your next presentation.

The ideal presentation images are:

• Inspirational

These may seem like vague qualities, but the general idea is to go beyond the literal. Think about the symbols in an image and the story they tell. Think about the colors and composition in an image and the distinct mood they set for your presentation.

With this approach, you can get creative in your hunt for relatable, authentic, and inspirational images. Here are some more handy guidelines for choosing great images.

Tips on Making Beautiful PowerPoint Presentations

So, the slide in question is about collaborating as a team. Naturally, you look for images of people meeting in a boardroom, right?

While it’s perfectly fine to go super literal, sometimes these images fall flat—what’s literal doesn’t necessarily connect to your audience emotionally. Will they really respond to generic images of people who aren’t them meeting in a boardroom?

In the absence of a photo of your actual team—or any other image that directly illustrates the subject at hand—look for images of convincing realism and humanity that capture the idea of your message.

Doing so connects with viewers, allowing them to connect with your message. This is one way to learn how to make your PowerPoint stand out and ensure a dynamic presentation PowerPoint.

The image above can be interpreted in many ways. But, when we apply it to slide layout ideas about collaboration, the meaning is clear.

It doesn’t hurt that there’s a nice setting and good photography, to boot.

Now that we’ve told you to get creative with your image selection, the next lesson is to rein that in. While there are infinite choices of imagery out there, there’s a limit to what makes sense in your presentation.

Let’s say you’re giving an IT presentation to new employees. You might think that image of two dogs snuggling by a fire is relatable, authentic, and inspirational, but does it really say “data management” to your audience?

To find the best supporting images, try searching terms on the periphery of your actual message. You’ll find images that complement your message rather than distract from it.

In the IT presentation example, instead of “data connections” or another literal term, try the closely related “traffic” or “connectivity.” This will bring up images outside of tech, but relative to the idea of how things move.

There’s a widespread misconception that business presentations are just about delivering information. Well, they’re not. In fact, a great presentation is inspirational. We don’t mean that your audience should be itching to paint a masterpiece when they’re done. In this case, inspiration is about engagement.

Is your audience asking themselves questions? Are they coming up with new ideas? Are they remembering key information to tap into later? You’ll drive a lot of this engagement with your actual delivery, but unexpected images can play a role, as well.

When you use more abstract or aspirational images, your audience will have room to make their own connections. This not only means they’re paying attention, but they’re also engaging with and retaining your message.

To find the right abstract or unconventional imagery, search terms related to the tone of the presentation. This may include images with different perspectives like overhead shots and aerials, long exposures taken over a period of time, nature photos , colorful markets , and so on.

The big idea here is akin to including an image of your adorable dog making a goofy face at the end of an earnings meeting. It leaves an audience with a good, human feeling after you just packed their brains with data.

Use that concept of pleasant surprise when you’re selecting images for your presentation.

Related Resources:

• Colors: Palettes, Schemes, Combinations, and Hex Codes
• Free Image Converter: PNG, JPEG, or WEBP
• Free Image Design and Editing Tools
• Free Image Resizer: Small, Medium, Large, and Custom Sizes
• Free JPG to PNG Converter
• Free WEBP to JPG Converter

Setting Appropriate Image Resolution in PowerPoint

Want to learn how to make a PowerPoint look good? Though you can drag-and-drop images into PowerPoint, you can control the resolution displayed within the file.

All of your PowerPoint slide layout ideas should get the same treatment to be equal in size.

Simply click File > Compress Pictures in the main application menu.

If your presentation file is big and will only be viewed online, you can take it down to On-screen , then check the Apply to: All pictures in this file , and rest assured the quality will be uniform.

This resolution is probably fine for proofing over email, but too low for your presentation layout ideas. For higher res in printed form, try the Print setting, which at 220 PPI is extremely good quality.

For large-screens such as projection, use the HD setting, since enlarging to that scale will show any deficiencies in resolution. Low resolution can not only distract from the message, but it looks low-quality and that reflects on the presenter.

If size is no issue for you, use High Fidelity (maximum PPI), and only reduce if the file size gives your computer problems.

The image quality really begins when you add the images to the presentation file. Use the highest quality images you can, then let PowerPoint scale the resolution down for you, reducing the excess when set to HD or lower.

Resizing, Editing, and Adding Effects to Images in PowerPoint

PowerPoint comes with an arsenal of tools to work with your images. When a picture is selected, the confusingly named Picture Format menu is activated in the top menu bar, and Format Picture is opened on the right side of the app window.

In the Format Picture menu (on the right) are four sections, and each of these sections expand to show their options by clicking the arrows by the name:

• Fill & Line (paint bucket icon): Contains options for the box’s colors, patterns, gradients, and background fills, along with options for its outline.
• Effects (pentagon icon): Contains Shadow, Reflection, Glow, Soft Edges, 3-D Format and Rotation, and Artistic Effects.
• Size & Properties (dimensional icon): Size, Position, and Text Box allow you to control the physical size and placement of the picture or text boxes.
• Picture (mountain icon): Picture Corrections, Colors, and Transparency give you control over how the image looks. Under Crop, you can change the size of the box containing the picture, instead of the entire picture itself as in Size & Properties above.

The menu at the top is more expansive, containing menu presets for Corrections, Color, Effects, Animation, and a lot more. This section is where you can crop more precisely than just choosing the dimensions from the Picture pane on the right.

Cropping Images in PowerPoint

The simple way to crop an image is to use the Picture pane under the Format Picture menu on the right side of the window. Use the Picture Position controls to move the picture inside its box, or use the Crop position controls to manipulate the box’s dimensions.

To exert more advanced control, or use special shapes, select the picture you want to crop, then click the Picture Format in the top menu to activate it.

Hit the Crop button, then use the controls on the picture’s box to size by eye. Or, click the arrow to show more options, including changing the shape of the box (for more creative looks) and using preset aspect ratios for a more uniform presentation of images.

The next time you design a PowerPoint presentation, remember that simplicity is key and less is more. By adopting these simple slide design tips, you’ll deliver a clear, powerful visual message to your audience.

If you want to go with a PowerPoint alternative instead, you can use Shutterstock Create to easily craft convincing, engaging, and informative presentations.

With many presentation template designs, you’ll be sure to find something that is a perfect fit for your next corporate presentation. You can download your designs as a .pdf file and import them into both PowerPoint and Google Slides presentation decks.

PowerPoint Presentations FAQs

What is the 5 5 5 rule in powerpoint.

The 5 5 5 rule in PowerPoint is fairly simple: 5 lines per slide, each line with no more than 5 words, and make sure your presentation is no longer than 5 minutes.

How long should your PowerPoint be?

A PowerPoint can be as long as it needs to be, but some people—and the 5 5 5 rule—advise you to keep five minutes or shorter.

What is the easiest way to make a PowerPoint prettier?

Beyond using eye-catching imagery and colors, a pretty PowerPoint should also follow good design principles. You want the information to be organized, balanced, and easy to digest. It doesn’t matter how many appealing images you include are if the information is hard to internalize. Use appropriate fonts and shorts sentences to make sure the words are legible and don’t crowd the slides with too many elements.

License this cover image via F8 studio and Ryan DeBerardinis .

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Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Presentations > How to make your presentations more attractive

How to make your presentations more attractive

Showcasing an attractive presentation can captivate your audience and convey your message effectively. Learn how to make your presentations beautiful with these PowerPoint design tips.

How to make presentations look better

PowerPoint is a popular presentation software for a reason: its graphic and text elements are all versatile enough to tailor to your content and source material. Here are some guidelines that can mark the difference between a serviceable presentation and a truly memorable one:

Tell your story with captivating presentations

Powerpoint empowers you to develop well-designed content across all your devices

Consider your presentation’s layout and placement

Well-placed disparate elements such as headlines, text blocks, and graphics ease the flow of information, steering your audience smoothly and in subtle ways. For example, most people in the Western world tend to read from left to right—so placing your text on the left means that it’ll be seen and emphasized first over any charts or visual graphics. Ensure that your headline is the first and strongest element for your audience to see, so that they can be anchored to the ensuing content.

Replace sentences with bullet points

Instead of being the sole focus of your content, a slideshow presentation should offer support to your content by summarizing key points and providing reference. Therefore, avoid overloading the audience with full sentences or paragraphs to read. This bogs down the flow and rhythm of your presentation and forces audience members to read information at different speeds.

Don’t overload the audience with visuals

The key to successful presentations is balancing visual aids and your own presentation skills . Overloading a slide with too many charts or graphics raises the chances that important information will be lost. A simple way to achieve this balance is to employ the 6×6 rule: no more than six bullet points per slide, with up to six words per bullet point. This ensures that short, punchy information stays in people’s minds almost like a motto or slogan.

Use simple, compelling images

Whether you’re using stock photos or custom graphics, a well-placed image will be able to set the tone and mood of your presentation. Select images that elevate the message on the slide, without seeming too literal. For example, if you’re presenting on the topic of economic conditions, a high-quality image of climbers on a mountain will convey a theme of stability, achievement, and rising success.

Consider the color wheel

One of the most important tools at your disposal when creating a presentation is your color selection. The color wheel shows the relationships between different hues and shades so you can illustrate text and framing. Using complementary colors draws contrast so that your audience isn’t just looking at similar hues—which might lead to eyestrain and fatigue.

Browse templates and customize them to your advantage

PowerPoint offers many attractive and adaptable templates that reflect your presentation’s content. For example, are you presenting something fun for a PowerPoint night ? Consider a vibrant and striking design that complements your subject matter. If you’re presenting on more serious matters, use formal and minimalistic templates to let your content do the talking.

Good, aesthetic presentations don’t have to be difficult or intimidating. Check out more presentation tips and ideas to help you succeed in front of any audience.

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17 PowerPoint Presentation Tips From Pro Presenters [+ Templates]

FREE POWERPOINT TEMPLATES

Learn easy tricks to improve your PowerPoint designs and snag these free templates.

Updated: 04/26/24

Published: 09/18/13

Updated: April 26, 2024

Published: September 18, 2013

PowerPoint presentations can be professional, attractive, and really help your audience remember your message.

If you don’t have much experience, that’s okay — I’m going to arm you with PowerPoint design tips from pro presenters, the steps you need to build an engaging deck, and templates to help you nail great slide design.

Download Now

Buckle up for a variety of step-by-step explanations as well as tips and tricks to help you start mastering this program. There are additional resources woven in, and you’ll find expert perspectives from other HubSpotters along the way.

Table of Contents

How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation

Powerpoint presentation tips.

Microsoft PowerPoint is like a test of basic professional skills, and each PowerPoint is basically a presentation made of multiple slides.

Successful PowerPoints depend on three main factors: your command of PowerPoint's design tools, your attention to presentation processes, and being consistent with your style.

Keep those in mind as we jump into PowerPoint's capabilities.

Getting Started

1. open powerpoint and click ‘new.’.

A page with templates will usually open automatically, but if not, go to the top left pane of your screen and click New . If you’ve already created a presentation, select Open and then double-click the icon to open the existing file.

10 Free PowerPoint Templates

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Creating PowerPoint Slides

3. insert a slide..

Insert a new slide by clicking on the Home tab and then the New Slide button. Consider what content you want to put on the slide, including heading, text, and imagery.

• Finally, PowerPoint Live is a new tool that enables you to do more seamless presentations during video calls and may be a better overall match for doing presentations remotely. Check out this video:

11. Try Using GIFs.

12 Free Customizable Resume Templates

Fill out this form to access your free professionally-designed templates, available on:

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15. Embed multimedia.

PowerPoint allows you to either link to video/audio files externally or to embed the media directly in your presentation. For PCs, two great reasons for embedding are:

• Embedding allows you to play media directly in your presentation. It will look much more professional than switching between windows.
• Embedding also means that the file stays within the PowerPoint presentation, so it should play normally without extra work (except on a Mac).

If you use PowerPoint for Mac it gets a bit complicated, but it can be done:

• Always bring the video and/or audio file with you in the same folder as the PowerPoint presentation.
• Only insert video or audio files once the presentation and the containing folder have been saved on a portable drive in their permanent folder.
• If the presentation will be played on a Windows computer, then Mac users need to make sure their multimedia files are in WMV format.
• Consider using the same operating system for designing and presenting, no matter what.

16. Bring your own hardware.

Between operating systems, PowerPoint is still a bit jumpy. Even between differing PPT versions, things can change. The easiest fix? Just bring along your own laptop when you're presenting.

The next easiest fix is to upload your PowerPoint presentation into Google Slides as a backup option — just make sure there is a good internet connection and a browser available where you plan to present.

Google Slides is a cloud-based presentation software that will show up the same way on all operating systems.

To import your PowerPoint presentation into Google Slides:

• Navigate to slides.google.com . Make sure you’re signed in to a Google account (preferably your own).
• Under Start a new presentation , click the empty box with a plus sign. This will open up a blank presentation.
• Go to File , then Import slides .
• A dialog box will come up. Tap Upload.
• Click Select a file from your device .
• Select your presentation and click Open .
• Select the slides you’d like to import. If you want to import all of them, click All in the upper right-hand corner of the dialog box.
• Click Import slides.

When I tested this out, Google Slides imported everything perfectly, including a shape whose points I had manipulated. This is a good backup option to have if you’ll be presenting across different operating systems.

17. Use Presenter View.

In most presentation situations, there will be both a presenter’s screen and the main projected display for your presentation.

PowerPoint has a great tool called Presenter View, which can be found in the Slide Show tab of PowerPoint. Included in the Presenter View is an area for notes, a timer/clock, and a presentation display.

For many presenters, this tool can help unify their spoken presentation and their visual aid. You never want to make the PowerPoint seem like a stack of notes that you’re reading off of.

Use the Presenter View option to help create a more natural presentation.

Pro Tip: At the start of the presentation, you should also hit CTRL + H to make the cursor disappear. Hitting the “A” key will bring it back if you need it.

Your Next Great PowerPoint Presentation Starts Here

Now that you have these style, design, and presentation tips under your belt, you should feel confident to create your PowerPoint presentation.

But if you can explore other resources to make sure your content hits the mark. After all, you need a strong presentation to land your point and make an impression.

With several templates to choose from — both in PowerPoint and available for free download — you can swiftly be on your way to creating presentations that wow your audiences.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in September 2013 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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A step-by-step guide to captivating PowerPoint presentation design

november 20, 2023

by Corporate PowerPoint Girl

Do you often find yourself stuck with a lackluster PowerPoint presentation, desperately seeking ways to make it more engaging and visually appealing? If your boss has ever told you to "please fix" a presentation and you didn't know where to start, you're not alone. In this article, we'll walk you through a straightforward method to transform your PowerPoint slides into a visually captivating masterpiece. 

Let's dive right in! 

Clean up your slides 

The first step in this journey to presentation excellence is all about decluttering your slides and elevating their impact. Say goodbye to those uninspiring bullet points that often dominate presentations. Instead, focus on what truly matters – the key call-out numbers. By increasing the font size of these numbers, you ensure they take center stage, immediately drawing your audience's attention. 

To make those numbers pop, consider breaking the text after the numbers into the next line and adding a touch of color. The contrast created by pairing a dark color with a lighter shade, like dark teal and light teal or burnt orange with peach, can work wonders. This simple adjustment makes your data more engaging , enhancing the overall impact of your presentation. 

Add dimension with boxes 

Now, let's introduce an element of depth and organization to your slides. By adding boxes, you'll create a visually pleasing structure that guides your audience through the content. In the "Insert" menu, select "Table" and opt for a one-by-one table. Change the table color to a light gray shade, elongate it, and position it neatly to the left of your text. 

To improve readability and aesthetics, increase the spacing between text phrases. A small adjustment in the before spacing setting (setting it to 48) significantly enhances the visual appeal of your slides. 

Insert circles 

To further enhance the visual appeal and engagement of your slides, let's introduce circles. In the Insert menu, navigate to Shapes and choose the circle. Adjust the circle's height and width to 1.2, ensuring it complements your content seamlessly. Match the circle's shape fill color with the corresponding text color for a harmonious look. 

Avoid using colored outlines for the circles, as they may distract from the overall aesthetic. This simple addition of circles adds an element of visual interest to your presentation, making it more captivating. 

Choose icons 

Now, it's time for a touch of creativity. Selecting icons to complement your text can elevate the clarity and appeal of your slides. In the "Insert" menu, you can search for relevant keywords to find the perfect icon from PowerPoint's extensive library . 

For instance, if your text discusses investment portfolio yield, search for "growth" and choose an upward arrow growth icon. These icons add an extra layer of visual appeal and clarity to your content, making it more engaging and informative. 

Final touches 

To wrap up the transformation process, we come to the final touches that give your presentation a polished, professional finish. Align your icons with their corresponding circles and change the shape fill color to white. This simple adjustment creates a crisp, cohesive look that ties everything together seamlessly. 

In conclusion, by following these steps, you've embarked on a journey to enhance your PowerPoint presentation . These initial steps are just the beginning of your exploration into the world of design elements and styles that can cater to your specific presentation needs. The key to a stunning PowerPoint presentation lies in the details. By following these steps, you can turn a lackluster set of slides into a visually engaging and dynamic presentation that will captivate your audience. So, the next time your boss says, "Please fix," you'll know exactly where to start. Happy presenting! 

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