creating and delivering online presentations

How to Give a Great Online Presentation: 11 Pro Tips

Giving a presentation online is much more difficult than presenting in front of a live audience.

People get distracted easily. You can’t read the room. Often, you can’t even see your audience.

Because of this, it’s hard to engage and captivate your participants.

Hard, indeed. But not impossible.

I put together these 11 tips that will help you turn your online presentation from good to great.

And don’t just take my word for it.

Among these tips, you’ll also find the wisdom of  Nathan Gold , high-stakes presentation coach, and seasoned keynote speaker, and Gibson Biddle , former VP of Product at Netflix, now a teacher, speaker, and workshop host.

Ready to take your online presentation to the next level?

#1. Cut the number of your slides and simplify them

Don’t overwhelm your online audience with too many slides or they may easily zone out. In case you have more material, consider splitting the presentation into two sessions.

Also, make your slides minimalistic. One idea, one quote, or one number per slide is ideal. This will make the information more digestible and draw attention to what you’re saying instead of forcing people to read.

#2. Use the rule of three

A good structure helps people follow your story and understand your presented content better. Gibson Biddle recommends following the rule of three because:

• 3 items are easy to remember
• They help you minimize your text
• 3 chapters provide guideposts for the content of your presentation

The rule of three will help you hold the message of your talk together nicely.

Apply it in the design of your slides (3 bullet points a slide), or use it to structure your whole presentation (three main takeaways).

#3. Fail to rehearse at your own peril

Improvisation has a certain appeal, for sure. But don’t leave your online presentation to a chance. Take your time and rehearse your talk well. Otherwise, your online gig might come across as unprofessional and messy.

I usually give as much as one hour of rehearsal time for every minute of my talk before any large presentation that I give.

Nathan Gold goes even beyond that. In this webinar, he says that whenever he trains TED and TEDx speakers, he asks them to commit to around two hours of out-loud practice for every minute of their talk.

Of course, the length and intensity of your preparation is entirely up to you. What’s important is that you’re confident about how you’re prepared. At least, though, run through your slides and content about an hour before your talk and rehearse your opening well so that you start strong.

#4. Start with a strong hook

Speaking of starting strong. Captivate your audience right from the start of your presentation. Open your talk with a powerful statement, story, thought-provoking question, or an eye-opening number.

See our new vlog below where I share 5 types of hooks to open your presentation with.

Another great practice is to actively involve your audience in your talk right from the beginning. Let the tech aid you there.

In his webinar on how to captivate an online audience, Nathan Gold kicked things off with an interactive word cloud : Using one word, describe how you feel about presenting online.

This way, he learned something more about his audience and was able to address their concerns throughout his presentation.

To make it more impactful, he repeated the same word cloud at the end of his webinar to see how his participants’ feelings changed after his presentation. The result was remarkable. Watch it here at 31:30 .

#5. Quiz your audience

A quiz is another brilliant way to start (or finish) your online presentation. Running a quiz is fun for your participants and allows you to connect and “talk” with your audience even if you can’t see them.

Prepare a short, four to six-question quiz on the topic of your presentation and let your participants guess away. You can even motivate your audience to participate by giving away some small treats for the winners.

Tools such as Slido allow you to create your online quiz in a couple of minutes and run it during your online speech, webinar, or workshop.

Read also: Step-by-Step Guide for Hosting a Great Online Quiz

#6. Use a backdrop or a virtual background

Even if the situation forces you to give your presentation from your home, avoid letting your audience peek into your kitchen or living room. You will appear much more professional against a plain wall or a special backdrop that you can install easily in your room.

If your video conferencing tool allows you to set up a virtual background (such as Zoom ), choose one that’s pleasing but not disturbing for your audience to look at.

Canva put together an awesome virtual background library, you can pick one from here .

#7. Position your web camera at eye-level

Even if you can’t always see your audience, that doesn’t mean you can’t be looking them in the eyes.

Nathan Gold advises moving your laptop/phone camera up so it’s approximately your eye level. This way, it will appear as if you’re looking right at your audience which feels much more natural.

You can also play around with tripods and stands to achieve the most comfortable position for you. For example, Nathan has his web camera mounted on a tripod in front of his computer screen which allows him to look at his slides while still being glued to the camera.

#8. Prepare secret notes

Here’s another great hack from Nathan Gold that will help you keep an eye-contact with your online audience.

If you want to keep notes to remind you about some important things you want to mention during your presentation, write them down on sticky notes and stick them behind your camera, close enough for you to read through them comfortably.

This way, your audience won’t even notice that you’re glancing at your notes (as opposed to looking down when reading from your notebook).

#9. Keep engaging with your participants

Throughout your presentation, space out several interaction points that will bring your attendees back in case they tuned out. Take inspiration from Gibson Biddle who likes to break the dynamic of his webinars and workshops by asking his audience questions through live polls .

Live polls offer you a great chance to open a conversation with your audience, get their instant feedback on your presented material, and collect their opinions.

Since people tend to lose attention when attending a presentation online, re-engaging them throughout your talk is even more important. When I present online, I space out live polls every about 5-7 minutes, as opposed to every 7-10 minutes in the live setting.

Another great way to interact with your audience is to let them ask you questions. Collect your participants’ questions using Slido Q&A and then answer their questions at the end of your online presentation.

#10. Have a wrap-up slide to summarize your points

By the end of your presentation, conclude your talk by summing up all the important messages and key lessons on a separate slide. You’ll draw the full circle and your audience will get a nice overview of what they learned.

Or, end your presentation with a call to action or a tangible next step for your audience to do. Encourage your participants to try practices that you shared, provide actionable steps they should follow, and share ways for them to keep in touch with you.

#11. Ask for feedback

Feedback is the best gift your attendees can give you in return for the learnings that you shared throughout your talk. Without it, you don’t know what your audience liked or disliked. In other words, you can’t improve.

Create a simple feedback survey and ask your participants to fill it out at the end of your talk.

Make it easy for your audience to participate in the survey. For example, during his webinar, Gibson had a QR code displayed on the screen and described in detail how the participants should scan the code and take the survey.

The feedback form can be really simple – three questions will do.

Try something like:

• On a scale of 1-10, how did you like this presentation? (Rating)
• What is the one thing that you liked about today’s talk? (Open text)
• What’s the one thing that could have been better? (Open text)

To sum it all up

I hope that by now you’re more confident about presenting online and that the above tips will make you a better online speaker.

See how Slido can help you make your next online talk more engaging for your audience. Try live polls, quizzes, or Q&A and take your online presentation from good to truly great.

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How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

By Krystle Wong , Jul 20, 2023

A top-notch presentation possesses the power to drive action. From winning stakeholders over and conveying a powerful message to securing funding — your secret weapon lies within the realm of creating an effective presentation .  

Being an excellent presenter isn’t confined to the boardroom. Whether you’re delivering a presentation at work, pursuing an academic career, involved in a non-profit organization or even a student, nailing the presentation game is a game-changer.

In this article, I’ll cover the top qualities of compelling presentations and walk you through a step-by-step guide on how to give a good presentation. Here’s a little tip to kick things off: for a headstart, check out Venngage’s collection of free presentation templates . They are fully customizable, and the best part is you don’t need professional design skills to make them shine!

These valuable presentation tips cater to individuals from diverse professional backgrounds, encompassing business professionals, sales and marketing teams, educators, trainers, students, researchers, non-profit organizations, public speakers and presenters. 

No matter your field or role, these tips for presenting will equip you with the skills to deliver effective presentations that leave a lasting impression on any audience.

Click to jump ahead:

What are the 10 qualities of a good presentation?

Step-by-step guide on how to prepare an effective presentation, 9 effective techniques to deliver a memorable presentation, faqs on making a good presentation, how to create a presentation with venngage in 5 steps.

When it comes to giving an engaging presentation that leaves a lasting impression, it’s not just about the content — it’s also about how you deliver it. Wondering what makes a good presentation? Well, the best presentations I’ve seen consistently exhibit these 10 qualities:

1. Clear structure

No one likes to get lost in a maze of information. Organize your thoughts into a logical flow, complete with an introduction, main points and a solid conclusion. A structured presentation helps your audience follow along effortlessly, leaving them with a sense of satisfaction at the end.

Regardless of your presentation style , a quality presentation starts with a clear roadmap. Browse through Venngage’s template library and select a presentation template that aligns with your content and presentation goals. Here’s a good presentation example template with a logical layout that includes sections for the introduction, main points, supporting information and a conclusion: 

2. Engaging opening

Hook your audience right from the start with an attention-grabbing statement, a fascinating question or maybe even a captivating anecdote. Set the stage for a killer presentation!

The opening moments of your presentation hold immense power – check out these 15 ways to start a presentation to set the stage and captivate your audience.

3. Relevant content

Make sure your content aligns with their interests and needs. Your audience is there for a reason, and that’s to get valuable insights. Avoid fluff and get straight to the point, your audience will be genuinely excited.

4. Effective visual aids

Picture this: a slide with walls of text and tiny charts, yawn! Visual aids should be just that—aiding your presentation. Opt for clear and visually appealing slides, engaging images and informative charts that add value and help reinforce your message.

With Venngage, visualizing data takes no effort at all. You can import data from CSV or Google Sheets seamlessly and create stunning charts, graphs and icon stories effortlessly to showcase your data in a captivating and impactful way.

5. Clear and concise communication

Keep your language simple, and avoid jargon or complicated terms. Communicate your ideas clearly, so your audience can easily grasp and retain the information being conveyed. This can prevent confusion and enhance the overall effectiveness of the message. 

6. Engaging delivery

Spice up your presentation with a sprinkle of enthusiasm! Maintain eye contact, use expressive gestures and vary your tone of voice to keep your audience glued to the edge of their seats. A touch of charisma goes a long way!

7. Interaction and audience engagement

Turn your presentation into an interactive experience — encourage questions, foster discussions and maybe even throw in a fun activity. Engaged audiences are more likely to remember and embrace your message.

Transform your slides into an interactive presentation with Venngage’s dynamic features like pop-ups, clickable icons and animated elements. Engage your audience with interactive content that lets them explore and interact with your presentation for a truly immersive experience.

8. Effective storytelling

Who doesn’t love a good story? Weaving relevant anecdotes, case studies or even a personal story into your presentation can captivate your audience and create a lasting impact. Stories build connections and make your message memorable.

A great presentation background is also essential as it sets the tone, creates visual interest and reinforces your message. Enhance the overall aesthetics of your presentation with these 15 presentation background examples and captivate your audience’s attention.

9. Well-timed pacing

Pace your presentation thoughtfully with well-designed presentation slides, neither rushing through nor dragging it out. Respect your audience’s time and ensure you cover all the essential points without losing their interest.

10. Strong conclusion

Last impressions linger! Summarize your main points and leave your audience with a clear takeaway. End your presentation with a bang , a call to action or an inspiring thought that resonates long after the conclusion.

In-person presentations aside, acing a virtual presentation is of paramount importance in today’s digital world. Check out this guide to learn how you can adapt your in-person presentations into virtual presentations . 

Preparing an effective presentation starts with laying a strong foundation that goes beyond just creating slides and notes. One of the quickest and best ways to make a presentation would be with the help of a good presentation software . 

Otherwise, let me walk you to how to prepare for a presentation step by step and unlock the secrets of crafting a professional presentation that sets you apart.

1. Understand the audience and their needs

Before you dive into preparing your masterpiece, take a moment to get to know your target audience. Tailor your presentation to meet their needs and expectations , and you’ll have them hooked from the start!

2. Conduct thorough research on the topic

Time to hit the books (or the internet)! Don’t skimp on the research with your presentation materials — dive deep into the subject matter and gather valuable insights . The more you know, the more confident you’ll feel in delivering your presentation.

3. Organize the content with a clear structure

No one wants to stumble through a chaotic mess of information. Outline your presentation with a clear and logical flow. Start with a captivating introduction, follow up with main points that build on each other and wrap it up with a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

Delivering an effective business presentation hinges on captivating your audience, and Venngage’s professionally designed business presentation templates are tailor-made for this purpose. With thoughtfully structured layouts, these templates enhance your message’s clarity and coherence, ensuring a memorable and engaging experience for your audience members.

Don’t want to build your presentation layout from scratch? pick from these 5 foolproof presentation layout ideas that won’t go wrong. 

4. Develop visually appealing and supportive visual aids

Spice up your presentation with eye-catching visuals! Create slides that complement your message, not overshadow it. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t mean you need to overload your slides with text.

Well-chosen designs create a cohesive and professional look, capturing your audience’s attention and enhancing the overall effectiveness of your message. Here’s a list of carefully curated PowerPoint presentation templates and great background graphics that will significantly influence the visual appeal and engagement of your presentation.

5. Practice, practice and practice

Practice makes perfect — rehearse your presentation and arrive early to your presentation to help overcome stage fright. Familiarity with your material will boost your presentation skills and help you handle curveballs with ease.

6. Seek feedback and make necessary adjustments

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and seek feedback from friends and colleagues. Constructive criticism can help you identify blind spots and fine-tune your presentation to perfection.

With Venngage’s real-time collaboration feature , receiving feedback and editing your presentation is a seamless process. Group members can access and work on the presentation simultaneously and edit content side by side in real-time. Changes will be reflected immediately to the entire team, promoting seamless teamwork.

7. Prepare for potential technical or logistical issues

Prepare for the unexpected by checking your equipment, internet connection and any other potential hiccups. If you’re worried that you’ll miss out on any important points, you could always have note cards prepared. Remember to remain focused and rehearse potential answers to anticipated questions.

8. Fine-tune and polish your presentation

As the big day approaches, give your presentation one last shine. Review your talking points, practice how to present a presentation and make any final tweaks. Deep breaths — you’re on the brink of delivering a successful presentation!

In competitive environments, persuasive presentations set individuals and organizations apart. To brush up on your presentation skills, read these guides on how to make a persuasive presentation and tips to presenting effectively . 

Whether you’re an experienced presenter or a novice, the right techniques will let your presentation skills soar to new heights!

From public speaking hacks to interactive elements and storytelling prowess, these 9 effective presentation techniques will empower you to leave a lasting impression on your audience and make your presentations unforgettable.

1. Confidence and positive body language

Positive body language instantly captivates your audience, making them believe in your message as much as you do. Strengthen your stage presence and own that stage like it’s your second home! Stand tall, shoulders back and exude confidence. 

2. Eye contact with the audience

Break down that invisible barrier and connect with your audience through their eyes. Maintaining eye contact when giving a presentation builds trust and shows that you’re present and engaged with them.

3. Effective use of hand gestures and movement

A little movement goes a long way! Emphasize key points with purposeful gestures and don’t be afraid to walk around the stage. Your energy will be contagious!

4. Utilize storytelling techniques

Weave the magic of storytelling into your presentation. Share relatable anecdotes, inspiring success stories or even personal experiences that tug at the heartstrings of your audience. Adjust your pitch, pace and volume to match the emotions and intensity of the story. Varying your speaking voice adds depth and enhances your stage presence.

5. Incorporate multimedia elements

Spice up your presentation with a dash of visual pizzazz! Use slides, images and video clips to add depth and clarity to your message. Just remember, less is more—don’t overwhelm them with information overload. 

Turn your presentations into an interactive party! Involve your audience with questions, polls or group activities. When they actively participate, they become invested in your presentation’s success. Bring your design to life with animated elements. Venngage allows you to apply animations to icons, images and text to create dynamic and engaging visual content.

6. Utilize humor strategically

Laughter is the best medicine—and a fantastic presentation enhancer! A well-placed joke or lighthearted moment can break the ice and create a warm atmosphere , making your audience more receptive to your message.

7. Practice active listening and respond to feedback

Be attentive to your audience’s reactions and feedback. If they have questions or concerns, address them with genuine interest and respect. Your responsiveness builds rapport and shows that you genuinely care about their experience.

8. Apply the 10-20-30 rule

Apply the 10-20-30 presentation rule and keep it short, sweet and impactful! Stick to ten slides, deliver your presentation within 20 minutes and use a 30-point font to ensure clarity and focus. Less is more, and your audience will thank you for it!

9. Implement the 5-5-5 rule

Simplicity is key. Limit each slide to five bullet points, with only five words per bullet point and allow each slide to remain visible for about five seconds. This rule keeps your presentation concise and prevents information overload.

Simple presentations are more engaging because they are easier to follow. Summarize your presentations and keep them simple with Venngage’s gallery of simple presentation templates and ensure that your message is delivered effectively across your audience.

1. How to start a presentation?

To kick off your presentation effectively, begin with an attention-grabbing statement or a powerful quote. Introduce yourself, establish credibility and clearly state the purpose and relevance of your presentation.

2. How to end a presentation?

For a strong conclusion, summarize your talking points and key takeaways. End with a compelling call to action or a thought-provoking question and remember to thank your audience and invite any final questions or interactions.

3. How to make a presentation interactive?

To make your presentation interactive, encourage questions and discussion throughout your talk. Utilize multimedia elements like videos or images and consider including polls, quizzes or group activities to actively involve your audience.

In need of inspiration for your next presentation? I’ve got your back! Pick from these 120+ presentation ideas, topics and examples to get started. 

Creating a stunning presentation with Venngage is a breeze with our user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and professionally designed templates for all your communication needs. 

Here’s how to make a presentation in just 5 simple steps with the help of Venngage:

Step 1: Sign up for Venngage for free using your email, Gmail or Facebook account or simply log in to access your account. 

Step 2: Pick a design from our selection of free presentation templates (they’re all created by our expert in-house designers).

Step 3: Make the template your own by customizing it to fit your content and branding. With Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can easily modify text, change colors and adjust the layout to create a unique and eye-catching design.

Step 4: Elevate your presentation by incorporating captivating visuals. You can upload your images or choose from Venngage’s vast library of high-quality photos, icons and illustrations. 

Step 5: Upgrade to a premium or business account to export your presentation in PDF and print it for in-person presentations or share it digitally for free!

By following these five simple steps, you’ll have a professionally designed and visually engaging presentation ready in no time. With Venngage’s user-friendly platform, your presentation is sure to make a lasting impression. So, let your creativity flow and get ready to shine in your next presentation!

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10 Tips For Giving Effective Virtual Presentations

What to know before you go live.

September 26, 2016

Presenting online? Try these suggestions to improve your results. | Illustration by Tricia Seibold

As audiences go global and you need to reach more people through technology (including webinars, conference calls and teleconference), you must consider the challenges to connecting with a virtual audience. Here I pinpoint 10 valuable best practices to ensure you communicate successfully.

1. Be Brief

Audiences begin to lose attention after roughly 10 minutes of hearing from the same presenter. If you have more than 10 minutes of content, use interactive activities to keep your audience engaged (for example, take a poll, give quizzes, or ask audience members for their opinions via chat).

2. Be Simple

Keep slides simple — avoid too many words, graphics and animation features. Less is definitely more!

Light yourself well | Illustration by Tricia Seibold

3. Be a TV Personality

Look straight into your camera, not the screen. Wear clothing that is neutral in color (no plaids or stripes). Light yourself well and from above. Be mindful of what appears behind you in the background. Invest in a good microphone.

4. Be Standing

Even though your audience cannot see you, stand when you present. This allows you to stay focused and use good presentation delivery skills such as belly breathing, vocal variety, and pausing.

5. Be Prepared

Practice delivering your presentation with your technology in advance of your talk. Make sure all of the features of the technology work. Record your practice using the recording feature of your tool. Watch and listen to learn what works and what you can improve.

6. Be Assisted

Have someone available to deal with technical issues and to field email/text questions. Also, if you have multiple remote audience members in one location, be sure to pick one of them to be your “eyes and ears.” Ask them to queue up questions and facilitate discussion on your behalf.

7. Be Specific

Ask pointed questions to avoid too many people answering at once. For example, rather than ask, “Are there any questions?” try “Who has a question about the solution I provided?” Set a ground rule that people state their names prior to speaking.

Imagine your audience | Illustration by Tricia Seibold

8. Be Synchronized

Transitions are critical. You must connect what you just said to what is coming next when you move from point to point. Transitions between topics and slides are good opportunities to get people reengaged to your talk.

9. Be Connected

Imagine your audience even though you can’t see them. You can place pictures of audience members behind your camera so you can look at people as you present.

10. Be Early

Encourage your audience to access your call or webinar in advance of the start time so you can iron out any technical issues in advance and get them familiar with the technology.

Matt Abrahams is a Stanford GSB organizational behavior lecturer, author, and communications coach.

For media inquiries, visit the Newsroom .

Explore More

Lose yourself: the secret to finding flow and being fully present, speak your truth: why authenticity leads to better communication, when words aren’t enough: how to excel at nonverbal communication, editor’s picks.

April 04, 2016 A Big Data Approach to Public Speaking Key takeaways from analyzing 100,000 presentations.

November 19, 2014 Matt Abrahams: The Power of the Paraphrase An expert on public speaking shows how paraphrasing can help you navigate tricky communication situations.

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The Ultimate Guide to Delivering Effective Presentations Online

That means all your important business communication – strategy meetings, sales pitches, presentations – is now virtual. And if you’ve already held at least one remote meeting with your team, you know that presenting virtually is not the same as doing so in person. 

As the lockdown continues to keep us at a social distance from each other, virtual speeches and presentations aren’t going away. If you’re not proficient at presenting online, then now’s the time to hone your virtual presentation skills. 

But don’t fret, mastering virtual presentations isn’t impossible. You just need a little practice, the right equipment, and this ultimate guide to online presentations from a presentation design company . In this guide, we’ll cover the following three topics:

• Requirements (non-tech and tech) for an effective online presentation
• Choosing the right video conferencing tool for you
• The differences between presenting remotely and in-person

 …plus our four best tips for nailing your virtual presentation. 

Let’s get started. 

Non-Tech Requirements for an Effective Online Presentation

For writing and delivering a presentation online, the most important considerations are:

• Your background – Try to set up in a neutral room or space in your home, without distractions behind you. If you don’t have one, then experiment with blur backgrounds or uploading a background on your video conferencing platform. If you’ve got a messy bookcase behind you, try draping it with a pretty scarf or throw for an instant arty backdrop (just make sure it’s not going to fall down mid-presentation!)
• A dedicated presenting space – Setting up a desk or room reserved for writing, practicing, and delivering your virtual presentation will help you focus. Having boundaries – like a locked door – will keep distractions at bay. Also, make sure your presenting space has good lighting and acoustics. You can add soft cushions or furnishings to the room to absorb some of the sound.
• Comfortable desk and chair – Working at the kitchen table or on the couch seems like it would be more comfortable, but it’ll kill your back and bring down productivity. Get a proper desk chair so you can sit squarely in front of your webcam, at eye-level, while presenting. If your chair won’t give you the height you need then propping your camera up on some books is a simple work-around.

Tech Requirements for Online Presenting

Your tech requirements comprise of three main things:

• Strong Internet connection – The last thing you want is your connection dropping out in the middle of your presentation. Make sure your WiFi signal is strong enough by doing a test-run of your video conferencing platform while practicing your presentation. For minimal interruptions, hook up your laptop or computer to ethernet instead.
• Good audio quality – Test the sound quality with your laptop speakers by recording yourself. If they’re shoddy, consider getting a USB microphone.
• Video conferencing platform – You should pick the best platform for your presentation’s needs. Read on for advice on selecting the right tool. 

How to Choose the Right Video Conferencing Tool

There are many video conferencing applications and platforms available – some free, some paid. GoToMeeting, Zoom, WebEX, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, and Skype are just a few of the most popular. You’ll want to consider the following things when picking your video conferencing platform:

• Audience size – Some platforms only accommodate a certain number of users at a time. Others let more people join the call, but only if you pay for a subscription. Tools like Zoom and Teams are perfect for a virtual sales pitch to a small group of investors. For a remote conference or speech, webinar platforms like WebEX or Demio work better.
• Security measures – If your presentation contains sensitive information or is only meant for specific listeners, then a platform with a user login feature is a must. It can’t hurt to check out the application’s terms of service and privacy policy as well, to see what measures they take to protect your video conference.

Remember to do test-runs of the application before your presentation starts. You should make sure it works and familiarise yourself with it. Know the platform well enough to teach it to your audience members if necessary. 

Presenting Remotely vs. In-person

Presenting online and in-person are not the same. The three biggest differences are:

• You can’t gauge audience reactions during a virtual presentation
• You can’t interact with your slides physically (i.e. gesturing)
• Your audience has many more distractions than a usual presentation

To address these differences, your remote presentation needs to work overtime. Your focus should be as audience-centric as possible. 

How do you drive audience engagement with online presentations? We have four solutions for you:

• Don’t let your listeners stare at a static screen for more than 30 seconds
• Ask more questions than usual – every few minutes is good
• Learn your video conferencing application’s interactivity features – like chat or live polling – ahead of time, so you can teach your audience how to use them
• Encourage your listeners to keep their webcams on. They’ll naturally stay more engaged if they’re on camera. Plus, seeing faces (rather than staring at your webcam) will help you with your delivery.

Our Top Tips for Presenting Online  

Create Visually Engaging Slides

To keep your audience’s attention during an online presentation, your slides must be twice as engaging as usual. Animations are a great way to do this, but only if they’re used correctly. 

Keep Your Content Short

Make your content direct. What’s your objective for this presentation? Everything you include should serve that objective. Good presenters are direct while still being engaging. So, using hooks like statistics or anecdotes at relevant times will keep your audience listening for longer. 

Make You Presentation Succinct

Chunk relevant information together, giving your presentation a clear structure. Rather than a big call-to-action (CTA) at the end, sprinkle smaller CTAs throughout the presentation. These could be as simple as asking discussion questions or doing a live poll. Finally, include a menu slide in your deck with hyperlinks to the parts of your presentation. With a menu slide, you can jump between topics while making your slide deck keep up with you. 

Don’t Forget About Your Audience

Although it’s tough with a virtual presentation, always remember that you’re speaking to people, not to a webcam. Relax and engage your audience. If both you and your listeners have your webcams on, it’s easier to build engagement. And, if possible, increase the size of your webcam window onscreen so your audience can see you more clearly. 

Giving an effective presentation online has become a must-have skill since the coronavirus outbreak. With the resources in this guide, you’ll have the right tools to give an engaging and impressive virtual presentation. Browse our website for more resources and blogs about designing and delivering effective presentations.

To become more confident in your own presentation delivery please consider taking a Presentation Skills Training Course In London .

We also offer Presentation Design and Pitch Deck Design Services to really bring the X- factor to your presentations and make sure they seal the deal!

How to Avoid Using Filler Words in Your Presentationn

A guide to slide count in presentationsn, 6 essential presentation skills for pitching successn, a guide to crafting powerful endings in presentationsn, what can our clients tell us about social media usen, a comprehensive guide to presentation openingn, a guide to relaxing before your presentationn.

How to Avoid Using Filler Words in Your Presentation

A Guide to Slide Count in Presentations

6 Essential Presentation Skills for Pitching Success

25 Tools for Creating and Delivering Amazing Presentations

Updated: August 10, 2022

Published: November 10, 2020

If you're in business, you need to know how to create captivating presentations. Whether you're trying to convince your boss to support a new campaign, talking with a prospect to close a deal, or building a new piece of marketing collateral, you need to know how craft a presentation that won't put people to sleep.

The best (and easiest) way to do that? Use the right tools to create and deliver your presentation.

If you're not sure which tools to use, look no further than this blog post. We’ve compiled our list of the top presentation tools for sales and marketing professionals. They’re listed below, in no particular order. But first ...

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Best Presentation Tools

Canva makes design easy -- even for marketers and salespeople who feel like they're design-challenged. The platform gives you a bunch of presentation templates to use right away, and it's very easy to customize them to your organization and presentation objective. Plus, a variety of apps that integrate with Google Drive, Instagram, and YouTube, to name a few.

Pricing : Free; Pro, $12.95/month for up to five people; Enterprise, $30/month per person

Often, being different is what attracts prospects, and Powtoon can help you do that in your presentations. Powtoon’s animation software lets you easily create videos with props, characters, and more -- which can help you differentiate your company when talking with prospects.

Pricing : Pro, $19/month; Pro+ $49/month; Agency, $89/month

3. PowerPoint

For years, PowerPoint has been the standard in presentation software, but it hasn’t remained static. PowerPoint is full of features to make sales and marketing presentations dynamic and engaging. ( Here are just a few ways you can do that .)

Pricing : Business Basic, $5/user/month; Business Standard, $12.50/user/month; Business Premium, $20/user/month

4. Slidesgo

Slidesgo is your creative companion in the world of presentation design. This website specializes in crafting visually stunning Google Slides and PowerPoint templates that breathe life into your ideas, making them shine on any screen. With a wide variety of templates ranging from business and marketing to medicine and education, Slidesgo empowers presenters of all backgrounds to engage, educate, and inspire their audiences.

Pricing: Free plan, $0; Premium, $4.99; Education, $2.99

A PowerPoint add-in, Oomfo helps sales and marketing pros create those oh-so-important interactive charts for presentations. Specialized charts, live charts from multiple files, data from cloud applications, interactive options, one-click conversions -- it’s all possible, and more, with Oomfo.

Pricing: Free

Apple’s Keynote allows users to work between their Mac and iOS devices, as well as with people who use Microsoft PowerPoint. With easy-to-use visual tools, drag and drop functionality, interactive charts, and more, Keynote is a popular choice among sales and marketing professionals.

Pricing : Free

7. SlideModel

SlideModel contains thousands of ready-made and 100% editable presentation templates to help any presenter save time creating engaging and aesthetically pleasing presentations. Their collection of presentation templates covers a variety of business purposes and even gets updated periodically to add new business and education templates. You can find a collection of visually appealing slides on the site including dashboards, creative infographics, editable Maps, funnels, timelines, mindmaps, and presentation slides depending on the need of your presentation. Their slides templates are easy to edit and are compatible with PowerPoint and Google Slides.

Pricing :  Free plan, $0; One-Day Access, $24.50; Annual Unlimited, $199.90/year

8. Beautiful.ai

Create beautiful slides, pitches, and proposals without a team of designers. AI applies design rules in real time, and a library of free photos and icons are at your fingertips.

Pricing : Basic, $0; Pro, $12/month; Team, $38/user/month

9. Haiku Deck

Available for the web or iPad, Haiku Deck has become a favorite of sales and marketing pros. With Haiku Deck, professionals can quickly create presentations that can be "easily projected, shared, posted, embedded on a website or blog, or viewed on any web-enabled device." Though it's another tool that helps you create presentations from scratch, its ease-of-use sets it apart from the rest.

Pricing : Pro, $9.99 - $19.99/month; Premium, $29.99/month

Vyond is an online animation software that allows you to create animated videos for marketing campaigns, sales enablement, or even human resources. Use their library of customizable templates or create your own from scratch.

Pricing : Essential, $229/year; Premium, $649/year; Professional, $999/user/year; Enterprise, contact for pricing

11. Storydoc

With templates for all the most popular business use cases, Storydoc is an interactive presentation maker built to help sales teams and marketing professionals engage more prospects and boost conversion rates. 

You can create amazing and engaging decks where you can embed video and social media content to tell your story the right way. Then, integrate your CRM into Storydoc decks, as well as calendars, sign-up forms, and other solutions that will make your presentation. Additionally, you have access to Storydoc's tracking analytics which shows who viewed your presentation and which components they interacted with the most. 

Pricing :  Free trial 14 days); Starter Plan, $40/month

Busy sales and marketing pros choose emaze because it makes creating amazing presentations quick and easy. The options abound with emaze: Choose a professionally designed template and then create a slideshow, video presentation , or 3D presentation.

Pricing : Business Plan, contact for pricing; Executive Plan, $40/month; Pro Plan, $13/month

13. Camtasia

TechSmith’s Camtasia is an amazing tool that helps you create professional videos. You can record screen movements, import HD video from another source, customize and edit the video, and then share the completed video presentation on practically any device. 

Pricing : Individual, $249.99/user/year; Business $249.99/user/year; Education, $169.99/user/year; Government and Non-Profit, $223.99/user/year

14. SlideShare

SlideShare is a popular choice for sales and marketing professionals looking for a way to share their content publicly. Because it already has a built-in audience, you can easily distribute your presentation out to lots of people -- and those people can embed your SlideShares on websites and blogs, or share them on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc.

15. SlideDog

Sometimes, sales and marketing professionals need to be able to move between presentation tools, but it’s not always possible because of their technical limitations. SlideDog is the solution, as it enables users to switch between PowerPoint, Prezi, PDF, web pages and others.

Pricing : Free; Pro, $99/year; Pro Event, $49 for one-time payment

16. Presentation Assistant

Presentation Assistant lives up to its name: It assists professionals by enabling them to annotate, zoom, and more during a presentation. Sales and marketing professionals can clarify and emphasize points more clearly to their audience with Presentation Assistant.

Pricing : Presentation Pointer, $29.95; Presentation Screen Master, $29.95

17. authorSTREAM

Sales and marketing pros choose authorSTREAM to make their presentations dynamic and engaging. authorSTREAM allows users to share their PowerPoint presentations publicly or privately, broadcast them, convert them to video, communicate and collaborate about them, and more.

Pricing: Free or paid plans start at $4.20/month

18. Zentation

With Zentation, salespeople and marketers combine video and slides into a simulated live experience. Presentations created with Zentation become webinars, webcasts, and virtual events for prospects and customers -- all great collateral for marketing and sales.

Pricing : Free; Premium, $10 - $45/month; White-Label, contact for pricing

Sales and marketing professionals love Prezi because it is cloud-based. Prezi makes creating, editing, and presenting from your browser, desktop, iPad, or iPhone possible anywhere, any time.

Pricing : Standard, $5/month; Plus, $15/month; Premium, $59/month

20. Brainshark

Sales reps and marketers often choose Brainshark, a cloud-based presentation tool, because it allows them to create and deliver presentations live or on-demand (even using their iPad or iPhone), use on-demand video content, polls, or surveys for increased engagement, and embed presentations in websites and blogs.

Pricing : Contact for pricing

Vcasmo is a unique presentation tool -- it's a multimedia solution that enables users to synchronize a video and slideshow, side by side. Sales and marketing pros love Vcasmo because it supports playback in three forms: browser, mobile, and iPad. 

Pricing : Free; Standard, $10.99/month; Professional, $16.99/month

22. ViewletBuilder

ViewletBuilder is a different presentation tool; it captures critical screen updates and cursor position changes so sales and marketing pros can create presentations detailing how their product or sites work. With a plethora of features, ViewletBuilder allows for editing and enhancing and includes a variety of publishing and sharing options, too.

Pricing : Pro, $399; Enterprise, $599

23. Zoho Show

Zoho Show is a top pick for sales and marketing pros because it lives online, making it possible to create, access, present, and more from anywhere, any time. The simple, intuitive interface and collaboration features are just two of its beloved benefits.

24. AhaSlides

Pricing : Free; Essential, $4.95/month; Pro, $15.95/month; Annual, Monthly & One-time plans available.

Visme is an all-in-one content creation platform with a vast library of professionally designed presentation templates, each tailored to your industry and specific proposal needs. Its beginner-friendly design platform allows you to drag and drop elements into place, use dynamic fields to update all your content in one place instantaneously and integrate your tools like Hubspot or Salesforce, and more to personalize each presentation.

Pricing: Free, Starter: $12.25/month, billed yearly, Pro: $30/month, billed yearly, Visme for Teams & Enterprises.

What are you waiting for? Pick a tool and start creating. Your prospects are waiting.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in October 2014 and has been updated for freshness and comprehensiveness.

Don't forget to share this post!

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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

• Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others. Here are some unique elements that make a presentation stand out.

• Fonts: Sans Serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial are preferred for their clean lines, which make them easy to digest at various sizes and distances. Limit the number of font styles to two: one for headings and another for body text, to avoid visual confusion or distractions.
• Colors: Colors can evoke emotions and highlight critical points, but their overuse can lead to a cluttered and confusing presentation. A limited palette of two to three main colors, complemented by a simple background, can help you draw attention to key elements without overwhelming the audience.
• Pictures: Pictures can communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably but choosing the right images is key. Images or pictures should be big (perhaps 20-25% of the page), bold, and have a clear purpose that complements the slide’s text.
• Layout: Don’t overcrowd your slides with too much information. When in doubt, adhere to the principle of simplicity, and aim for a clean and uncluttered layout with plenty of white space around text and images. Think phrases and bullets, not sentences.

As an intern or early career professional, chances are that you’ll be tasked with making or giving a presentation in the near future. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others.

• Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist at Canva and was the former chief evangelist at Apple. Guy is the author of 16 books including Think Remarkable : 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.

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Engaging Your Audience Online: 15 Strategies for Virtual Presentations

How do you captivate a virtual audience and keep them engaged throughout your online presentation? One effective way is to incorporate interactive elements into your presentation. By adding interactivity, you can make your presentation more engaging and dynamic. As a keynote speaker, it is crucial to utilize these interactive elements to connect with your audience and create an immersive experience . In today’s digital age, where face-to-face interactions are limited, mastering the art of public speaking in virtual presentations is crucial for effective communication. Adding interactivity and interactive elements through social media can greatly enhance engagement and make your presentations more impactful. With the shift to online platforms, there are both challenges and opportunities for interactivity and competition. The inclusion of interactive elements in virtual events can enhance engagement and make the experience more dynamic.

Virtual presentations require a different approach compared to in-person presentations. Adding interactive elements can engage speakers and event attendees, making the experience more dynamic for people. The absence of physical presence in a virtual event platform makes it challenging to gauge audience reactions and maintain their attention. However, with the right speaker and a fun movement, these challenges can be overcome. However, by leveraging a virtual event platform and incorporating interactive tools, dynamic content, and great speakers, you can create a fun and immersive experience that keeps attendees hooked from start to finish.

We will also discuss strategies to overcome the unique challenges faced when engaging online audiences on our virtual event platform. Our speaker will provide great insights and tips for making the experience fun and engaging. So, if you’re ready to take your online presentations to the next level at a virtual event with a great speaker, read on!

Strategies for Creating Engaging Virtual Presentations

Understanding the needs and preferences of your online audience.

To create great virtual presentations, it is crucial for the speaker to understand the needs and preferences of their online audience at the event. Unlike in-person presentations, virtual presentations require a different approach to capture and maintain the attention of viewers. The speaker at a virtual event must employ great techniques to engage the audience. One way to gather insights into what your audience expects from a virtual event is by conducting research or surveys . This will help you understand the expectations of your audience for a great online presentation.

Once you have a better understanding of your audience’s needs and preferences, you can tailor your content accordingly for a great virtual event. Additionally, consider how the speaker can address these needs and preferences. For example, if your virtual event audience prefers concise and visually appealing slides , focus on creating impactful visuals with minimal text. On the other hand, if they prefer more detailed information about the virtual event, provide supplementary resources such as handouts or links to additional materials.

Incorporating Storytelling Techniques to Captivate Viewers

Storytelling is a powerful tool that can captivate viewers during virtual presentations, whether it’s a business event, conference, or online gathering. By incorporating storytelling techniques into your virtual event presentation, you can make it more relatable and memorable for your audience. Start by identifying key points or messages that you want to convey during your virtual event and find creative ways to present them through stories or anecdotes.

Consider using personal experiences or case studies that resonate with your audience’s interests or challenges during a virtual event. This helps establish an emotional connection with viewers during a virtual event and keeps them engaged throughout the presentation. Using storytelling techniques at an event allows you to break down complex concepts into simpler terms, making it easier for event attendees to understand and retain information.

Utilizing Multimedia Elements to Enhance Engagement

Incorporating multimedia elements is another effective strategy for enhancing engagement in virtual presentations during an event.

Utilizing Humor and Visual Reinforcement

In order to create engaging virtual presentations for an event, it’s essential to utilize humor and visual reinforcement. These elements can help to capture the attention of your audience at an event, make the presentation more enjoyable during the event, and reinforce key points effectively at the event.

Adding humor to create a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere

One way to engage your audience during a virtual event is by adding humor. Injecting some lightheartedness into your event content can create a relaxed atmosphere and make the event experience more enjoyable for everyone involved. Incorporating jokes, funny anecdotes, or humorous stories related to your event topic can instantly grab the attention of your event audience and keep them engaged throughout the event.

However, when planning an event, it’s important to strike a balance between being humorous and maintaining professionalism. While humor can be an effective engagement tool, it should never overshadow the main message or distract from the purpose of your presentation. Ensure that any jokes or humorous elements you include are relevant to the topic at hand and align with the overall tone of your presentation.

Using visuals such as images, charts, and videos to reinforce key points

Visual aids play a crucial role in virtual presentations as they provide additional context for your audience. Incorporating images, charts, graphs, infographics, or videos can help reinforce key points and make complex information easier to understand. Visuals have a powerful impact on our brains as they enhance comprehension and retention of information.

For instance, if you’re presenting data or statistics, using charts or graphs can visually represent the information in a clear and concise manner.

The Power of Strategic Pauses

Employing strategic pauses for emphasis and reflection during presentations.

Engaging your audience online can be a challenge. However, one powerful technique that can captivate your audience and keep them actively involved is the use of strategic pauses . These deliberate breaks in your speech not only allow time for ass imilation and comprehension but also create anticipation and enhance the overall impact of your message.

Strategic pauses serve as natural resting points in your presentation, giving both you and your audience a moment to breathe. By strategically inserting these pauses at key moments, you can effectively emphasize important points and allow them to sink in. This helps prevent information overload and gives your audience time to process what they have just heard.

Allowing time for audience assimilation and comprehension

In the fast-paced world of virtual presentations, it’s easy for information to become overwhelming. By incorporating strategic pauses into your delivery, you give your audience the opportunity to absorb and understand what you’ve just presented. These brief moments of silence allow listeners to reflect on the information before moving on to the next point.

Think of strategic pauses as mini-breaks that provide mental space for your audience. Just like taking a breath between sentences or paragraphs when reading aloud, pausing during a presentation allows individuals to catch up mentally, ensuring they are following along with you.

Enhancing anticipation by strategically pausing before revealing important information

One effective way to engage your audience during virtual presentations is by building anticipation through well-timed pauses. Before unveiling crucial details or sharing significant insights, pause briefly beforehand.

Mastering Vocal Techniques for Engagement

Varying pitch, tone, and volume to maintain audience interest.

One of the key aspects of engaging your audience during virtual presentations is mastering vocal techniques . By varying your pitch, tone, and volume throughout your presentation, you can effectively capture and maintain the interest of your audience.

Think of it as the musicality of your voice. Just like a song with a monotonous melody can become dull, speaking in a monotone voice can quickly bore your listeners. Instead, aim to vary the pitch by emphasizing certain words or phrases with higher or lower tones. This creates a dynamic flow in your speech that keeps the audience engaged.

Similarly, adjusting the tone of your voice can have a significant impact on how your message is received. A warm and friendly tone can help create a connection with your audience and make them feel more comfortable. On the other hand, using a serious or authoritative tone can convey confidence and credibility. By consciously choosing different tones based on the content you’re delivering, you can add depth and richness to your presentation.

In addition to pitch and tone, controlling the volume of your voice is crucial for maintaining engagement during virtual presentations. Speaking too softly may cause participants to strain their ears to hear you clearly, leading to disengagement or frustration. On the other hand, speaking too loudly might come across as aggressive or overpowering.

To strike the right balance, consider adjusting your volume based on specific parts of your presentation. For example, when sharing an exciting anecdote or highlighting important information, increase your volume slightly to grab attention.

Interactive Presentation Ideas for Online Audiences

In today’s digital landscape, virtual presentations have become the norm. Engaging your audience online can be a challenge, but with the right interactive elements and presentation ideas, you can create an immersive experience that captivates your virtual audience. Let’s explore some effective strategies to make your online presentations more interactive and engaging.

Implementing live polls or surveys to encourage active participation.

One way to boost engagement during virtual presentations is by incorporating live polls or surveys . These interactive features allow you to gather real-time feedback from your audience and encourage active participation . By posing questions related to your presentation topic, you can gauge the opinions and thoughts of your attendees instantly. This not only keeps them engaged but also provides valuable insights that can enhance the overall experience.

• Encourages active participation
• Provides instant feedback
• Allows customization based on presentation topic
• Requires a reliable virtual event platform with polling capabilities
• May require additional time for preparation and analysis of poll results

Incorporating Q&A sessions or chat features for real-time interaction.

Another effective way to engage your online audience is by including dedicated Q&A sessions or chat features. These enable real-time interaction between the presenter and attendees, fostering a sense of connection and dialogue. Participants can ask questions, seek clarification, share their thoughts, or engage in discussions related to the presentation content. This interactivity not only enhances engagement but also creates a collaborative learning environment.

Enhancing Communication Beyond Verbal Language

Significance of non-verbal cues in virtual presentations.

In virtual presentations, effective communication goes beyond just verbal language. Non-verbal cues , such as body language , play a crucial role in engaging your audience and conveying your message effectively . While physical presence may be limited in an online setting, there are still ways to incorporate these non-verbal cues to enhance communication.

Body language is a powerful tool for expressing emotions, emphasizing key points, and establishing rapport with your audience. It helps create a connection and captivate the attention of your listeners. Even though you may not be physically present with them, your gestures and expressions can still leave an impact through video conferencing tools.

Incorporating Gestures, Facial Expressions, and Eye Contact

When delivering a virtual presentation, it’s important to make intentional use of gestures and facial expressions to convey meaning and engage your audience. Just like in face-to-face interactions, hand gestures can help emphasize certain points or add emphasis to your speech.

Facial expressions also play a significant role in conveying emotions and maintaining engagement. A smile can instantly make you appear more approachable and friendly. Similarly, raising an eyebrow or nodding can indicate agreement or understanding.

Maintaining eye contact is another crucial aspect of effective communication during virtual presentations. By looking directly into the camera lens instead of at yourself on the screen, you create the illusion of making eye contact with your audience. This helps establish a sense of connection and attentiveness.

Wrapping Up the Importance of Engaging Virtual Presentations

Reiterating the benefits of engaging virtual presentations.

Now that we’ve explored the ins and outs of engaging virtual presentations, let’s recap why they are so crucial for capturing and retaining your audience’s attention. By incorporating interactive elements, you can create an immersive experience that keeps participants actively involved throughout the event. This level of engagement leads to improved retention and understanding of the key points you want to convey.

Engaging virtual presentations offer several advantages over traditional in-person events. First and foremost, they provide a convenient way for attendees to join from anywhere in the world without the need for travel or accommodation expenses. This accessibility greatly expands your potential audience and allows you to reach individuals who may not have been able to attend otherwise.

Interactive features such as polls, quizzes, and Q&A sessions foster active participation from attendees. These elements encourage them to think critically about the content being presented and provide opportunities for immediate feedback. By involving your audience in this way, you create a sense of connection and collaboration that enhances their overall experience.

Another benefit of engaging virtual presentations is their ability to cater to different learning styles. People have diverse preferencesWhile others prefer auditory or kinesthetic methods. Through multimedia integration, including videos, images, and slideshows, you can accommodate various learning styles simultaneously. This multi-sensory approach helps ensure that your message resonates with a wider range of participants.

The Power of Humor and Visual Reinforcement in Virtual Presentations

In the world of virtual presentations, engaging your audience online can be a challenge. However, there are two powerful tools that can help you create a memorable and enjoyable experience for your online audience: humor and visual reinforcement. Let’s explore how these elements can make a significant impact on the effectiveness of your virtual presentations.

Humor: Creating a Fun and Light Experience

Injecting humor into your content is like adding a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor. It helps to keep your audience engaged, entertained, and connected with your message. A well-placed joke or witty remark can instantly break the ice and create a relaxed atmosphere.

• Using humorous anecdotes or personal stories related to your topic can captivate your audience’s attention.
• Incorporating funny visuals or memes that align with your presentation’s theme adds an element of surprise and amusement.
• Interactive activities such as quizzes or polls with humorous options can make the session more dynamic and enjoyable.

By infusing humor into your virtual presentation, you not only entertain your audience but also establish a rapport that makes them more receptive to the information you’re sharing.

Visual Reinforcement: Showing rather than Telling

In virtual presentations, where participants are often multitasking or easily distracted by their surroundings, visual aids play a crucial role in reinforcing key messages. By using compelling visuals strategically throughout your presentation, you can enhance understanding, retention, and engagement.

• Utilize eye-catching slides with minimal text that highlight key points or data.

Embracing the Pause: Enhancing Engagement through Strategic Pauses

In virtual presentations, maintaining audience engagement can be a challenge. However, one effective technique that can greatly enhance audience attention and comprehension is the strategic use of pauses . By incorporating well-timed pauses into your virtual presentations, you can create anticipation, emphasize important points, and keep your audience fully engaged throughout.

Elaborating on the effectiveness of strategic pauses in maintaining audience attention.

Strategic pauses serve as powerful tools to maintain audience attention during virtual presentations. When used effectively, they allow for moments of reflection and processing of information. These brief breaks in speech or action give the audience time to absorb what has been said and prepare for what is to come next.

By strategically pausing at key points in your presentation, you create a sense of suspense and curiosity among your listeners. This pause allows them to anticipate what will happen next, keeping them actively engaged in the content. It also helps to break up the monotony of continuous talking or presenting, providing a natural rhythm to your delivery.

Discussing how well-timed pauses can create anticipation and emphasize important points.

Well-timed pauses have the power to create anticipation among your audience. Just like a suspenseful moment in a movie or a punchline in a joke, these intentional breaks build tension and intrigue. By pausing before revealing crucial information or making an impactful statement, you heighten the impact of that moment.

Pauses also serve as signposts for important points within your presentation. They draw attention to key concepts or ideas by giving listeners time to absorb and process them fully.

Mastering Your Voice: Leveraging Vocal Techniques for Audience Engagement

In virtual presentations, capturing and retaining audience interest is crucial. While visual aids and content are important, the role of vocal techniques should not be underestimated. Your voice has the power to engage, captivate, and connect with your audience on a deeper level. By leveraging specific vocal techniques such as modulation , pacing , and emphasis, you can enhance your virtual presentations and leave a lasting impact.

Explaining the Role of Vocal Techniques in Capturing and Retaining Audience Interest

Your voice is a powerful tool that can convey emotions, emphasize key points, and create a sense of connection with your audience. When delivering virtual presentations, it’s essential to understand how vocal techniques play a vital role in capturing and retaining audience interest.

Modulation refers to varying the pitch, tone, and volume of your voice throughout your presentation. By using different levels of modulation strategically, you can add depth and expressiveness to your delivery. This helps to keep your audience engaged by creating a dynamic listening experience.

Pacing involves controlling the speed at which you speak during your presentation. Adjusting your pace can help maintain interest by adding rhythm and preventing monotony. It allows you to emphasize important points or slow down for clarity when discussing complex ideas.

Emphasis is another crucial aspect of vocal technique that helps highlight key information or ideas. By placing emphasis on certain words or phrases through changes in volume or tone, you draw attention to critical elements in your presentation. This ensures that important concepts are not overlooked by your audience.

Boosting Audience Engagement: Best Practices for Captivating Online Audiences

In today’s digital age, virtual presentations have become the norm for engaging with audiences . However, capturing and maintaining the attention of online participants can be quite challenging. To ensure that your virtual presentations are effective and impactful, it is crucial to employ best practices that enhance audience engagement.

Using Relatable Examples

One of the most effective ways to engage an online audience is by using relatable examples . People connect more easily with content when they can see how it applies to their own lives or experiences. By incorporating relevant anecdotes or case studies into your presentation, you can make your message more relatable and resonate with your audience on a personal level .

For instance, if you are delivering a sales pitch for a new product, sharing success stories from satisfied customers can help potential buyers envision themselves benefiting from the product’s features. These relatable examples create a sense of trust and credibility while also sparking interest among your online audience.

The Power of Storytelling

Storytelling has been an age-old method of captivating listeners, and it holds true even in virtual presentations. Sharing compelling stories can evoke emotions and make your content memorable. When crafting your presentation, consider incorporating narratives that illustrate key points or convey important messages.

By weaving storytelling into your virtual presentation, you can transform dry information into a captivating experience for your audience.

Ten Interactive Presentation Ideas to Keep Your Audience Engaged

In today’s digital landscape, virtual presentations have become the norm for connecting with audiences. However, keeping your audience engaged in an online setting can be quite challenging. To overcome this hurdle, here are ten creative ideas to make your virtual presentations more interactive and captivating.

Quizzes: Test Their Knowledge

One effective way to engage your audience is by incorporating quizzes into your presentation. Create interactive quizzes related to your topic and ask participants to answer questions throughout the session. This not only encourages active participation but also helps you gauge their understanding of the subject matter .

Polls: Gather Opinions

Another engaging technique is using polls to gather opinions from your audience. Pose thought-provoking questions and allow participants to vote on their preferred answers. This not only provides valuable insights but also creates a sense of involvement among attendees.

Brainstorming Sessions: Encourage Collaboration

To foster collaboration and generate innovative ideas, include brainstorming sessions in your virtual presentation. Divide participants into breakout rooms or use collaborative tools that allow them to contribute their thoughts and suggestions in real-time.

Virtual Whiteboarding: Visualize Ideas

Visualizing ideas can significantly enhance engagement during virtual presentations. Utilize virtual whiteboarding tools that enable participants to sketch diagrams, mind maps, or flowcharts related to the topic at hand. This interactive approach stimulates creativity and facilitates better understanding.

Gamification: Make Learning Fun

Integrating elements of gamification into your presentation can transform it into an enjoyable learning experience.

Creating Word Pictures: Enhancing Communication Beyond Verbal Language

In virtual presentations, the power of visual communication goes beyond just images and videos. It extends to the use of descriptive language that paints vivid word pictures in the minds of your audience. By incorporating techniques such as metaphors , analogies , and vivid imagery, you can engage online audiences effectively and make your message more memorable.

Importance of Visual Communication through Descriptive Language

When delivering a virtual presentation, relying solely on verbal language may not be enough to captivate your audience. People have different learning styles, and some individuals are more visually oriented than others. By using descriptive language that appeals to their senses, you can create a richer experience for your viewers.

Crafting effective word pictures allows you to tap into the power of storytelling. Instead of simply relaying information, you can paint a mental image that resonates with your audience on a deeper level. This helps them connect emotionally with your message and enhances their overall engagement.

Techniques for Engaging Online Audiences

To engage online audiences effectively, it’s essential to incorporate techniques that go beyond plain speech. Here are some strategies for creating impactful word pictures in virtual presentations:

• Metaphors: Utilize metaphors by comparing two unrelated concepts to create a powerful visual representation. For example, if you’re discussing teamwork, you could say “Teamwork is like a well-oiled machine where every person plays a vital role.”
• Analogies: Draw parallels between different scenarios or situations to help your audience understand complex ideas better.

Planning Virtual Activities: Strategies for Interactive and Engaging Presentations

In today’s digital age, virtual presentations have become the norm. However, engaging your audience online can be quite challenging. To make your virtual presentations more interactive and captivating, it is crucial to plan ahead and incorporate effective strategies. This section will outline some key planning strategies for incorporating interactive activities into your virtual presentations.

Outlining Effective Planning Strategies

There are a few important considerations to keep in mind.

• Time Management : Begin by allocating specific time slots for interactive activities throughout your presentation. By carefully managing the timing of these activities, you can maintain a steady flow and prevent any lulls in engagement.
• Technology Requirements : Consider the technological tools and platforms that will be required for each activity. Ensure that participants have access to the necessary resources and provide clear instructions on how to use them effectively.
• Participant Engagement : Keep in mind the level of engagement you want to achieve with each activity. Consider whether participants will need to actively participate or simply observe. Design activities that encourage active involvement, such as polls, quizzes, or breakout room discussions.

Discussing Considerations

To ensure a successful virtual presentation with interactive activities, it is essential to discuss certain considerations beforehand.

• Presentation Topic : Tailor your choice of interactive activities based on the topic of your presentation. For instance, if you are discussing a complex project management concept, consider incorporating a collaborative whiteboard session where participants can brainstorm ideas together.
• Audience Analysis

User-Selected Presentation Paths: Engaging Strategies for Virtual Presentations

In the world of virtual presentations, engagement is key. With participants spread across different locations and distractions just a click away, it can be challenging to keep them focused and involved. That’s where user-selected presentation paths come into play. By exploring this concept, we can discover strategies that will help us create more engaging virtual presentations.

Exploring Hyperlinked Content

One option for implementing user-selected presentation paths is through hyperlinked content. This allows participants to navigate through the presentation at their own pace, clicking on links that interest them the most. By providing hyperlinks within your slides or presentation materials, you give participants the freedom to choose which topics they want to explore further.

• Tailored experience: Participants can delve deeper into areas that interest them the most.
• Increased involvement: By giving participants control over their learning journey, they become active participants rather than passive listeners.
• Potential distraction: While hyperlinked content offers flexibility, there is a risk that participants may get sidetracked by unrelated information.
• Time management: Depending on how many links are provided, participants might spend too much time exploring one topic and not have enough time for other important content.

Interactive Menus for Navigation

Another strategy to enhance engagement in virtual presentations is by incorporating interactive menus. These menus act as a roadmap for participants, allowing them to choose which sections or topics they want to focus on during the presentation. By presenting an overview of the content and providing clickable options, you empower participants to take charge of their learning experience.

Keeping an Online Audience Engaged: Preparing and Previewing Materials

To ensure a successful virtual presentation, thorough preparation and previewing of materials are crucial. By organizing content effectively, using clear headings, and providing visual cues, you can keep your online audience engaged throughout the presentation.

Importance of Thorough Preparation

Preparation is key. Taking the time to thoroughly prepare your materials allows you to deliver a polished and professional presentation that captures your audience’s attention. It also helps you feel more confident and prepared, reducing any potential stress or anxiety.

Preparing for a virtual presentation involves several steps. First, gather all the necessary media and content you plan to use during the presentation. This includes slideshows, videos, images, or any other visual aids that will enhance your message. Ensure that these materials are easily accessible and organized in a way that makes them easy to navigate during the presentation.

Organizing Content Effectively

One of the challenges of virtual presentations is keeping your audience engaged when they cannot physically be in the same room as you. To overcome this challenge, it’s essential to organize your content effectively.

Start by using clear headings for each section of your presentation. This helps guide your audience through the material and allows them to quickly understand what each section will cover. Consider using bullet points or numbered lists within each section to break up information into digestible chunks.

Another effective way to organize content is by providing visual cues throughout your presentation. Use relevant images or icons to highlight key points or emphasize important information on slides.

Eye Contact and Camera Placement: Establishing Connection in Virtual Presentations

Maintaining eye contact is crucial for engaging your audience during virtual presentations. Despite the physical distance, there are techniques you can employ to create a sense of connection with your online viewers. Optimizing camera angles and positioning can significantly enhance the impact of your presentation.

Significance of Maintaining Eye Contact

Eye contact plays a vital role in communication, both in-person and online. It helps establish trust, convey sincerity, and foster engagement. In virtual presentations, maintaining eye contact through camera placement is essential for creating a personal connection with your audience.

When you maintain eye contact during a virtual presentation, it shows that you are focused on your viewers and value their presence. It helps build rapport and keeps them actively engaged throughout the session. By looking directly into the camera lens, you give the impression that you are speaking directly to each individual viewer.

Techniques for Creating Connection Online

Creating a sense of connection with an online audience requires conscious effort. Here are some practical techniques to help you establish that connection:

• Look directly into the camera: When presenting virtually, make sure to look directly into the camera rather than at your own image on the screen. This gives the illusion of making direct eye contact with your audience.
• Position yourself at eye level: Adjust your camera setup so that it aligns with your eye level or slightly above it. This ensures that you appear more approachable and engaged with your viewers.
• Minimize distractions:

Engaging with Polling and Gamification: Interactive Techniques for Audience Involvement

In virtual presentations, it’s crucial to find ways to keep your audience engaged and involved. One effective method is through the use of polling and gamification techniques. By incorporating these interactive elements, you can create a more dynamic and participatory experience for your participants.

Exploring increased interactivity with polling

One way to enhance audience participation is by utilizing polls during your virtual presentation. Polling allows you to gather real-time feedback from your audience, making them an active part of the discussion. It not only encourages engagement but also provides valuable insights into the thoughts and opinions of your participants.

Benefits of polling:

• Increased interactivity : Polls allow participants to actively participate in the presentation by expressing their opinions or preferences.
• Data collection: The data collected from polls can provide valuable insights that can be used for future presentations or decision-making processes.
• Instant feedback : Real-time polling gives presenters immediate feedback on how well their message is being received, allowing them to adjust their approach if needed.
• Fostering healthy competition: Incorporating competitive elements in polls, such as leaderboard rankings, can encourage friendly competition among participants.

Discussing gamification for audience involvement

Gamification involves incorporating game-like elements into non-game contexts to increase engagement and motivation. By introducing gamified features in virtual presentations, you can make the experience more enjoyable and interactive for your audience.

Benefits of gamification:

• Enhanced engagement: Gamified elements such as quizzes, challenges, or rewards motivate participants to actively engage with the content.

Creating a Distraction-Free Background: Optimizing Visual Focus in Online Presentations

Creating engaging virtual presentations is crucial for capturing the attention and interest of your online audience. By implementing strategies such as optimizing visual focus , utilizing humor and visual reinforcement, mastering vocal techniques, and incorporating interactive presentation ideas, you can enhance audience engagement and make your virtual presentations more impactful. Enhancing communication beyond verbal language and embracing strategic pauses can further captivate your audience’s attention. Remember to plan virtual activities, establish eye contact through camera placement, and engage with polling and gamification to keep your online audience involved. With these techniques in mind, you’ll be well-equipped to deliver compelling virtual presentations that leave a lasting impression.

Call-to-action: Start applying these strategies in your next virtual presentation to create an engaging experience for your audience. Experiment with different techniques, embrace creativity, and continuously seek feedback to improve the impact of your online presentations.

Can I use humor in my virtual presentations?

Absolutely! Humor is a powerful tool for engaging an online audience. Incorporating light-hearted jokes or funny anecdotes can help create a relaxed atmosphere and make your presentation more enjoyable. Just ensure that the humor is appropriate for your specific audience.

How can I optimize visual focus in my virtual presentations?

To optimize visual focus in virtual presentations, it’s important to create a distraction-free background. Choose a clean and clutter-free environment with minimal distractions behind you. Consider using a neutral-colored backdrop or even a virtual background feature if available.

What are some interactive presentation ideas for online audiences?

There are numerous interactive presentation ideas you can explore for online audiences. Some examples include conducting live polls or surveys during the presentation, incorporating breakout rooms for group discussions or activities, utilizing interactive slides with clickable elements or quizzes, and encouraging real-time chat participation.

How do strategic pauses enhance engagement in virtual presentations?

Strategic pauses provide moments of reflection for the audience while allowing them to process information effectively. They also build anticipation and create a sense of suspense, keeping the audience engaged and eager to hear what comes next. Incorporating pauses at key moments in your presentation can significantly enhance audience engagement.

How can I enhance communication beyond verbal language in virtual presentations?

To enhance communication beyond verbal language in virtual presentations, consider using visual aids such as slides, infographics, or videos to convey information. Utilize gestures and facial expressions to add emphasis and emotion to your delivery. Make use of props or demonstrations whenever applicable to reinforce your message visually

How-To Geek

6 ways to create more interactive powerpoint presentations.

Engage your audience with cool, actionable features.

Quick Links

• Add a QR code
• Embed Microsoft Forms (Education or Business Only)
• Embed a Live Web Page
• Add Links and Menus
• Add Clickable Images to Give More Info
• Add a Countdown Timer

We've all been to a presentation where the speaker bores you to death with a mundane PowerPoint presentation. Actually, the speaker could have kept you much more engaged by adding some interactive features to their slideshow. Let's look into some of these options.

1. Add a QR code

Adding a QR code can be particularly useful if you want to direct your audience to an online form, website, or video.

Some websites have in-built ways to create a QR code. For example, on Microsoft Forms , when you click "Collect Responses," you'll see the QR code option via the icon highlighted in the screenshot below. You can either right-click the QR code to copy and paste it into your presentation, or click "Download" to add it to your device gallery to insert the QR code as a picture.

In fact, you can easily add a QR code to take your viewer to any website. On Microsoft Edge, right-click anywhere on a web page where there isn't already a link, and left-click "Create QR Code For This Page."

You can also create QR codes in other browsers, such as Chrome.

You can then copy or download the QR code to use wherever you like in your presentation.

2. Embed Microsoft Forms (Education or Business Only)

If you plan to send your PPT presentation to others—for example, if you're a trainer sending step-by-step instruction presentation, a teacher sending an independent learning task to your students, or a campaigner for your local councilor sending a persuasive PPT to constituents—you might want to embed a quiz, questionnaire, pole, or feedback survey in your presentation.

In PowerPoint, open the "Insert" tab on the ribbon, and in the Forms group, click "Forms". If you cannot see this option, you can add new buttons to the ribbon .

As at April 2024, this feature is only available for those using their work or school account. We're using a Microsoft 365 Personal account in the screenshot below, which is why the Forms icon is grayed out.

Then, a sidebar will appear on the right-hand side of your screen, where you can either choose a form you have already created or opt to craft a new form.

Now, you can share your PPT presentation with others , who can click the fields and submit their responses when they view the presentation.

3. Embed a Live Web Page

You could always screenshot a web page and paste that into your PPT, but that's not a very interactive addition to your presentation. Instead, you can embed a live web page into your PPT so that people with access to your presentation can interact actively with its contents.

To do this, we will need to add an add-in to our PPT account .

Add-ins are not always reliable or secure. Before installing an add-in to your Microsoft account, check that the author is a reputable company, and type the add-in's name into a search engine to read reviews and other users' experiences.

To embed a web page, add the Web Viewer add-in ( this is an add-in created by Microsoft ).

Go to the relevant slide and open the Web Viewer add-in. Then, copy and paste the secure URL into the field box, and remove https:// from the start of the address. In our example, we will add a selector wheel to our slide. Click "Preview" to see a sample of the web page's appearance in your presentation.

This is how ours will look.

When you or someone with access to your presentation views the slideshow, this web page will be live and interactive.

4. Add Links and Menus

As well as moving from one slide to the next through a keyboard action or mouse click, you can create links within your presentation to direct the audience to specific locations.

To create a link, right-click the outline of the clickable object, and click "Link."

In the Insert Hyperlink dialog box, click "Place In This Document," choose the landing destination, and click "OK."

What's more, to make it clear that an object is clickable, you can use action buttons. Open the "Insert" tab on the ribbon, click "Shape," and then choose an appropriate action button. Usefully, PPT will automatically prompt you to add a link to these shapes.

You might also want a menu that displays on every slide. Once you have created the menu, add the links using the method outlined above. Then, select all the items, press Ctrl+C (copy), and then use Ctrl+V to paste them in your other slides.

5. Add Clickable Images to Give More Info

Through PowerPoint's animations, you can give your viewer the power to choose what they see and when they see it. This works nicely whether you're planning to send your presentation to others to run through independently or whether you're presenting in front of a group and want your audience to decide which action they want to take.

Start by creating the objects that will be clickable (trigger) and the items that will appear (pop-up).

Then, select all the pop-ups together. When you click "Animations" on the ribbon and choose an appropriate animation for the effect you want to achieve, this will be applied to all objects you have selected.

The next step is to rename the triggers in your presentation. To do this, open the "Home" tab, and in the Editing group, click "Select", and then "Selection Pane."

With the Selection Pane open, select each trigger on your slide individually, and rename them in the Selection Pane, so that they can be easily linked to in the next step.

Finally, go back to the first pop-up. Open the "Animations" tab, and in the Advanced Animation group, click the "Trigger" drop-down arrow. Then, you can set the item to appear when a trigger is clicked in your presentation.

If you want your item to disappear when the trigger is clicked again, select the pop-up, click "Add Animation" in the Advanced Animation group, choose an Exit animation, and follow the same step to link that animation to the trigger button.

6. Add a Countdown Timer

A great way to get your audience to engage with your PPT presentation is to keep them on edge by adding a countdown timer. Whether you're leading a presentation and want to let your audience stop to discuss a topic, or running an online quiz with time-limit questions, having a countdown timer means your audience will keep their eye on your slide throughout.

To do this, you need to animate text boxes or shapes containing your countdown numbers. Choose and format a shape and type the highest number that your countdown clock will need. In our case, we're creating a 10-second timer.

Now, with your shape selected, open the "Animations" tab on the ribbon and click the animation drop-down arrow. Then, in the Exit menu, click "Disappear."

Open the Animation Pane, and click the drop-down arrow next to the animation you've just added. From there, choose "Timing."

Make sure "On Click" is selected in the Start menu, and change the Delay option to "1 second," before clicking "OK."

Then, with this shape still selected, press Ctrl+C (copy), and then Ctrl+V (paste). In the second box, type 9 . With the Animation Pane still open and this second shape selected, click the drop-down arrow and choose "Timing" again. Change the Start option to "After Previous," and make sure the Delay option is 1 second. Then, click "OK."

We can now use this second shape as our template, as when we copy and paste it again, the animations will also duplicate. With this second shape selected, press Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V, type 8 into the box, and continue to do the same until you get to 0 .

Next, remove the animations from the "0" box, as you don't want this to disappear. To do this, click the shape, and in the Animation Pane drop-down, click "Remove."

You now need to layer them in order. Right-click the box containing number 1, and click "Bring To Front." You will now see that box on the top. Do the same with the other numbers in ascending order.

Finally, you need to align the objects together. Click anywhere on your slide and press Ctrl+A. Then, in the Home tab on the ribbon, click "Arrange." First click "Align Center," and then bring the menu up again, so that you can click "Align Middle."

Press Ctrl+A again to select your timer, and you can then move your timer or copy and paste it elsewhere.

Press F5 to see the presentation in action, and when you get to the slide containing the timer, click anywhere on the slide to see your countdown timer in action!

Now that your PPT presentation is more interactive, make sure you've avoided these eight common presentational mistakes before you present your slides.