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PowerPoint 101: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners

Are you struggling with PowerPoint? You need a quick design in PowerPoint but don't know where to start? Don't worry, you have nothing to be ashamed of.

In this article, we're going to refresh the most important PowerPoint basics so you can take advantage of this Microsoft software and create high-impact presentations at any time!

Millions of users worldwide use Microsoft 365 services , making PowerPoint the presentation design software with the highest market share. And with good reason! PowerPoint's features stand out for its usability and originality . We can tell you that PowerPoint is pretty intuitive software, and it's a great option to choose when working with presentations on a daily basis. So, are you ready for a quick PowerPoint 101 class?

Let ' s see what you ' re going to learn today with this PowerPoint Guide :

What is PowerPoint?

What are the best uses of powerpoint, powerpoint basics: what are the components of powerpoint workspace, mastering powerpoint: what are the main features of powerpoint, what are powerpoint templates and where to find them, time to practice how to make a presentation in powerpoint.

Microsoft PowerPoint is a presentation design software that is part of Microsoft 365 . This software allows you to design presentations by combining text, images, graphics, video, and animation on slides in a simple and intuitive way.

Over time, PowerPoint has evolved and improved its accessibility to users. For this reason, it has been adapted to the main operating systems and modalities:

• PowerPoint Online

Additionally, you can use Word and Excel in this online version. That way, you'll be able to make real-time changes in the cloud without fearing losing your files. Sounds great, right?

PowerPoint has a versatile range of uses. Here's a list of the different tasks you can complete with this presentation design software:

• Business presentations or Pitch decks.
• Marketing, Sales and HR plans.
• Project briefs and timelines.
• Inductions to new employees.
• Seminars and educational classes.
• Professional portfolio of photos or designs.
• Presentations of a research summary.
• Presentations for special occasions.

These are just a few examples of the multiple possibilities this Microsoft software offers. Your imagination is the only limit!

Stay tuned as we continue with this PowerPoint 101 Guide...

In order to deeply understand this presentation design software, you need to recognize its main components. Now it's time to learn about the PowerPoint basics!

A quick note before going any further: when opening PowerPoint, some of the commands in the ribbons will look grayish and won't be highlighted when you hover the mouse over them.

This happens since some commands need to be selected in order to function. For example, if you want to change the color of a text, you first need to select it.

That being said, let's start with this Guide for PowerPoint beginners:

PowerPoint Main Window

The first aspect to learn is PowerPoint Main Window. To facilitate the explanation, we've organized its main elements with numbers from 1 to 10:

Based on that, the main components of PowerPoint window are the following:

1. Quick Access Toolbar: allows you to customize commands to have them at hand. You only have to select it and go to "More commands."

2. Title Bar: shows you the name of your file and other "Suggested options" like Slide Master View . These options will vary depending on the use you give to the commands.

3. File Tab: you will see the Home Menu (PowerPoint backstage) by selecting it. There, you can create a new presentation, save it, print it, export it, and many other options.

4. The Ribbon: it's where PowerPoint tabs and tools are. These tools can also be called "commands" or “features.”

5. More Button or Down Arrow: these arrows allow you to view more tools or layout options in PowerPoint.

6. Slides Pane: shows your slides in thumbnail size. By right-clicking, you can access additional options for customizing each slide. Perfect for PowerPoint beginners!

7. Slide: PowerPoint's blank canvas and the frame to be seen when presenting the file.

8. Placeholders: they are dotted boxes that will store your content.

9. Status Bar: allows you to view the slide number, grammatical errors, speaker notes, and the comments on your file.

10. Zoom: allows you to enlarge or minimize your PowerPoint workspace. The range goes from 10 to 400%.

PowerPoint Tabs

The PowerPoint tabs are the control desk of your presentation . Since PowerPoint's features are too many, they're organized in tabs.

You can come and go between tabs as you need. Once you click on a tab, it will open its ribbon, and there, you'll be able to see all the tools related to that particular category.

This PowerPoint tutorial for beginners will give you an overview of all PowerPoint tabs . Pay attention to the following list:

• Transitions Tab
• Animations Tab
• Slide Show Tab
• Recording Tab

1. Home Tab

The Home tab is the most common tab of PowerPoint. This is the tab you'll probably use the most if you're designing a presentation deck from scratch.

It allows you to add new slides and change the text characteristics : font, size, boldness, underlining, alignment, etc. If you've ever used Microsoft Word, these features will be familiar to you.

Also, you will find commands to edit the characteristics of the geometric shapes you insert. This includes: fill color, line color, sharpe effects, among others.

2. Insert Tab

The Insert tab is exactly what its name says it is. In this ribbon, you'll find all the options concerning adding a new element to your PowerPoint presentation .

You can insert a picture, some geometric shapes, icons, WordArt graphics, among others. We can tell you that this tab is really helpful for PowerPoint beginners!

For example, if you have a lot of data in PowerPoint , you could add a chart or diagram to show your information in a more visual way. Also, you can embed videos or music into PowerPoint really easily.

• PowerPoint tip for beginners: To be able to write text on your slides, you need a text box. So, if you're designing your presentation from scratch, remember to go first to the Insert tab and add a text box to start writing.

3. Design Tab

If you are one of those people who enjoy choosing the design of a PowerPoint presentation, this tab will be your favorite.

The Design tab offers a wide range of premade designs , allowing you to get more polished slides. Even better, if you explore its ribbon, you can adjust the color palette and change the overall style of your PowerPoint deck.

The PowerPoint interface, as this basic PowerPoint Tutorial, is really intuitive. We believe that you won't have any problem with this tab!

4. Transitions Tab

Using transitions in PowerPoint is a dynamic way to move from one slide to the next during a presentation. This feature is PowerPoint's stamp, so don ' t miss it!

Some PowerPoint transitions are really classic, like wiping the old slide to present the new one. Others are somewhat over the top, like the “Vortex” or the “Airplane” effect.

If you click on each kind of transition, you'll see a preview on how it would look when presenting. Really cool, right?

5. Animations Tab

In case you want to add special effects for certain elements in your slides , the Animations tab in PowerPoint will interest you.

Like the Transitions tab, you will find various animation effects in this ribbon. It's a matter of trying and choosing the best one according to your needs!

6. Slide Show Tab

As its name says, the Slide Show tab is about presenting your slides . We really like that it gives you several options to show up your presentation!

Considering that you're a PowerPoint beginner, you're not likely to use the Slide Show tab very much.

But if you're curious about this command, you must read our article: How to Make a PowerPoint Slideshow that Runs Automatically?

7. Review Tab

The Review tab is not often used by PowerPoint beginners either.

However, if your job is related to writing or if you work at an international company, this tool can be extremely useful!

With this tab, you can check the slide's spelling, translate the text in real-time, and add comments to your slides . This last function can be helpful to give feedback to a colleague.

8. View Tab

This View tab allows you to change the view of your PowerPoint slides and make handouts from them, among other things.

As you can see, the majority of its commands are really specific. So you won't have any issues while designing, test and see!

In this section, our favorite command for PowerPoint beginners is Slide Master . Explore more about this tool in our guide!

9. Recording Tab

In the last versions of this design presentation software, PowerPoint added the Recording tab. As its name says, it allows you to record all your presentation slides .

This ribbon has advanced commands, so the most common action for a PowerPoint beginner is to take a screenshot or record the screen sequentially .

10. Help Tab

Finally, there is the Help tab. If you have any problem or question concerning how to use PowerPoint, you may go here to look for a solution.

In the latest versions, Windows has added a “Show Training” option. You can click this command to practice the PowerPoint basics since it will download training templates.

As a beginner in PowerPoint, you must recognize the objective of each PowerPoint tab to be able to master the software . But, in order to conduct an outstanding presentation deck, you also need to dominate its most important features. Let's see some of them in the next section!

If you feel ready to delve deeper into PowerPoint's tools, this section is for you.

As you may know , 24Slides specializes in creating outstanding presentations for any Design Project . So, we asked one of our experts about her favorite PowerPoint features, and we want to share them all with you!

Carmen Navarrete , Graphic Designer at 24Slides, highlighted the following features that will make your presentations stand out from the crowd:

PowerPoint Feature #1: Crop to Shape

This first PowerPoint feature is simple but effective!

Let's see how to use it:

• First, choose an image you want to cut and insert it into your workspace.
• Once inserted, select it with the mouse.
• Go to the "Picture Format" tab.
• Press the arrow of the "Crop" button (right side of the screen).
• Select "Crop to Shape."
• Choose your favorite shape and customize your PowerPoint presentation!

PowerPoint Feature #2: Merge Shapes

If you don't like any figure enough, you can create one from scratch!

This is possible thanks to the "Merge Shapes" option. Follow these steps to unleash your creativity:

• First choose an image you want to cut.
• Check the list of PowerPoint shapes (Insert tab > Shapes).
• Choose two or three figures you want to merge (they can be the same figure).
• Select the figures you are going to merge (see the image).
• Once selected, go to the "Shape Format" tab.
• Press the "Merge Shapes" option and the type of merge you want (test and choose!).

• A new figure will appear, and you must fill it with the image from the first step.
• Stay on the Shape Format tab and go to "Shape Fill" (button in the middle of the ribbon).
• Select "Picture Fill" and browse for your image.
• Select the image to fill your new figure, and that's it!

• PowerPoint tip for beginners: When your merged figure is ready, paste the image to the background of your slide to achieve a better result. This way, you can use your image as a canvas and see if both elements fit well.

PowerPoint Feature #3: Insert Icons

This PowerPoint feature is quite easy to follow for PowerPoint beginners!

Just follow these steps:

• Go to the Insert tab.
• Select the "Icons" option.
• A Microsoft 365 library will open, where you can search for the required icon.
• Now, you must insert it into your presentation and adapt it to your design.
• If you have an active Microsoft 365 subscription, you'll have access to a larger number of icons in PowerPoint.

• PowerPoint tip for beginners: If you want to learn more about icons in PowerPoint, read our article on How to Use Icons to Make Amazing PowerPoint Presentations .

PowerPoint Feature #4: Insert SmartArt

PowerPoint's SmartArt is one of the most popular and accessible tools to dominate while learning about PowerPoint basics.

To use it in your slide deck, you must:

• Select SmartArt.
• See all SmartArt categories and choose your favorite based on your needs.
• Add the text you have prepared and adapt it to your presentation.

We want to give you some ideas to master this SmartArt tool in PowerPoint: you can make timelines , flowcharts , and even a Venn diagram in just a few seconds. Try and see!

PowerPoint Feature #5: Remove Background

If you don't know how to use Photoshop and want to remove the background from an image, in this PowerPoint 101 Guide, we show you how:

• First choose the image you want to remove the background from.
• Insert the image in the PowerPoint workspace.
• Select the image and go to the "Picture Format" tab.
• Select "Remove Background" (first option on the left).
• You can keep and remove parts of the image with the first two tools of the ribbon (see image).
• Keep in mind that all the sections highlighted in purple will be deleted.

• We recommend zooming in to keep or remove parts of the image with more detail.
• Once you're done, press the "Keep Changes" button.
• Finally, adapt the new image to your PowerPoint presentation.

• PowerPoint tip for beginners: Choose a high-contrast photo or image for best results. In other words, the outline of the person or object you want to cut out must have clear edges and cannot blend with the image's background color.

PowerPoint Feature #6: Add Speaker Notes

The latest PowerPoint feature is a command you can use to prepare your speech before presenting to an audience.

Learning how to add speaker notes in PowerPoint is simple:

• Select the slide that needs some notes.
• Usually, there is a footer below the slide, but if not, you will have to activate it.
• Go to the View tab and select "Notes."
• The Speaker Notes section will appear, and you can add whatever you want!

• PowerPoint tip for beginners: In case you want to practice your entire presentation and have a lot of notes, go to the View tab and select "Notes Page" (fourth command). You'll be able to see all your Speaker Notes faster!

PowerPoint Feature #7: PowerPoint Translator

If you've ever wondered how to translate your PowerPoint Slides, we'll explain the step by step here:

• Go to the Review tab.
• Select the text you want to translate.
• Press the “Translate” button.
• A panel will open on the right side of the screen.
• Choose the language you need and you'll see the translation in real-time.
• If you press Insert, the text will change to the new translation!

PowerPoint Feature #8: Screen Recording

The process of recording your screen in PowerPoint is straightforward and intuitive. Let's see:

• Go to the “Record” or “Recording” tab.
• Press the "Record Slide Show" button or the “From Beginning” button (depending on your PPT version).
• A new window will open.
• Select the red record button and start recording!
• When you're done, select “Export.”
• By default, the video will be 1080p. If you want to lower the video quality, go to "Customize export."
• Name the video, save it to a folder and that's it!

As you may have noticed, this software has endless PowerPoint design options for beginners. We encourage you to try and test each functionality!

However, we're clear that PowerPoint has different features, so it can be hard to know where to start. That's why understanding PowerPoint basics is crucial if you truly want to master this software!

Our PowerPoint 101 Guide continues; stay tuned to discover more great stuff about this Microsoft software. Keep reading!

A PowerPoint template is a pre-made design that you can use for your own means, and that will save you a lot of time!

Templates in PowerPoint are a great resource for designing since all the structure is already done, and you only have to update the content . We can tell you they're the perfect resource for PowerPoint beginners!

They can be incredibly specific. For example, there are templates for a SWOT analysis or a complete Marketing report. Otherwise, templates can also be very general, with several slides with a similar design.

If you struggle with the artistic part of designing presentations, downloading PowerPoint templates will be a life changer!

How to download PowerPoint templates for free?

If you didn't know, 24Slides has an extensive repository of PowerPoint templates. But how to obtain them? It's really simple:

• First, create an account on our Free Templates Website with the button “Register” (that way, you can download everything without problems!).
• Think about the graphics you need and the ideal structure for your presentation deck (you can also change the color palette later!).
• Download it in PowerPoint format (if you prefer it in Google Slides format, you'll also find this type in our repository).
• Edit and change everything you need for your PowerPoint presentation!

24Slides Designers specialize in business and corporate PowerPoints, but you'll also find other types of templates on our website: Data templates, Timelines, Roadmaps, Matrixes, Diagrams, and more.

Keep in mind that a well-designed PowerPoint deck helps you communicate stronger messages to your audience . Don't waste this opportunity to make your presentation shine!

If you want to learn more about how to master PowerPoint, do not miss the last section. We'll show you some PowerPoint basics from the software itself!

A PowerPoint 101 Guide wouldn't be that useful with no examples. So, if you enjoy the step-by-step guides, this section is for you.

Below, we'll show you how to make a simple PowerPoint presentation. But first, here are some tips to be more efficient in the process:

• Be clear about what type of presentation you're going to create (is it corporate, playful, or more creative?).
• Make a draft with the most important information you need to add and, thus, generate a good structure in your presentation .
• Get inspired by examples on the internet , but adapt them to your needs and audience.
• If you will create a business presentation, keep in mind your brand identity .
• Make sure your PowerPoint works , you may need to update to the latest version or pay for the subscription.

Step 1: Make a draft to structure your presentation

As we said before, writing a draft or script of your content will be vital to start on the right foot as a PowerPoint beginner.

This advice is so important that we choose it as the first step to learning how to make a PowerPoint presentation. Remember: Planning is key!

Regarding the process of planning, we share some good practices:

• If your presentation will be very long , write down all subtitles and content in a Word document. This will help you organize your ideas and give a correct sequence to your narrative. In addition to avoiding redundancies in the message you want to communicate.
• If your presentation will use many visual resources , we recommend choosing high-quality images. This will help you have a starting graphic base. Some good free image repositories are Freepick , Unsplash , and Adobe Stock .
• If your presentation is based on data , have all your results summarized or your most relevant conclusions at hand. The idea of making a PowerPoint presentation is to show your information in the simplest way possible for your audience.

Step 2: Create a new document in PowerPoint

Once you check that all the functions are working fine with the software, please open it and go to the File tab. If you've ever used Word or Excel, you'll probably find this Home Menu familiar.

In short, this is the main page of PowerPoint, where you can create a new presentation or open an older one. Let's see:

In order to follow this part of our PowerPoint Tutorial correctly, take into consideration the following points:

• On the lower side of the screen, you'll find your recently opened PowerPoint files. This option is great for saving some time.
• If you don't find the presentation you're looking for, click on the “Open” option at the left bar and find older files.
• Don't forget to save your presentation with a relatable name so you won't lose sight of it!

Step 3: Choose the perfect design for your presentation

With your information ready in a draft, it's time to choose the design of your PowerPoint slide deck. You must imagine that the available design options are endless!

For practical reasons, you have three options regarding the design:

• Start a design from scratch (very difficult for a PowerPoint beginner).
• Choose an established PowerPoint design or layout.
• Download a PowerPoint template and modify some details.

Don't worry if you don't know how to continue! In this PowerPoint 101 class, we're going to explain step by step the second option:

How do you set a default design in PowerPoint?

• First, go to the Design tab.
• Open the list of options by clicking on the third arrow.
• Choose the design you like the most for your PowerPoint presentation.

If you want to explore more PowerPoint designs, there is a way to research online. For that, you only need to:

• Go to the File tab (first tab, next to the Home tab).
• Select "More themes" (see image).

• Use the search engine and write the keyword you want (it can be related to your business or it can be a color).
• Check the list of PowerPoint themes and choose your favorite.
• Wait a few minutes while it loads and keep designing in PowerPoint!

How do you change the layout of one slide in PowerPoint?

In this PowerPoint 101 Guide, you will also learn how to configure the layout of each slide.

Keep in mind that to have a high-impact presentation, you must adapt your slides' design to the type of content you'll add. And using layouts is perfect for this purpose.

To change the layout type in PowerPoint, follow these steps:

• Right-click on the slide you want to change.
• Select the "Layout" option.
• You will find more than ten layout models.
• Choose the one that best suits your content.
• Repeat these steps for each slide (if you wish or require).

How do you customize your slides in PowerPoint?

The design process in this PowerPoint 101 Guide doesn't stop there.

You also can customize your presentation's color palette , font style, background format , and graphics effects .

Just go to:

• Design tab > Variants.
• Select Colors, Fonts, Effects or Background Styles (as you need).
• If you're inspired and want to create your own background in PowerPoint, select Background Styles > Format Background.
• Finally, custom your slides as you want!

Step 4: Add all your information to your presentation

Now, it's time to add all your information to your slides. If your script is long, take your time to copy each part of it.

In this PowerPoint Tutorial, we're going to show how our design is going so far. We design at your side!

Step 5: Add transitions or animations to your presentation

The stamp of PowerPoint is its transitions and animations! Naturally, our PowerPoint 101 has considered these essential commands.

If you want to add them to your presentation and make your speech more fluid, follow these steps:

• Go to the tabs section of PowerPoint.
• Select "Transitions" or "Animations" and try your favorite effects.
• Remember that if you select Transitions, these will modify the entire slide, while Animations can be added to each element individually.

When choosing one Animation, you can eliminate it if you aren't 100% convinced. You only need to:

• Select the Animation number that appears on the corner.
• Press the "Delete" or "Backspace" button on your keyboard.
• Choose another Animation in PowerPoint if you want!

This “PowerPoint for dummies” is full of tips and tricks! So here is one more: Don't overuse transitions or animations in PowerPoint ; they can make your presentation slower and unprofessional . Use this tool in a subtle way!

Step 6: Refine the final details

As always, every final product must be reviewed. Especially if you're learning the PowerPoint fundamentals with us.

We recommend reviewing each slide of your PowerPoint presentation one final time. In this process, you will be able to:

• Add icons if your presentation requires it.
• Change any image or illustration if they don't convince you.
• Change transitions or animations.
• Customize your presentation's color palette .
• Proofread your slides' text or add more information.
• Add speaker notes to your presentation.

Step 7: Slideshow your presentation

When your presentation is finished, it's essential to know how to make a PowerPoint slideshow. This way, you can see your slides from the exact same perspective your audience will see them.

To slideshow your presentation in PowerPoint, follow these simple steps for PowerPoint beginners:

• Position yourself on your first slide.
• Go to the bottom right of the software.
• Select the "Slide Show" button (see image).
• Have a look of your presentation by clicking on each slide or pressing the right arrow on your keyboard.
• To go out from the Slide Show mode, you have to press the ESC key.

Now you can present your slides like an expert!

When you master this presentation design software, you'll be able to create amazing things in PowerPoint : infographics, diagrams, charts, pitch decks, business cards, calendars, you name it!

This was our PowerPoint Guide for beginners. We hope that our compilation today will be useful for conducting more professional presentations in the future and, why not, achieve all your goals!

Don't forget to share this PowerPoint 101 Guide with your co-workers or whoever you want!

Want to boost your beginner PowerPoint skills? Check out this content:

• How to Work with Multiple Images in PowerPoint
• How to Add a Timer to Your Powerpoint Presentations
• PowerPoint Charts, Graphs, & Tables Made Easy | Tips & Tricks
• How To Use PowerPoint Design Ideas - All Questions Answered!
• 36 Fun Icebreakers for Your Next Presentation
• The Cost of PowerPoint Presentations: Discover the hidden expenses you might overlook!

Create professional presentations online

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How to Create a YouTube Video with PowerPoint

Few people nowadays have the patience or willingness to sit through multiple slide presentations. Online videos, on the other hand, are a powerful means to build user engagement in an era of lower attention spans. As long as the videos look professional, your audience will pay attention to whatever you have to say.

Follow these simple steps to convert your hard work that went in to creating a PowerPoint into an accessible and compact YouTube video.

Also read: 4 Free Online Tools to Add a Censor Bleep to Your YouTube Videos

Step 1: Clean Up Your Slides

If you want to give a professional finish to the video, try breathing life into the slides first.

Open the file with PowerPoint 2010 and click “View,” followed by “Slide Master,” to apply uniformity in alignment, bullets, fonts and spacing. After saving the Master template, go to “Slide Sorter” view and apply a minimalist, standard design. You can use an academic or corporate template as long as it’s minimal and clean.

Too much text in a slide will disrupt the attention span of the typical YouTube viewer. Get rid of bullet lists, fancy animations, flowcharts and tables. If you previously used a slide to describe something complex, break it down into easily digestible ideas spread across multiple slides.

Use screenshots and full-slide, high-resolution images to fill up your new presentation. PowerPoint 2010 allows you to insert online pictures with a Creative Commons license and from the Bing search engine.

You can also use the “Pictures with Captions” layout along with “Design Ideas” to create a robust background for video frames. Use free stock images for new picture ideas.

Also read: 14 Useful PowerPoint Templates to Set Up a Digital Planner

Step 2: Insert Audio

Background narration is the most important component of a high-quality YouTube video. You can download royalty-free music , but the best YouTube videos always come with speaker narration. Go to “Insert,” followed by “Audio,” where PowerPoint allows you to record your own voice for each slide.

There’s a chance you aren’t getting a very high-quality audio with PowerPoint alone. It’s far better to work with a pre-recorded audio clip and a tight script. You can use a voice recording app like Audiophile or an actual digital voice recorder. Our aim is to achieve professional results by filtering out echo and background noise.

For a fifty-slide presentation, you should aim for no more than ten seconds of recorded narration per slide. Go to “Slide Show,” followed by “Rehearse Timings,” to get the timings right for each slide. Import the MP3 files into their corresponding slides and play them in automatic mode.

Finally, you are only required to set up the slide show. Check the options for “Play Narration” and “Use Timings” along with “Browsed by an individual (window).”

Also read: How to Create and Manage Your YouTube Clips

Step 3: Insert Video Clips (Optional)

If you did a good job with rehearsed narrations and images as described earlier, you can skip this part. However, a mini video clip within a video is a powerful way to retain your YouTube viewer’s attention. Unlike in the past, playing a video clip automatically from your PowerPoint is very easy.

Go to “Insert,” followed by “Video,” where you can embed any video from YouTube’s “Share” menu and play it on your own presentation.

Always make sure that it is your own video. You can always choose Creative Commons videos from YouTube, Vimeo and other sites. Use PowerPoint’s “Playback” option which is displayed after you embed a new video.

Step 4: Save PPT as Video

After clicking “File,” followed by “Save As,” save the PowerPoint as a WMV file. Your video is now ready for upload on YouTube and any other video-sharing sites.

Step 5: Upload Video on YouTube

Upload the desired video output to your YouTube channel. If it is aimed at prospects alone, you might want to keep it private or unlisted with no embedding or comments allowed.

Do you agree that converting your PowerPoint files to a five- or seven-minute video is a good investment of time? Please let us know your thoughts. Want to make the most of your time? Learn these PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts .

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Sayak Boral is a technology writer with over eleven years of experience working in different industries including semiconductors, IoT, enterprise IT, telecommunications OSS/BSS, and network security. He has been writing for MakeTechEasier on a wide range of technical topics including Windows, Android, Internet, Hardware Guides, Browsers, Software Tools, and Product Reviews.

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15 Ways to Develop Better YouTube Presentation Skills

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In this article I’ll show you how to can improve your YouTube presentation skills.

In fact, I’m sharing 15 tips that have helped over 580 of my real-world clients and thousands of my online students. Enabling them to speak with confidence and clarity when previously they thought, “ I can’t speak on camera “.

Almost all these tips will cost you nothing. But when you apply them, they will bring you actual results.

So, let’s get started.

The most common reason for people not making videos is that they are nervous about turning the camera on themselves. It’s a frequent problem. And it’s easy to convince yourself that you can’t speak on camera.

That’s why I have 15 strategies to calm your anxiety in front of the lens to improve your YouTube presentation skills. At the end of the article, I also have a video that features many of the video presentation tips I will be talking about.

In a Hurry? Click on any of the items in the following list to go directly to that tip.

• Be prepared and know your subject .
• Use a teleprompter .
• Keep things as normal and familiar as possible.
• Slow down. Don’t rush to try to get to the end quickly.
• Avoid strenuous exercise immediately before filming.
• Do one or two stretches and warm-up exercises to loosen up your shoulder and neck muscles.
• Don’t worry about being judged. Ignore haters and embrace your fans.
• Imagine that you are speaking to a friend who is behind the camera.
• Use the chocolate bar method of filming. Record one chunk at a time and you’ll soon finish it all .
• Practice and familiarize yourself with the script before recording.
• Don’t try to be a TV presenter, just be yourself.
• Make changes to the script to make it your own.
• Comfortable clothing will help make you feel less awkward.
• Get a friend to join you in front of the camera.
• Accept that you don’t need to be perfect.  

Table of Contents

1. Be prepared and know your subject

The first and the most important tip of all is to know your stuff.

If it is your area of expertise, you may not need to do as much preparation. But if the topic is less familiar to you, make sure you brush up on the subject so that you can speak confidently and not worry that you can’t speak on camera.

Whether you are an expert in the field or a relative novice, always prepare a bullet list of what you want to say.

It does not always have to be a written list; it could just be a mental note to yourself. But I prefer to work with a physical list placed close to the camera lens.

The bullet list is a kind of security blanket, allowing you to calm your presentation nerves. You will know that you will cover all the necessary points and in the correct order.

The list assures you that the structure of the video is as you intended rather than in the order you remembered the points.

Knowing that you are on top of your subject matter and properly prepared will give you confidence in front of the camera.

If instead, you are unprepared and you know you are going to have to fill your video with fluff and repetition, subconsciously that will make you feel uncomfortable and nervous.

So, prepare, know your stuff, and give your viewer value with the quality of your content. Adopting that approach will help calm your nerves in front of the camera. This really will help you with your YouTube presentation skills

2. Use a teleprompter

A written script is a step up from a bullet list. It is a huge help if you find it difficult to speak unprompted or if you need to use precise technical words or phrases.

It can be stressful trying to remember your lines, but a teleprompter makes the process a lot easier.

You could go down the route of getting a professional teleprompter with a beam splitter, but it really isn’t necessary.

Provided you have at least 6.5ft (2m) between you and the camera, you can use a teleprompter app on an iPad.

Place the iPad next to or above the camera lens and at 6ft or more. At that distance, no one will notice you’re not looking directly into the lens.

Download a teleprompter app that is either voice-activated or has a remote control. This will ensure you will be less stressed.

With this kind of teleprompter, you won’t have to worry about keeping up or running out of words.

If you feel you can’t speak on camera, getting a teleprompter will go a long way to change your mind.

3. Keep things as normal as possible

Making videos may be a whole new world to you. But if you can keep things as normal as possible, you’ll find it a whole lot less stressful.

In other words, rather than stepping into an alien world of video production, try and bring video into your world.

Shoot your video in your office or lounge.

If possible, avoid lots of fancy lights that can be distracting and off-putting.

Choose clothing and makeup that you would normally wear. It will help normalize the situation.

Little things can make you feel a lot more comfortable. So, take time to incorporate them into your preparation for the shoot if you want to up your YouTube presentation skills.

4. Slow down

One huge giveaway that you’re nervous is speaking quickly, or at least quicker than normal.

Behind the break-neck pace is the thought that the quicker you go, the sooner you’ll be finished.

The faster you got, the more likely you will stumble over your own words.

So don’t do it.

Keeping the pace relaxed will make it easier for you to get the script right. Plus, your audience will also find it easier to follow what you’re saying.

So, before you start, close your eyes, and take a couple of deep breaths. Now open your eyes and look up into the lens of the camera. You’ll be more relaxed and can start speaking calmly and at a measured pace.

5. Don’t overexert yourself before filming

If you’re still worried that you can’t speak on camera, my fourth tip is not to overexert yourself just before filming.

Your pulse rate, respiration, and perspiration will be elevated after strenuous exercise. None of which will help you relax.

You’ll be conscious of heavy breathing, being flushed and perspiring and you won’t be able to appear calm in front of the camera.

If you are in that state take a few minutes to relax, cool down, and get yourself looking good.

Only then should you roll the camera.

6. Do a few warm-up exercises

Strenuous exercise is out of the question, but you can do some light warm-up exercises.

A few stretches will help you relax.

Rotate your shoulders and neck to loosen up.

Then try some breathing exercises. Close your eyes and breathe in and out slowly, concentrating on the rise and fall. Don’t try rapid breathing, you’re not trying to hyperventilate.

7. Don’t worry about being judged

You may be getting anxious because you think your viewers will judge you. I would like to say that they won’t, but they will.

The way you look, sound and dress will be noticed. It’s going to happen whatever you do, and there’s nothing you can do about it. So, if you can’t do anything to prevent it, don’t even worry about it. Just try and get over it.

Most of your viewers are not going to be judgemental. They’re watching because they want to hear what you have to say, whether it’s to learn from you or be entertained by you.

So, if someone makes a negative comment, don’t get anxious.

You’re never going to please everyone.

Develop a thick skin and accept that some people will hate you. Then embrace the viewers who love you because they WILL want to hear from you.

You will never please everyone, so don’t try. If you do, try to please everyone you’ll become bland and boring. You’ll no longer be the remarkable voice that you are.

So, chill. Relax. Be yourself. Your fans will love you for it.

8. Imagine you’re speaking to a friend

I’ll admit it. When I first had to speak at a seminar it was a little bit daunting.

So, I can understand that the thought of speaking to a large video audience can be scary.

Instead of thinking that you’re talking to a huge video audience, imagine you’re speaking to an individual behind the camera.

Better still. Imagine the individual is a friend, and you’re explaining something.

That’s a much less stressful situation than imagining you are talking to a huge crowd. After all, you have conversations every day without getting stressed. So, you CAN do it in front of a camera.

The truth is that it’s easier than real-world conversations. If you make a mistake in front of the camera you can stop and start again.

9. Use the chocolate bar method of filming

The more complicated you make the video shoot the more worried you will become.

So keep it super simple.

For instance, don’t give yourself too much to remember, whether that be what you have to say or do.

This especially applies to your first few videos where you are just learning how to do the basics.

Your video is likely to be at least a minute or two long. That can seem like forever and intimidate you into not starting.

But what if your video was just 10sec long?

I bet you could manage to record something as short as 10sec.

Now, if you can do a 10sec video, you can do a minute, five-minute, or ten-minute video. Moreover, it wouldn’t be any more stressful than doing a short 10sec video.

I know. You’re thinking, how’s that possible ?

It’s quite simple and relies on the fact that viewers, unlike traditional video professionals, don’t care about jump cuts. That’s where you seem to shift position between lines.

So, break up your script into short 5 or 10sec sections, that’s about 12 – 25 words respectively. Then record your video one section at a time or one chunk at a time.

You’ll feel a lot less anxious knowing there are just one or two lines to record at a time. That removes the pressure of thinking you must get to the end of a long script and be word perfect.

Record your script as short paragraphs or even phrases.

I call it the Chocolate Bar method of filmmaking.

You bite off one chunk at a time and you’ll get it all finished in no time.

When you come to edit your footage just cut the sections together.

Sure, there will be small jumps in your position, but your audience won’t care. It’s your amazing content they want, not Hollywood production values.

Record in short chunks and relax. It’s just like eating chocolate.

10. Practice and familiarize yourself with the script

We worry if the future is uncertain but feel happy and relaxed if we know what’s coming next. It’s the same when you’re presenting your videos.

Because you’re unsure of what’s coming up that gets you anxious. The greater your anxiety the more likely you’ll make a mistake and convince yourself that you can’t present your YouTube video.

The obvious answer is to read your script in advance.

Don’t read it in your head, read it aloud. You’ll understand where you need to slow down, where to add emphasis and what you need to stress.

You’re not trying to learn your lines; you just need to know what to anticipate. Consequently, you will feel more relaxed and present the script, so it sounds more natural.

Having had a practice, you will feel much more confident when the camera starts to roll.

11. Just be yourself

You’re not a TV presenter, so don’t try and be a fake one.

Some of your audience may even know you and think it’s weird if you put on a completely different persona.

Pretending to be someone you are not takes acting skill. Unless you’re an actor make it as easy for yourself as possible.

Just be yourself.

You know how to do that, so you’ll find presenting is much easier and you’ll be less awkward in front of the camera.

12. Mark up the script and make it your own

Make the script your own, especially if someone else has written it for you.

This is a YouTube presentation skill that’s about reading someone else’s words making them your own.

Adjust the words and phrasing so it sounds natural to you.

Speaking in ‘your own voice’ will seem easier and be more comfortable while presenting to camera.

Don’t include words that you wouldn’t normally use. It won’t sound like you and you’ll feel awkward and uncomfortable speaking that way.

So, make slight changes to the script to keep your performance natural and real.

13. Comfortable clothing with make you feel less awkward

This is one of those YouTube presentation skills that’s about making sure you feel comfortable.

Choose clothing that you feel comfortable in. Clothing that makes you feel good and confident.

If you feel awkward wearing a jacket collar and tie, that will show through, and you’ll appear awkward on-screen.

So, wear what you feel comfortable in to help dispel your anxiety.

14. Get a friend to help boost your YouTube presentation skills

You’ve probably heard the saying, ‘there’s strength in numbers’. Well, it can apply to your performance in front of the camera.

If feeling nervous about filming is a problem, remember that a problem shared is a problem halved.

What’s that?

Invite a friend to join you in the video. Do the video with a co-presenter or even as an interview.

If you decide to work with a co-presenter, it’s easy to get out of situations when you feel yourself drying up. If you feel stuck for what to say next, hand over to your partner. Do it in a natural way rather than just stopping though .

You could ask them for their opinion about what you just said or ask them if they have anything to add. There are many ways of handing over to your co-presenter. You could even ask them what’s coming up next.

Just like a script or cue cards are a safety net for you, having a co-presenter can work in the same way. If necessary, they ca n pick up the narrative while you get a chance to consider what to say next.

With a co-presenter, you don’t have to work to a fixed script.

The video could be recorded as a kind of conversation between the two of you. Each of you contributing your opinions on the topic you’re covering.

Or you could get your friend to interview you. Whether it’s a conversation or interview it will be easy to talk or answer questions because you know your subject.

Another advantage of working with someone else is that if either of you starts to ramble, the other is there to bring the conversation back to the topic of the piece and drive the video forward.

You will also potentially come up with more ideas for videos and how to do them if you work with another presenter. You can bounce ideas off each other and constructively criticize each other. It’s a fast track to boosting those YouTube presentation skills.

15. Accept that you’re not perfect

Finally, my fifteenth tip to improve your YouTube presentations skills is to allow yourself to be imperfect. Allow yourself to make mistakes.

By accepting that you don’t have to be perfect, you will make fewer mistakes. It may sound strange, but the acceptance of imperfection lifts a huge burden from your shoulders. You can then get on with presenting the video without it turning into a terrifying experience.

If you insist on getting everything right, you will keep stopping and become frustrated by every tiny mistake. In the past I even found myself stopping mid-sentence because in my head I thought I was about to make a mistake.

Incidentally, what you think is a mistake will often go unnoticed by your audience. As creators, we care about every detail. But the audience is not as critical as us. Furthermore, they aren’t looking for your mistakes. What they really want is your content, that’s what matters to them.

So just do your best, ignore any stumbles, and keep going. Knowing you can carry on will keep you calm, relaxed, and more productive. Being natural and real will be easier for you and your viewers will appreciate it.

Watch my video to help with YouTube presentation skills

As I mentioned at the start of the article, I’ve also recorded a video about improving your YouTube presentation skills and calming your presentation nerves.

Tosh Lubek runs an audio and video production business in the UK and has been using the Canon EOS R since it was released in the Autumn of 2018 and the Canon EOS R6 in 2020. He has used both cameras to shoot TV commercials broadcast on Sky TV, promotional business videos, videos of events and functions, and YouTube creator content. He has also won several international awards for his advertising and promotional work. You can meet him by visiting his “video booth” at HashTag Business Events across the country.

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Proton vpn expands its anti-censorship program to more countries, today's nyt connections hints and answer for june 27 (#382), quick links, embed a youtube video in a google slides presentation.

Want to spice up your Google Slides presentation by including a YouTube video in it? If so, use Slides' built-in feature to embed your YouTube videos with customizable options. We'll show you how to do just that.

When you embed a YouTube video, you can make the video play from the beginning or at a specified time . You also get to choose the time when your video ends. Additionally, if you don't want the video's sound, you can mute your video, as we'll explain below.

Related: How to Add Screen Recordings to Google Slides

To embed a YouTube video in Google Slides, you'll have to first get your video's URL (web link). You can get this URL by accessing your video's page on YouTube, then copying the link that appears in your web browser's address bar. The link should look something like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEhZHMtCO5U

Once you have the video link ready, start the video embed process by first opening a web browser on your computer and launching Google Slides . On the site, select the presentation in which you want to add a video.

When your presentation opens, in the left sidebar, click the slide in which you want to embed the video. Then, from Google Slides' menu bar, select Insert > Video.

An "Insert Video" window will open. Here, at the top, click the "By URL" tab to embed a video using its web link. The other way to add a video is to use the "Search" tab where you can find and select your YouTube video.

We'll go with the "By URL" method in this guide.

In the "By URL" tab, click the "Paste YouTube URL Here" field and paste your YouTube video's link. You can use the Ctrl+V (Windows) or Command+V (Mac) shortcut to paste the link.

As soon as you paste the link, you'll see your video's preview. Confirm this is the video you want to embed, then at the bottom of the window, click "Select."

In your selected slide, you now have your YouTube video embedded. To change the video's size on the slide, drag the handlers available around the border of the video.

To customize how your video plays, use the "Format Options" sidebar on the right. In this sidebar, you'll mainly use the "Video Playback" section to control the playback of your embedded video.

The options you can customize in this section are:

• Play (On Click) : To make your video play only when you click, select this option.
• Play (Automatically) : To make your video play automatically when the slide comes, use this option.
• Play (Manual) : If you'd only like the video to play when you manually play it, select this option.
• Start At : If you want your video to play at a specified time , enter that time here. For example, enter "02:00" to make your video begin at 2 minutes.
• End At : With this option, you can choose the timestamp where your video stops playing.
• Mute Audio : If you don't want your video's sound in your presentation, enable this option.

Feel free to change the options available in other sections, like "Size & Rotation," "Position," and "Drop Shadow."

Google Slides saves your changes automatically, so you don't have to do anything to ensure your video sticks in the presentation.

And that's how you make your presentations more engaging by including multimedia content in them. Enjoy!

Did you know you can add some music as well to Google Slides?

Related: How to Add Music to Google Slides

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How to embed a YouTube video in PowerPoint

We all know that Microsoft’s PowerPoint software has been a presentations staple for a few decades now. And whether you only used it in school once or twice, or you use it for work on a daily basis, there’s always something new to learn about the classic Microsoft platform. For example, did you know that you can embed YouTube videos in your PowerPoint presentations?

Embedding a YouTube video into PowerPoint

Customizing the embedded youtube video, inserting a video file directly into powerpoint, how do i get a youtube video to automatically play on powerpoint, why isn’t my embedded video playing in powerpoint, what you need.

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Those custom animations and fanciful fonts are only going to hold your audience for so long, and nothing says “yay, a break from reading” like a two or three-minute YouTube clip. In this guide, we’re going to teach you how to add YouTube videos to PowerPoint slides, and answer a few frequently asked questions about this subject, too.

Step 1: Head to the slide where you want to embed a YouTube video by clicking it in the sidebar section, where all your slides are located. Now, click the exact area where you want to add the video, such as the title header or within the main body of text underneath.

Step 2: Click the Insert tab at the top. Select the Video icon. From the drop-down list that appears, choose Online Video .

Please note that if you're using PowerPoint 2019 or newer, you'll be able to insert online videos from YouTube by just copying and pasting the video URL into a slide.

Step 3: Open the video you wish to embed on YouTube. Under the video player, click Share and then the Embed icon. Under the Embed Video title, click the Embed Code once, which will select the entire code section. Click the Copy button or use the keyboard shortcut ( Ctrl + C on Windows).

Step 4: Go back to your PowerPoint presentation window after you’ve copied the necessary code. Within the From a Video Embed Code section, paste the code into the adjacent field. Click the Enter button on your keyboard or click the small, grayed-out Arrow .

Step 1: You can customize how you want the video to play on your slide. Click the Playback tab and make any necessary adjustments, such as the video playing automatically or only letting it play when you click the video itself.

Step 2: You can also click the video frame, then right-click and select the Format Video tab for further modification tools, such as the video’s brightness, size, and more.

If you’d prefer to embed a video into your PowerPoint presentation with a video contained within your system, Microsoft provides an option to do so.

Step 1: Choose exactly where you want to add a video file. Click the Insert tab and select the Video icon. Click the Video on My PC field.

Step 2: Navigate to the video you want to insert, then double-click it or click it once and select the Open button. Microsoft PowerPoint will embed the video with its own media player.

Please remember that if you do prefer the option to insert a video directly from your PC and you'll need to show the presentation via an external system, don't forget to save both the PowerPoint and video files onto your USB, external hard drive, etc. Otherwise, it won't be able to play the video. Moreover, add both of them into a single folder so they're interconnected to ensure playback.

If you want your YouTube to start playing the moment you open the slide it’s pasted to, the first thing you’ll need to do is make sure your slideshow is in Normal view. Next, click the YouTube video. Now click Playback > Start > Automatically .

You can also set up Play in Click Sequence , which automatically plays a slide’s YouTube video when you press the spacebar, right arrow key, or any other key that advances to the next slide.

There’s a couple of reasons your YouTube video may not be playing in PowerPoint. For starters, you should check to make sure the video you’re attempting to embed is compatible with PowerPoint. Popular formats like MP4, AVI, and WMV are supported. If your video isn’t in a PowerPoint-supported format, you could always convert it using programs like HandBrake .

If you’re playing an embedded YouTube video, the device you’re running PowerPoint on will need to be connected to the internet, too. If you know you’re going to be in a situation where you don’t have internet access, it’s probably a better idea to download the YouTube video to your computer first, and then place the video into your PowerPoint.

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60 Effective PowerPoint Presentation Tips & Tricks (Giant List)

Here's a PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks guide that takes you through how to make a good PowerPoint presentation.

The best PowerPoint presentations shouldn’t be remembered. Instead, they should fall into the background to support you and the message you’re trying to get across.

Unlike good PowerPoint presentations , bad PowerPoint presentations are a distraction. You may remember them, but not in a good way.

You’ve seen them before. They might have millions of lines of text. Or a disjointed flow to the slides. Even worse, some slides feature ugly photos and poor design that detract from the message you’re trying to get across. That can even hurt your credibility as a professional or speaker.

This article will take you from finding your initial topic to learning how to make a great PowerPoint presentation. Our guide covers everything in between so that you learn how to present a PowerPoint like a pro.

These Microsoft PowerPoint presentation tips and guidelines are organized into sections. So cut straight to the advice you need and come back when you’re ready for the next steps.

Guide to Making Great Presentations (Free eBook Download)

Also, download our Free eBook: The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations . It’s the deepest resource for learning effective presentation skills for a PPT.

This eBook covers the complete presentation process. It takes the PowerPoint tips and tricks you learn in this article further. Learn how to write your presentation, design it like a pro, and prepare it to present powerfully. It’s another great source for presentation design tips.

Master PowerPoint (Free Course): 15 Essential Tips

This article is full of helpful tips so you can build a powerful presentation. You can also find more PowerPoint tips in this video lesson:

To learn even more about how to make a PowerPoint look good, review the huge list of tips below.

What Makes a PowerPoint Presentation Effective?

Knowing how to use PowerPoint and work within it quickly is helpful. But more important is making a good presentation that hits all your goals. A great PowerPoint presentation is:

• Prepared to Win . Research, plan, and prepare your presentation professionally. It helps you deliver an effective message to your target audience.
• Designed Correctly . Your visual points should stand out without overwhelming your audience. A good PowerPoint visual shouldn’t complicate your message.
• Practiced to Perfection . Rehearse your timing and delivery so that your points land as practiced with a live audience.
• Delivered With Poise . Present with a relaxed inner calm and confident outward projection. Give your audience warmth, excitement, and energy.
• Free From Mistakes . Avoid typos, cheesy clip art, and mistakes like reading directly from your slides.

Consider this your all-inclusive guide to how to make a good presentation. We’ll look at preparing your presentation and explore how to design it in PowerPoint. Plus, we’ll cover how to practice and nail your delivery successfully come presentation time.

We’ll also address what not to do in these tips for PowerPoint presentations—so you can sidestep any big mistakes. Now let’s dig into these tips for effective PowerPoint presentations.

Killer Presentation Preparation Tips to Get Started Right

Before even opening PowerPoint, start by addressing these things. These Microsoft PowerPoint tips and tricks will ensure that you’re prepared for your presentation:

1. Know Your Stuff

Your presentation isn’t about your slides alone. It’s about the message you want to get across. Before filling in stats, facts and figures, think about the narrative that’ll be discussed, why, and in what order.

2. Write It Out

Start in a Word or Google doc, and storyboard or script the entire presentation. This will give you an idea of how the information presented will flow and how viewers will see it in sequence. Learn the complete writing process .

3. Highlight What’s Most Important

A presentation covers the most crucial pieces only. Whatever you’ve been working on that led to this—a paper, a work project, a new product design—doesn’t need to be shared in its entirety. Pick key points and put the rest in an “Appendix” to refer to during the Q&A session at the end.

4. Know Your Audience

How you talk to a room full of medical professionals should be different from the way you address a room full of young entrepreneurs. Everything, in fact, is different: your topic selection, the language you use, the examples you give to illustrate points. The little bits of humor you include should be tailored specifically with your target audience in mind.

Understand your audience’s needs to create a successful PowerPoint presentation. Customize your content to meet their specific requirements.

5. Rehearse! (Yes, Already)

It’s never too early to get used to the rhythm of your presentation and take note of points you want to emphasize. While saying it out loud, you’ll start to develop a “feel” for the material. You’ll notice that some things work well, while others don’t and might need to be worked around.

6. Rewrite After You Rehearse

As you’re rehearsing your presentation, you’re bound to stumble over sections that don’t quite flow naturally. Instead of reworking your delivery, it might be time to consider the content and rewrite the areas that served as stumbling blocks.

“Editing is hard. ‘It’s good enough,’ is a phrase wannabes use. Leaders take editing seriously.” – Anthony Trendl

The most important part of creating a great presentation is the writing stage. The second most important stage is rewriting.

7. Share With a Friend

If the stakes are high for your presentation, it’s never too early to get feedback from those that you trust. Here’s an article that helps you collaborate as a team on a PowerPoint presentation. Get PowerPoint design tips from those that you trust when you collaborate.

Simple Tips to Design Your PowerPoint Presentation Better

Second only to you (the information you bring and how you present it) is your PowerPoint slides. If not designed well, a PowerPoint can be disengaging or distracting (regardless of the content quality). Here are some presentation design tips to make sure this doesn’t happen to you:

8. Keep Your Slides Simple

This is one of the most important PowerPoint presentation tips to follow when designing your slides. Keep in mind that less is more (effective.) A cluttered slide is distracting. It causes confusion for an audience: Which part of the slide should I focus on? Should I read the slide or pay attention to the presenter?

A simple, visually appealing slide will engage your audience, keeping them on track with your main points. Here’s an example of a simple slide that serves its purpose perfectly:

Minimalist slide templates like Nook can help you resist the urge to clutter your slides.

9. Limit Words on Your Slides

Piggybacking on the last point, less is more effective. If possible, avoid bullets altogether. Otherwise cut them to just a few simple words. The audience should be listening, not reading.

10. Use High-Quality Photos and Graphics

One of the most important tips for quality PowerPoint presentations is to use high-quality photos and graphics.

Earlier in this tutorial, you saw Envato Elements, an all-you-can-download service with PPT tips inside of templates. Those pre-built designs are a beginner’s best friend. They’re even better when paired with Elements’ unlimited library of stock photos .

People are more likely to take you seriously if your presentation is visually appealing. Users view attractive design as more usable. Similarly, they’ll view a more attractive PowerPoint as more effective.

11. Use Accurate and Relevant Charts and Graphs

Charts and graphs can also be distracting if they’re not used right. Make sure your information design is simple and clean so that the audience doesn’t spend the entire time trying to decipher what your X axis says. Learn more about PPT data presentation .

12. Use High-Quality, Fresh Templates

Have you seen the old PowerPoint template that looks like worn paper and uses ink splashes? Yeah, so has your audience. Templates can be distracting if they’re too basic or if the design feels dated. You need one with great design options.

Costs are always a concern. But when you use Envato Elements, you’ve got everything you need to create a great PowerPoint presentation . That’s thanks to the incredible all-you-can-download subscription package.

The best PowerPoint tips and tricks can hardly compare to the value of using a template while building your presentation.

On Envato Elements, there are thousands of PowerPoint design templates that are ready to use. Instead of designing a presentation from scratch, start with a template! Just add your specifics to the placeholders.

Templates like Galaxi are impressively designed and waiting for your slide specifics.

The best PowerPoint design tips save you time. And there’s no tip more powerful than this one: use a pre-built template . It helps you master how to present a PowerPoint without spending all your time in the app.

13. Choose Appropriate Fonts

Fonts are an important part of engaging your audience. Fonts and typography choices have a subconscious effect on viewers. They can characterize your company’s presentation and brand either positively or negatively. Make sure that you’re choosing fonts that are professional and modern.

14. Choose Color Well

Like font choice, colors cause specific subconscious reactions from viewers. Choosing an outdated color combination for your presentation will render it ineffective.

Below is an example of the Popsicle PowerPoint template , which has a modern presentation color choice:

The Popsicle PowerPoint template highlights how harmonized color palettes can create beautiful slides.

15. Clean + Simple Formatting Makes All the Difference!

We’ve got a full tutorial on how to make a good presentation slide . Give it a read through and review the accompanying video. Just remember, less is more. The focus is you and your message , not your slides.

16. Make Sure All Objects Are Aligned

A simple way to create a well-designed presentation is to make sure all items on a slide are intentionally aligned. To do this, hold down Shift and select all the objects you want to include. Then choose Arrange in the options bar and apply Alignment Type .

17. Limit Punctuation

This isn’t the place for exclamation points. Emphasize your points (while speaking). Don’t enlist punctuation to do this for you. (Leave these at home!!!)

18. Avoid Over-Formatting Your Points

This PowerPoint presentation tip is simple. There’s no need to have every word of every bullet point capitalized, or to have all your bullet points in title case. If possible, drop bullets altogether. Again, the simpler, the better!

Limit your text formatting, including reducing the use of bullets, underline, and other effects. Compare the before example on the left to the revised version on the right.

19. Combine Information With Graphics in PowerPoint

One of the most powerful presentation skills for PPT is using infographics. With the right type of visuals, slides come to life and reduce the text in favor of graphics.

Infographics help combine information with graphics. It’s easier to explain complex ideas when you use visual formats that are intuitive.

Practice Presentation Tips: Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse!

Delivery is probably more important than the actual content. Here’s how to become more aware of your own unique ticks, and how to present like a polished pro:

20. I’ll Say It Again, Rehearse!

Just do it. Again and again. Experiment with pauses, gestures, and body language. Practice around one hour for every minute of your speech.

21. Practice With a Timer

Consistency is key to an effective PowerPoint presentation. The timing should be similar (ideally the same) each time you rehearse. This one will especially pay off when it’s time to present in front of your audience.

22. Slow It Down

Many of the best speakers today intentionally speak slowly. You’ll have the chance to emphasize, appear more thoughtful, and make your information easier to digest.

23. Pause More Often

Like the prior tip, pausing more often allows your main points to be emphasized and gives time for information to sink in. You need to let key points breathe a little before rushing into the next section.

24. Record Yourself

Use your phone’s voice recorder. Assess and critique yourself. Consider:

• Are your pauses too short or too long?
• Are you speaking slowly enough? Too slow?
• When you’re nervous, does your voice get high like the mice in Cinderella?

It’s always weird to hear your own voice recorded; don’t stress it. Use this as a time to adjust.

25. Choose Three Focal Points in the Room

If you stare at the same spot (or even creepier, the same person) the entire time, your presentation will be ineffective (and awkward.) People will be distracted by you, wondering what you’re staring at.

Try this: pick three points in the room (typically: left, center, right). Take time to direct your delivery toward each physical focal point in the room. Also, focus on the center when making your primary points.

26. Vary Your Sentence Length

This makes you sound more interesting, and it’s easier for your audience to follow. Think short and punchy. Or go long and complex for dramatic effect.

27. Modulate!

Don’t speak in monotone for your whole presentation. Be conscious of raising and lowering your voice tone. Otherwise, people will tune you out, and you’ll come across like the teacher in Charlie Brown.

28. Practice in Front of a Mirror

What you look like is as important as how you sound. Pretend you’re having a normal conversation, and allow your hands to move with your speech to emphasize your points. Just don’t get carried away! (I’m thinking Brene Brown or President Obama , not your Aunt Jamie after a few gin and tonics.)

29. Use “Present Mode” When Rehearsing

When you finally are ready to hit the Present button in PowerPoint, make sure you use the Present Mode option. This allows you (and only you) to view extra notes about each slide—just in case you forget something!

30. Practice With New Audiences

If possible, try doing a few real live test runs as a webinar or even at a local Toastmasters organization to get some feedback from a live audience.

31. Engage the Audience by Asking Questions

There’s no reason that a presentation should be one-sided. Why not invert the format and ask your audience a question?

To learn how to create a slide that kicks off a Q&A, use this article . These PowerPoint design tips help you create an engaging and exciting discussion.

Helpful Tips to Step Up and Deliver Come Presentation Time

When the actual day arrives, there are only a few last PowerPoint presentation tips and guidelines to keep in mind:

32. Take a Deep Breath

Deep breathing is proven to relieve stress. It’s simple, and it’ll help you remain calm and in the moment, even up to the last minute before starting.

33. Lighten Up Your Mood

Tell yourself a joke or watch a funny video clip. Do this before the presentation, of course. Research concludes that happy people are more productive. More productive is more focused and able to perform better.

34. Remind Yourself to Take It Slow

When we’re stressed or nervous (or both), we tend to speak faster. Consciously, take yet another deep breath and remind yourself to take it slow!

35. Read the Room

Every presentation room has a temperature. It’s your job as a speaker to gauge it and tailor your presentation to it.

Here’s a great example. Layoffs are coming at a company, and you’re asked to speak to an audience. Even if the audience isn’t personally affected by the actions, you’ve got to consider the morale of the workforce.

Skilled speakers have a knack for reading the energy of the room and adjusting their presentation on the fly.

The last thing that group will want to hear is how strong the economy is and why the company is the best place to work. That doesn’t mean that you’ve got to align to their uncertainty, but don’t go too far against the grain while presenting.

Robert Kennedy III is a master of bringing energy and aligning a speech to the audience. Here’s his advice for adjusting:

“It can be hard to wake up a “dead” crowd but go for it. Most of all, don’t take their energy personally. Focus on serving them with every bit of your fiber then leave empty.”

36. Fake It ‘Til You Make It!

Go forward with confidence. If you act confident, you’ll start to feel more confident. Move slowly with grace, speak clearly, smile, wear something nice. You’ll appear confident to all attendees (no matter how you feel internally).

PowerPoint Presentation Tips and Tricks to Help Avoid Mistakes (What Not to Do)

Most importantly, focus on what you can do to make your presentation better. There are a few important things not to do that we’ve got to address. Here are a handful of PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks to help you avoid missteps.

37. Stop With the Sound Effects

Sound effects are distracting and outdated. In most cases, avoid them. Add audio or music to your presentation to inject interest or highlight an important point, but it’s something to take extra care with. If you insert audio, then make sure your use really connects with your audience and has a fresh approach. Otherwise, it’s best to leave it out.

38. Don’t Use Flashy Slide Transitions

Again, this is distracting and outdated. Use transitions and subtle animations in your PowerPoint presentation. But you need to take care and do it right .

39. Beware of Clip Art

This PowerPoint presentation tip shouldn’t even have to be said. But please, please don’t use clip art. Use professional graphics instead.

40. Don’t Be Afraid to Be Afraid

The fear of public speaking is a real one. Many beginners think that if they’re feeling nervous that a presentation won’t go well or succeed. That might lead them to cancel the presentation.

Here’s a tip from expert Sandra Zimmer, who leads The Self-Expression Center on conquering your fears before you take the stage:

“Get out of your head and into your body. I do this through a grounding exercise that really works to calm nerves and bring you present in the moment.”

If you think that public speaking fears aren’t normal, you might never give your award-winning presentation. So don’t be afraid to be afraid, and acknowledge it’s part of the process!

41. Don’t Read Directly During Your PowerPoint Presentation

If you spend your entire presentation looking at the screen or your note cards, you’re sure to lose your audience’s attention. They’ll disengage from what you’re saying, and your presentation will fall flat.

Reading from your paper or screen also makes it look like you’re not prepared. Many people do it, but no one should. As a general rule, only present something you know well and have, at least mostly, memorized the main points of.

42. Don’t Miss Out on PowerPoint Customizations

Many new PowerPoint users often make significant mistakes when using Envato Elements designs.

The best way to see how to make a good presentation PPT is to start with designs from others. That means using a template, but that doesn’t mean you can’t customize them!

Don’t forget that PowerPoint templates are infinitely customizable. Think of them as guides with built-in presentation design tips.

To see more presentation tips that show you what not to do, make sure to check out our guide .

Work in PowerPoint More Effectively (Tips & Tricks to Level Up Your PPT Skills)

These PowerPoint tips will help you get the most out of the application to level up your next presentation. Let’s dive in.

43. Use the Visual Guides

When you’re designing your next PowerPoint presentation, it helps to create a sense of visual rhythm. Slides that have objects aligned and centered are more likely to resonate with an audience.

44. Use a Few Animations (Tastefully)

Animations in effective PowerPoint presentations are a slippery slope. We’ve all sat through presentations where there were so many objects in motion that it was easy to lose focus on the key ideas in the presentation.

But that’s why animations get an unfairly bad reputation. Use animations to create motion and hold an audience’s attention. Use them sparingly and on key elements on your slide, and you’ll capture that attention properly.

45. Stage Key Content With Animations

You just learned that animations should avoid being distracting. But there’s an important principle to using animations properly. It’s called staging content.

Staging content means that the content appears step by step. There’s nothing worse than overwhelming an audience with all your content at once. But when you stage content, bring it on step by step.

Take it from presentation pro Suzannah Baum :

“If you’re sharing a slide with lots of different points on it, using the animation to reveal those points one at a time is a way to keep the presenter’s content flowing smoothly.”

For more animation presentation tips and tricks, follow our guide .

46. Add a Video to Your PowerPoint

When you’re sharing a big idea in your presentation, it helps to share your perspective from a few different angles. Adding a video to supplement your content can do just that. Luckily, it’s easy to add and embed a YouTube video in your next PowerPoint presentation.

47. Add Charts & Graphs

Charts and graphs can help you tell stories with data. It’s easy for an audience to zone out when you throw a big data table or set of statistics at them.

instead, convert those to charts and graphs. Try out our tutorial to learn how to edit those graphs.

48. Build Your Own Infographics With SmartArt

Earlier in this tutorial, we gave you one of my favorite PowerPoint design tips: use infographic templates.

Here’s another. One of my favorite PowerPoint features is SmartArt, which allows you to build infographics right inside the app.

You don’t have to use another graphic design app like Photoshop or Illustrator to add visuals. Instead, try out SmartArt to help you build graphics that are easy to update.

49. Use Presenter View

Remember that when you use the PowerPoint, you’ re the presentation. The slides are just there to reinforce what you’ve got to say and support your speaking points.

That’s why I always recommend using Presenter view. More often than not, you’re going to have several displays. Presenter view shows your content on your screen, while your presentation is displayed on another screen.

50. Track Your PowerPoint Changes

One of my favorite PowerPoint design tips is to collaborate. Those who know you best will suggest compelling changes that are sure to help you succeed.

As you start collaborating on your presentation, it helps to keep track of proposed and included PowerPoint changes. Use this article to track changes made by others.

10 More Advanced PowerPoint Tips & Tricks

Really need to wow an audience with a good PowerPoint presentation? Give these tips a try to make an unforgettable impression:

51. Engage With an Interactive Quiz

A good PowerPoint presentation gets your audience involved. One of the best PowerPoint tricks is to do that with a quiz. By engaging audiences, a quiz makes your slides memorable.

By adding trivia, you’ll see how to present a PowerPoint in a way that people will love. Channel your inner game-show host today. MIDTEST is a  good PowerPoint presentation  with quiz slides.

52. Illustrate With Custom Image Masks

One of the top PowerPoint tips is to illustrate your slides. But you can go beyond simple, rectangular images on each slide.

The Burte template is full of  PowerPoint tricks , including custom image masks. Image masks shape photos into unique works of art. And thanks to premium templates, you can style photos just like this. Masks overlay your photos onto geometric shapes, instantly elevating your style.

53. Print Handouts With Extra Notes

Wonder how to give a good presentation PPT that audiences will remember? Give them a piece of it to take home.

PowerPoint makes it easy to print handouts with room for notes on the page. This way, audiences can keep copies of your slides, along with their own notes. This is the perfect way to ensure everyone engages with and retains your content.

54. Make Bulk Edits With Master Slides

When you think about how to present a PowerPoint, consider your branding. That means keeping your logo front and center in the eyes of an audience. But if you’re working with a lengthy slide deck, this could seem daunting.

That’s where master slides come in. They’re common in premium layouts, and they’re a leading example of presentation skills for PPT. Master slides let you make bulk edits fast.

55. Shrink File Sizes for Sharing

Many of the top presentation tips involve making your slides more accessible. Often, that involves sharing them with audiences online.

You’ll often find that email clients and cloud services limit the size of files that you share. This can be a problem with large PPT slide decks. But there are a few quick steps you can take to reduce PPT file size. Cut graphics, scale down photos, and more.

56. Map Processes With Flowcharts

As you consider how to do a good PowerPoint presentation, think of ease of understanding. After all, you’re trying to explain something to your audience.

The  Flowcharts in Infographics  template seamlessly illustrates ideas and processes. A flowchart maps out a process in a visual way. Instead of resorting to endless narration, try a quick illustration like this. It saves you time and effort, and your audience is sure to thank you.

57. Use Brand-Specific Colors

Using presentation skills for PPT helps form an association between your message and branding. There’s no better way to do that than with your brand colors.

PowerPoint makes it easy to change color themes, adding your brand colors and logo to each slide. This is one of the top PowerPoint tricks for marketing presentations.

58. Build Social Media Posts in PPT

A good PowerPoint presentation doesn’t have to be shared through a projector. Use the app and templates to build amazing illustrations to use anywhere.

A template like Soffee helps you learn how to present a PowerPoint easily with a pre-built design.

Try using PowerPoint to create social media posts. It helps you engage with your audience, with no need to design custom layouts from scratch.

59. Be Industry-Specific

One of the top presentation tips in 2024 is to be industry-specific. That means avoiding generic layouts and choosing something more customized.

This offers two key advantages. First, you save time by having layouts built for you. Second, you gain design inspiration for your specific topic. Themed templates are truly the best of both worlds.

The Medical and Health template is a good PowerPoint presentation with a set theme.

60. Design for Online (Virtual) Sharing

Last but not least in our list of PowerPoint tips comes virtual presenting. More and more often, slides will be shared with online audiences around the globe.

Why not design your slides for that very purpose? And then learn how to share flawlessly with a global team? It’s one of the top presentation tips for 2024. Embrace it today.

More Great PowerPoint Tutorial Resources

We’ve built a resource for Microsoft PowerPoint that you’re sure to want to try. It includes countless PowerPoint tips and tricks. It’s called How to Use PowerPoint (Ultimate Tutorial Guide) and has all the PowerPoint design tips you need.

Discover More Top PowerPoint Template Designs From Envato Elements for 2024

You’ve just seen our favorite powerful PowerPoint presentation tips and guidelines to help you improve your speaking. We’ve also mentioned Envato Elements, an incredible all-you-can-download source for top PowerPoint designs .

Here are five of the best PowerPoint templates that you can use to create your best presentation yet:

1. Galaxi PowerPoint Template

Blast off to success with the help of this PowerPoint template! Think of the pre-built slide designs as pro PowerPoint design tips. They’re built by professional graphic designers. All the popular and modern slide styles that are perfect for your next presentation. Use Galaxi’s five styles and 30 designs to create a great presentation.

2. Masmax PowerPoint Template

We selected templates for this article that match the PowerPoint tips and tricks provided. Masmax fits the bill perfectly across its 234 unique slide designs. These slide designs are sure to align with the latest in design expectations.

3. STYLE Multipurpose PowerPoint Template V50

Style is subjective, but we can all agree that this template is stunning! The light and airy slide designs are built with fashion-focused designs in mind. But that doesn’t mean that it’s not perfect for most presentations. When learning to present a PowerPoint, remember that templates can be customized to suit your purpose.

4. Peachme Creative PowerPoint Template

Peachme has image-focused slides with splashy designs. The slides are colorful and perfect for a modern presentation. Don’t worry about remembering all the PowerPoint design tips because they’re included in the pre-built slides. Use Peachme’s designs for your presentation today.

5. Buizi Office Building Rent PowerPoint Template

Buizi markets itself as a real estate focused template. It’s ideal for that purpose because of the minimal, image-focused slide designs. But that also makes it a perfect choice for presentations in many fields.

We’ve just scratched the surface of PowerPoint design tips with these five options. Here are many more, bundled inside of the best roundups on Envato Tuts+:

How to Build a Good PowerPoint Presentation Quickly (In 2024)

You’ve already seen effective presentation skills PPT techniques. But you may be wondering exactly how to do a good PowerPoint presentation. It only takes a few clicks. Let’s learn how in just five steps.

For this mini-tutorial, we’ll use the Enjoy PowerPoint Template from Envato Elements. You’ll see that it’s a beautiful template that helps you learn how to present a PowerPoint by giving you every object and layout you need.

Let’s get started:

1. Choose Your Slides

As you can see, a template like Enjoy has dozens of unique slides inside. The key to how to give a good presentation PPT is to choose only the slides that you need.

One of the best PowerPoint tricks is to start by selecting slides you wish to use from your template.

In PowerPoint, scroll through the sidebar on the left to view different slide layouts. Right-click and choose Delete to remove unwanted designs. Plus, you can click and drag slide thumbnails to reorder them in the deck.

2. Add Text

Consider how to do a good PowerPoint presentation without investing a ton of time. That’s where premium templates come in.

One of our top presentation tips when working with a PPT is to lean on the pre-built text boxes for your content.

To add custom text, simply click and select the contents of any text box on your slide. Then, type in your own words. Repeat as needed throughout your slide deck.

3. Customize Fonts

With text selected, it’s easy to customize fonts on each slide. Find the Font section on PowerPoint’s Home tab. From there, you’ve got a variety of dropdown options.

Another of our top tips for presentation tricks is to use a custom font setting in your template.

Click to change the font, font size, and more. You can also use the buttons on the left to add bolds, italics, and more.

Need more custom font styles? As an Envato Elements subscriber, you’ve got instant access to thousands of custom fonts . Use them in your presentation with ease.

4. Insert Images

Slides like this one contain an image placeholder. That’s another advantage found only with premium templates. These make adding images a breeze.

Add images to your PPTX template for more visually interesting slides.

To get started, find an image file stored on your computer. Then, drag and drop it over the placeholder. PowerPoint will import it, sized and scaled for a perfect fit.

5. Change Colors

One of the top effective presentation skills is changing shape colors. This helps you control the look and feel of each slide.

With a shape selected, find the Shape Format tab on PowerPoint’s ribbon. Then, click on the Shape Fill dropdown. You’ll see a color chooser menu appear. Click on any thumbnail to apply it to the shape or browse through the Gradient and Texture options.

Start Putting These PowerPoint Presentation Tips & Tricks Into Use Today!

Learning to write, design, and present a PowerPoint presentation is an invaluable skill, no matter where you use it. If you’re a good communicator of important messages, you’ll never go hungry.

Luckily, improving PowerPoint presentations isn’t as hard as it seems. Follow these tips for PowerPoint presentations to design and deliver with greater confidence.

Remember: Less is more (effective) . Use PowerPoint presentation templates for better design and more effective visual impact. And you can customize a PPT template quickly , with the right workflow.

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Critical PowerPoint Shortcuts – Claim Your FREE Training Module and Get Your Time Back!

How to Embed a YouTube Video in PowerPoint (Step-by-Step)

• PowerPoint Tutorials
• Pictures, Icons, Videos, Etc.
• February 25, 2015

This is your  SUPER GUIDE  for how to embed a YouTube video in PowerPoint, covering all versions of PowerPoint (find your version below).

Adding videos to your presentations is a great way to create more engaging content and backup your main points with PROOF.

Before you get started embedding your video though, there are 3 considerations to take into account

Note:  You are limited to what you can do with online videos in PowerPoint, compared to videos you embed from your computer. To learn all about these differences,  read our guide

YouTube Video Considerations

1. which version of powerpoint you are using.

There are various techniques for the different versions of PowerPoint and add-ins you can install to make this process (and your life) easier.

The guide below covers PowerPoint versions 2007, 2010, 2013 and the latest Office 365 version of PowerPoint.

2. Do you want the YouTube video’s entire playlist on your slide?

If so, you need to navigate to your video through the YouTube channel’s playlist, which drove me crazy when I was trying to figure this out.

Also, inserting a playlist isn’t available in PowerPoint 2007.

3. Do you need to trim your YouTube video?

If you want to take advantage of all the PowerPoint video editing features, you will need to find a way to download your YouTube video and embed it in PowerPoint.

That’s because the FULL range of PowerPoint video editing tools is only available for videos you directly embed into PowerPoint from your computer.

To see everything you can do with videos embedded directly from your computer (instead of from an online source like YouTube),  read our guide here .

PowerPoint 2019 (Office 365) Embed a YouTube Video

1. find your youtube video’s proper url.

To find the right URL for your YouTube video to embed into PowerPoint, follow these steps:

• Navigate  to  YouTube.com
• Use the  Search Bar  to find your video
• Select  your video to open the YouTube Player
• Click  Share  at the bottom of the video player
• Click  Copy

The same is true if you are using an online video from another source.

You want to make sure you use the Share button (or similar feature) to get the proper URL for your video before you embed it into PowerPoint.

Otherwise it might not play properly, as discussed below.

WARNING: Get the right YouTube URL

You want to make sure you copy your video’s URL using the share button. DO NOT use the URL from your web browser.

That’s because the URL in your web browser tends to start where you last left off in the video and not at the beginning of the video.

In the picture above this is reflected in the URL with T=60s. This means the video will start 60 seconds into the video, and not from the beginning.

This can lead to an embarrassing presentation, where you play the video at the punchline that you want to make instead of the full video that leads up to the punch line.

2. Embed your YouTube video into PowerPoint

To embed a YouTube video in PowerPoint, simply:

• Navigate to the  Insert  tab
• Select the  Video  drop down (within the Media group)
• Choose  Online Video
• Where it says  Enter the URL for the Online Video ,  Paste  in (Ctrl + V) your URL
• Click  Insert

Clicking  Insert , a message at the bottom of your screen will tell you the video is processing. Once it’s done, the video appears on your slide as you can see below

How to trim a YouTube video

Keeping in mind that you are limited in what you can do with online videos in PowerPoint (like YouTube videos), you can adjust the start time of your YouTube video.

This allows you to start your YouTube video at a certain time within the video, so you can just show the most relevant part of the video that backs up your presentation.

The trick to doing this is to adjust it BEFORE you copy the YouTube video’s URL.

If you want to trim both the start and end times of your video, you’ll need to download the YouTube video, embed the video from your PC and then use the Trim command.

To learn how to embed a video in PowerPoint (including trimming the video’s length),  read our guide here .

To trim a YouTube video to a certain start time, simply:

• Open  your YouTube video’s watch page
• Click the  Share  button
• Adjust the video’s  Start at  time

Adjusting the YouTube video’s start time, you’ll see the new start time reflected in the URL, as pictured below.

PowerPoint 2013: Embed a YouTube video in PowerPoint

There are two ways to embed YouTube videos in PowerPoint 2013: the new dedicated YouTube option in PowerPoint, and the old embed code method.

Warning: New YouTube Option

Although the new YouTube option in PowerPoint simplifies the embedding process…you DO lose the capability to format your YouTube videos and/or embed an entire YouTube playlist.

To format the appearance of the YouTube video in PowerPoint 2013 or to grab a playlist, you still need to use the old embed code method (the second method).

I’ve covered both methods in the tutorials below. You’ll notice I used an image of a computer screen to frame the video and create a cool effect…just another tip for making your videos come to life!

There are two methods for adding YouTube videos in PowerPoint:

Method #1 –  The dedicated YouTube option (simplest but least flexible)

Method #2 –   Using the embed code (most flexible)

Although the words ‘embed code’ wig most people out, rest assured that you don’t need to know ANYTHING about coding to pull the second method off…YouTube does all of the hard work for you

Method #1: Dedicated YouTube option

1. search the youtube dialog box.

Within the online video dialog box, go to the YouTube search box and type the name of the video you are searching for (in this case I’ve typed ‘breaking up your bullet points’), and then hit Enter.

The dialog box searches YouTube and displays the video results. In this case the video we want is on the far left so I will select it and hit Insert.

2. Resize the YouTube video to fit your screen

Note:  If you are using an image like I am, you want to extend the YouTube video until its controls cover up the bottom of the picture…which will make it look more realistic.

With the video setup, double-click the embedded YouTube video to load the video and see what it looks like.

What about the playlist and other formatting options?

Although this new YouTube embedding method is EXTREMELY fast and easy, notice that you are not given any options to remove the YouTube controls (on the bottom or the top of the video) and there was no option to include the entire YouTube playlist (assuming there is one associated with that video).

You can see the difference in this picture:

For more control over these additional features, you need to know how to embed a YouTube video using the embed code method, which is SUPER straightforward and easy…continue reading on to see how.

Method #2: Using the embed code

This technique not only works for embedding a YouTube playlist into your presentation, but will also work for embedding other online videos into your presentation.

1. Navigate to your YouTube video through the channel playlist

Assuming that you want a video’s entire playlist, you need to navigate to the channel where the playlist exists, and open the video through the playlist. If you don’t care about the playlist, simply search YouTube as you normally would.

This might seem SUPER weird, but as you will see in a minute, it works.

To get the playlist for this video, you can see that I’ve navigated to the Nuts & Bolts channel page (fancy that!), selected the playlists option, found my playlist and then found the video that I want within the playlist.

Select the video (through the playlist) to open the video in YouTube as you normally would. Notice in the picture below, to the right of the video, you can see the entire playlist.

2. Navigate to the embed code

3. Choose how you want your video to play

When embedding a YouTube video in PowerPoint 2013, there are few options you want to pay attention to, primarily:

Option #1: Show Player Controls –  This includes the pause, play and other navigational features at the bottom of the YouTube video.

Option #2: Show Video Title and Player Actions –  This includes the tile of the video, share buttons on the far right and a playlist dropdown…assuming the video is part of a playlist and you navigated to it through the playlist itself.

Leaving these selected, the YouTube video will play in PowerPoint as demonstrated below.

If you uncheck both of these options, your YouTube video will play in your PowerPoint presentation as pictured below (you can obviously do a hybrid of these controls as well).

Other video options include:

Video size  – Not terribly important as you can manually resize your video within PowerPoint anyway.

Show suggested videos when the video finishes –  This is optional and depends on whether you want people to continue watching other videos once the video finishes. This option is not available if you navigate to the video through the playlist as I described above.

Enable privacy – Enhanced mode –  This last option is only relevant if you are embedding the YouTube video on a website…choosing this option will not work in PowerPoint.

4. Copy and Paste the Embed Code

Alternatively, you can simply right-click the video, select ‘Get embed code’ and then hit CTRL + C to copy.

With the embed code copied, back in PowerPoint 2013, navigate to the Insert tab, open the Insert Video dropdown and select Online Video.

In the dialog box that pops open, in the ‘From a Video Embed Code’ option, hit CTRL + V on your keyboard to paste the embed code into the dialog box and then hit Enter.

A black box is inserted into your layout that you now want to resize and position.

If you are using a blank TV or computer monitor image (as I am in this example) you want to stretch the video down to cover the bottom of the monitor so that the YouTube controls cover the controls on the static image…it will look more realistic this way.

Note:  Going this route has given us more control over the look and feel of our YouTube video and we were able to get the playlist feature in the upper left-hand corner.

PowerPoint 2010: Embed a YouTube video in PowerPoint

Believe it or not, there are three ways to embed YouTube videos in PowerPoint 2010:

• The free add-in (see Method #1 on the PowerPoint 2007 tab)
• Using the Shock Wave ActiveX Control (see Method #2 on the PowerPoint 2007 tab)
• Using the dedicated YouTube embed option

In this tutorial, I will focus on the third and newest method, which is a HUGE improvement over the previous methods: using the dedicated YouTube embed code option.

This method gives you the most flexibility in formatting your YouTube video in PowerPoint  AND  it allows you to embed an entire playlist…something that was not possible in PowerPoint 2007.

For the tutorial, I used an image of a computer screen to frame the video and create a cool effect…just another tip for making your videos come to life!

1. Find your YouTube video

When embedding a YouTube video in PowerPoint 2010, there are few options you want to pay attention to, primarily:

Option #2: Show Video Title and Player Actions –  This includes the tile of the video, share buttons on the far right and a playlist dropdown (see ‘getting the playlist’ below) on the left…assuming the video is part of a playlist.

Leaving these selected, your YouTube video will play in PowerPoint as demonstrated below.

If you uncheck both of these options, your YouTube video will play in your PowerPoint presentation as displayed here:

Video size  – This is not terribly important as you can manually resize your video within PowerPoint anyway.

Show suggested videos when the video finishes –  This is optional and depends on if you want people to continue watching other videos once the video finishes.

Enable privacy – Enhanced Mode –  This is only relevant if you are embedding the video on your website…choosing this option will not work in PowerPoint.

As YouTube states  “Enabling this option means that YouTube won’t store information about visitors on your web page unless they play the video.”

4. Copy and paste the embed code

With the YouTube embed code copied, back in PowerPoint, navigate to the Insert tab, select Video and then select the ‘Video from Web Site’ option.

In the dialog box that pops open, hit CTRL + V on your keyboard to paste the YouTube embed code into the dialog box, and then click on Insert.

A black box is inserted onto your slide that you then want to resize and position.

Note:  If you have the option to show the player controls at the bottom of your video, you will want to stretch the video out to cover the image you are using (in this case a blank computer screen) so that the YouTube video controls show on top of the controls on your image.

That way, when you play the video, it will look more realistic.

To see how the video lines up within your frame (which can be tough when you have a black box on top of a black frame), simply double click the video in the Normal View, and the YouTube video will load.

Notice in the picture below how the YouTube controls replace the controls on the bottom of the static picture I’m using, creating a more realistic effect in PowerPoint.

PowerPoint 2007: Embed a YouTube in PowerPoint

There are two methods for inserting YouTube videos in PowerPoint 2007, and a number of trouble shooting issues you need to be aware of.

Method #1: The Easy Way  – Using add-ins like the free one built by Microsoft MVP Shyam, which does all of the hard work for you.

Method #2: The Harder Way  –  Adding the Developer tab to your Ribbon, adding a Shockwave ActiveX Object, and then manually manipulating the URL of your YouTube video.

Which one is best depends on how many YouTube videos you need to add to your PowerPoint presentations and how often you plan to do so.

If you frequently need to install YouTube videos in PowerPoint, you should definitely get the free add-in for PowerPoint 2007 and/or consider upgrading to a more recent version of PowerPoint which gives you additional YouTube options like adding playlists.

Warning: Compatibility Issues

If you are sharing your files with people using other versions of PowerPoint, you also need to be aware of the compatibility issues.

YouTube videos inserted in more recent versions of PowerPoint (2010 and 2013) will not necessarily play when opened in PowerPoint 2007…they might, it just depends on how they were added.

That said, any YouTube video successfully inserted in an earlier version of PowerPoint, will always play in a later version.

Method #1: The Easy Way

Embedding YouTube videos in PowerPoint 2007 normally requires getting and manipulating the video’s URL. This easy method of using an add-in is awesome because it does all of the hard work for you!

It takes a minute in the beginning to download and install the add-in, but once it’s all set up, with just a few clicks (as you’ll see below), you can quickly grab your YouTube videos and play them directly in PowerPoint.

A big thanks to Microsoft MVP  Shyam Pillai  for developing this great free add-in!

1. Download the free add-in

2. Extract the zipped file

3. Copy the PowerPoint add-in

4. Add the PowerPoint add-in

Back in PowerPoint 2007, open the Windows button in the upper left-hand corner and select PowerPoint Options.

Select Add-ins on the left, use the drop-down at the bottom of the screen to filter to PowerPoint Add-ins and the select Go.

In the Add-Ins dialog box that opens, select Add New.

Clicking OK, a macro dialog box might open. If it does, select Enable Macros.

You should now see the YouTubeVideo2k7 add-in in the window with a check mark next to it. Click Close.

With the add-in installed, if you now open up the Insert tab in PowerPoint 2007 or 2010, you will have an added command at the end of the Insert Tab for quickly embedding YouTube videos.

Now that you have the PowerPoint 2007 Add-In installed, let’s take a look at how to use it.

5. Navigate to YouTube and copy your video’s URL

Warning: Get the right URL

Be VERY careful here!

PowerPoint 2007 cannot play YouTube playlists, which you can tell by the length of the URL. Notice in the picture below the difference in length between the video and the video plus its playlist.

If you accidentally embed the longer URL into PowerPoint 2007, the YouTube video will not play, regardless of how you try to troubleshoot. If you want to embed a playlist in PowerPoint, you need to upgrade to PowerPoint 2010 or PowerPoint 2013.

You need to grab the shorter URL which is everything up until the ‘&list’ or ‘&index” separator. With the shorter URL selected, hit CTRL + C on your keyboard to copy it.

6. Insert the YouTube video using the add-in

Hit CTRL + V to paste in your YouTube URL, then hit Next.

You can select options for your video like Play and Loop. I will simply hit Next.

You can then choose to resize the video here if you like. But as we can do this on our own in a second, I will again simply hit Next.

On the last screen, hit Finish

The YouTube video is now inserted into your slide as a white box with an X through it.

7. Resize the YouTube video

As you resize the video, the entire box might turn white, but no worries, you are still fine.

8. Launch the YouTube video

Assuming you are connected to the internet, the video will load and you will be able to play the video directly from within your PowerPoint 2007 presentation.

Method #2: The Hard Way

If that sounds scary to you, I highly recommend the easier method described above, using the free add-in.

1. Add the Developer Tab to your ribbon

2. Insert a Shockwave file

Within the dialog box, navigate down to Shockwave ActiveX Control, click OK.

And then draw a rectangle on your slide (where your YouTube video will go).

Note that you cannot draw the Shockwave ActiveX Control on top of another object, so you will have to draw it on a blank part of your slide (assuming you have something on your slide).

The Shockwave ActiveX object will look like a white box with an X through it. Resize and position the object on your slide, in this case I’m stretching it out to fit on top of my blank computer screen image.

Now we are ready to get our YouTube video

3. find your youtube video’s url.

Navigate to YouTube and find your Video’s URL…but be VERY careful here! PowerPoint 2007 cannot play YouTube playlists, it can only play individual videos, so you need to be careful you don’t accidentally grab a video + its playlist.

If you want to embed a playlist in PowerPoint, you need to upgrade to PowerPoint 2010 or PowerPoint 2013 and use the embed code method. See the PowerPoint 2013 tutorial below.

With the shorter URL selected, hit CTRL + C on your keyboard to copy.

4. Open up the properties of your Shockwave ActiveX object

In the Properties dialog box, scroll down to the Movie section and paste in your URL.

5. Adjust the YouTube URL within the dialog box

To get the YouTube video to play correctly in PowerPoint 2007, you need to make two adjustments:

#1: Delete the ‘watch?’ from the URL #2: Replace the ‘=’ with ‘/’

With the URL adjusted, hit OK to close the dialog box.

6. Run your presentation

So that’s how to embed a YouTube in PowerPoint, regardless of which version of PowerPoint you have.

This allows you to quickly and easily add interactive media features to your presentation.

The other advantage of embedding a YouTube video, is it does not increase the size of your presentation. That means that you don’t need to worry about compressing your presentation.

If you enjoyed the depth of this post and want to boost your PowerPoint skills for the professional world,  visit us here .

What’s next?

Related articles.

• What is a broken link chart in PowerPoint (and how to fix it)?
• Bar chart trick: Right aligning categories (PPT, Word, and Excel)
• PowerPoint settings: program level vs. presentation level
• What is a linked Excel chart in PowerPoint?
• Set Up Slide Show: Customize how your PPT presentations run

About The Author

This Post Has 5 Comments

You may use Allavsoft to download YouTube video to AVI, WMV to put a youtube video in PowerPoint

Thanks for the tip!

This article certainly is thorough. Just an FYI, we’ve built a PowerPoint add-in at https://www.liveslides.com/websites/youtube/ that makes it significantly easier to embed and play YouTube videos (any web content really) directly in PowerPoint. Seriously, just a couple steps and you’re ready to roll.

Thanks for sharing, Jason. I’ve never used your software but we usually like anything that helps us save time. Cheers

Hey John, and thanks for sharing the software! Sounds like a handy program that can save you time – we like that! Just make sure you don’t abuse any copyright issues when downloading videos from the web 😉

Comments are closed.

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How to Embed a YouTube Video in Google Slides in 3 Easy Steps

Wondering how to present in a way that’s interesting, informative, and engaging? No problem! We’ll walk you through a simple process for how to embed a YouTube video in Google slides so you can be prepared to present a slideshow that’s anything but boring. Not only is it super simple, but your audience will thank you for it.

Why Use Google Slides?

We’ve all been there – stuck in a boardroom sitting through a slideshow presentation that feels so long that you completely zone out . By the end of the presentation, you’re not even sure what it was about. Now the shoe’s on the other foot. YOU have to stand up in front of the room and deliver an engaging presentation and the thought of boring your audience to tears has you more terrified than anything else.

If you’ve only ever used – or heard of – Microsoft PowerPoint, we’d like to introduce you to Google Slides .

Google Slides is a great alternative (for starters, it’s free!). But what gives it an edge in our book is that it allows you to include video in your presentation. Why is it such a selling point to be able to embed a YouTube video in Google Slides?

Videos Capture Attention

Well, as you know, videos are a great way to grab your audience’s attention – and keep it.

Generally, adults have a span of attention of about eight seconds, research shows. And as AdAge points out, if you are not fully engaging your audience after 30 seconds, you'll likely lose 33% of your viewers, and after one minute, 45% will stop watching altogether.

The more you mix up your presentation with text, photos, videos, and a Q&A session, the better chance you’ll have of keeping your audience engaged.

Videos Explain Complex Ideas

We’ve used this analogy before, but it’s so relevant. When faced with having to assemble new furniture from Ikea, do you spend hours trying to decipher their instructions? No. You hop on over to YouTube for a quick 15-minute step-by-step tutorial video.

With explainer videos , you can get right to the point quickly and simply. By including videos in your slide, you make it easier for your audience to understand what you’re saying versus giving them a thick manual to follow. This also helps to break up text walls and long, drawn-out speeches (sorry!).

So now that you know why including a video in your presentation is important, you’re probably wondering how to embed video in Google Slides – especially if you’re not familiar with its functionality.

Learn  How to Embed a YouTube Video in Google Slides

This process is so simple, you’ll be left here wondering why you haven’t been doing this all along.

All you’ll need is an internet connection – no downloads are required!

Go to slides.google.com and you can either create a new slide show (or open one you’ve already created if you’ve used the program already).

To insert a video, click Insert in the top toolbar then select Insert Video from the dropdown menu.

Find and select the video you want to embed. In the search menu bar, you can enter keywords or the title of the YouTube video you want to embed (if you have a specific video in mind).

Click the magnifying glass icon or enter.

You can also add YouTube videos to Google Slides using a YouTube URL –  s imply choose “ By URL ” instead. To embed the YouTube video, open the video in another browser tab and copy its URL. Enter the video URL in the text field and click select.

What if I Want to Use a Non-YouTube Video Instead?

If you want to include a video in your slide, but it’s not on YouTube, that won’t be a problem. You can use a video from your laptop, USB flash drive, or external hard drive, but you’ll have to upload it to your Google Drive account first.

In case you haven’t used Google Drive before, this, too, is pretty straightforward. All you need to do is log into your Google account and go to the Google Drive app .

To do this, go to www.google.com and click on the Google apps icon, which is the 9 dots next to your profile picture. Choose Google Drive from these apps).

Next, click on the multi-colored plus icon in the upper-left corner and then click File upload . Find the video file (or files) you want to upload to your Google Drive.

Now that your video is uploaded to Google Drive, from here, you’ll follow the same initial steps as you would if you were looking at how to embed a YouTube video in Google Slides. The difference is, when you click  Insert video , you’ll use the Google Drive tab for adding Google Drive videos.

Here, you’ll be able to Browse My Drive , Shared Drives , Shared with Me , and Recent tabs and select your video(s) for upload.

Once the video has been selected and highlighted, click Select.

You can position the video using the red guidelines on the slide – just click and drag the video when it’s been added.

How to Embed a YouTube Video in Google Slides With Some Additional Features

If you want to take things a step further, you can also right-click the video and choose Format Options .

You’ll see all the options on the right hand of your screen, but here are a few likely to be useful to you. Rather than playing the entire video and awkwardly waiting for the part you need, can select specific time stamps for specific clips.

The options that pop up are:

• Play (on click) – This is the default setting and if you click to advance the slide, your video will play.
• Play (automatically) – You don’t need to click anything, your video will play automatically.
• Play (manual) – During your presentation, you can play your video by clicking directly on it.

Whichever you choose will be based on your needs and personal preferences.

You can also choose a specific section to play (if your video is an hour-long, and you only want to use a short clip, this is super helpful instead of skipping forward to a certain section 30-minutes in!).

You can also mute the audio and even change (and lock) the aspect ratio!

Final thoughts: Instead of fumbling around, clicking between slides and tabs, and losing the focus of your audience, you can deliver a well-planned and well-executed Google Slides presentation that will have people walking away having learned something.

To improve your video presentation game, send us a message !

Similar Articles:

• What are Motion Graphics and Why do you Need It?
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How to Upload a PowerPoint to YouTube: Step-by-Step Guide

Have you ever wondered how to upload a PowerPoint to YouTube? That’s a fairly common question among many Microsoft PowerPoint users.

After creating a PowerPoint presentation, you may want to share it on YouTube to reach a greater audience.

Unfortunately, YouTube can only accept video files.  A PowerPoint presentation may have video and audio elements embedded in it, but it is still not a video file.

You need to convert your presentation to a video file to upload it to YouTube. This tutorial will show you exactly how to do that.

Step 1: Create Your PowerPoint Presentation

Create your PowerPoint presentation as you normally would. However, keep in mind that you won’t be doing a live presentation, so try to include everything you need to make a great video, including audio clips.

Your audio could be music, sound bites, a narration (your voice recordings), or a combination of all these. Make sure to use them meaningfully.

Here is how to add audio to your presentation:

1. Click the Insert tab on the ribbon

2. Click Audio from my PC

Browse through the audio files on your computer and select the one you want to add to your presentation.

3. Click the Insert button to add the file

Step 2: Convert Your Presentation to a Video

This next step on how to upload a PowerPoint to YouTube is crucial because you can’t share your file on the widely accessible video platform without converting it to a video format.

Here’s how to convert your presentation to a video.

1. Click the File tab on the PowerPoint (2010 version or later)

2. Click the Export tab

3. Click Create a Video from the list of options

You can tweak some of the settings, including slide durations, video resolution, and narrations.

You can leave the resolution to full HD if you don’t know what to select. Simply let YouTube handle the file compression.

You can simply set how long you want each slide to display, especially if your presentation doesn’t have recorded narrations and timings. For example, you can set individual slides to show for 15 seconds.

4. Next, click the Create Video box below the settings

5. Click Save on the next dialog box to export your presentation in video format

Your PowerPoint presentation is now ready for YouTube.

Step 3: Upload to YouTube

Now that you’ve converted your presentation to a video, it’s time to upload it to YouTube. Here’s how to do that:

1. Sign in to your YouTube account or click the app on your mobile device

2. Click the Create icon on the top right corner of the window

3. Click Upload video

On a mobile device, tap the circled plus sign at the center bottom of the screen and tap Upload a video .

4. Locate the PowerPoint video file and click Open

You may be asked to create a YouTube channel if you don’t already have one. You can rename the file, write a description, set the privacy, and apply other settings when the upload is complete.

Tips to Make Your Video Better

Although your presentation will be viewed on YouTube, you still need to remember a few simple tips for a great video.

• Keep the visuals as simple as they can be; presentations generally work best that way. You don’t want to clutter the entire screen. Instead, allow a few empty spaces on each slide for improved readability
• Highlight only the most essential facts. Your audience should not have to endure a long list of bullet points. Remember that you are presenting, not writing a book
• Make use of themes or templates to give your presentation a uniform feel. You might mar an otherwise good presentation unless you are an expert with lots of experience creating eye-catching yet appealing presentations
• Use audios, effects, and transitions in meaningful ways. You want to engage your audience, but at the same time, you don’t want to appear cheesy

Why You Should Share Your PowerPoint Presentation on YouTube

Learning how to upload a PowerPoint to YouTube gives you the advantage of reaching a wider audience, whether or not they have a presentation program on their computers.

While Microsoft PowerPoint is a fairly popular presentation program, not everyone has ready access to it. Some of your clients, co-workers, students, or friends may not have the software on their computers. Others may have it (or some other similar application) but don’t know how to use it.

However, just about anyone can access YouTube from a computer, smartphone, or other mobile devices. It’s as simple as searching for your video on the platform and clicking play – no downloads or any other technical know-how required.

Closely related to this is that users don’t even need a computer to view your presentation. Not many mobile devices have a PowerPoint program, but they can all play videos, whether it’s an iPod, iPhone, or mobile phone.

Also, you don’t have to worry about specific PowerPoint versions. Usually, presentations in one version of PowerPoint might not work too well on another. A video eliminates all that worry. Users can even view the presentation on a DVD player by downloading it to disk.

You can easily embed the video in your blog or on any web page. Video files have better web support than presentation formats.

In a nutshell, more people can access your PowerPoint presentation if you share it on YouTube.  You can copy and share the link to your video to make it easy for people to watch it.

Wrapping Up

Hopefully, you now know how to upload a PowerPoint to YouTube. Don’t worry if your video presentation doesn’t come out as you expected at first. You can also tweak things around until you get exactly what you want. The key is to experiment with the settings during the conversion process.

You can reach more people you can ever imagine with a YouTube presentation. Remember to set proper metadata (or description) so that people can easily find your video on YouTube.

Jamie Keet is a Technology Instructional Coach with a deep-rooted passion for educational technology. With a background that combines a marketing diploma, a degree in management, and a master's in educational technology, Jamie has spent the last 25 years in education, working across all grades and adult learning. His experience in the classroom has shaped his approach to tech education, focusing on making technology accessible and engaging for everyone.

Jamie's goal is simple: to help users feel confident and successful with technology, encouraging them to explore and learn on their own. He believes in breaking down the barriers that prevent people from getting started with technology, whether they're students in a classroom or individuals looking to improve their tech skills.

Outside of his professional work, Jamie enjoys keeping up with the latest tech trends and finding new ways to incorporate them into his teaching. His approach is all about simplicity, clarity, and making technology fun and accessible for all.

Further reading

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New Microsoft Outlook Features: Revolutionizing Professional Communication

Discovering Bing Chat: The New Wave of Interactive Browsing

How to Insert Microsoft Excel Data into Microsoft Word and PowerPoint

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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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The Beginner's Guide to Making an Awesome YouTube Video

Last Updated: June 24, 2024 Fact Checked

Equipment & Setup

Ideas & planning, setup & recording, uploading on a computer, uploading in the mobile app, expert interview.

This article was written by Naseem Speach and by wikiHow staff writer, Darlene Antonelli, MA . Naseem Speach is a Tech Video Producer based in Los Angeles, California. Naseem started his tech reviews YouTube channel in 2020 and has since gained a following of over 34,000 subscribers. He specializes in sharing information about the latest smart home tech, Apple, Samsung, Google, PlayStation, Microsoft, and gaming devices. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 2,108,351 times.

Have you found yourself watching YouTube videos and thinking, "I can do this too?" If you're confused about where to begin, don't worry—it's easy to make a YouTube video. YouTube videos can be as casual or as high-quality as you prefer. If you don't want or need to plan out your video, skip to the end of this guide for simple instructions on uploading your video to YouTube. This wikiHow article will teach you how to plan, film, and publish a video on YouTube.

Things You Should Know

• If you're just starting, it's best to use a webcam, your smartphone, or something that's relatively cheap and not as complicated as a DSLR camera.
• Record the video on your device, then transfer it to a computer if necessary.
• Go to youtube.com, sign in, and click "Upload" to begin uploading your video.

• Use a webcam for convenience. If you have a laptop with a built-in webcam , you can use it to make a YouTube video. Unlike your smartphone, you don't have to hold your webcam in your hand while recording your video, which is handy if you're making a vlog . However, built-in webcams tend to have poorer quality than many smartphone cameras. Still, a webcam will work if you don't want to purchase a digital camera .
• Use a smartphone for mobility. If you have an Android or iPhone, you can use its built-in camera and microphone to film anywhere. Premium smartphone models have amazing built-in cameras and can produce high-quality video. You could purchase a tripod if you want to record yourself doing something, or just hold the phone in your hand while you talk. You can then upload the video to YouTube straight from your phone or transfer the video to your computer first.
• Most modern digital video cameras have a removable SD card that can be used to transfer videos to your computer. Double-check to ensure that your selected camcorder has an SD card, or can be easily connected to your PC or Mac before purchasing.

• When recording, be sure that both the audio and video are properly being recorded by first making a test clip and viewing it.

• Video blogs , or vlogs are regularly-updated series featuring a creator talking about whatever is on their mind, usually for 10 minutes or less.
• Gaming videos attract a lot of viewers, especially if you cover recent game releases.
• Tutorials and how-to videos can encompass literally any topic in which you are skilled.
• Montages are videos filled with images or video clips, set to music.
• Pet videos are always popular. These are typically recorded with a hand-held item, such as a smartphone or camcorder. They often feature the creator's pet doing something funny or endearing.
• Reviews are video blogs that review a product or service. Being sardonic and funny when reviewing something will get more people to watch.
• Comedy videos encompass a wide range of styles and approaches. They're best done with friends, and can feature anything from practical jokes, to silly dancing, to scripted sketches and beyond.
• If you're stumped, check out our guide on YouTube video ideas .

Captivate your audience. Make the first 10 seconds of videos engaging to capture your audience's attention. Craft compelling titles & thumbnails. Don't shy away from serious topics, but remember – YouTube is an entertainment platform, so add a sprinkle of humor. Have fun and keep your audience interested – it's the secret weapon for a thriving YouTube channel!

• Plan ahead of time to film events like family picnics, weddings, and birthdays so that you'll have the raw video to edit and upload to YouTube later.
• You can choose to make the YouTube video private so that only people with the specific URL (web address) of the video can view it. Still, there's no guarantee it won't eventually be seen by third parties. Keep the content of your video clean and in accordance with YouTube's guidelines.

• If you're taking this route, you won't need video recording equipment, but you will need source files in the form of downloadable video clips (you can download YouTube videos for this purpose if need be).
• These "remix" videos often exist in legal limbo. You're unlikely to get in any trouble for making one, but if one of the copyright holders for the original clips in your video requests that YouTube remove it from their site, they will do so immediately.

• If you're recording yourself, you should sit facing the light, with the camera directly in front of you. Having your lighting source behind the camera illuminating your face will help you look better on video.

• You may have to record multiple takes. This is completely normal, especially for a beginner.

Tip: Record more than you plan to use. You can edit out the extra bits later on; there's no reason to worry too much about getting the timing perfect from the beginning.

• If you're using a microphone, speak directly into it. This is especially important when you're using a recording item with a built-in mic.

• Your computer may not have an SD card slot. If so, you'll need a USB card reader.
• There are many ways that you can use to transfer videos , like using a cloud service .

• If you're not signed in to YouTube, click SIGN IN at the top-right to do so now.

• The easiest way is to drag the video file from your computer to the "Drag and drop video files to upload" window.
• You can also click SELECT FILES to choose the video file from another location on your computer and then click Open .

• If you want to make it easy for people to find your YouTube video, make sure to use keywords that describe your video in the description field. For example, if you're making a gaming video, be sure to type the game's name into that field.

• If your video is under 60 seconds long, it will upload as a YouTube Short , which viewers can find by clicking the Shorts option. [1] X Research source You won't be able to select a thumbnail for a YouTube Short.
• You can also click Custom thumbnail here to select a custom thumbnail.
• If you want, you can change or edit the thumbnail later.

• If your video contains a paid promotion (for example, if a company or influencer gave you something of value in exchange for making this video), you'll need to check the box under "Paid promotion. [2] X Research source "
• You can choose to automatically label chapters and key moments and tag places you mention.
• Select a category for your video from the "Category" drop-down menu.
• Choose whether to allow people to leave comments. You can also choose to moderate the comments and show or hide how many likes you get.
• Click NEXT once you're finished.

• If YouTube detects a copyright problem, follow the on-screen instructions to correct the issue.

• Depending on the length of your video, it may take additional time to upload.

• You may have to allow YouTube access to your phone's camera, microphone, and/or camera roll before proceeding.

• If your video is less than 60 seconds long, it will upload as a YouTube Short . [3] X Research source

• If your uploading a video as a YouTube Short, you can add creative elements like text, voiceovers, sounds, and more.

• Tap the Create a title field to enter a title for your video.
• Tap Add description to type keywords and information that can better explain your video or help people find it easily when searching.

• Tap the Visibility menu to choose whether your want your YouTube video to be Private (only you can see it), Unlisted (not searchable, but visible to anyone with the URL), or Public (searchable and viewable to everyone).
• Tap the Audience menu to choose whether this video is specifically made for children.
• If you want to tag a location, tap Location to do so.

• Once the video is live, you'll be able to view it on your channel. [4] X Research source

Community Q&A

Reader Videos

• It may take a while for your potential to be discovered. Thanks Helpful 6 Not Helpful 0
• Avoid purchasing an extremely expensive camera (e.g., a DSLR) unless you know how to use it. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 0
• Being positive about your channel and during your videos—especially while shooting live streams —will encourage more people to view your videos. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0

• Don't plagiarize other people's content.
• Like any popular website with user-created content, YouTube is full of bullies, trolls, and other kinds of people who will attempt to bring you down. If ignoring them isn't enough, you can disable comments on your videos.

You Might Also Like

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about making videos, check out our in-depth interview with Naseem Speach .

• ↑ https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/10059070?hl=en
• ↑ https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/154235?hl=en
• ↑ https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/57407?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&oco=1
• ↑ https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/11913617?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&oco=1

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Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Presentations > How to introduce yourself in a presentation

How to introduce yourself in a presentation

A well-executed presentation should captivate your audience and listeners. The first step to gaining their attention is creating an engaging introduction. Learn why presentation introductions are important and how to properly execute one for your presentation.

Why are presentation introductions important?

Presentation delivery impacts your audience’s reception and listening skills. A dull delivery can deter listeners and potentially leave them disinterested. Conversely, an effective delivery can engage your audience, promote active listening, and stimulate substantive discussion.

Presentation introductions also help to establish the outline of your presentation and give the audience an idea of what is to come. Introductions play a crucial role in captivating listeners from the onset and building momentum. They address who you are, why the audience should be invested, state the topic, establish credibility, preview the main points, and establish the cadence and tone of your presentation. Before you dive into the content of your presentation, ensure you establish an effective introduction to captivate your audience.

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How to begin a presentation introduction

To establish rapport with your audience, here are some tips to effectively introduce yourself and your presentation:

Be clear and concise

A succinct introduction makes it easier for your audience to follow. Keep your introduction simple, short, and include only necessary information. State your name and topic clearly so your audience knows you from the beginning. Avoid unnecessary details or lengthy anecdotes in your introduction to keep things focused and to the point.

Provide pertinent background information

In addition to your name and topic, highlight anything else that is relevant. You can include your education, work background, qualifications, and other information. Most importantly, ensure the information you disclose is directly relevant to yourself and presentation.

Create a hook or attention getter

Once you’ve established your name and topic, create an engaging hook or attention getter. Your introduction can be funny, clever, or it can captivate your audience. Have fun creating an introduction, but be sure to align your tone and delivery to your audience.

Outline your presentation

Let your audience know what your will be discussing. Establish a roadmap of your presentation: outline your contents, topics, and main points in an easily digestible format. This makes it easier for your audience to follow your presentation and prepare for its contents.

Practice and refine

Once you’ve created a solid introduction, rehearse your introduction until the delivery is organic and smooth. Confidence is key for an optimal delivery. Speak clearly, practice eye contact, and use storytelling to engage your audience.

Be authentic

Above all, be yourself—authenticity helps you build trust and connection with your audience. Carry you character, speech, and personality into your presentation to draw in your audience.

A successful introduction establishes tone, cadence, topic, and showcases your personality. Gain your audience’s attention and effectively deliver your presentation with an effective introduction. For more ways to engage your audience and improve presentation delivery , learn more presentation tips .

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