Blog > Tips for good PowerPoint Presentations
Tips for good PowerPoint Presentations
08.14.21 • #powerpoint #tips.
If you know how to do it, it's actually not that difficult to create and give a good presentation.
That's why we have some examples of good PowerPoint presentations for you and tips that are going to make your next presentation a complete success.
1. Speak freely
One of the most important points in good presentations is to speak freely. Prepare your presentation so well that you can speak freely and rarely, if ever, need to look at your notes. The goal is to connect with your audience and get them excited about your topic. If you speak freely, this is much easier than if you just read your text out. You want your audience to feel engaged in your talk. Involve them and tell your text in a vivid way.
2. Familiarize yourself with the technology
In order to be able to speak freely, it is important to prepare the text well and to engage with the topic in detail.
However, it is at least as important to familiarize yourself with the location’s technology before your presentation and to start your PowerPoint there as well. It is annoying if technical problems suddenly occur during your presentation, as this interrupts your flow of speech and distracts the audience from the topic. Avoid this by checking everything before you start your talk and eliminate any technical problems so that you can give your presentation undisturbed.
- Don't forget the charging cable for your laptop
- Find out beforehand how you can connect your laptop to the beamer. Find out which connection the beamer has and which connection your laptop has. To be on the safe side, take an adapter with you.
- Always have backups of your presentation. Save them on a USB stick and preferably also online in a cloud.
- Take a second laptop and maybe even your own small projector for emergencies. Even if it's not the latest model and the quality is not that good: better bad quality than no presentation at all.
3. Get the attention of your audience
Especially in long presentations it is often difficult to keep the attention of your audience. It is important to make your presentation interesting and to actively involve the audience. Try to make your topic as exciting as possible and captivate your audience.
Our tip: Include interactive polls or quizzes in your presentation to involve your audience and increase their attention. With the help of SlideLizard, you can ask questions in PowerPoint and your audience can easily vote on their own smartphone. Plus, you can even get anonymous feedback at the end, so you know right away what you can improve next time.
Here we have also summarized further tips for you on how to increase audience engagement.
4. Hold eye contact
You want your audience to feel engaged in your presentation, so it is very important to hold eye contact. Avoid staring only at a part of the wall or at your paper. Speak to your audience, involve them in your presentation and make it more exciting.
But also make sure you don't always look at the same two or three people, but address everyone. If the audience is large, it is often difficult to include everyone, but still try to let your eyes wander a little between your listeners and look into every corner of the room.
5. Speaking coherently
In a good presentation it is important to avoid jumping from one topic to the next and back again shortly afterwards. Otherwise your audience will not be able to follow you after a while and their thoughts will wander. To prevent this, it is important that your presentation has a good structure and that you work through one topic after the other.
Nervousness can cause even the best to mumble or talk too fast in order to get the presentation over with as quickly as possible. Try to avoid this by taking short pauses to collect yourself, to breathe and to remind yourself to speak slowly.
6. Matching colors
An attractive design of your PowerPoint is also an important point for giving good presentations. Make sure that your slides are not too colorful. A PowerPoint in which all kinds of colors are combined with each other does not look professional, but rather suitable for a children's birthday party.
Think about a rough color palette in advance, which you can then use in your presentation. Colors such as orange or neon green do not look so good in your PowerPoint. Use colors specifically to emphasize important information.
To create good PowerPoint slides it is also essential to choose colors that help the text to read well. You should have as much contrast as possible between the font and the background. Black writing on a white background is always easy to read, while yellow writing on a white background is probably hard to read.
7. Slide design should not be too minimalistic
Even though it is often said that "less is more", you should not be too minimalistic in the design of your presentation. A presentation where your slides are blank and only black text on a white background is likely to go down just as badly as if you use too many colors.
Empty presentations are boring and don't really help to capture the attention of your audience. It also looks like you are too lazy to care about the design of your presentation and that you have not put any effort into the preparation. Your PowerPoint doesn't have to be overflowing with colors, animations and images to make it look interesting. Make it simple, but also professional.
8. Write only key points on the slides
If you want to create a good presentation, it is important to remember that your slides should never be overcrowded. Write only the most important key points on your slides and never entire sentences. Your audience should not be able to read the exact text you are speaking in your PowerPoint. This is rather annoying and leads to being bored quickly. Summarize the most important things that your audience should remember and write them down in short bullet points on your presentation. Then go into the key points in more detail in your speech and explain more about them.
9. Do not overdo it with animations
Do never use too many animations. It looks messy, confusing and definitely not professional if every text and image is displayed with a different animation. Just leave out animations at all or if you really want to use them then use them only very rarely when you want to draw attention to something specific. Make sure that if you use animations, they are consistent. If you use transitions between the individual slides, these should also always be kept consistent and simple.
10. Use images
Pictures and graphics in presentations are always a good idea to illustrate something and to add some variety. They help keep your audience's attention and make it easier to remember important information. But don't overdo it with them. Too many pictures can distract from your presentation and look messy. Make sure the graphics also fit the content and, if you have used several images on one slide, ask yourself if you really need all of them.
11. Choose a suitable font
Never combine too many fonts so that your presentation does not look messy. Use at most two: one for headings and one for text. When choosing fonts, you should also make sure that they are still legible at long distances. Script, italic and decorative fonts are very slow to read, which is why they should be avoided in presentations.
It is not so easy to choose the right font. Therefore, we have summarized for you how to find the best font for your PowerPoint presentation.
12. Do not use images as background
In a good presentation it is important to be able to read the text on the slides easily and quickly. Therefore, do not use images as slide backgrounds if there is also text on them. The picture only distracts from the text and it is difficult to read it because there is not much contrast with the background. It is also harder to see the image because the text in the foreground is distracting. The whole thing looks messy and distracting rather than informative and clear.
13. Never read out the text from your slides
Never just read the exact text from your slides. Your audience can read for themselves, so they will only get bored and in the worst case it will lead to "Death by PowerPoint". You may also give them the feeling that you think they are not able to read for themselves. In addition, you should avoid whole sentences on your slides anyway. List key points that your audience can read along. Then go into more detail and explain more about them.
14. Don't turn your back
Never turn around during your presentation to look at your projected PowerPoint. Not to read from your slides, but also not to make sure the next slide is already displayed. It looks unprofessional and only distracts your audience.
In PowerPoint's Speaker View, you can always see which slide is currently being displayed and which one is coming next. Use this to make sure the order fits. You can even take notes in PowerPoint, which are then displayed during your presentation. You can read all about notes in PowerPoint here.
15. Do not forget about the time
In a good presentation, it is important to always be aware of the given time and to stick to it. It is annoying when your presentation takes much longer than actually planned and your audience is just waiting for you to stop talking or you are not able to finish your presentation at all. It is just as awkward if your presentation is too short. You have already told everything about your topic, but you should actually talk for at least another ten minutes.
Practice your presentation often enough at home. Talk through your text and time yourself as you go. Then adjust the length so that you can keep to the time given on the day of your presentation.
16. Avoid a complicated structure
The structure of a good presentation should not be complicated. Your audience should be able to follow you easily and remember the essential information by the end. When you have finished a part, briefly summarize and repeat the main points before moving on to the next topic. Mention important information more than once to make sure it really gets across to your audience.
However, if the whole thing gets too complicated, it can be easy for your audience to disengage after a while and not take away much new information from your presentation.
17. Choose appropriate clothes
On the day of your presentation, be sure to choose appropriate clothing. Your appearance should be formal, so avoid casual clothes and stick to professional dress codes. When choosing your clothes, also make sure that they are rather unobtrusive. Your audience should focus on your presentation, not on your appearance.
18. Adapt your presentation to your audience
Think about who your audience is and adapt your presentation to them. Find out how much they already know about the topic, what they want to learn about it and why they are here in the first place. If you only talk about things your audience already knows, they will get bored pretty soon, but if you throw around a lot of technical terms when your audience has hardly dealt with the topic at all, they will also have a hard time following you. So to give a successful and good presentation, it is important to adapt it to your audience.
You can also ask a few questions at the beginning of your presentation to learn more about your audience and then adapt your presentation. With SlideLizard , you can integrate polls directly into your PowerPoint and participants can then easily answer anonymously from their smartphone.
19. Mention only the most important information
Keep it short and limit yourself to the essentials. The more facts and information you present to your audience, the less they will remember.
Also be sure to leave out information that does not fit the topic or is not relevant. You will only distract from the actual topic and lose the attention of your audience. The time your audience can concentrate and listen with attention is rather short anyway, so don't waste it by telling unimportant information.
20. Talk about your topic in an exciting way
Tell compelling and exciting stories to make your presentation really good. If you speak in a monotone voice all the time, you are likely to lose the attention of your audience. Make your narration lively and exciting. Also, be careful not to speak too quietly, but not too loudly either. People should be able to understand you well throughout the whole room. Even if it is not easy for many people, try to deliver your speech with confidence. If you are enthusiastic about the topic yourself, it is much easier to get your audience excited about it.
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About the author.
Helena Reitinger
Helena supports the SlideLizard team in marketing and design. She loves to express her creativity in texts and graphics.
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8 tips to make the best powerpoint presentations.
Want to make your PowerPoint presentations really shine? Here's how to impress and engage your audience.
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Table of contents, start with a goal, less is more, consider your typeface, make bullet points count, limit the use of transitions, skip text where possible, think in color, take a look from the top down, bonus: start with templates.
Slideshows are an intuitive way to share complex ideas with an audience, although they're dull and frustrating when poorly executed. Here are some tips to make your Microsoft PowerPoint presentations sing while avoiding common pitfalls.
It all starts with identifying what we're trying to achieve with the presentation. Is it informative, a showcase of data in an easy-to-understand medium? Or is it more of a pitch, something meant to persuade and convince an audience and lead them to a particular outcome?
It's here where the majority of these presentations go wrong with the inability to identify the talking points that best support our goal. Always start with a goal in mind: to entertain, to inform, or to share data in a way that's easy to understand. Use facts, figures, and images to support your conclusion while keeping structure in mind (Where are we now and where are we going?).
I've found that it's helpful to start with the ending. Once I know how to end a presentation, I know how best to get to that point. I start by identifying the takeaway---that one nugget that I want to implant before thanking everyone for their time---and I work in reverse to figure out how best to get there.
Your mileage, of course, may vary. But it's always going to be a good idea to put in the time in the beginning stages so that you aren't reworking large portions of the presentation later. And that starts with a defined goal.
A slideshow isn't supposed to include everything. It's an introduction to a topic, one that we can elaborate on with speech. Anything unnecessary is a distraction. It makes the presentation less visually appealing and less interesting, and it makes you look bad as a presenter.
This goes for text as well as images. There's nothing worse, in fact, than a series of slides where the presenter just reads them as they appear. Your audience is capable of reading, and chances are they'll be done with the slide, and browsing Reddit, long before you finish. Avoid putting the literal text on the screen, and your audience will thank you.
Related: How to Burn Your PowerPoint to DVD
Right off the bat, we're just going to come out and say that Papyrus and Comic Sans should be banned from all PowerPoint presentations, permanently. Beyond that, it's worth considering the typeface you're using and what it's saying about you, the presenter, and the presentation itself.
Consider choosing readability over aesthetics, and avoid fancy fonts that could prove to be more of a distraction than anything else. A good presentation needs two fonts: a serif and sans-serif. Use one for the headlines and one for body text, lists, and the like. Keep it simple. Veranda, Helvetica, Arial, and even Times New Roman are safe choices. Stick with the classics and it's hard to botch this one too badly.
There reaches a point where bullet points become less of a visual aid and more of a visual examination.
Bullet points should support the speaker, not overwhelm his audience. The best slides have little or no text at all, in fact. As a presenter, it's our job to talk through complex issues, but that doesn't mean that we need to highlight every talking point.
Instead, think about how you can break up large lists into three or four bullet points. Carefully consider whether you need to use more bullet points, or if you can combine multiple topics into a single point instead. And if you can't, remember that there's no one limiting the number of slides you can have in a presentation. It's always possible to break a list of 12 points down into three pages of four points each.
Animation, when used correctly, is a good idea. It breaks up slow-moving parts of a presentation and adds action to elements that require it. But it should be used judiciously.
Adding a transition that wipes left to right between every slide or that animates each bullet point in a list, for example, starts to grow taxing on those forced to endure the presentation. Viewers get bored quickly, and animations that are meant to highlight specific elements quickly become taxing.
That's not to say that you can't use animations and transitions, just that you need to pick your spots. Aim for no more than a handful of these transitions for each presentation. And use them in spots where they'll add to the demonstration, not detract from it.
Sometimes images tell a better story than text can. And as a presenter, your goal is to describe points in detail without making users do a lot of reading. In these cases, a well-designed visual, like a chart, might better convey the information you're trying to share.
The right image adds visual appeal and serves to break up longer, text-heavy sections of the presentation---but only if you're using the right images. A single high-quality image can make all the difference between a success and a dud when you're driving a specific point home.
When considering text, don't think solely in terms of bullet points and paragraphs. Tables, for example, are often unnecessary. Ask yourself whether you could present the same data in a bar or line chart instead.
Color is interesting. It evokes certain feelings and adds visual appeal to your presentation as a whole. Studies show that color also improves interest, comprehension, and retention. It should be a careful consideration, not an afterthought.
You don't have to be a graphic designer to use color well in a presentation. What I do is look for palettes I like, and then find ways to use them in the presentation. There are a number of tools for this, like Adobe Color , Coolors , and ColorHunt , just to name a few. After finding a palette you enjoy, consider how it works with the presentation you're about to give. Pastels, for example, evoke feelings of freedom and light, so they probably aren't the best choice when you're presenting quarterly earnings that missed the mark.
It's also worth mentioning that you don't need to use every color in the palette. Often, you can get by with just two or three, though you should really think through how they all work together and how readable they'll be when layered. A simple rule of thumb here is that contrast is your friend. Dark colors work well on light backgrounds, and light colors work best on dark backgrounds.
Spend some time in the Slide Sorter before you finish your presentation. By clicking the four squares at the bottom left of the presentation, you can take a look at multiple slides at once and consider how each works together. Alternatively, you can click "View" on the ribbon and select "Slide Sorter."
Are you presenting too much text at once? Move an image in. Could a series of slides benefit from a chart or summary before you move on to another point?
It's here that we have the opportunity to view the presentation from beyond the single-slide viewpoint and think in terms of how each slide fits, or if it fits at all. From this view, you can rearrange slides, add additional ones, or delete them entirely if you find that they don't advance the presentation.
The difference between a good presentation and a bad one is really all about preparation and execution. Those that respect the process and plan carefully---not only the presentation as a whole, but each slide within it---are the ones who will succeed.
This brings me to my last (half) point: When in doubt, just buy a template and use it. You can find these all over the web, though Creative Market and GraphicRiver are probably the two most popular marketplaces for this kind of thing. Not all of us are blessed with the skills needed to design and deliver an effective presentation. And while a pre-made PowerPoint template isn't going to make you a better presenter, it will ease the anxiety of creating a visually appealing slide deck.
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The Best And Worst PowerPoint Presentation Examples
Who wouldn’t appreciate a PowerPoint presentation that is eye-catching and easy to understand? With the best and worst PowerPoint presentation examples below, you’ll know what makes a good PowerPoint presentation and what makes a bad one.
Engaging presentations are the lifeblood of effective communication in today’s information-driven world. Whether you’re in a boardroom pitching a new idea, standing in front of a classroom of curious learners, or delivering a keyote speech to an interested investor, the ability to create and deliver engaging presentations is a skill that can truly make or break your message.
Various elements contribute to making a presentation good or bad, from compelling visuals to persuasive delivery; these factors collectively influence how your ideas are received and remembered. So, in this article, we will look at some of the good and bad presentation examples to help you transform your presentations and make them more engaging.
Main Differences Between Good V/S Bad PowerPoint Slides
Knowing the difference between the best and worst PowerPoint presentations is vital for creating engaging presentations.
What Makes A Good PowerPoint Presentation?
Have you ever wondered how you differentiate between a good design v/s bad design PPT? In this section, we’ll look at some examples of making PowerPoint presentations that inspire and engage the audience. Look at what’s behind the slides that stick in mind long after the projector is turned off:
- Less text, more impact
- Choose a color scheme that works
- Proper balance of animation and texts
- Logical flow of information
- Context-relevant graphics or illustrations
READ MORE: The Golden Rules for Impactful Presentations
1. Less Text, More Impact
Imagine your presentation as a visual storybook. Less text on each slide means your audience can focus on your story, not squint at paragraphs. Use striking images or a single powerful phrase to grab attention. It makes your presentation look impressive and helps people remember the article’s key points. Keeping about 30 words per slide or 6-8 lines in your presentation will help maintain a proper flow of words and pictures, resulting in a fluid presentation.
2. Choose A Color Scheme That Works
You don’t need to be an artist to pick the right colors. A good presentation uses colors that work together nicely. Choosing harmonizing colors can guide the audience to focus on important information. Choose colors that look good together and don’t hurt the eyes. Microsoft Office’s color schemes can save the day if you’re short on ideas. Avoid using light colors on a dark background and vice versa.
3. Proper Balance Of Animation And Texts
Animations and transitions can be like party crashers in your presentation if not used wisely. They might steal the show from your message. A top-notch presentation keeps both animations and texts in check, ensuring they don’t overpower each other. However, don’t ditch them altogether! Use transitions and animations only to highlight key points. For example, make bullet points appear individually instead of all at once. It keeps your audience focused.
READ MORE: How to add animation in PowerPoint?
4. Logical Flow Of Information
Think of your presentation as a road trip. Imagine if your GPS gave you all mixed up directions. Chaos, right? Similarly, your slides need a logical order and a roadmap. Maintaining the logical flow of your slides helps the audience follow the information easily. A logical flow makes your message clear and easy to remember. It’s like telling a great story with a beginning, middle, and end.
EXPLORE: Flowchart PowerPoint Templates
5. Context-Relevant Graphics Or Illustrations
A picture speaks volumes. Our brains love visuals. Using context-related graphs, photos, and illustrations that complement your slides can amp up important pointers and keep your audience engaged during the presentation. However, while presenting, make sure to explain why a graphic or a picture is there. Explaining the graphics verbally makes your message crystal clear and memorable.
EXPLORE: Want to create stunning presentations? Check out our presentation services !
A PowerPoint presentation shall excel in these aspects of making it engaging, informative, and memorable. These good PowerPoint presentation examples could help you make a better PPT in one or more areas, not leaving the audience disengaged or confused.
While it’s important to look at good presentation examples, it’s equally important to avoid mistakes that can turn your presentation dull.
What Makes A Bad PowerPoint Presentation?
Ever been in a room with a presentation that made you want to escape through the nearest exit? We’ve all been there! In this section, we’ll highlight some common mistakes that turn a good presentation into a dull one. With many examples of good and bad PowerPoint slides on the internet, we have listed some bad examples that show the ‘DON’Ts’ and ‘AVOID AT ALL COSTS’ of PowerPoint mistakes:
- Image behind the text
- Using only bullet points and no paragraphs
- Having no symmetry in texts and pointers
- Being too minimal
- Keeping text too small
1. Image Behind The Text
Anyone who considered utilizing an image as a background most likely missed the memo. Text and images simply do not work together. One of the worst PowerPoint presentation examples is text overlaid on an image. Keeping the image in the background complicates understanding the text, and the main image should be clarified. Finding a text color that shines out in the background is nearly tough because all of those colors merely draw your attention away from the words. To avoid this calamity, avoid utilizing photos as slide backgrounds when you have text to highlight.
EXPLORE: Best PowerPoint Backgrounds Collection
2. Using Only Bullet Points And No Paragraphs
To make a presentation audience-friendly, reducing paragraphs to bullet points is a wise choice. However, it is critical to emphasize that this is more than simply putting only bullet points and leaving out all paragraphs. Using 5-8 bullet points is ideal for a slide. If the text size shrinks to 12 or 10 points, you’ve written a lot. Lengthy bullet points tend to bore the audience; some might even think of them as paragraphs.
3. Having No Symmetry In Texts And Pointers
A lack of balance or alignment between textual material and supporting visual elements, such as arrows, bullets, etc., can make your presentations appear unpleasant. When text and pointers are strewn about, it’s difficult for the audience to follow a logical flow of information; a common bad PowerPoint slide example to avoid at any cost. Your audience will be obsessed with deciphering the relationship between the text and graphics if your presentation needs more harmony.
4. Being Too Minimal
Being too minimalistic is as bad as overdoing it. Not having the required text on slides or keeping them blank makes them dull and non-engaging. You don’t need a color explosion or too many texts, but bringing some life to your slides is always a good idea. Using pre-made PowerPoint templates is a good idea to keep your content balanced; however, it is best not to leave blank spaces. A blank slide with no colors or text might give the impression of minimal effort. Strive for a balanced approach to keep your audience engaged and awake.
EXPLORE: 40,000+ PowerPoint Templates and Google Slides Themes
5. Keeping Text Too Small
Another thing to avoid is making your font size too tiny, almost like the size of a peanut. The size of the font is extremely important in any presentation. Think of it like trying to enjoy a beautiful scenic view through a tiny keyhole – not very enjoyable, is it? It’s the same with your PowerPoint. Your slides can be perfect with great colors, and graphics, but it’s a bummer if your audience can’t read them. A simple trick is to stand at the back of the room where you’ll present. If you can read the font comfortably, then you should be fine!
READ MORE: Best Presentation Fonts
A bad PowerPoint presentation will dismiss all your efforts and disengage your audience. To look more, avoid these bad PowerPoint presentation examples at any cost while making your next presentation.
We have carefully curated a visual appearance of how your PowerPoint presentations change by following the aforementioned points.
A good PowerPoint presentation is a balance – not too much, not too little. It’s about enhancing your message, not taking the spotlight away from you. However, striking that balance requires a lot of practice and trial and error.
You can always opt for presentation design services , like SlideUpLift. It gives you the advantage and access to presentation specialists. We design visually appealing presentations, with modern design elements, graphics, and illustrations; maintaining a perfect balance of every element.
Whether you want to customize your slides completely or just tailor the color or font, we ensure that your brand or personal style always reflects in your presentation.
Explore from our collection of 40,000+ PowerPoint templates and Google Slides themes. Utilize our presentation design services to create stunning PPTs. Give us a try with our custom-slides service , or schedule a call with us to know more!
What is the biggest difference between the best and worst PowerPoint presentations?
A good PowerPoint presentation effectively communicates its message, engages the audience, and uses visuals, layout, and content in a clear and compelling manner. In contrast, a bad PPT has cluttered slides, too much text, poor design choices, or distracting elements that hinder understanding.
How can I avoid making a bad PowerPoint presentation?
To avoid creating a bad PowerPoint presentation, focus on simplicity, use visuals wisely, keep text concise, maintain a logical flow, use appropriate fonts and colors, and avoid excessive animations or irrelevant content. Seek feedback from peers or experts to improve your overall presentation.
What role do visuals play in differentiating a good design v/s bad design PPT?
In a good presentation, visuals support and clarify key points. While in a bad one, they may be excessive, distracting, or irrelevant, overshadowing the main message.
How important is the audience's experience in determining the quality of a PowerPoint presentation?
The audience’s experience is essential in evaluating a presentation. A good PPT keeps the audience engaged and attentive compared to a bad PPT, which leads to disengagement and confusion.
How can I fix my bad PowerPoint presentation?
You can fix your PowerPoint presentation by opting SlideUpLift as your presentation buddy. With over 40,000+ PowerPoint Templates and Google Slides Themes to explore, you can choose what’s best for you. In case you have very specific presentation needs, you can opt for their presentation design services or custom slide service to create stunning PPTs. Schedule a call to know more.
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17 PowerPoint Presentation Examples That Show Style and Professionalism
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There are way too many bad PowerPoint presentation examples that can bore you to death. Well, today’s post is not about them. We believe that it’s always important to show the good examples out there and follow their lead. We admit it, it was pretty hard to dig out the good PowerPoint presentation examples from the mass. We’ve added our opinion on each piece and why we believe it’s worthy of being included in this collection. Let’s begin!
You may be interested in The Best Free PowerPoint Templates to Download in 2022
1. The Sketchnote Mini-Workshop by Mike Rohde
An eye-catchy PowerPoint presentation example whose content is fully hand-written. What we love about this design, is the high personalization level that is achieved via handwriting. It almost feels like the author is drawing and writing in front of the viewers’ eyes. A digital presentation that conveys a physical feeling.
2. 10 Ways to Spread The Love in The Office by Elodie A.
The following presentation is a real eye candy. We can’t help it, the cartoon style lives in our hearts. An incredibly appealing PowerPoint presentation that brings positive vibes and a good mood through vibrant cartoon illustrations. It gets bonus points for the usage of bullet points and little text.
3. The Great State of Design with CSS Grid Layout and Friends by Stacy Kvernmo
A presentation that tells a story is always a good example that everyone should follow. This PowerPoint presentation has a lot of slides that tell different mini-stories. The way they are depicted is really engaging – they almost look like a sequence of frames that make up a video. This technique really nails the viewers’ attention.
4. We live in a VUCA world by Little Dragon Films
A classy design of a PowerPoint presentation example – a dark theme and white font on top with just a single color accent – red. Such designs are really suitable for serious topics like this one. To soften the contrast between the black background and white font, the author has used a gradient on the background which gives the illusion of soft light in the middle of the design.
5. 2017 Marketing Predictions—Marketo by Marketo
A design that was made over a year ago but it’s still really trendy. In the following PowerPoint presentation example, we can see the combination of 3D shapes, beautiful hand-written fonts, negative space techniques, and more. The overall feeling is of futuristic design. Moreover, they used the color of 2018 – Ultra Violet for their color scheme. Maybe, they did predict the future after all.
6. 10 Ways Your Boss Kills Employee Motivation by Officevibe
Who doesn’t like to see a familiar face? We know your audience does! It’s proven that if you show a familiar face to your viewers, you nail their attention and boost their engagement level. This is the technique used in the following PowePoint presentation. Moreover, the inner slides of the presentation are also cartoons with big conceptual illustrations and little text. The formula for a really good presentation.
7. How to Successfully Run a Remote Team from Weekdone.com
We haven’t really seen many PowerPoint presentation examples with top-view illustrations. The following presentation really reminded us that when presenting to an audience, you should always think: How to make your design stand out from the rest? Well, this one really caught our eye. In addition, we love the bright colors, geometric shapes, and overall flat feeling, all of which are among the graphic design trends for 2022 .
8. SXSW 2018 – Top Trends by Matteo Sarzana
People love visuals and this is an undeniable fact. The whole PowerPoint presentation is built on high-quality photos, each including a little tagline in the middle. We love the consistency, we love the factor of surprise, and we love the high engagement level this presentation creates. Just make sure to back up such presentation type with a good speech!
9. How to study effectively? by sadraus
Semi-transparent overlays, geometric shapes, a video inside… Everything about this PowerPoint presentation screams “modern”. The grayscale coloring is accompanied by a fresh green color accent. The choice of images clearly suggests that the target audience is young people. The overall feeling that we get from this PowerPoint presentation – is youthful and modern.
10. Study: The Future of VR, AR, and Self-Driving Cars by LinkedIn
A presentation about the future should look futuristic, right? The following PowerPoint presentation example is proof that you should always connect the subject of your presentation to its design. Everything in this presentation speaks of futuristic: the choice of fonts, colors, effects, and even some elements look like holograms from the future.
11. 9 things I’ve learned about SaaS by Christoph Janz
A PowerPoint presentation example created in a consistent style by using a blue theme. Why did we include this presentation? We love the fact that the author has shown an alternation of text and visuals (from slides 7 to 22). This technique is proven to hold the attention of the viewer. Moreover, the way the graphics are presented (on a napkin) draws the interest even more.
12. How To Achieve Something Extraordinary In Life by Sultan Suleman Chaudhry
A PowerPoint presentation example that shows consistency and style by using a strict color scheme: orange, beige, and deep blue. Orange and blue are one of the most popular contrasting combinations widely used in all kinds of designs. If you are not sure what colors to go with, simply choose a tested color scheme.
13. New trends to look out for 2018 winter season by FemmeConnection
Geometric shapes and negative space techniques are among the graphic design trends for 2018 which is why we see them often in PowerPoint presentation examples and other designs. In the following presentation, we can see a collection of women’s clothes presented in a very engaging way with the help of rounded geometric shapes, negative space technique, and the color pink.
14. Fear of Failure by Sultan Suleman Chaudhry
Speaking of the usage of geometric elements in the presentation’s design, let’s see another example. An elegant design decorated with circles, triangles, and more geometric details. What else we love about this presentation is that it only has one color accent – light yellow which looks classy and pleasant for the eye.
15. The Three Lies About Your Age by Sean Si
A great choice of fonts, beautiful semi-transparent geometric elements, and trendy futuristic colors. This is one of the PowerPoint presentation examples that we absolutely love. The story is engaging and the design is extremely appealing – a combination that keeps the viewers’ eyes on the screen from the beginning till the end.
16. Secrets to a Great Team by Elodie A.
Bright, fun, using lots of illustrations and cartoon characters – definitely our kind of PowerPoint presentation. Why do we love it so much? Well, cartoons are real ice-breakers between you and your audience. Moreover, cartoon characters are easier to relate to than a real human face. If you need to connect on a deeper level with your audience, this is your kind of presentation!
You’d probably like to learn 4 Invaluable Presentation Design Tips You Wish You Knew Earlier
17. How to Build a Dynamic Social Media Plan by Post Planner
A great presentation PowerPoint example with watercolor illustrations and backgrounds that look hand-drawn. We also see semi-transparent colorful overlays, high-quality conceptual photos, and great, useful content. What more would you want from a presentation, right?
We always love to hear your opinion about stuff. So, what do you think of these PowerPoint presentation examples? Do you think that you’ve created a presentation better than these? We’d love to see your own creations in the comments below if you want to share them with us.
You may also be interested to read these related articles:
- 7 Most Popular Software for Presentations
- 4 Invaluable Presentation Design Tips You Wish You Knew Earlier
- 70 Inspiring Presentation Slides with Cartoon Designs
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Iveta Pavlova
Iveta is a passionate writer at GraphicMama who has been writing for the brand ever since the blog was launched. She keeps her focus on inspiring people and giving insight on topics like graphic design, illustrations, education, business, marketing, and more.
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20 Great Examples of PowerPoint Presentation Design [+ Templates]
Published: January 17, 2024
When it comes to PowerPoint presentation design, there's no shortage of avenues you can take.
While all that choice — colors, formats, visuals, fonts — can feel liberating, it‘s important that you’re careful in your selection as not all design combinations add up to success.
![→ Free Download: 10 PowerPoint Presentation Templates [Access Now]](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/2d0b5298-2daa-4812-b2d4-fa65cd354a8e.png "powerpoint presentation examples reddit")
In this blog post, I’m sharing some of my favorite PowerPoint tips and templates to help you nail your next presentation.
Table of Contents
What makes a good PowerPoint presentation?
Powerpoint design ideas, best powerpoint presentation slides, good examples of powerpoint presentation design.
In my opinion, a great PowerPoint presentation gets the point across succinctly while using a design that doesn't detract from it.
Here are some of the elements I like to keep in mind when I’m building my own.
1. Minimal Animations and Transitions
Believe it or not, animations and transitions can take away from your PowerPoint presentation. Why? Well, they distract from the content you worked so hard on.
A good PowerPoint presentation keeps the focus on your argument by keeping animations and transitions to a minimum. I suggest using them tastefully and sparingly to emphasize a point or bring attention to a certain part of an image.
2. Cohesive Color Palette
I like to refresh my memory on color theory when creating a new PowerPoint presentation.
A cohesive color palette uses complementary and analogous colors to draw the audience’s attention and help emphasize certain aspects at the right time.
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It‘s impossible for me to tell you the specific design ideas you should go after in your next PowerPoint, because, well, I don’t know what the goal of your presentation is.
Luckily, new versions of PowerPoint actually suggest ideas for you based on the content you're presenting. This can help you keep up with the latest trends in presentation design .
PowerPoint is filled with interesting boilerplate designs you can start with. To find these suggestions, open PowerPoint and click the “Design” tab in your top navigation bar. Then, on the far right side, you'll see the following choices:
This simplistic presentation example employs several different colors and font weights, but instead of coming off as disconnected, the varied colors work with one another to create contrast and call out specific concepts.
What I like: The big, bold numbers help set the reader's expectations, as they clearly signify how far along the viewer is in the list of tips.
10. “Pixar's 22 Rules to Phenomenal Storytelling,” Gavin McMahon
This presentation by Gavin McMahon features color in all the right places. While each of the background images boasts a bright, spotlight-like design, all the characters are intentionally blacked out.
What I like: This helps keep the focus on the tips, while still incorporating visuals. Not to mention, it's still easy for me to identify each character without the details. (I found you on slide eight, Nemo.)
11. “Facebook Engagement and Activity Report,” We Are Social
Here's another great example of data visualization in the wild.
What I like: Rather than displaying numbers and statistics straight up, this presentation calls upon interesting, colorful graphs, and charts to present the information in a way that just makes sense.
12. “The GaryVee Content Model,” Gary Vaynerchuk
This wouldn‘t be a true Gary Vaynerchuk presentation if it wasn’t a little loud, am I right?
What I like: Aside from the fact that I love the eye-catching, bright yellow background, Vaynerchuk does a great job of incorporating screenshots on each slide to create a visual tutorial that coincides with the tips. He also does a great job including a visual table of contents that shows your progress as you go .
13. “20 Tweetable Quotes to Inspire Marketing & Design Creative Genius,” IMPACT Branding & Design
We‘ve all seen our fair share of quote-chronicling presentations but that isn’t to say they were all done well. Often the background images are poor quality, the text is too small, or there isn't enough contrast.
Well, this professional presentation from IMPACT Branding & Design suffers from none of said challenges.
What I like: The colorful filters over each background image create just enough contrast for the quotes to stand out.
14. “The Great State of Design,” Stacy Kvernmo
This presentation offers up a lot of information in a way that doesn't feel overwhelming.
What I like: The contrasting colors create visual interest and “pop,” and the comic images (slides 6 through 12) are used to make the information seem less buttoned-up and overwhelming.
15. “Clickbait: A Guide To Writing Un-Ignorable Headlines,” Ethos3
Not going to lie, it was the title that convinced me to click through to this presentation but the awesome design kept me there once I arrived.
What I like: This simple design adheres to a consistent color pattern and leverages bullet points and varied fonts to break up the text nicely.
16. “Digital Transformation in 50 Soundbites,” Julie Dodd
This design highlights a great alternative to the “text-over-image” display we've grown used to seeing.
What I like: By leveraging a split-screen approach to each presentation slide, Julie Dodd was able to serve up a clean, legible quote without sacrificing the power of a strong visual.
17. “Fix Your Really Bad PowerPoint,” Slide Comet
When you‘re creating a PowerPoint about how everyone’s PowerPoints stink, yours had better be terrific. The one above, based on the ebook by Seth Godin, keeps it simple without boring its audience.
What I like: Its clever combinations of fonts, together with consistent color across each slide, ensure you're neither overwhelmed nor unengaged.
18. “How Google Works,” Eric Schmidt
Simple, clever doodles tell the story of Google in a fun and creative way. This presentation reads almost like a storybook, making it easy to move from one slide to the next.
What I like: This uncluttered approach provides viewers with an easy-to-understand explanation of a complicated topic.
19. “What Really Differentiates the Best Content Marketers From The Rest,” Ross Simmonds
Let‘s be honest: These graphics are hard not to love. I especially appreciate the author’s cartoonified self-portrait that closes out the presentation. Well played, Ross Simmonds.
What I like: Rather than employing the same old stock photos, this unique design serves as a refreshing way to present information that's both valuable and fun.
20. “Be A Great Product Leader,” Adam Nash
This presentation by Adam Nash immediately draws attention by putting the company's logo first — a great move if your company is well known.
What I like: He uses popular images, such as ones of Megatron and Pinocchio, to drive his points home. In the same way, you can take advantage of popular images and media to keep your audience engaged.
PowerPoint Presentation Examples for the Best Slide Presentation
Mastering a PowerPoint presentation begins with the design itself.
Get inspired by my ideas above to create a presentation that engages your audience, builds upon your point, and helps you generate leads for your brand.
Editor's note: This post was originally published in March 2013 and has been updated for comprehensiveness. This article was written by a human, but our team uses AI in our editorial process. Check out our full disclosure to learn more about how we use AI.
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Reddit Presentation Template
In 2005, two college friends co-founded one of the most-viewed websites in the world : Reddit. Every day, more than 52 million users take to Reddit to post, comment, and vote on virtually any topic of interest. And with more than 100 thousand communities at their fingertips, Redditors can ‘Dive Into Anything.’
Just as unique as its communities (from Shower Thoughts to Astrophotography), Reddit’s pitch deck is quirky, eccentric, and original. Filled with lots of data and, of course, photoshopped cats, it captures the essence of the site’s personality. But Reddit’s presentation called for a more simplified and streamlined design that contains fewer cats. As a result, Beautiful.ai has created a revamped Reddit pitch deck, made for anyone ready to bring their own thoughts and ideas to life.
Use this Reddit presentation template to create:
- Investment pitches
- Website analytics
- New website, platform, or app ideas
See the Reddit presentation redesigned with Beautiful.ai
Creating a successful pitch deck doesn’t require dozens of slides packed with mountains of data and information. Instead, your presentation should be short and simple — but with a design that’s as impressive as your ideas. Enter: our redesigned Reddit presentation with a variety of template slides you can use for your next pitch.
Pro tips for creating your own unique Reddit Presentation
Ready to make a lasting impression? With the help of our template — and these tips — you’re sure to create a presentation that will excite your audience.
Help tell your story through engaging photos, videos, graphics, and icons.
You don’t have to present numbers in hard-to-read tables, charts, and graphs. Draw attention to the data that matters most with a sleeker and simpler design.
Longer presentations increase the chances of losing your audience’s attention. Simplify your story, sharing only the most crucial information.
Reddit’s co-founders weren’t afraid to include photoshopped cats in their presentation. Take note by adding your own unique flairs to your deck!
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Crafting an engaging presentation script
Crafting a presentation goes beyond simply putting together content. It also involves mastering the art of scripting by the speaker. Learning how to write a script for a presentation can take some time and effort to master, and similar to designing Google slides or PowerPoint presentations, there are several important rules to follow.
From developing a compelling storyboard and adding strategic pauses to making sure the words match the slides and maintaining a natural flow, delivering an effective presentation speech is a skill that needs to be honed.
In this article, we aim to provide comprehensive guidance on all these aspects and more, making it easier for you to create a presentation script that effortlessly resonates with your audience.
Top 10 tips on how to write a script for PowerPoint presentation
1. finalize the storyboard.
When it comes to crafting presentation scripts, planning is vital. A speaker must be well-prepared and have ample time before the event to practice and make sure the content flows naturally. Therefore, clear storyboarding must come first if you want to produce excellent presentation content. This is particularly true when the script and design are being done by the same person.
2. Follow the KISS rule
‘KISS,’ or Keep It Short and Simple, is the number one rule for crafting a fantastic script for presentation. Short and concise sentences can help you get the message across much faster, especially if your presentation’s emphasis is placed more on the visuals than the aural aspect.
3. Make sure your script for presentation introduction is engaging
A strong introduction is critical to captivate the audience’s attention and make them interested in what you have to say. This can be done through a compelling narrative, a thought-provoking question, or a startling fact. Remember, your introduction for presentation script should be designed to hook the audience and make them want to keep listening.
4. Aim for well-structured content
The presentation script’s content needs to be well-organized and structured. It has to have natural transitions from one idea to another, as well as distinct breaks between sections. And to make each argument more convincing and relatable to the audience, you should back it up with examples or evidence.
5. Stick to the slide content
It’s important to keep in mind that the information on your slides must serve as the basis for your script. It should be closely related to the presentation material you have already storyboarded and be simple to follow.
In case your script for PowerPoint presentation doesn’t match the content on the slides, the audience will likely feel confused and lose their place. That’s why it is recommended that you always have the presentation’s material nearby. Divide the text into chunks corresponding to the slides’ arrangement so that the two complement one another perfectly.
6. Add pause breaks
When attending a presentation, an audience member has two tasks: first, taking in the speaker’s words, and second, understanding the information offered by the presentation content. Therefore, when writing a script for a presentation, it’s essential that you always put yourself in the audience’s shoes and include pauses in the script.
Remember, when the speaker pauses, the audience has a chance to digest what has just been said and absorb as much information as possible from the visual aids. Additionally, it gives you, as a speaker, more control over the audience’s attention during the entire speech.
7. Use engaging language
Whether it’s an introduction for presentation script or a closing part, your entire content should be written in clear and engaging language. Refrain from using technical or jargon terminology that the audience might not understand. Instead, speak in plain English and incorporate jokes, rhetorical questions, or storytelling to keep the audience interested throughout your presentation.
8. Don’t forget about calls to action
Strong presentation scripts always end with a clear call to action. This could be requesting that the audience takes a specific action, such as subscribing to a newsletter, making a purchase, or putting the concepts discussed into practice in their own lives or places of employment. Your call to action must be captivating and inspire the audience to do the desired action.
9. Practice and rehearse
Practice and rehearsal are essential components of a good script. That’s why it is crucial to rehearse your script several times, ensuring a smooth delivery. Additionally, practice helps boost self-assurance and ease presentation-day nervousness. By including these components in your PowerPoint presentation script, you can create a persuasive and memorable presentation that effectively conveys your message and interests your audience.
10. Enlisting key points is also an option
Writing down every word you intend to say might sometimes result in overly scripted content, which can lack empathy and prevent you from connecting with the audience. Therefore, sometimes it is enough to simply focus on the key points or even use slide content as a starting point, keeping in mind the presentation’s structure and your time limit. Now that you know how to write a presentation script, let’s look at some examples to see the above tips in practice.
Presentation script example
Detailed presentation script:
https://www.slideshare.net/aland/script-for-perfect-presentation
Presentation script containing only key points:
All in all, having a presentation script is essential for delivering a great audience experience. It gives you flow, structure, and two times more confidence than when you are simply improvising or reading off your slides.
Use the above guidelines to ensure you are starting with a strong script, and remember that our presentation design company is here to help 24/7! SlidePeak’s dedicated team can not only help you improve your old presentation but can also design a professional pitch deck with unique infographics to wow potential investors, clients, and employers.
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- Types of presentations
- Present financial information visually in PowerPoint to drive results
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Informal vs formal presentation (plus tips on creating and delivering both)
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Give a project plan presentation (expert senior-level tips)
Writing an outline: creating a presentation blueprint
7 PowerPoint mistakes that are killing your presentation
By Paul Moss
Join 100k+ subscribers on our YouTube channel and enjoy highly engaging lessons packed full of best practices.
A few careless powerpoint mistakes can dramatically impact both the effectiveness and professionalism of your presentation..
Over the course of my career in consulting and strategy (and as a PowerPoint instructor for those industries), I’ve seen a lot of slides – great slides, terrible slides, and everything in-between. And what I’ve come to learn is that there’s a handful of common PowerPoint mistakes that many people don’t realize are hurting their presentation.
In this post I’m going to talk about the mistakes I see most often. I’ll give some basic examples of each mistake, explain why it hurts the presentation, and show you what you should be doing instead.
For the list, I’ll mostly be focusing on corporate style presentations, like what you’re likely to see day to day in the business world, but many of the lessons can be applied to other types of presentations as well.
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Table of Contents
1. Complicated Visualizations
Your job as a slide creator is to make it as easy as possible for the audience to understand your message, and unnecessarily complicated visuals don’t help you do that. Instead, they just confuse the audience.
In this slide from Muckerlab there is a simple sales funnel on the left, with various sales channels on the right. With enough time I can figure out the message, but it’s a bit challenging for my brain to map sales channels to the various stages of the funnel.
“Ecommerce & Digital Marketing” Muckerlab, 2014
You might think that your visual is easy enough to understand, but remember that the audience hasn’t had the same amount of time to look at the slide as you have, so it’s much more difficult for them to grasp the key takeaway quickly.
In the slide below from Edelman there are four different charts, but each one is communicating the same type of information. By mixing up the chart style like this it makes the slide overly complicated. Instead of showing four simple column charts, they’ve forced the audience to understand and interpret each type independently. This just makes it harder for the audience to grasp the key takeaways of the slide.
“Global Deck” Edelman Trust Barometer, 2012
Instead, ask yourself, what’s the key takeaway of the slide, and how does my chart or graphic help support that key takeaway. Avoid trying to make yourself look smart, and instead figure out the simplest way to communicate the idea you’re trying to communicate.
This slide from Credit Suisse is a great example of keeping the chart simple and clear. It’s just a normal-looking stacked column chart with easy to read data labels, a clear background, and a simple takeaway. The result is an effective and professional looking slide that’s easy for the audience to understand.
“Analyst and Investor Call” Credit Suisse, 2022
2. Simple Titles
The point of a title on a slide is to get a quick summary of the slide’s main takeaway, so the audience can better read and understand the details.
In this slide from BCG for example, the title says “Rising housing costs may be driving creatives out of the city”. So naturally, the audience is going to skim through the content looking for evidence of rising housing costs and creatives leaving the city, which makes for more effective delivery. (
“Melbourne as a Global Cultural Destination” BCG. For more BCG content be sure to check out our full BCG slide breakdown
But unfortunately, many titles aren’t this descriptive. Instead what I see are titles that tell me the topic of the slide and nothing else . I get an idea of what the slide is about, but I’m forced to come up with my own takeaway.
“Fixed Income Investor presentation” Credit Suisse, 2022
You see this especially on slides with summaries of data, like this slide from Salesforce about its finances. But even on these slides it’s usually a good idea to put a takeaway in the title.
“Finance Update Q4 FY21” Salesforce
In this example from Orsted , they’ve shown some annual financial data, but they’ve also summarized what they want the audience to take away from the slide – that they are in line with expectations.
“Investor presentation Q4 and full-year 2020” Orsted, 2021
By including a full sentence for your title, ideally one that summarizes the main takeaway of the slide, you make it much easier for the audience to understand what it is you’re trying to tell them.
3. Default PowerPoint Designs
The third mistake I see more often than I’d like is using default PowerPoint designs. The worst case of this is using old slide themes, like in this example. Anyone who has spent any amount of time in PowerPoint recognizes this design, and aesthetics aside, it just looks like the slide was thrown together last minute.
“First 30 Days” Markstar, 2017
You certainly don’t want to overdesign your slide, but at the very least try to avoid the out-of-the-box designs PowerPoint provides for you. Many of these designs haven’t changed in years, and usually they’re meant for a different kind of presentation (like a school project).
And the same goes for PowerPoint shapes, graphics, and even colors. They all come across as unprofessional and overused, so it’s in your best interest to avoid them altogether.
But where I think this is most easy to mess up is with tables. A table like this for example looks fine enough, but with just a few tweaks it can be made to look significantly better.
In this example, all I did was bold the titles, turn the negative values red, left align the first column and right align the others, make the top line extra thick, then add other lines to separate the regions. The result is a much better looking, and much easier to read table.
When it comes to design, even just a little bit of extra effort can help you avoid cliche, unprofessional looking slides.
4. Unrelated Content
In corporate style presentations, it’s completely okay to have lots of content, so long as each piece of content has a purpose. What I see way too often is stuff that’s just there to fill space, and doesn’t have an actual purpose.
In this Starboard Value slide , there are a lot of unnecessary distractions. For example, the box at the bottom is really just a repeat of what’s in the subtitle. Likewise, there’s a lot of text in the bullet points that could be trimmed down or eliminated without changing the message of the slide. It would help the audience focus more on the key takeaways, without getting distracted by all the fluff.
“Transforming Darden Restaurants” Starboard Value, 2014 See our full breakdown of this slide here .
But what bothers me the most is the picture at the bottom, which really isn’t adding to the slide in any meaningful way. Yes, it’s on topic – the slide is about breadsticks after all – but it’s not giving me any useful information. We all know what breadsticks look like, and this doesn’t help me understand the key takeaway any better.
Pictures are typically the most common culprit when it comes to unrelated content. It can be really tempting to throw a picture on a slide to fill up the extra space – especially if that picture looks professional and seems to loosely match the topic of the slide.
Even McKinsey is guilty of this sometimes, as in this example . The picture looks great, but it doesn’t help the audience understand the main message of the slide about digital manufacturing being a high priority for a majority of companies. Instead, it just distracts the audience.
“Moving Laggards to Early Adopters” McKinsey & Co., 2018 Learn more about how McKinsey designs data heavy PowerPoint slides.
In this example from a different presentation, they kept the slide fairly simple, with only information that supports the main takeaway of the slide, and nothing else. The result is a clear and easy to understand slide with a well-supported takeaway.
“Capturing the full electricity potential of the U.K.” McKinsey & Co., 2012
So when you’re adding content to your slide, whether that’s a picture, chart, or anything else, make sure it contributes to the message in some way. And if it doesn’t then just leave that part blank and adjust the other parts of the slide accordingly.
5. Distracting Backgrounds
This is related to the last mistake about unrelated content but is important in and of itself. A bad background can completely ruin a presentation. At best it’s distracting, but at worst it looks horribly unprofessional and makes the content hard to look at.
Once again this is where PowerPoint is to blame. Some of the default backgrounds make it almost impossible to read the text, especially if that text doesn’t provide any contrast.
But even simple backgrounds can be distracting, as in our previous example from Starboard Value . Shading the background makes it difficult for my eyes to know where to focus my attention. Not to mention it makes some of the text slightly harder to read.
Even subtle text or images in the background can be distracting, as in this BCG example .
“Projecting US Mail volumes to 2020” BCG, 2010
The general rule of thumb with backgrounds is if you notice it, you should change it. The idea is you want to reduce the number of distractions on your slide so that the audience can focus on the insights. In that regard, you can almost never go wrong with a plain white background. This keeps the audience focused on your content, and ultimately on your message.
This slide from Accenture is a great example of a non-distracting background that keeps the emphasis on the content. Nothing is diverting my attention and I can focus on what they’re trying to tell me.
“Fintech New York: Partnerships, Platforms and Open Innovation” Accenture, 2015
But of course, the background doesn’t always have to be white. Sometimes darker backgrounds work better for longer, live presentations, especially when those presentations are given on a large screen.
In another example from later in the presentation, Accenture uses a darker blue background that’s simple, clear, and professional. And most importantly, it doesn’t take my attention away from the content on the slide.
6. Not Guiding the Audience
Most modern business presentations are full of text and data, which can make it difficult for the audience to process the information on a slide and see the key insights . In a live presentation, it is even more difficult – the audience has to simultaneously listen to the speaker, read through the content on the slide, and think critically about the information.
The easy way to manage this challenge is to guide the audience through your slide with visual cues – things like text, callouts, and boxes. Unfortunately, it is something that many people just don’t think to do. What this leads to is dense, difficult to read slides , as in these two examples:
“Bridging the Gap Between CIO and CMO” Isobar, 2014
“Transforming Darden Restaurants” Starboard Value, 2014
And the same thing can happen with charts . By just putting up a chart with no real commentary or guidance, you make it hard for the audience to understand what it is you’re trying to tell them.
“Fifth Assessment Report- Synthesis Report” IPCC, 2014
In many ways, this is the counterpoint to the last mistake. Whereas you don’t want unimportant pieces like your background to be distracting, you do want the important parts of your slide to be distracting, because it helps the audience quickly grasp the key takeaways.
Returning to our Accenture example, notice how they’ve used bolded text to help call attention to what’s important. Likewise, they’ve also used a line to put emphasis on the title of the slide.
Check out our full breakdown of this slide here .
This BCG slide has quite a bit of information on it, but they’ve made it easy to work through by drawing the most attention to the title with green font and large text, then the next amount of attention to the subtitles with bold black text and green lines underneath, and then the least amount of attention to the bullet points. It helps the process the information on the slide in the way they want them to – starting with the highest level idea, and working their way through the details.
“Evaluating NYC media sector development and setting the stage for future growth” BCG, 2012
This chart from McKinsey is another good example of guiding the audience. Instead of just keeping the chart plain, they’ve added callouts that help emphasize the message in the title.
“Jobs lost, jobs gained: Workforce transitions in a time of automation” McKinsey, 2017
Guiding the audience can be as simple as adding an arrow or bolding important text. But even small changes like this can make a big difference in your presentation.
7. Too Many Colors
It can be tempting to use a variety of colors on your slide, but doing so just distracts the audience and takes attention away from the important parts. And not only that, it can look really unprofessional.
On this slide for example they’ve decided to separate each of these sections by color to make it easier to distinguish between them. But instead of making it easier to read, the slide is difficult to understand and hard to look at. The sections are already naturally separated, with lines, titles, and even icons. But by adding bright colors, in addition to the orange and green that’s already on the slide, they’ve reduced the slide’s readability considerably.
“Harnessing the Power of Entrepreneurs to Open Innovation” Accenture, 2015
The best slides use color strategically, to help highlight key points and ideas.
In this Bain slide for example, they’ve decided to highlight the important columns in red, while keeping the less important columns in grey. It provides a nice contrasting effect that helps emphasize the message.
“2011 China Luxury Market Study” Bain, 2011
Likewise, this Deloitte slide contains a minimal amount of color, making it easy to sift through the data and focus on only what’s important. Not to mention it keeps the visuals of the slide clean and professional.
“Consumer privacy in retail” Deloitte, 2019
It’s a bit counterintuitive, but when it comes to color, sometimes less is more.
Final Thoughts
A few simple tweaks to your presentation can really make a difference in both its quality and overall professionalism. Above all, be sure to focus on your main message, and avoid any distractions that might take away from that message. If you can keep an eye out for cliché, unprofessional, and meaningless content, you’ll be well on your way to creating high-quality, insight-rich presentations.
P.S. – If you’re really looking to up your PowerPoint game, be sure to check out our full courses: Advanced PowerPoint for Consultants and Advanced Presentations for Consultants .
You can watch a video version of this article on YouTube .
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How to have the most banger PowerPoint at the PowerPoint party
Rule number one is you gotta have fun
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In the early days of the pandemic, at-home PowerPoint Zoom parties were all the rage . The idea was simple: Each attendee creates a PowerPoint on something they want to rant about, then presents it to the group. As in-person gatherings slowly returned, TikTok continued to popularize the trend, as friend groups took videos of their own PowerPoint parties. There are no hard-set rules on what topics to cover, so people can get very creative with their presentations .
While there are plenty of articles out there offering ideas for prompts or tips on hosting PowerPoint parties , there are very few out there delineating just how to pull off a presentation with pizzazz. I’d like to offer some tips and tricks, based on a real presentation I gave at my own Discord party.
Have a clear, central thesis
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No one wants to listen to you ramble about something that you aren’t passionate about! The first thing to do after being invited to a PowerPoint presentation party is to pick a topic that really matters to you. For instance, in the below example, I made a whole PowerPoint based on the fictional men I am in love with, a subject on which I could absolutely talk about at length.
You’ll want to make sure to elaborate on your title in a further slide. This is also a good chance to start really showing your expertise. In my case, this meant delineating some parameters and illustrating the taxonomy of fictional men I am attracted to.
Reiterate your main point in a simple form
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Think of this as the last sentence of your intro paragraph in a paper you turn in for school. This is what you want in people’s minds when you continue on with the presentation. Ideally, keep it punchy and short, and if you can make it sound like a meme, then it’s more likely to stick in people’s facts after the example.
Provide examples to support your argument
Each slide should bolster your central thesis. Some people may opt for a narrow scope, which is completely valid. I like to cast my net wide in order to show just how all-encompassing my theory is. In this particular presentation, I used Jeff Winger from Community , Han Solo from Star Wars , Aaron Hotchner from Criminal Minds , and Chrom from Fire Emblem: Awakening to illustrate my taxonomy. A wide gamut of entertainment! (Also, this way it wasn’t just anime boys — that’s a separate article).
Use your bullet points as a starting point, not the whole spiel
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23235075/Screen_Shot_2022_02_10_at_3.17.41_PM.png "powerpoint presentation examples reddit")
The slides themselves should merely be a tool to aid your presentation. Use them wisely. I find it most effective to put something bold and eye-catching as a bullet point to grab attention and then expand on that in your speech. When I say, “Every time he says something stupid, I want to rail him” on a slide about Shigure Sohma from Fruits Basket , I use that simple sentence as a launching point to discuss his complicated motives and compelling allegiances throughout the anime.
Embrace visual aids
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A picture is worth a thousand words and therefore, eight pictures of handsome men is equal to a very long article or short story! In this slide about Roy Mustang and Howl Pendragon , I mostly wanted to illustrate different moments where they fulfill the two seemingly contrasting categories of fictional men I have described. No bullet points are needed, because I can poetically wax on about how both these men use a playboy persona to cover up a seething rage and mission that might see them going too far.
Finally … have no shame
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The worst thing you can do in front of an audience is be forgettable. Whether you totally ace your presentation with suave charisma or whether you laugh through the entire time — as long as you make a splash, you’ve won. Embrace whatever weird topic you’ve chosen. Own it. You too could be writing about it for a website one day.
Happy Valentine’s Day from Polygon
- To all the anime boys we’ve loved before
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- Every romanceable character in Fire Emblem: Three Houses, ranked
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How to convert a powerpoint to google slides.
Work with a familiar interface by converting a PowerPoint to Google Slides
Microsoft PowerPoint and Google Slides are popular software solutions for creating presentations. While PowerPoint has more features, Google Slides offers seamless collaboration, cross-platform availability, and an easy-to-use interface without a subscription. When you receive a PowerPoint presentation, convert it to Google Slides to continue editing and collaborating on it.
Converting a PowerPoint presentation to the Google Slides format has advantages, but it isn't a smooth process. Formatting issues can occur. You can use Google Drive or Google Slides to convert a PowerPoint presentation. This trick is also helpful when using a PowerPoint template with Google Slides.
Although Google Slides has apps for iPhone and Android , we focus on the company's web version.
Convert a PowerPoint to Google Slides Using Google Drive
You can upload a PowerPoint presentation to Google Drive and open it in Slides. It's the easiest way to convert from PowerPoint to Google Slides.
- Visit Google Drive on the web and sign in with your Google account details.
- After uploading the file, Google Drive converts your PowerPoint file, making it compatible with Google Slides. Double-click it to open it in Google Slides.
Whether you use a .pptx or an older .ppt file, Google Drive automatically converts it to Slides. You can open it like a traditional Slides file and make changes.
How to add audio to your Google Slides presentation
Use google slides to convert a pptx file.
If you don't want to deal with Google Drive, you can import and use any PowerPoint file using Google Slides. Follow the steps below to make changes.
- Go to Google Slides on the web and create a blank presentation. Or, type slides.new in the address bar and press the Enter or Return key.
- The following menu shows your recent files and several online and offline locations where you can import a file. Move to the Upload menu.
- Google Slides converts and opens a PPT file in the Slides format.
There are times when you want to convert specific PowerPoint slides. Importing an entire presentation and deleting irrelevant slides isn't the most productive way. Instead, import selected slides using the steps below.
- Open a blank presentation in Google Slides (check the steps above).
Your PowerPoint slides are ready for editing in Google Slides.
Advantages of Converting a PowerPoint to Google Slides
Here are the benefits of converting a PowerPoint file to Google Slides.
Easy access
Google Slides is a web app. Whether you use Slides on Windows, Mac, Linux, or ChromeOS, you only need a web browser to access and edit your presentations. PowerPoint also has a web app, but it has limited features compared to its desktop app.
Real-time collaboration
Although Microsoft offers real-time collaboration on PowerPoint, the sharing experience isn't as good as Google Slides. One or more users can work on a presentation simultaneously, share comments, and check tweaks instantly.
Free to use
PowerPoint desktop apps require an active Microsoft 365 subscription. In contrast, Google Slides is free to use. If one of your team members or a colleague doesn't have a Microsoft 365 plan, convert the PowerPoint presentation to Google Slides and invite them for collaboration.
What's the difference between Google Slides templates and themes?
Convert a powerpoint to google slides: our observations, complete and collaborate your presentation in style.
Whether you use PowerPoint or Google Slides, your pitch requires interactive visuals and fancy animations to attract people's attention. A bland and static presentation won't impress your audience. Creating an engaging presentation from scratch can be time-consuming. Check the top Google Slides templates for personal and work use and finish your presentation quickly.
Create or edit a Copilot GPT with Microsoft Copilot GPT Builder
If you have Microsoft Copilot Pro , you can use Copilot GPT Builder to create and edit your own Copilot GPTs. A Copilot GPT is a custom version of Microsoft Copilot that can be used for specific purposes, such as for specialized knowledge, implementing specific processes, or simply to save time by reusing a set of AI prompts.
After you have created or edited your Copilot GPT, you can publish and share it with other people, even if they don't have a Copilot Pro license. You can also choose to stop sharing a Copilot GPT .
Currently, you can create, edit, and delete Copilot GPTs on your desktop computer. However, users can use and reshare Copilot GPTs on mobile devices and computers.
Create a Copilot GPT with Copilot GPT Builder
Using your Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome browser on your computer, go to copilot.microsoft.com or chat.bing.com , and sign in using your Microsoft account (such as outlook.com ).
In the navigation pane, on the Chats tab, under Copilot GPTs , select See all Copilot GPTs . The Copilot GPT Builder page opens.
Select Create a new Copilot GPT .
Copilot GPT Builder opens on the Create tab. In the Message Copilot GPT Builder field, type instructions for Copilot GPT Builder. Tips are available to help you get started. Expect some back and forth conversation while you set up your Copilot GPT. For example, you're asked what you want to call your Copilot GPT, what you want it to do, what tone or style it should use, and so on. If you prefer, you can select the Configure tab and set up your Copilot GPT there.
If you have specific files or resources you want your Copilot GPT to use, on the Configure tab, select the Knowledge button to upload the information. In keeping with Microsoft’s code of conduct, make sure you don’t use others’ intellectual property or violate copyright or trademark regulations with your Copilot GPT.
To preview and test your Copilot GPT, in the upper right corner, select Preview Copilot GPT . Your Copilot GPT opens in a new browser tab, where you can see how it looks and works.
To make changes, return to the Create or Configure tab. When you're done making changes, select Save Changes .
To publish your Copilot GPT, in the upper right corner, select Publish . Choose Only me , or Everyone with a link , and then choose Confirm . If you intend to share your Copilot GPT, make sure to select Everyone with a link , and copy the link. Anyone who has that link can view and use your Copilot GPT.
After your Copilot GPT is published, select View Copilot GPT to open and use it.
Edit a Copilot GPT with Copilot GPT Builder
You can only edit Copilot GPTs that you have created. When you edit a Copilot GPT, its URL doesn’t change, so anyone you’ve shared your Copilot GPT with can still access it. They see the last published version. You can unshare a Copilot GPT, too. See the "Stop sharing a Copilot GPT" section in Use or share a Copilot GPT .
In the navigation pane, on the Chats tab, under Copilot GPTs , select See all Copilot GPTs . The All Copilot GPTs page opens.
Under My Copilot GPTs , select the Copilot GPT that you want to edit, and then select Edit .
Select the Configure tab, where you can make your changes. You can edit your Copilot GPT's name, description, and instructions.
If you have specific files or resources you want your Copilot GPT to use, under Knowledge , select File Upload , and then browse to the file you want to use. In keeping with Microsoft’s code of conduct, make sure you don’t use others’ intellectual property or violate copyright or trademark regulations with your Copilot GPT.
To preview and test your Copilot GPT, in the upper right corner, select Preview Copilot GPT . Your GPT opens in a new browser tab, where you can see how it looks and works.
To make more changes, return to the Create or Configure tab. When you're done making changes, select Save Changes .
To publish your Copilot GPT, in the upper right corner, select Publish . Choose Only me , or Everyone with a link , and then choose Confirm . If you intend to share your Copilot GPT, make sure to select Everyone with a link , and copy the link. Anyone who has that link can view and use your Copilot GPT.
About the Create and Configure tabs in Copilot GPT Builder
In Copilot GPT Builder, the Create tab provides a conversational experience where you can tell Copilot GPT Builder what you want it to do. Expect some back and forth conversation, such as a question about your Copilot GPT's name, communication style, and so forth. The Create tab is a great way to get started creating your own Copilot GPT.
The Configure tab is more like a form that you fill out or edit. This tab includes a File Upload button that you can use to upload specific files for your Copilot GPT to use. When you use the Configure tab, make sure to select Save Changes .
You can switch back and forth between the Create and Configure tabs so that you can use the experience you prefer.
Microsoft Copilot GPT Builder overview
Use or share a Copilot GPT
Delete a Copilot GPT
About Microsoft Copilot Pro
Copilot Pro: Microsoft 365 apps and your privacy
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March Madness expert picks: Our first round predictions for 2024 NCAA men's tournament
Editor's note: Follow all of the men's March Madness action, scores and highlights here with USA TODAY Sports' live coverage.
There's still plenty of time to fill in your March Madness brackets. By now you have considered this year's best upset picks and the top seeds (looking at you, North Carolina ) that got the easiest path in their region.
If you're looking for more help, here's a look historically at how seeds have performed in the NCAA Tournament. UConn is a popular Final Four pick, but there's a reason why the East is considered the toughest of the four.
First Four games began Tuesday night, but brackets aren't officially due until Thursday (before first round games tip off). After the first night of play-in games, Colorado State has a date with Texas after dominating Virginia. Wagner won its first NCAA Tournament game in history, surviving a late comeback from Howard.
If you need the full tournament schedule and where to watch on TV, here it is .
FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA basketball bracket, scores, schedules, teams and more.
Here's a look at first round game picks from experts Jordan Mendoza , Paul Myerberg and Dan Wolken :
(1) UConn vs. (16) Stetson
- Mendoza: UConn
- Myerberg : UConn
- Wolken : UConn
(8) Florida Atlantic vs. (9) Northwestern
- Mendoza: Florida Atlantic
- Myerberg : Florida Atlantic
- Wolken : Northwestern
(5) San Diego State vs. (12) UAB
- Mendoza: San Diego State
- Myerberg: San Diego State
- Wolken: UAB
(4) Auburn vs. (13) Yale
- Mendoza: Auburn
- Myerberg: Auburn
- Wolken: Auburn
(6) BYU vs. (11) Duquesne
- Mendoza: Duquesne
- Myerberg: BYU
- Wolken: BYU
(3) Illinois vs. (14) Morehead State
- Mendoza: Illinois
- Myerberg: Illinois
- Wolken: Illinois
(7) Washington State vs. (10) Drake
- Mendoza: Washington State
- Myerberg: Washington State
- Wolken: Drake
(2) Iowa State vs. (15) South Dakota State
- Mendoza: Iowa State
- Myerberg: Iowa State
- Wolken: Iowa State
(1) North Carolina vs. (16) Wagner
- Mendoza: North Carolina
- Myerberg: North Carolina
- Wolken: North Carolina
(8) Mississippi State vs. (9) Michigan State
- Mendoza: Mississippi State
- Myerberg: Michigan State
- Wolken: Mississippi State
(5) Saint Mary's vs. (12) Grand Canyon
- Mendoza: Saint Mary's
- Myerberg: Saint Mary's
- Wolken: Saint Mary’s
(4) Alabama vs. (13) College of Charleston
- Mendoza: Alabama
- Myerberg: Alabama
- Wolken: College of Charleston
(6) Clemson vs. (11) New Mexico
- Mendoza: New Mexico
- Myerberg: Clemson
- Wolken: New Mexico
(3) Baylor vs. (14) Colgate
- Mendoza: Baylor
- Myerberg: Baylor
- Wolken: Baylor
(7) Dayton vs. (10) Nevada
- Mendoza: Nevada
- Myerberg: Dayton
- Wolken: Dayton
(2) Arizona vs. (15) Long Beach State
- Mendoza: Arizona
- Myerberg: Arizona
- Wolken: Arizona
(1) Houston vs. (16) Longwood
- Mendoza: Houston
- Myerberg: Houston
- Wolken: Houston
(8) Nebraska vs. (9) Texas A&M
- Mendoza: Nebraska
- Myerberg: Nebraska
- Wolken: Nebraska
(5) Wisconsin vs. (12) James Madison
- Mendoza: JMU
- Myerberg: Wisconsin
- Wolken: JMU
(4) Duke vs. (13) Vermont
- Mendoza: Duke
- Myerberg: Duke
- Wolken: Duke
(6) Texas Tech vs. (11) NC State
- Mendoza: Texas Tech
- Myerberg: Texas Tech
- Wolken: Texas Tech
(3) Kentucky vs. (14) Oakland
- Mendoza: Kentucky
- Myerberg: Kentucky
- Wolken: Kentucky
(7) Florida vs. (10) Colorado
- Mendoza: Florida
- Myerberg: Colorado
- Wolken: Colorado
(2) Marquette vs. (15) Western Kentucky
- Mendoza: Marquette
- Myerberg: Marquette
- Wolken: Marquette
(1) Purdue vs. (16) Grambling/Montana State
- Mendoza: Purdue
- Myerberg: Purdue
- Wolken: Purdue
(8) Utah State vs. (9) TCU
- Mendoza: Utah State
- Myerberg: Utah State
- Wolken: Utah State
(5) Gonzaga vs. (12) McNeese
- Mendoza: McNeese
- Myerberg: Gonzaga
- Wolken: McNeese
(4) Kansas vs. (13) Samford
- Mendoza: Samford
- Myerberg: Kansas
- Wolken: Samford
(6) South Carolina vs. (11) Oregon
- Mendoza: Oregon
- Myerberg: South Carolina
- Wolken: Oregon
(3) Creighton vs. (14) Akron
- Mendoza: Creighton
- Myerberg: Creighton
- Wolken: Creighton
(7) Texas vs. (10) Colorado State
- Mendoza: Colorado State
- Myerberg: Texas
- Wolken: Texas
(2) Tennessee vs. (15) Saint Peter's
- Mendoza: Tennessee
- Myerberg: Tennessee
- Wolken: Tennessee
Hong Kong Article 23: Basic rights threatened as law enacted, critics charge
HONG KONG — When Britain returned Hong Kong to Chinese rule in 1997, Beijing assured the former colonial power that civil liberties in the city would be preserved.
On Saturday, Hong Kong enacted a measure that critics charge will further stifle free expression in a city that until recently was known for its freewheeling style, aggressive media and politically active populace.
The bill, called the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance but also referred to as the A rticle 23 law , took effect following unanimous approval earlier this week by Hong Kong’s opposition-free legislature, where it was deliberated over and passed in a record 11 days .
Article 23 is designed to supplement an earlier national security law Beijing imposed on Hong Kong in 2020, one that critics say supercharged the erosion of civil liberties here.
Read more NBC News coverage of Hong Kong
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“This is the bill that basically creates crimes against everything,” Kevin Yam, a senior fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for Asian Law, told NBC News in an interview from Australia.
Yam is one of 13 overseas pro-democracy activists accused of national security offenses by Hong Kong authorities, which are offering bounties of 1 million Hong Kong dollars ($128,000) on each of them for information leading to their arrest.
“It is basically whatever they say, and whatever they want it to be,” Yam said of the Article 23 legislation. “And the problem with this compared with the National Security Law is that while it’s vague in many areas, it also covers a lot more ground.”
In some ways, critics say, Article 23 could have an even bigger impact on free expression in Hong Kong than the 2020 law.
With the new local legislation, Yam said, “we are basically seeing the Hong Kong government trying to slam shut the really last vestiges of room for criticizing it.”
Government touts stability
In contrast, Hong Kong’s top leader, John Lee , said the new law would “bring safety to society” after huge and sometimes violent anti-government protests in 2019.
“With safety comes stability; with stability comes prosperity,” he said in signing the bill late Friday before it took effect at midnight local time. “A safe and stable environment is crucial to the success of business activities and enterprises.”
Regina Ip, a senior Hong Kong official, said the legislation was mostly about updating and modernizing existing laws, many of which are left over from British colonial times.
It will “have minimal impact on most people in Hong Kong,” and is aimed only at those who have “ill intent,” Ip said in an interview Friday.
Hong Kong was required to enact the Article 23 legislation under its Basic Law, a mini-constitution that took effect in 1997. It focuses on five types of crimes: treason, insurrection, theft of state secrets and espionage, sabotage that endangers national security, and external interference.
“I am confident that very few prosecutions will be made, if at all,” said Ip, a veteran Hong Kong politician who resigned in 2003 after a protest by 500,000 of Hong Kong’s 7.5 million people forced the government to withdraw its first attempt to enact Article 23 legislation.
Ip said that “constructive criticisms” have not been criminalized, and that “one of the guiding principles” of Article 23 was to ensure Hong Kong’s fundamental rights and freedoms.
Hong Kong officials have accused Western governments of hypocrisy, saying their national security provisions are in line with those adopted in countries such as Australia, Britain and Singapore.
But that comparison is misleading, said Eric Yan-ho Lai, a research fellow at the Georgetown Center for Asian Law, as those countries have stronger democratic protections “to check and scrutinize executive government abusing powers on the ground of safeguarding national security.”
Article 23 is “a strong legal instrument for the government to enhance its surveillance and control over Hong Kong, and to further cut ties between the local community and the international community,” he said.
In a statement on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the law “will have broad implications for the people in Hong Kong as well as U.S. citizens and companies operating there.”
He also expressed concern that, as with the 2020 national security law, Hong Kong authorities could seek to use Article 23 against individuals and companies whether they are in Hong Kong or not.
United Nations rights chief Volker Türk also criticized the law, as well as its rushed adoption, calling it “a regressive step for human rights in Hong Kong.”
Türk said the law’s “external interference” provisions, which only vaguely define the meaning of “external force,” could even deter Hong Kongers from engaging with international human rights organizations and U.N. rights bodies.
‘Tone has darkened’
Combined with the malaise in the mainland Chinese economy, with which Hong Kong’s fortunes are closely tied, and U.S.-China tensions that have Hong Kong caught in the middle, the Article 23 legislation has also raised questions about whether the city can retain its status as an international business center.
Last year, Hong Kong lost its position as the world’s freest economy to Singapore in an annual ranking by the Fraser Institute, a think tank in Canada. It had topped the list since the rankings began in 1970.
Hong Kong officials point out the city is still ranked second. But the authors of the report said its dethroning was “an example of how economic freedom is intimately connected with civil and political freedom,” and that Hong Kong’s score is likely to only fall further.
Stephen Roach, a senior research scholar at Yale Law School’s Paul Tsai China Center and the former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, said “the tone has darkened” in Hong Kong since the protests in 2019.
In his interactions with business people, students and academics, “there’s a pervasive sense of weariness,” said Roach, who lived in Hong Kong from 2007 to 2012 and has continued to visit since then.
“I always get asked the question in my presentations or discussions, what do you think of the future of Hong Kong?” he said. “That question was never raised when I lived there or in the years immediately after I returned.”
Roach caused a stir here with two recent commentaries in the Financial Times and the South China Morning Post , the former of which was headlined, “It pains me to say Hong Kong is over.” At the time he wrote it, he said, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was down almost half from 2021, returning to its level at the time of the 1997 handover.
Hong Kong’s defenders argue that the city has always bounced back from any challenge it has faced, including pro-Communist riots in 1967, the Asian financial crisis of 1997, and the public health crises of SARS and Covid-19.
“Just because there’s been resilience in the past, there’s no guarantee that will be the case in the future,” said Roach, author of the 2022 book “Accidental Conflict: America, China, and the Clash of False Narratives.”
Lai and Yam, meanwhile, warned the new legislation could have profound implications for international businesses in the city.
Whereas the main impact of the 2020 national security law was loss of talent, as spooked foreign companies moved operations out of the city and some skilled professionals left on their own, Yam said Article 23 pertains more directly to the way businesses operate.
The new law “very clearly talks about things like extending mainland Chinese concepts of state secrets to Hong Kong, state secrets being one of those issues that international businesses have had a lot of trouble with in China,” he said.
Some business groups welcomed the legislation, however.
It will “make Hong Kong a safer destination for local and foreign businesses and professionals operating here,” the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce said.
The group added that it hoped the government would “continue to clarify any misinterpretation or misconceptions” about the law.
Johannes Hack, president of the German Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, said the ability to do business in Hong Kong “probably isn’t going to be impacted all that much.”
While companies may seek additional legal advice, he said, they already made adjustments after Beijing’s national security law was imposed in 2020.
The bigger concern, he said, “is that our shareholders in Germany, when they think of Hong Kong, we want them to think of Hong Kong as it still is today, quite a different place from mainland China.”
“It may have changed over the past few years, but it’s still distinctly different,” he said.
Hack cautioned, however, that “the proof of the pudding is in the eating.”
“If there were to be prosecutions or even rumored prosecutions under Article 23, then I think obviously the business community will watch that closely and will see what impact those potential prosecutions might have on their business dealings,” he said.
“But until that day, I think we’re fairly comfortable in saying this is a different place.”
The European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong declined to comment. The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong did not respond to emailed requests for comment.
Ambivalence and fear
The large-scale protests that put a stop to Article 23 the last time the government proposed it would hardly be possible in today’s Hong Kong, where the vast majority of pro-democracy figures are in jail, living in self-exile or have resigned from politics.
Some residents reacted to its passage with ambivalence.
“Some would feel that they now have less free speech and freedom. However, those who prefer safety and a stable life might welcome it,” said student Cheng Chung Yau, 21.
Others who did not wish to be named lamented the tightening of government control and the shrinking space for expression.
Regarding whether Hong Kong is “over,” Roach, the former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, said, “What’s over to me is not the city itself, but what the city’s stood for historically.”
The dynamism and energy long associated with Hong Kong and its free market, he said, “I think is over for the foreseeable future.”
“Whether there’s a phoenix-like resurrection, that remains to be seen,” he said. “But the Hong Kong that I knew and lived in and loved, and still love, that character has really been drawn into serious question.”
Jennifer Jett reported from Hong Kong, Janis Mackey Frayer reported from Beijing and Mo Abbas reported from London.
Jennifer Jett is the Asia Digital Editor for NBC News, based in Hong Kong.
Janis Mackey Frayer is a Beijing-based correspondent for NBC News.
Mo Abbas is a London-based multimedia producer for NBC News.
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