Update March 2022: Fixed broken links and added new presentation design idea examples
PowerPoint and its alternatives are multifunctional tools that serve a wide variety of purposes for both marketers and non-marketers. The popular software for presentation design holds unlimited powers of influence, as long you know how to use it right.
Today we’ll share valuable presentation design ideas and tips, so you can make the most out of your presentation. Before moving on to the actual design process, put your ideas on paper. This will help you clear up your concept and is crucial for building a high-quality presentation. Now, let’s begin!
1. Make Sure Your Eye-Catching Visuals Don’t Steal the Spotlight
The design of a presentation is supposed to support your information in more than one way. Overlooking your presentation design means throwing away all of your efforts to prepare a presentation in the first place. No matter the topic, you need to convey value. This means you need to make your presentation eye-catchy but try not to let your visuals steal the spotlight from the information itself.
- Presentation: Digital 2020 Global Digital Overview (January 2020) v01 by DataReportal
2. Go Simple and Witty
Simplicity is a highly advocated practice simply because it gives results. Now, there are simple and boring presentations, and there are simple and witty ones. The second one will win your audience to your side.
- Presentation: Marco Gold Standard by MarcoTechnologies
3. Prioritize Clarity Over Complexity
Push the boundaries but not too far. Obviously, clarity is a factor that definitely works in favor of your presentation’s success. A familiar pattern is a better approach than presenting the information in a completely new arrangement.
- Presentation: 10 Things your Audience Hates About your Presentation by Stinson
4. Turn your Presentation Design into a Story
We all know that design can provoke powerful emotions. But do you know which technique provokes even a stronger emotion? That’s right, stories. Use this double power for your presentation to influence your audience on a deeper level.
- Presentation: Apple Inc Case Study by Shail Daswani
5. Don’t Underestimate Power of Pop Culture References
Use the power of association to your advantage. When people connect new information with things they already know, they are more inclined to listen to you and accept your message.
- Presentation: The Art of the Presentation by Jeffrey Stevens
6. Leverage the Power of Whitespace
This is a blank space left between design elements in the composition. It is a great tool when you want to make a point and focus the viewer’s attention on a particular part of the design.
- Presentation: Marco Gold Standard by MarcoTechnologies
7. Apply the Rule of Thirds
3 stages, 3 steps, 3 points, 3 ideas… People tend to accept, understand and memorize these things better if they are narrowed down to 3. The audience simply loves this number, so all that’s left for you is to make the best out of this rule.
- Presentation: Achieving digital maturity: Adapting your company to a changing world from Deloitte United States
8. Use Minimum Text In Your Slides
A presentation design is created in order to help the presenter communicate certain information. Moreover, a presentation in front of an audience is meant to be listened to, and not read. This is why some professionals advise not to use more than 6 words per slide. Use more visual content, instead.
- Presentation: How to think like a startup by Loic Le Meur
9. Don’t Forget the Mobile Users
Mind this tip when designing a presentation that will also be watched on mobile devices. Big sections of text in presentation design are hard to read on small screens.
- Presentation: How to Master Difficult Conversations at Work – Leader’s Guide by Piktochart
10. Match the Presentation Design with the Topic
The topic of the presentation often dictates the theme of the design. For instance, a wedding-themed presentation suggests a soft, romantic color scheme, a business presentation is often designed in brand colors, etc.
- Presentation: How To Have Your Dream Wedding Without Burying Your Budget by DesignMantic
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11. Use Semi-Transparent Gradient Graphs
Different tools are used to present data. However, presenting it in a visually appealing way will bring more positives for you. Semi-transparency and partial overlapping are super trendy when it comes to presenting graphs. Choose different colors complementing each other, and apply semi-transparency increasing to the top.
- Presentation: Achieving digital maturity: Adapting your company to a changing world by Deloitte United States
12. Be Trendy with Gradient Overlays
Gradients and color transitions are still trendy. This means you can use them bravely in all of your designs including presentation design. White text on top works amazing for this kind of overlay.
- Presentation: 10 Insightful Quotes On Designing A Better Customer Experience by Yuan Wang
13. Use a Partial Overlay to Put an Accent
We already established that white lettering goes well with a colored semi-transparent background. Another technique is to use this background as an element and not a full background, so you can draw the eye to a certain area.
- Presentation: 500 Demo Day Batch 19: Gluwa by 500 Startups
14. Use Brand Colors
Choosing a presentation design style according to your brand is a smart move. This way, you will certainly differentiate your work from other presentations. Also, it’s wise to include your business’s branding – your logo in all of your slides.
- Presentation: How to Market your Charity in the Digital Age by Michael Horton
15. Try Bright Colors
Bright colors still rule the web in 2022, so there will be a lot of them in presentation design, as well. With these colors, it’s more than easy to catch the attention and make a statement. Combine them with 3D or flat illustrations and flattering text color (white works amazing) to make the presentation design pleasant for the eye.
- Presentation: How to Master Difficult Conversations at Work – Leader’s Guide by Piktochart
16. Choose One Popping Color
If you want to keep the vibe of the bright colors but still make the presentation design elegant and classy, use just one popping color (it can be even neon) over a black-and-white themed background (or simply over muted colors).
- Presentation: 24 Design Tips from Real Designers by Edahn Small
17. Try Sticking to Black and White
Going black-and-white has always been trendy. This look can provoke a variety of moods depending on how you use it. The Black and white duo provokes nostalgia, drama, mystery. But it could also make your concept look elegant and simple.
- Presentation: A Guide to User Research (for People Who Don’t Like Talking to Other People) by Stephanie Wills
18. Use Trendy Pantone Colors
This presentation uses the Ultra Violet Pantone color of the year 2018, but you can go with any annual Pantone color to vibe with the current. Now is the time to try Very Peri Color of the year 2022.
- Presentation: Top Productivity Working Hacks by Jan Rezab
19. Use Simple Outline Illustrations to Explain a Concept
Using illustrations instead of pictures can help you emphasize a point. Illustrations are great conceptual tools, so when it comes to presenting, they can help you get your message across with ease. Flat outline illustrations, on the other hand, are simplistic enough to explain a concept and attractive enough to catch the viewer’s attention in a presentation design.
- Presentation: 10 Things your Audience Hates About your Presentation by Stinson
20. Flat Illustrations are Always a Good Choice
Flat has been the king of illustration in the graphic design world for so long, that we can’t make this list without it. The multifunctional simplistic shapes make this style suitable for both icons and conceptual illustrations in a presentation design.
- Presentation: The 12 Characteristics Of A Horrible Boss by Debra Ulrich
21. Mix Styles
You don’t have to limit yourself to using only one style throughout the whole presentation. Feel free to combine gradients with flats, outlines, and other styles to achieve a more attention-grabbing look.
- Presentation: 5 Storytelling Lessons From Superhero Stories by HighSpark | Visual Storytelling Agency
22. Use Art Illustrations
A fully illustrated slide is a move that pushes the boundaries of the ordinary presentation design. This approach, especially used as an opening slide, will certainly nail your audience’s attention from the very beginning, so it’s worth giving it a shot.
- Presentation: Achieving digital maturity: Adapting your company to a changing world by Deloitte United States
23. Try Modern Low-Poly Illustrations
Low-poly is a style of illustration that has become modern in recent years. The style brings a futuristic vibe and makes the design look edgy. This style can be applied to the presentation design elements or even the background for a bolder look.
- Presentation: One Point Per Slide – Why It’s Important and How to Do It by Stinson
24. Use Geometric Shapes
Geometric shapes can totally make a design look modern, elegant, and more interesting. Whether circles, triangles, diamonds, or else, geometric shapes provide a wide field for experimenting. This means your opportunities are endless and the result could be an absolutely unique presentation design.
- Presentation: Designing For Emails: 8 Hacks To Design Emails That Are Eagerly Awaited by DesignMantic
25. Give Each Concept a Different Color
Colors are a perfect way to distinguish different ideas and concepts. Plus, they help the audience follow your thought more easily. Distinguishing your ideas from each other by using colors is a great way to focus on different messages in the same presentation. Just make sure to keep the style consistent.
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26. Try Creative Typography
You should absolutely step outside your comfort zone and experiment with attractive new ways of presenting your lettering.
- Presentation: 14 Inspiring Paul Rand Quotes! by DesignMantic
27. Try Unconventional Fonts
With the huge diversity of fonts available online, don’t be afraid to try out new looks. A new font stands out and makes the presentation design feel completely different.
- Presentation: GAME ON! Integrating Games and Simulations in the Classroom by Brian Housand
28. Use Numbers to Mark Progress
Numbers are a great way to help your audience keep track of your thoughts. They help you take the viewer through the whole process and they boost the clarity. Numbers also give the feeling of a step-by-step process. They can simplify any idea and make it easier to be understood. In the following example, each slide is a numbered step. This is a provenly effective practice but you can experiment with expanding each number over a few slides.
- Presentation: 21 Hottest Productivity Hacks for 2016 by HubSpot
29. ABC of Anything
The ABC is a cool way to make your audience follow a list. Unlike numbering which could be infinite, this type of alphabetical bulleting does have an end obviously. This technique engages the viewer a lot because, first of all, the viewer sees something familiar – the alphabetical order. Secondly, people like the feeling of completion which helps them keep their interest till the end of the alphabet.
- Presentation: The ABC’s of Living a Healthy Life by Dr. Omer Hameed
30. Call to Action
Don’t be afraid to tell your audience what to do next. A CTA button is rewarding your efforts spent on the presentation.
- Presentation: 4 Biggest Challenges for Creative Teams by Wrike
Conclusion
Presentation design doesn’t have to be boring. These 30 presentation design ideas and tips will help you breathe life into your presentation and win your audience’s attention. You are welcome to share more ideas in the comments below, so we can discuss what works and what doesn’t. Happy designing!
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