presentation cover slide ideas

How to Create a Stunning Presentation Cover Page [+ Examples]

Published: January 06, 2021

When you're focused on creating a meaningful, persuasive presentation, it's easy to overlook the cover page. But giving that first page of your deck a little more love can actually go a long way towards grabbing your audience's attention early on and setting the tone for the rest of your presentation.

A stunning presentation cover page can intrigue your audience into wanting to know more and increase engagement with the information you’re presenting. On the other hand, a lackluster slide, or even the lack of one, can dampen audience enthusiasm for your presentation, and maybe even your own.

You've put so much work into your presentation -- why waste that valuable real estate on the first slide of your deck?

In this post, we'll cover the basics of creating a presentation cover page that's informative and attention-grabbing. Let's dive in.

What's included in a presentation cover page?

A good presentation cover page accomplishes three simple things:

• It introduces the topic with a straightforward title.
• It introduces you (and your organization, if applicable)
• It sets the tone of your presentation.

We probably don't need to tell you this one, but your presentation cover page should be centered around a title. And ideally, a title that's straightforward, descriptive, and simple. If you're finding it hard to keep your title short, add a subtitle (in smaller print) to clarify what you'll be speaking about.

Next, identify the person (or group) who will be giving the presentation. In some cases, this will be as simple as including your own name, and in others, you'll want to include your company name, logo, department, or other identifying information. As a general guideline, you'll need less identifying information if you're giving an internal presentation.

If your audience is mainly folks outside of your company (or there are plans to distribute your deck externally) you'll typically want to include more information to identify your company clearly.

A successful cover page sets the "tone" of your deck -- but what does that really mean? The colors, imagery, fonts, and placements of different elements on your cover page all create a specific visual style that the rest of your deck should follow.

A well-designed page conveys a sense of professionalism and preparedness that a simple monochrome text slide simply cannot. Even if you're not a design expert, you need to pay attention to the aesthetics of your cover page. Fortunately, it's easier than ever to find free, professional-looking presentation templates without needing a degree in graphic design. Whatever you choose, it's important to remain relevant to your presentation (and, if applicable, your company's branding).

We'll explore a few examples of cover pages below so you can see how different elements converge to set the tone for a variety of different presentations.

Presentation Cover Page Examples

Below, we've compiled a number of presentation cover pages that succeed in different areas. Remember: there's no single perfect format for a presentation cover page, but hopefully, you get some inspiration from this list.

Setting An Emotional Tone

The right presentation page can set an emotional tone as well as a visual one. This presentation cover page for a nonprofit conveys a mission-driven approach to protecting nature, with a well-selected, relevant image, and a call-to-action directly in the subtitle. (Photo by Andy Køgl on Unsplash )

Focusing on a Photo

You don't need to overcomplicate the format of your cover page, especially if you have a great photo to use as a full background image. A simple stock photo here provides a clean backdrop for this presentation on remote work. Just make sure your title text is legible over any background photo you decide to use. (Photo by Corinne Kutz on Unsplash )

Leading With Your Brand

Even if you're the central speaker for a presentation, it might make more sense to highlight your team or brand on your cover page, instead of including your own personal information (you can always include your own contact info at the end of your deck for follow-up questions). Context (if you're speaking at a particular event or annual meeting) can be important to highlight as well on your cover page.

There's a big difference between a cover slide you didn't put much thought into and a slide that makes good use of whitespace and leans on strong copy. Sometimes, the best way to lead an audience into your presentation is to create space for a little mystery.

If you're giving a more casual presentation or a pitch that doesn't need to follow a particular format, consider going the minimal route and opening with a simple cover page slide that asks your audience a question (one that you of course plan to answer).

Set a Purpose

Many presentations include an agenda slide directly after your cover slide, but that doesn't mean you can use your cover slide to set a clear purpose upfront. Consider using your subtitle to explain a more robust (but still simple!) description of what you'll cover.

Presentation Cover Page Templates

Instead of creating your presentation cover page from scratch, using a template can take much of the work out of the process. Check out these websites for templates that you can use for your presentation or for inspiration to create your own designs.

A tried-and-true favorite of many marketing teams, Canva offers up a wide selection of modern, drag-and-drop presentation templates with truly unique cover pages. If you're on the hunt for a cover page that looks like you hired a graphic designer to create it just for you, Canva is a good place to start your search. Canva offers both free and paid options.

Beautiful.ai

Beautiful.ai has an intuitive, highly-customizable presentation builder that allows you to import your own visual elements directly from your computer or a Dropbox folder. Like Canva, they offer a number of free and paid template options (with great cover pages). Their biggest differentiating feature is their (frankly, very cool) adaptive AI technology, which intuits how you're trying to design a slide and makes changes automatically to suit the direction of your project.

For a completely free option with cover page starter template to suit a wide range of different projects across different formats, check out EDIT. Their online tool is specifically designed to create cover pages in a simple, easy-to-use interface.

Another highly-customizable template source is Visme, which gives users the ability to select a starting template from their (expansive) library and customize elements in a simple web editor.

VectorStock ®

VectorStock® has a massive selection of PowerPoint presentation cover page templates for purchase if you're looking for something that's ready to plug and go without the need for customization (beyond adding your own name and title, of course).

First Impressions Matter

For better or worse, audiences will judge a presentation by its cover page. Because of this, it’s vital that you give your cover page the care and attention that it deserves. Ultimately, a cover page isn't simply a placeholder, it’s a vital component that can drum up interest for your presentation. The best part is that with the tools available online, you don’t have to be an artist to create a stunning presentation cover page.

The featured image on this post was created using a Canva template.

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How to Design a Great Presentation Cover Page

A cover page is a quick and easy way to add polish to your presentation. We'll cover a few tips for creating a great cover image, and we've got ten free PowerPoint cover image templates you can download at the bottom of the page.

The cover image sets the tone for your presentation—you don't want to dive right into the content—and is a great opportunity to start your deck off on the right foot.

What to include

Your cover image should include these basic facts:

• Title Short and sweet.
• Your contact information. Email or phone number
• Your company logo. It's all about branding.

Bonus tips:

Cobranding. Presenting to a customer? Add their logo to personalize the presentation.

Conferences. Including your Twitter handle is a great idea—you might gain some followers, and it gives your audience someone to tag when they gush about your awesome presentation.

Know your Audience

Consider how your audience will view your presentation deck (projected, on their laptop, or printed like it's 1995), and make sure that the scale of your design is appropriate.

If you're presenting at a conference, your type needs to be big enough to read from the cheap seats, and make sure you have enough contrast that the text is legible even if there's poor projector quality. You don't want your audience squinting at the screen before your presentation even starts. And remember—the title page will be what's on screen when you're getting ready—walking up to the stage, fixing your microphone, or just swallowing back the sheer terror of public speaking.

If you're emailing the presentation, make sure your cover image works well as a thumbnail. That will be the first thing your reader sees when she receives the file—and, let's face it, a better image is going to drive more opens than a boring one.

Know your brand

If you have an established brand, your cover image needs to reflect it. One of the biggest problems we see with decks out in the wild is when the creator goes off-brand and uses the wrong colors or typeface. Imagine how surprising it would be to see a presentation from Coca-Cola without their trademark red, or Facebook without their blue.

Cover Image Techniques

Now that we have the basics down, here are some techniques you can use make a well-designed cover image.

Stock Photography

The workhorse of cover images is stock photography—an attractive photo with plenty of negative space, then place your text on top of it. The trick is to find the right photo and make it work for you. Pexels is a great place to find free images you can use anywhere. When you're looking for stock photos, keep these tips in mind to help you find the right image.

Sometimes you'll need to do a quick bit of editing to make the image work for you. The important thing is to find an image that works in the background —one that lets your reader focus on your message, not the photo. These images tend to look boring all by themselves—you need to use a bit of imagination to see how it will work once you layer text on it.

Once you have an image, you can desaturate and tint it to give it better contrast for your text, or manipulate the image to give it more negative space, as you see below.

Typographic

Nice typography will take a you a long way, and it's something you can do in PowerPoint without any special tools. We're in a renaissance of great, free fonts. Take a look at this selection of the best Google Fonts from the always awesome TypeWolf for inspiration.

Using custom fonts can be tricky in PowerPoint. If you're having trouble getting your fonts to show up, take a look at this article . If you're sharing the PowerPoint with others, they'll need to have the fonts installed (we recommend always exporting your deck to PDF before sharing with customers to avoid font problems).

We all know PowerPoint isn't the greatest design tool—but it does the basics well enough, and you can use it to make a minimal design that works well.

Even though they're "easy" to do, with the right layout and sense of balance you can make a design that really sings with hardly any design elements.

Strong color combinations, simple shapes, and nice typography can yield a cover page that looks great without searching for stock images or opening Photoshop. Need a little help with color combinations? Check out Kuler from Adobe .

Free PowerPoint Cover Page Templates

We've made examples of the styles above for you to download and use. These are completely free—do whatever you like with them!

Coffee Cup PowerPoint Cover

Requires  open sans download powerpoint file, beach powerpoint cover, requires  playfair display download powerpoint file, office building powerpoint cover, requires  open sans and playfair display download powerpoint file, circles powerpoint cover, bridge powerpoint cover, desk powerpoint cover, design tools powerpoint cover, simple powerpoint cover, tiled background powerpoint cover, topographic background powerpoint cover.

Enjoy! If you need some ideas to get you started, take a look at our portfolio of decks we've designed . Or if you'd like a little help on your next project, we're happy to help .

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Lightboard is a B2B design service. We've helped great companies like Autodesk, Nasdaq, and Tile with design, and we'd love to help you.

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PowerPoint Presentation Design: Create An Iconic Cover Slide

This article will teach you exactly how to design beautiful  cover slides for all your presentations, even if you’re starting from scratch. inside, you’ll get:, – a tutorial that walks you through how to create a “minimal cover slide”, step-by-step – a ready-to-use template you can download (free), [tweet ““good design is obvious. great design is transparent.” –joe sparano”], it roughly looks like this:, see this power supply design review cover slide, it’s simple. it’s clean., do many engineers actually present projects using this type of cover slides, i don’t think so., if you were an engineer, this cover slide would set you apart, almost instantly., whether you plan to do a professional powerpoint presentation or not, you’ll have far more chances to surprise your audience if you craft your own cover slide, instead of using standard powerpoint templates., i believe that it is possible to create professional powerpoint templates and to design creative presentations at the same time., let’s check out together how to craft a minimal cover slide., 1)  design (or download) the template, i am using a pre-built, cover slide template that i customize for most of my powerpoint presentations., you can download it for free  here ., here are two of the variations it includes:, all ppt background colors can be customized., to change the background color, click right > format background > chose your background color., 2) find your presentation title keywords, this step is about linking your powerpoint presentation topic to relevant keywords., the point of this step is to help you finding icons that make sense., want an example, take a look at this:, topic: chinese consumer trends keywords: consumer -> shopping cart, money symbol. trends -> direction, curve, topic: seo keywords: magnifying glass, chart,  topic: saas software presentation keywords: cloud, computer, rocket, if it’s hard for you to come up with related keywords, then head over to google images and type in the topic of your presentation., you’ll be able to quickly identify image “patterns” and orient your icon research accordingly. them to icons., if you’re into a very niche topic, try to generalize and find out the industry or global issues your presentation relates to. remember, simple and concrete., if you lack of ideas to find keywords, you’re most certainly gonna be happy to request some inspiration from our synonym’s best friend   thesaurus.com, 3)  find png format icons, browse search engines images, browse google images to find out some nice (and relevant) icons to include in your powerpoint presentation. head to your search engine image bank and type in: your keyword + icon + png., png is a graphic format (like jpg) and many images using this format actually have a transparent background., see this slide with the yellow backgroundwell, left icon is a png one: the picture background is transparent., that means the color that appears around the icon is the one of the ppt background., if you chose an icon with jpg format, the background will be just white, not transparent., the thing with browsing search engines image banks is that png images found might not have transparent backgrounds sometimes. but, not all of them have transparent backgrounds., no worries, image backgrounds can be deleted on powerpoint, remove the background of an image in powerpoint:, chose “remove background”. it will automatically try to remove your image background and probably won’t get it right the first time., areas highlighted in purple will be removed, so just click on areas to add or remove from the final cropped image, side note : if you’re getting icons on search engine image banks, make sure to check that you can use them legally , and if yes, provide the right attributions for copyright purpose., beautiful icon resources, [tweet “check out this presentation cover slide tutorial ”], additional resources you’ll love, how to build great title slides (without icons), pptpop’s best resources  a hand-curated list of in deep articles and life-changing books that will help you become a better you, faster than anyone else., click here to download a clean, editable template for all your business presentations., dramatically improve your presentation skills  (50 field-tested ways to build effective presentation skills fast. if you have to read only one piece of content related to presentations, read this one), make an irresistible sales presentation  (my personal blueprint to building high-converting sales presentations from scratch), want to build your slides 3x faster and get ahead 80% of people, if you spend a huge amount of time designing, editing, updating slides, arranging elements, and basically making sure every thing looks great for your high-stake upcoming presentations, then i have a question for you:, what if you could actually design your presentations 3x faster , save dozen of hours, and look even better in front of your audience, pre-built, 100% customizable templates help you do just that., invest a few dollars. save dozen of hours. look amazing., check out graphic river’s amazing collection of powerpoint template packages, recommended for you.

How to Make a Stunning PowerPoint Title Slide (in 5 Minutes)

How to Pitch an Idea: 21 Powerful, Science-Backed Tips

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6 Tips to Create an Eye-Catching Presentation Cover Page

Table of Contents

• What Is a Presentation Cover Page? 

6 Tips to Create a Winning Presentation Cover Page

• Key Takeaways 
• Conclusion 

A good presentation cover page is just as important as the content inside it, but a great one will also draw attention and give your presentation an extra lift. By drawing attention to your presentation’s topic upfront, you can compel your audience to want to know more about what you have to say.

The cover page is one of the first things the audience will notice about your presentation. So, you must make a good first impression, and immediately. An effective PowerPoint cover page can set the tone for your entire presentation, and engage the audience from the get-go. And to get better at creating presentation cover page designs , you need to understand what an ideal presentation cover page is. 

What Is a Presentation Cover Page?

When it comes to presentations, don’t underestimate the value of a powerful and captivating title slide. It’s one of the easiest and quickest ways to get people’s attention. A sound presentation cover page design helps achieve two crucial goals. 

• Clarity in terms of the topic
• A strong introduction to your brand

In a nutshell, your PowerPoint cover page (or any other presentation cover page for that matter) exposes your viewers to the main points of your presentation. It should also pique their interest and make them want to hear more. Now, let’s move on and understand the steps involved in creating a stunning cover page .

The cover page of the presentation is often the first clue that people get about what you are going to speak about. Therefore, you need to make sure that it’s clear, concise, and compelling. To ensure this, we have put together a few easy tips for you. 

1. Come up with a catchy title

It’s ideal to come up with a title that’s plain, descriptive, and easy if you’re delivering a presentation to a bunch of people who don’t know much of what you’re going to say. If you’re having trouble cutting down a long title, you can include a subtitle underneath that explains what you’ll be delivering information on.

You can get away with anything more intriguing or artistic, depending on the topic of your presentation, but make sure your title is not too obscure or incomprehensible. For example, the title in the below-mentioned slide is easy to understand and captivating as well. Notice how the word “Conference” has been highlighted and is followed by supplementary text underneath. 

2. Check the overall tone

Why does the tone of your presentation, specifically the cover page, matter so much?  

The cover page paves the way for the rest of your presentation, and audiences are quick enough to decide whether they want to continue watching the presentation judging by its tone. But what do we mean by tone? In this context, tone means the overall style of the presentation.

A presentation cover page must dictate the objective in a professional yet quirky manner to attract and retain your audience’s attention. It should represent the worthiness and quality of your overall content. 

Apart from that, recently, aesthetics have become the topmost priority for many marketers. We, as humans, find aesthetics in everything, and easily get attracted to it. That’s why having an informative yet aesthetic cover page can set you apart from your competitors. 

Here’s an example of how tone and aesthetics should go together in a presentation cover page design. 

3. Humanize your cover page

Humans are emotional beings. A good presentation page can do more than just present the work; it can set an emotional tone for the rest of the site. 

You want to be able to wow people with your presentation, but that doesn’t mean you need to be flashy, unemotional, or insensitive. On the contrary, if you create a cover page that uses emotions to get people excited about your work, nothing like it. They will not only know what to expect but will also be able to connect with your presentation on a deeper level.

Let’s look at an example of an emotion-driven approach for presentation cover pages.

4. Shed some light on your brand

While it’s great to illustrate your objective on the cover page, it is also equally crucial to throw some light on your brand. In general, the opening page of your deck should convey what your company does. After all, it’s the first impression people will have of your company or project.

While you may be tempted to include your own photo and contact information on the cover page, it may be more appropriate to emphasize your team or brand instead. 

Here’s a brilliant example. 

5. Keep it simple

As a content creator, you must make presentation cover page designs that educate and inform your audiences. You can do so effectively by going minimalistic.

Having too many pictures and words can distract the audience and confuse them. That is why having a minimal background is extremely important. It also lends professional and clarity to your presentation.

Check out this example to get a sense of what a minimalistic cover page should look like. 

6. Use bold fonts

Last but not least, you should use bold fonts to display your ideas perfectly on the cover page. Strong fonts that include letters and numbers will attract eyeballs immediately.

Therefore, whenever you’re preparing a presentation cover page design, make sure you’re using bold and simple fonts, and not complex and thin fonts. 

Here’s an example of a presentation cover page that has a bold font. 

Key Takeaways

• A presentation cover page is a basis on which your audience decides whether to give their attention to the rest of the deck. 
• To create a stunning cover page for your presentation, you need to ensure it has a catchy and short title.
• The cover page should go well with your brand’s tonality.
• Ensure you add emotions to attract your readers.
• Add a little about your brand/business as well. 
• Follow a coherent tone for the cover page, which can be carried forward to the rest of the presentation.
• Smartly use bold fonts to capture the audience’s attention.

The cover page of your presentation is the first thing your audience will see. So, it’s important to make a great first impression with it. A well-designed presentation cover page can highlight the topics of your presentation and pique the interest of your audience. You’ll want to keep the design simple and clean.

In order to create a stunning cover page for your presentation, there are certain things you need to take care of and implement. For starters, you can keep your title short, and if there’s something more you want to add to the title, you can insert it as a subhead. Next, you should add some emotion to your cover page to gain your viewer’s attention. Apart from this, you should try and experiment with bold fonts, as they catch the viewer’s attention immediately. 

You must also add a minimalistic background to your cover pages, as too much information and pictures can confuse the viewers. And lastly, do not forget to add information about your brand or business to get your viewers acquainted with it. Remember, a great cover page can win half of your viewer’s heart, so make sure to make it as stunning as possible. 

A presentation cover page is the first thing your viewer gets to see. Basically, it is the first slide that informs your viewers about the presentation and its objectives.

An ideal PowerPoint cover page should have a captivating title, engaging imagery, and details about the company.

For the cover page, you should use bold fonts to attract the viewer’s attention and make a lasting impact. 

Yes, infographics help give viewers a clearer picture of your message. They may make them proactive listeners as well as responders.

Numbers attract viewers. So if you have statistics to back your claims, and if they’re relevant or fit the title, you should definitely go ahead and use them. 

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120+ Presentation Ideas, Topics & Example

By Ryan McCready , May 08, 2023

Did you know that 46% of people can’t sit through a presentation without losing focus? 

That’s why I wanted to learn how to make a presentation that will captivate an audience. After looking at hundreds of different authors, topics and designs, I’ve assembled over 100 presentation ideas and tips on how to design a compelling presentation for:

• Social media
• Online courses
• Pitch decks
• Lead generation

In this blog, you’ll find 120+ presentation ideas, design tips and examples to help you create an awesome slide deck for your next presentation.

To start off, here’s a video on the 10 essential presentation design tips to make sure that your presentations don’t fall under the YAWN category.

1. Use a minimalist presentation theme

CREATE THIS PRESENTATION TEMPLATE

The best designs can also be some of the simplest you see. In the Airbnb pitch deck below, they use a minimalist color scheme and font selection.

A minimalist design is sleek, organized and places the most important thing in focus: your information. There are no distracting stock images, icons, or content. Everything on this unique presentation feels like it belongs and works together perfectly. 

Learn how to customize this template:

2. Use a consistent design motif throughout your presentation

Here’s a go-to tip to for a cohesive presentation design: use a design motif. The motif could be a recurring shape (like circles, lines or arrows) or symbol (like a leaf for “growth” or a mountain for “goals”). For more ideas, check out our guide to common symbols and meanings used in design .

For example, this  presentation template uses circles as a design motif. The same circle icon is used in three different colors to add a bubbly touch to the design. The team photos are also incorporated using circle frames:

3. Use an eye-catching presentation background image

Like with any type of design work, you should want to catch the eye of your audience. In a presentation, this should be done from the beginning with a  compelling background image or a color gradient.

In this presentation template, the creators were able to do just that with a landscape photo. When a presentation like this is seen on social media, during a webinar or in person, your audience will definitely listen up.

4. Visualize your points with icons

Icons are the perfect visuals to include in presentations. They’re compact and can convey a concept to your audience at a glance. You can even combine multiple icons to create custom illustrations for your slides. 

Use the Icon Search in Venngage to find illustrated and flat icons:

5. Use a black & white color scheme for a corporate presentation design

In the presentation below there are only two colors used: black and white. Now, you might be worried that only using two colors is boring, but it all comes down to balance.

Playing off the ideas of classic minimalism, the designer made this presentation look sleek and professional. And now your content can be the main attraction of your presentation as well!

6. Repurpose your slide deck into an infographic 

Different types of presentations serve different purposes and sometimes it helps to work smarter, not harder when you are creating a unique presentation. In fact, the spacing, layout, and style used in this presentation makes it easy to repurpose the same images into an infographic.

This allows you to create two unique pieces of content from one idea!  Which is exactly what  Officevibe did .

Join Venngage’s CEO, Eugene Woo, to learn how you can design impactful infographics that will help maintain trust, increase productivity and inspire action in your team.

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7. Break your genre mold for a fun presentation idea

When I first clicked on this creative presentation from SEMrush, I was not expecting to be transported into a comic book. I’m glad I clicked because it may be the most unique slide deck I have ever seen. Going this extreme with your presentation ideas may seem a bit risky, but to be able to break the mold in this age of cookie-cutter presentations is worth it.

To leave a lasting impression on your audience, consider transforming your slides into an interactive presentation. Here are 15  interactive presentation ideas  to enhance interactivity and engagement.

8. Make your presentation cover slide count

As I was scrolling through all of the presentations, this one made me stop in my tracks. It could be that I have a life-long love of Star Wars, or it could be that their presentation cover slide was designed to do just that: grab your attention. That’s why you should not stick with a boring, text-only title slide. Don’t be afraid to use icons and illustrations to make a statement.

9.  Alternate slide layouts to keep your presentation engaging

Keeping your audience engaged throughout an entire presentation is hard, even if you have been working on your presentation skills . No one wants to look at slides that look exactly the same for an hour. But on the other hand, you can’t create a unique masterpiece for each slide.

That’s why I’m very impressed with what the designers did in the presentation example above. They use a consistent visual theme on each slide, but alternate between vertical and horizontal orientations.

The swapping of orientations will show people that the presentation is progressing nicely. It can help you make a strong, almost physical, distinction between ideas, sections or topics.  

10. Make your audience laugh, or at least chuckle

Sometimes you need to not take your business presentations too seriously. Not sure what I mean? Go check out slide number 10 on this slide deck below.

If you did not actually laugh out loud, then I don’t know what to tell you. Small illustrated embellishments can be very powerful because they evoke an emotional response and to gain your audience’s trust.

Did you know 70% of employees think that giving a good presentation is an essential workplace skill? Check out the top qualities of awesome presentations and learn all about how to make a good presentation to help you nail that captivating delivery.

11. Supplement your presentation with printed materials

Printed takeaways (such as brochures and business cards ) give audience members a chance to take home the most important elements of your presentation in a format they can easily access without using a computer. Make sure you brand these materials in a way that’s visually consistent with your slide deck, with the same color scheme, icons, and other iconic features; otherwise, your recipients will just end up scratching their heads.

If you’re giving people multiple materials, try packaging them all into one convenient presentation folder. There are over 100 styles with a wide range of custom options, so feel free to get creative and make your folder stand out. Sometimes a unique die cut or an unusual stock is all you need to make something truly memorable. Here are some brochure templates to get you started.

12. Only use one chart or graphic per slide 

Having too much information on a slide is the easiest way to lose the focus of your audience. This is especially common when people are using graphs, charts or tables .

In this creative slide deck, the author made sure to only include one focal point per slide, and I applaud them for it. I know this may sound like a simple presentation tip, but I have seen many people lose their audience because the slides are too complex.

13. Keep your employee engagement presentations light   

Sometimes you need to get away from stuffy, professional presentation ideas to capture your audience’s attention. In this case, Officevibe used some very colorful and playful illustrations to stand out from the crowd.

I mean, who could not love the plant with a face on slide number 9? And if you want to see some more icons and illustrations like this, be sure to check out our article on how to tell a story with icons.

14.  Feature a map when talking about locations

Including a map in your creative presentations is a fantastic idea! Not only do they make an interesting focal point for your slide layout, they also make location-based information easier to understand.

This cool presentation example by our pro designers at Venngage uses maps to visualize information. This map both dominates the screen, and also displays all the locations being covered.

15. Use a font that is large and in charge 

If you are presenting to a small group or a packed stadium, make sure your audience can see your text! Use a large and in charge font that can be read from even the nosebleed seats. 

Honestly, you really never know where your unique presentation will be seen. It could be seen in a conference room or conference hall, and everything in between. Be ready to present almost anywhere with a bold and easy to read font.

16. Use pop culture references to build a fun presentation 

Using a meme or pop culture reference is another way that you can jive with your audience. It can be used to quickly get a point across without saying a word or create a moment that you can connect with the room. For example in this presentation, they used Napoleon Dynamite to give the audience feelings of nostalgia.

17. Use more than one font weight on your presentation cover slide

Just like you would never use one font on an infographic, you should never use just one font on your presentation (for more tips, read our guide on how to choose fonts ). In this presentation example from HubSpot, they use a bunch of different font weights to add emphasis to key words and ideas.

As you can see, they use a bold font on the presentation cover to bring attention to Steve Jobs name. This makes it easy for the audience to know what your presentation is going to be about from the beginning as well. 

18. Use a color theme for each idea 

Color is another extremely powerful nonverbal tool that you can use to guide your audience. By using a different color for each section of your creative presentation, Dell is able to clearly indicate when they are switching points or ideas.  Going from green to orange, and even red almost effortlessly.

This is a great way to design a list, guide, or a  how-to presentation as well. And each color can be assigned to a different step or number with ease. 

Need help picking the perfect color palette? Start here !

19. Use illustrations instead of pictures 

An easy way to keep your design consistent throughout your unique presentation is to use illustrations like in this slide deck by Domo.

They used illustrations instead of pictures to show off their subject on slide numbers 4-10 and it looks fantastic. This will ensure that the audience focuses on the content, instead of just the photo they could have used.

It also helps that illustrations are a top design trend for 2020 .

20. Use contrasting colors to compare two perspectives or sides of an argument 

Contrasting colors can be used to quickly show each side of topic or an argument. For example in this presentation, they use this trick to show the difference between their company and the competition.

They use color very effectively in this example to show their company is better, in a nonverbal way. With a lighter color and illustrated icons, the company is able to position them as the better choice. All without saying a word.  

Now if they would have used similar colors, or a single color the effect wouldn’t have been as strong or noticeable.

21. Include your own personal interests

This example is one of the most interesting and cool presentations I have seen in awhile, so I suggest checking out the entire thing. The creator inserts a bunch of his personal interests into the slide to make his presentation about education fun and relatable. And they even use a Super Mario Bros inspired presentation cover, so you know it has to be fantastic! 

22. Try to stick to groups of three 

How many major ideas should be present on your presentation aid? Never break your  presentation layout down into anything more than thirds. This means there should be at most three columns, three icons, three ideas and so on.  A great example of this idea starts on slide number 9 in this slide deck and continues throughout the rest of the presentation.

 Here is a great three columned slide template to get started with.

23. Add a timeline to help visualize ideas 

One of the best ways to visualize a complex process or historical event is to use a timeline presentation. A list of all the steps or events is just not going to cut it in a professional setting. You need to find an engaging way to visualize the information.

Take the presentation example above, where they outline the rise and fall of Athens in a visually stimulating way.

24. Label your graphs & charts 

If the people at Pollen VC had not added those annotations to the graphs on slide number 5, I would have definitely not known what to make of that graph.

But when you combine the visuals on a graph with descriptive text, the graph is able to paint a picture for your audience. So make your graphs easy to understand by annotating them (this is a chart design best practice ).

Create a free graph right here, right now!

25. White font over pictures just works 

There is a reason that you see so many quotes or sayings in a white font that are then overlaid on an image. That it is because it just works in so many situations and the text is very easy to read on any image.

If you do not believe me, look at the slide deck example above where they use a white font with a few different fonts and about 100 images. Plus the presentation template is chocked full of other tips on how to create a winning slideshow.

26. Color code your points across the whole presentation 

Here is another example of a presentation that uses color to keep their points organized. In this case, they use 10 different pastel colors to match the 10 different tips for employee engagement.

Check out our guide for how to pick the best colors for your visuals .

27.  Use a simple flow chart to break down a process

If you’re a fan of the movie Step Brothers , you may have heard of Prestige Worldwide before. In this fun presentation example they are back to sell you on their business model and growth plans.

This time, the presentation will be effective because it actually talks about what the business does.

Instead of making a music video, they use a helpful flowchart template to explain their business model. I would recommend following their lead and creating a dynamic flow chart to visually break down any process.  Try making your own flowchart  with Venngage.

28. Make your slide deck mobile friendly 

As more people move to mobile as their main device each year, making your presentations mobile-friendly is becoming increasingly important. This means that the text is large and there aren’t too many small details, so everything can scale down. Just like in this presentation example from the creators at Globoforce.

29. Don’t be afraid to include too many examples 

If you are presenting a complex idea to a group, especially a large audience, I would recommend having a ton of good examples. Now, I would try not to overdo it, but having too many it is better than having too few.

In this creative presentation, the people at With Company spend about 20 slides just giving great examples of prototyping. It doesn’t feel too repetitive because they all are useful and informative examples.

30.  Use consistent visual styles for an elegant presentation design

I have already written extensively about using icons in all of your design projects . I haven’t talked as much about matching icons to your presentation template.

But that’s just as important, especially if you want to create a professional presentation for your audience.

As you can see in the example above, the designer used minimalist icons that fit the slide designs. All of the other graphics, charts and visual elements fit together nicely as well.

Plus the icons don’t distract from the content, which could ruin a stellar presentation.

31. Use a consistent presentation layout 

In this example from Bannersnack, they use a consistent layout on each of their slides to help with the flow by using the same margins and text layout.

It’s a solid presentation example because they help the user know where to look immediately. It may seem like they are playing it safe, but anything that can speed up the time it takes for a user to read the content of the slides, the better.

32. Use loud colors as much as possible 

This is one of my favorite presentations because of the highlighter yellow they chose to use as their main color. It is actually very similar to one that I saw presented live a few years ago and I have used this same approach in a few presentations ideas of my own.

33. Pull your design motif from your content 

If you are talking about an interesting topic, why not use the topic as the main design motif in your creative slide deck? For example, in this presentation about sketchbooks, the creator uses a sketchy, handwritten motif. It is something simple that helps the audience connect with the topic. Plus, it allows you to include a ton of great examples.

34. Utilize a call & answer cadence

In this SlideShare about how to create a presentation, Peter Zvirinsky uses a two-step process to present a point. First, he presents the header presentation tip in a speech bubble. Then he shows a supporting point in a responding speech bubble. This gives the presentation a conversational flow.

35. Repurpose ebook content into a creative presentation

This slide deck was adapted perfectly from a Seth Godin ebook into the presentation example you see above. In the slide deck, they take a piece of content that would usually take a while to read and cut it down to a few minutes. Just remember to include only the most important ideas, and try to present them in a fresh way.

36. Add a timed outline to your presentation

We have already covered how important it is to have a table of contents in your slides but this takes it a bit further. On the second slide of the presentation below, the creator added how long each of the slides should take.

This is great because it helps your audience know the pace the presentation will take and will help keep them engaged. It also will help them identify the most important and in-depth parts of the presentation from the beginning.

37. Use a “next steps” slide to direct your audience

One of the worst things you can do as a presenter is to leave your audience without any idea of what to do next. A presentation should never just end because you ran out of slides.

Instead, use a conclusion or “next steps” slide like in the example above to finish your presentation. Sum up some of your main points, tell your audience where they can get more information, and push them to take action.

38. Go a bit crazy with the design 

Sometimes you need to throw convention to the wind to create something unforgettable. This presentation from Velocity Partners does just that, and I think it is one of my favorite ones from this entire roundup.

They use unconventional typography, quirky icons, and unusual presentation layout to make each slide surprising.

39. Make your slide deck easy to share 

If you are looking to get a lot of eyes on your presentation I would make sure people will want to share it on social media. How do you do that? By presenting new and interesting value. This means your content needs to answer a common question and your design needs to be clutter-free. For example, look at this very social media-friendly. The slides are simple and answer questions directly.

40.  Use shapes to integrate your photos into the slides

Want to include a bunch of images in your presentation? I say do it!

Now most of the time you would add a raw image directly to your slide. However, if you want to present images in a professional way I would recommend using an image frame .

Like in the example above, you can use these frame to create a collage of images almost instantly. Or provide a similar visual theme to all of your slides.  

Overall, I believe it’s a great way to add a new visual component to your presentation.

41. Hijack someone’s influence in your marketing slides

If you are stuck in the brainstorming phase of your presentation, focusing on a brand or influencer is a great place to start. It could be a case study, a collection of ideas or just some quotes from the influencer. But what makes it effective is that the audience knows the influencer and trusts them. And you are able to hijack their awareness or influence.

42. Put y our logo on every slide 

Whether you have a brand as powerful as Moz, or you are just getting started, you should always have your logo on each slide. You really never know where a presentation is going to end up–or what parts of it will! In this presentation template, Moz does a good job of including their branding and such to get others interested in Moz Local. Don’t have a logo yet? Our logo design tips will help you create a logo that’s iconic and will stand the test of time.

43. Lead your audience to it 

In this example, the creator uses something very similar to the call and answer approach I mentioned above, but with a little twist. Instead of just throwing all the info up at once, they use three slides to build to a particular point and include a subtle call to action in the third slide.

44. Make visuals the focal point of your presentation slides

If you haven’t noticed, illustrated icons are having a revival in 2020 and beyond. This is likely because minimalist icons dominated the design world for the past decade. And now people want something new.

Brands also like using illustrated icons because they are seen as genuine and fun.

And because they are so eye-catching you can use them as focal points in your presentation slides. Just like they did in the creative presentation example above.

Picking the perfect icon is tough, learn how you can use infographic icons like a pro.

45. Use a quirky presentation theme 

In this slide deck, the authors show you how to become an Animation Ninja…and they use ninja graphics and icons extensively. This caught my eye immediately because of the amount of work that I knew was behind this. It takes a lot of time and effort to line all of the content and graphic up to create a cohesive theme, but the payoff can be massively worth it.

46. Use a consistent background image 

I am a big fan of the way that Aleyda Solís uses only a single presentation background image throughout her presentation.

By using this tactic the audience is able to focus on what is happening in the foreground. Plus it gives the whole presentation a different feel than all the other ones I have looked at.

47. Summarize your points at the end

It’s a good idea to summarize your points before you end your presentation , especially if you’ve covered a lot of information. In this presentation example, Deanta summarizes exactly what they do on slide numbers 16-18. They also provide their contact information in case their audience has any more questions. I think that every presentation should use this same approach, especially the ones you are presenting outside of your company.

48. Use a minimalist presentation template

This slide deck from QuickBooks uses a minimalist theme to help the audience focus on what is important, the content.

There were only five colors used in the entire presentation and the graphics were simple line drawings. This made it easy to read and very pleasing to the eyes.

49. Split your slides length-wise 

Here is a simple template you can use to separate your headers, or main points, from your body text in a presentation.

Instead of using a solid presentation background, split the slide in half like Sequoia did in their slide deck. They used their brand color for the title portion and a neutral white for the supporting content.

Use this company report template to create a very similar slide right now!

50.  Embrace a bold color scheme throughout your presentation

My favorite part of the creative presentation example above is the use of complementary colors in each slide. As you can see, not one of the slides use the same color scheme but they all feel related connected.

This approach can be used to make your presentation visually unique, without abandoning a cohesive theme or idea.

51. Put text in the top left corner 

English speakers will instinctively try to read text from a top to bottom, left to right orientation. I would recommend using a left alignment for your text and adding additional things from top to bottom, just like Aaron Irizarry did in this presentation layout.

52. Break up your tables 

A plain table with a white background with black or gray lines are difficult to read on a computer screen, so why would you create one for viewing on a large presentation screen? You shouldn’t!

Instead, follow Intuit’s lead and break up the rows with a bit of color. This applies to data visualization in general , but think it is even more important when it comes to presentations.

53.  Present connected information in a visually similar way

In this startup pitch presentation example, they have a ton of information to get through. But they present their most important slides, the problem and solution, in a visually similar way.

By using a similar layout on each slide, the audience will be able to quickly make a connection. If you want to present two connected pieces of information, use this tactic.

From the font to the layout, it’s all basically the same. The main message they’re trying to impart is a lot more impactful to the reader.

If they would have used two wildly different presentation layouts, the message may have been lost.

54. Roundup expert tips into one presentation 

If you are looking for useful insights into the topic of your presentation, talk to some influencers in your niche. These are called “expert roundups” in the content marketing world and they are incredibly shareable.

Plus, they are pretty easy to create and have a great shelf life. In the example above, we talked to a gaggle of marketing experts about what makes a SlideShare great.

55. Use bold & brash colors throughout 

B old colors usually make your presentation template a lot easier to read and remember. Like at this slide deck made by our talented designers, which doesn’t shy away from bright, bold colors.

Want to pick a perfect color palette for your presentation? Read this blog on the do’s and don’ts of infographic color selection .

56. Make your graphs easy to read & interpret 

It should not require a Master’s degree in statistics to understand the graphs that someone uses in a presentation. Instead, the axis should be easy to read, the colors should enforce the point, and the data should be clearly plotted.

For example, in this presentation on slide numbers 14 and 25, the graphs nail all of those tips perfectly.

57. Condense your presentation into a memorable line 

If you can, try condensing your information into a simple one-liner to help the message stick with your audience. In slide number 36 of this presentation, Mika Aldaba does just that and shows that “Facts + Feelings = Data Storytelling.”

He does this again a few times throughout the presentation with other memorable one-liners.

58.  Bring attention to important figures with colorful icons

If you’re including a figure or number on your slides, I’m guessing you want the audience to actually see it.

That’s why I would recommend using an icon or graphic to highlight that figure. Maybe use a color or icon that isn’t used anywhere else in the presentation to make sure it really jumps off the screen.

In the presentation example above, all that’s used is a simple circle to make each figure a focal point. It’s really that easy, but many people leave it out of their presentations.

59. Anchor Your Text With Icons 

Having your text or content floating out in the white space of your presentation is not a good look.

Instead, you should use anchor icons to give the text something to hold onto and draw the audience’s eye. If you need some examples of good anchor icons, check out slide numbers 4, 7 and 9 in this presentation example.

60. Add semi-opaque lettering as a presentation background 

A neat way to keep your slide deck organized is to number your slides or points using semi-opaque lettering in the background.

Then, place your slide content on top of the opaque lettering. This helps your audience know that you are on the same point or idea, plus it just looks really good when done right.

61. Use simple or minimalist borders

An easy way to class up your slides is to put a border around your text. Take this presentation from Venngage that uses a couple of different types of borders to make their slides look professional.

Plus it helps keep all of your content contained on the slide!

62. Feature one idea per slide

Nothing is worse than a confusing, cluttered slide. Instead of trying to pack a bunch of ideas into one slide, focus on one core idea on each slide. If you need to flesh the idea out, just make another slide. 

Having trouble condensing your slides? Our presentation design guide can help you summarize your presentations and convey a singular idea with a clear focus.

63. Keep your style consistent with your brand 

You might be tempted to switch up the style of your creative presentations each time, but think again. If your brand is known for fun and lighthearted content, like Officevibe, let that be your style throughout all of the presentations you publish under that brand. This will make your slide decks recognizable and will enforce your brand’s message .

64. Use accent fonts to emphasize important numbers

Some people hate pie charts with a passion, but I think they are perfect for presentations. Especially if you want to bring attention to a figure or percentage point .

In this simple example, the pie charts are used to visualize each figure in an interesting way. Plus the pie charts fit the circular and fun theme of the rest of the presentation very well.

65. Use patterned and textured presentation backgrounds

Source  

Adding some subtle textures, icons or shapes to the presentation background can help make your slides more interesting. This is especially effective when you are only showing one point per slide, because it makes the slide design less sparse.

You can even switch up the colors on your shapes or textures to match the theme of the slide like DesignMantic did in this presentation.

66. Illustrate complex or confusing concepts with icons 

Ideally, you don’t want every slide in your deck to just be text. Instead, switch things up every few slides by using just pictures.

This slide deck by Gluwa uses icons to create little diagrams to illustrate their presentation ideas. Their slides still communicate concepts to the audience, but in a new way.

67. Overlay stock photos with color 

One problem many people encounter when creating a presentation or slide decks are finding photos with a consistent style. An easy way to edit photos to make them consistent is to add a transparent color overlay. In this example, Change Sciences uses a blue overlay on all of their photos. Plus, the color you choose can also help convey a particular mood.

68. Use black and white blocks 

An easy way to make your text pop, particularly on a photo background, is to use white font on a black blog background (and vise-versa). Check out this slide deck by Abhishek Shah, which uses this trick in an effective way.  

Now if you want to become a better leader this year, check out some of our favorite leadership infographics .

69. Use photos with similar filters 

Using a bunch of photos with wildly different filters can be jarring in a business presentation. To maintain a consistent flow, use photos with a similar filter and color saturation.

Take a look at this example from HubSpot across slide numbers 1-6 and you can see what I mean.

70. Visualize your points with diagrams 

Sometimes the best way to get your point across is to throw some diagrams into the presentation mix. But be sure to make is something that the audience can pick up on in three to five seconds tops.

For example, Jan Rezab uses a diagram to illustrate what takes up time in our lives on slide numbers 4, 5, 7 and 9!

71. Get experts to share tips

If you want to provide even more value to your audience than you can offer yourself, why not call in some expert reinforcement? See what experts in your field have to say on the topic of your presentation and include their tips and insights. Plus you can hijack their influence and expand your audience fairly quickly. 

72. Mimic a popular presentation style 

Uber’s pitch deck helped them raise millions of dollars in venture capital eventually leading to the glorious moment when they IPOed this year.

Aside from our sleek design upgrade (hey, we love good design!), this pitch deck template is the exact same one that Uber used to go from Idea to IPO.

And who knows? Maybe you might start the next Uber. But to raise money, you will need to create flawless business pitch decks to impress investors and raise those dollars.

73. Plan your presentation idea ahead of time

I know that minimalist designs are all the rage this year, but there is a big difference between a well-thought-out minimalist design and a lazy design without the finish touches. The same goes for a cluttered design with too many things going on at once.

That’s why it’s worth it to take the time to really plan out your presentation ideas and design concepts. Take this slide deck about storytelling by HighSpark. A quick glance will tell you that they put a lot of thought into designing their slides.

74.  Use tables to compare your brand to the competition in sales presentations/pitch decks

There are a lot of ways to visually compare similar things in this day and age. You could use a comparison infographic , or even a venn diagram!

However, when it comes to presentations I think that the simple table is best. Especially if you are comparing more than two things, like in this presentation example.

With a table, you can clearly lay out all the pros and cons of each idea, brand or topic without it being overwhelming to the audience. Plus, virtually everyone knows how to follow a table, so your information will be easy to consume.  

See more examples of the best pitch decks .

75. Blend icons & content effortlessly

Usually, icons are used as eye-catching objects detectors or anchors for text in a slideshow. But they can be used for so much more than that!

Like in this marketing presentation from Constant Contact they are very large but do not distract from the content.

76. Make your audience want more 

This tactic has been used by everyone since the idea of marketing was invented (or close to that). In this presentation example called “100 Growth Hacks, 100 Days” the creator only shows the audience the first 10 days of it and then uses a call to action at the end of the presentation to encourage them to seek out the rest.

The only risk with these kinds of presentation ideas is if your initial content is not great, you can’t expect your audience to seek out more information.

77. Use memes (for real, though) 

Usually, memes do not have a place in a serious business setting, so maybe don’t use them for formal presentations. But if you’re covering a lighter topic, or if you’re going for a fun presentation that will connect with your audience, don’t be afraid to throw a meme or two into the mix.

The audience immediately knows what you are trying to say when you use a popular meme in your presentation. For example, on slide number 7, the creator uses a meme to show that it will be hard to create great content

78.  Include a slide that introduces your team in pitch decks

In this presentation example, the creators decided to include their team on a slide. I think it’s a great gesture.

Showing your team can help the audience put a face to your brand and make the whole company feel more genuine. So if there is a team that has helped you get where you are today, give them some recognition!

79. Feature a complementary color palette

Even though I am not a formally trained designer, I still understand that proper color usage is the base of any good design. Although not all of the tenets of color theory work great for presentations, complementary colors are always a great pick.

Take a look at the color usage in this business presentation from Gary Vaynerchuk below . The purple and Snapchat yellow, which are complementary colors, look fantastic and the content jumps off the screen.

80. Use a heavy or bold font 

The very back of the room should be able to read your content if you are giving a group presentation. To ensure that your entire audience can read the slides I would not only use a large font, but also use a heavy font.  If you are confused by what I mean by a heavy font take a look at this unique presentation example by Slides That Rock.

81. Do the math for your audience

If you are going to use a graph in your presentation to compare data you should do the match for your audience. Do not make them do the calculations in their head because you will quickly lose their attention. For example, on slide number 5 the people at Sickweather lay out exactly what figures they want the audience to take from the slide.  

82. Use unique colors for different sections

The example below has 145 slides but it does not feel overwhelming or confusing.

That’s because each section has a different corresponding color, which makes it easier to flip through the slide deck and find a particular part.

83.  Give your presentation a catchy title that anyone can remember

What I really love about the presentation example above is that it features a catchy tagline on the second slide–“The 3S Framework.” It’s simple but it works!

This motto helps outline the structure of the presentation, and each slide referring back to it. Plus, the tagline will give the audience something to latch onto and remember from the presentation.

84. White backgrounds are not always bad 

A lot of people think that plain white background is a boring presentation faux pas. So the first thing they do is add color or image, which is not a bad thing at all.

But I also think that when used correctly, like in this example, plain white backgrounds can lead to beautiful presentations.

85. Split the header text from the body text

This idea is very similar to the one-two punch tactic that I talked about above, but it spreads the content over two slides as opposed to a single slide.

Use this design choice when you have fairly easy to follow presentations, like the one below from Steve Young. I know that this is effective because it allows the audience to focus on the main point before he drives it home with the supporting details.

86. Feature circle image frames 

I am a big fan of the design choices that Frank Delmelle uses in this slide deck about content strategy. He uses circles as his main design motif and frames his images in circles as well.

87. Talk directly to your audience 

This slideshow tops out at 70 slides but it’s a breeze to flip through. That’s because the creator, Ian Lurie, decided to present it in the form of a conversation instead of a classic slide deck.

While each slide only has one or two sentences, it flows just like a friendly chat. He also includes the necessary pauses, breaks and other conversational tics that helps make it even more convincing.

88. Illustrated icons are key this year 

Icons add a fun and functional element to your designs. In this presentation by Iryna Nezhynska, they use illustrated icons to make a potentially intimidating topic seem manageable.

89. Highlight key numbers and percentages 

Surprising percentages have the ability to excite and shock an audience. To make the percentages on your slides even more impactful, present them in a different color or font than the rest of the text.

In the presentation example above, Contently uses that exact tactic to bring more attention to key numbers.

90. Use a gradient as your presentation background 

Just like bold color schemes, gradients are a current social media graphic design trend . They may feel retro to some, but I believe they will be around well into the future.  

Gradients are perfect for presentation backgrounds because they are so versatile and eye-catching. I mean, you can literally create a gradient with any colors you can think of! And they look a lot more interesting than a simple flat background.

So embrace the future and use a gradient in your next presentation!

91. Track the steps in a process 

In this example, the creators from O.C. Tanner add a very interesting feature to their slides, starting on slide number 6. If you take a look at this business presentation template, you will see that they number the steps in a process and track which step they’re on at the bottom of the slides.

92. Use mind blowing font pairings 

The creator of this slide deck uses at least 10 different types of fonts. And it looks fantastic because they know that one font choice is boring. But this does not mean that you should use a bunch of random fonts–pick font pairs that play well together and keep your font choices for different types of information consistent throughout the presentation.

93. Make your ideas as obvious as possible 

Your audience shouldn’t be guessing at what you mean. That is why I think that this presentation example from In a Rocket is so powerful because they make the information easy to digest.

Learning to code can be challenging, but they break the information down with simple diagrams and clear examples. Heck, I have not touched CSS in a few years and I could still follow what they were instructing.

94. Use images that will actually scale 

A large mistake that you can make in your slide deck is using low-quality images. They may look great on your computer, but as soon as the slides are put up on a screen, the low quality will show. In this example by ThoughtWorks, all of their presentation background images look great and will scale well to a bigger screen. And that is even after the image compression that LinkedIn most likely does!

95. Take risks with your presentation layout

I honestly was blown away the first time I saw this presentation because it capitalized on such a risky design idea. The creators from Weekdone literally turned their presentation into an 8-Bit video game. A nd if you are looking for something that will stick with your audience, I would take a few creative cues from them!

96. Seriously, you better use memes 

In this day and age memes are mainstream, so why wouldn’t you use them in a creative presentation? These do not have to be the coolest meme that all the hip kids are sharing, they can be some of the classics. Like the one that Dana DiTomaso uses on slide 16 to emphasize that it’s a trap!

97. Follow a clear design rhythm

I really like how this presentation introduced each new point in three or four steps, using the same design. It gave the presentation a rhythm that flowed almost like a song!

I would recommend using this approach if you have to introduce multiple points per slide.

98. Use LOTS of icons

If you have made it this far in the list you have already probably seen how effective icons are in presentations. They are the perfect way to support your ideas and make your presentation more pleasing to the eyes.

For example, take a look at all the icons SlideShop uses in this presentation. Almost every slide has at least one icon and a few have more than ten!

99. Give each slide its own spark

I know this goes against earlier points I had about creating a cohesive theme in your presentation layout, but everyone knows that rules are made to be broken (if you can do it better)!

In this slide deck, the team at Officevibe literally created different designs for all 27 of their slides. And to top it off, each of the designs fit the quotes they used extremely well.

100. Use LARGE header cards 

An easy way to stick to that “one piece of content on each slide rule” is to use header cards. They are basically the header that you would normally use in a blog post or article, but it gets is own slide before the content. Here is an example of that idea in the real world in this presentation from Brian Downard.

101. Ask your audience questions 

I think one of the most common elements I saw in all the slide decks was that they asked the audience questions. You can use questions to engage with your audience and get them thinking a bit harder about the topic. The Site By Norex team did an exceptional job of this when they explored what the topic of what makes up a brand.

Need some more info about creating a memorable brand? Check out some of the best branding stats for 2020 and beyond!

102. Introduce yourself and your brand 

I would say that a majority of presentations that I looked at in this list just jumped right into the content without an introduction to the author or brand in the actual slide deck.

This introduction is very important because it establishes your credentials from the beginning, especially if someone is just reading the slide deck. In this example from Losant, they do just that by spending the first few slides telling the audience who they are.

103. Mix up your mediums 

Finally, this slide deck effectively marries two very distinct content forms together: digital images and hand-drawn illustrations. In this example, Freshdesk uses the timeless classic of a comic strip, Calvin & Hobbes, in something so modern to inform the audience in a fun way.

104. Show off your credentials 

Just like with any piece of content, people are more likely to believe what you are saying if they know what your company does. That is why I really like when people insert their qualifications right into the presentation slides. Just like Andreas von der Heydt, from Amazon, did at the beginning of this presentation about thinking big.  

105. Highlight key data points 

If you are presenting a chart or graph on a dry topic, I would recommend using a single color to highlight the most important data point. For example, the investment firm a16z uses orange to highlight the data points they want their audience to focus on in each of their charts.

Check out some examples of how to highlight your key information in bar charts .

106. Show your audience where to find more information 

A lot of people end their presentations by literally just running out of slides, and that is the wrong way to do it. Instead, CBInsights consistently pushes their readers towards another piece of content at the end. This is also where you can insert a call to action!

107. Tell your origin story

  Source

This idea is kinda similar to showing off your company qualifications at the beginning of your presentation. But with this approach, you are trying to make an emotional connection with your audience instead of just showing off accolades.

And Rand from Moz does this extremely well in the presentation example above.

108. Use one focused visual 

This presentation uses a central visual of a structure, with each slide moving down the levels of the structure. This is incredibly powerful because the entire presentation is about sinking your company, and the visual they designed mirrors that idea perfectly. Using one focus visual also makes your slide deck design cohesive.

109. Don’t take presentation design too seriously

Sometimes we get caught up trying to make the perfect presentation and it ends up making us crazy!

But in this presentation example, Jesse Desjardins uses a mix of wit and hilarious retro images to create a memorable and light-hearted presentation.

110. Use size to your advantage 

I am a big fan of using bubble charts and other charts that use size to compare two pieces of data. That is why I like this pitch deck from the ShearShare team that utilizes a size-based chart on slide number 9. The chart is used to illustrate the massive growth potential in their industry.

111. Split section headers from the main content with different background colors 

In this presentation, Seth Familian uses alternating colors in a very interesting way. For each of the title slides, he uses a black color background, but for the content slides he uses a white background.

This helped the readers follow along and comprehend what was on the page even faster. And when you are presenting to hundreds of different types of people, this can make or break your presentation.  

112.  Have a conversation with your audience 

Take a conversational tone in your presentation is a great way to encourage your audience to participate.

In this slide deck example, we presented a simple storyline and use questions to engage with the audience throughout. And it helped create a flow throughout the  presentation template  that is easy to follow.

113.  Include your branding throughout your presentation ideas

Another thing that people seem to forget when they are working on a presentation is to include their business’s branding. You honestly never know where your work is going to be shared, so it is important to make sure people know it’s yours. HubSpot does an outstanding job of this on all their presentations, as you can see in the bottom left corner of each slide.

Plus you have spent a ton of time creating your  brand guidelines , might as well use them.

114.  Include multiple slides to build to your main point

Try using multiple slides to build to your main point. This helps you walk through the components of one overarching point while also building suspense. In this slide deck, the creator uses 6 slides to build up to one main point, adding a new illustration to the diagram on each slide.

115.  Split the difference 

Use either the left or right side of the slide to hold your text and the opposite to display an image. If you are using a photo or graphic as the main background in your slides, this is a great way to keep things organized. 

116. There are millions of fonts out there…use them

Hey, I love simple fonts just as much as the next guy, but sometimes you need to step up your font game to stand out. For example, WebVisions uses a very gritty, probably custom font in their unique presentation that fits the topic extremely well. Take a look!

117.  Build your presentation content around icons 

Try using icons as the focal points of your presentation layout. This example from Omer Hameed  uses icons to draw the audience’s eyes  right to the middle of the presentation, where the main points and headers are located.  

118.  Mix up font style to emphasize important points

If you would like to draw some extra attention to a certain word or idea,  switch up the font  to one that is bolder. For example, in this oldie but goodie presentation from HubSpot they use a heavy sans-serif font to highlight ideas, as opposed to the serif font for the other text.

119.  Add personal touches to your presentation

If you want to create a truly unique presentation, add personal touches. In the slide numbers 6-13 from this presentation, the creator adds something to their design that no one else could ever have: they use original drawings they did themselves.

120.  Harness the power of your own brand colors

Sometimes people forget that they already have a battle-tested color palette that they can use in their  brand colors . I try to incorporate one of our brand colors in most of my designs and it makes so much easier to choose colors.

In this simple presentation example, Spitfire Creative used a palette that had both of their brand colors throughout the slideshow.

121.  Used dark-colored blocks to highlight words

I have seen this trick used in a lot of presentations and it works well. Highlight certain words or phrases by laying them overtop a colored rectangle. Take slide number 7 in this presentation example as a great guide. Use it to bring attention to a saying or idea you really want your audience to remember.

122.  Show the audience your mug 

This presentation example comes from the same presentation as a previous one, but it was too good not to share. Throughout the slides, you will see Rand from Moz pop up to add a human element to the design. Using an image of your team or yourself can put the audience at ease and make it easier to connect with the presenter.

123.  Include a helpful table of contents 

I only saw this presentation idea used a few times throughout my research, but I believe it should be used a lot more. A table of contents will help the audience know what to expect and keep their focus throughout. Especially if you are creating a presentation that is a bit longer than normal.

124.  Do not post just screenshots, do more

Screenshots of a program or app are very common in any blog post, but I think you can do a little better when it comes to presentations.

So instead of just posting a boring screenshot, add a little more to the slide by using illustrations and product shots. If you are not sure what I am talking about, just check out how great the screenshots look at slide numbers 7 and 8 in this presentation.

125. Highlight keywords using BOLD color 

Here’s another slide deck that uses different colors and blocks to highlight keywords. If you are going to use text-heavy slides, then make sure the key points are easy to pick out. Take this slide deck: starting in slide number 4, they highlight exactly what they want you to take away from the text on each slide!

Enough presentation ideas for you?

You made it! I applaud you for making it through all those presentations. Hopefully, now you have a few nifty presentation ideas ready for when you need them.

The next step is to create a presentation that will captivate a meeting room, an amphitheater, and even the world (hey, it doesn’t hurt to dream big).

80+ Creative Ideas for Presentation Cover Slides #117

Graphic Design Tips for Cover Slides RECAP #117: Challenge  |  Recap

This week’s challenge  asked course designers to use a simple design technique to create cover slides for e-learning courses. Examples include interactive intro slides, animation techniques, and dozens of visually creative ideas for using faded images in course designs. 

Big thanks and welcome to first-time challengers:  Luke Barrett ,  Karlis Sprogis ,  Brett Schlagel ,  Jon Stepro ,  Derek Carr ,  Matt Hicks ,  Alexander Bufton ,  Maggie Cowan , and  Ieva Swanson ! We're glad you're here!

And thanks to everyone who shared an example, download, or feedback this week!

Razvan Tuca

Example | Razvan Tuca

Richard Hill

View project | Richard Hill

Wendy Farmer 

Wendy Farmer | Website

Jennifer Sader 

Jennifer Sader | Website | @jensader

Linda Lorenzetti

View project | Learn more | Linda Lorenzetti | Website | @lindalor

Melissa Milloway 

Learn more & download | Melissa Milloway | Website | @MelMilloway  

Tracy Carroll

View project | Tracy Carroll | Website | @1tracycarroll

Daniela Slater 

Daniela Slater | Website  

Daniela Slater | Website

Alexander Salas

View project | Alexander Salas | Website | @stylelearn  

Tracy Carroll 

View project | Learn more | Tracy Carroll | Website | @1tracycarroll

Meaghan Lister 

View project | Learn more | Meaghan Lister | Website | @meg_afe

View project | Learn more | Meaghan Lister | Website | @meg_afe  

Lauren Franza 

View project | Learn more | Download | Lauren Franza | Website | @eLearningLauren

Dianne Hope

Dianne Hope | Website | @DianneHope

Veronica Budnikas 

View project | Veronica Budnikas | Website | @verobudnikas

View project | Zsolt Olah | Website | @Rabbitoreg

David Charney 

David Charney | Website | @elearninglocker

Alexander Salas 

View project | Alexander Salas | Website | @stylelearn

Lyn Lucovsky 

View project | Lyn Lucovsky

Julia Collins

Dianne Hope 

V Dianne Hope | Website | @DianneHope

Dianne Hope | Website | @DianneHope  

Kartik Tyagi 

Kartik Tyagi | @kartik88

Veronica Budnikas

Ashi Tandon 

Ashi Tandon | Website | @ashi_tandon

Céline Pejot

Céline Pejot | Website

Parichaya Kanungo 

Parichaya Kanungo

Preston Ruddell

Learn more & download | Preston Ruddell

Tom Kuhlmann

View project | Tom Kuhlmann | Website | @TomKuhlmann

Jen Anderson

Jen Anderson | Website

James Hall 

Cary Glenn | @glenncary

Rachel Craig

Luke Barrett

 Christine Jeziorowski

Christine Jeziorowski | Website

Joanna Kurpiewska

Joanna Kurpiewska | Website | @elearningjoanna

Daniela Slater

Daniel Adeboye

View project  | Learn more  | Daniel Adeboye | Website | @danno4krist

View project  |  Learn more  |  Daniel Adeboye  |  Website  |  @danno4krist

Chris Chagnon 

Chris Chagnon | Website

Karlis Sprogis 

View project | Karlis Sprogis | Website | @fastercourse

Richard Polk 

Richard Polk

Joanne Chen

Virak Yang 

View project | Virak Yang | Website

Mohammad Hassam

Mohammad Hassam | Website

Cecilia Bernal 

Learn more  | Cecilia Bernal | Intexpliki | @intexpliki

Heather Peppy

Clearly Trained 

View project | Brett Schlagel | Website

View project |  Jon Stepro | Website

View project |  Derek Carr | Website

View project |  Matt Hicks | Website  

Ryan Govreau 

Ryan Govreau | Website

Bill Kelleher 

Bill Kelleher

Glenn Hammond

Glenn Hammond | Website | @glennhammond

Amar Kulshreshtha 

Amar Kulshreshtha | Website

Alexander Bufton

Noelle Dattilo

View project  | Noelle Dattilo

Arkadiusz Malkowski 

View project  | Arkadiusz Malkowski | @amalkowski_

Maggie Cowan

Ieva Swanson

Download  (PDF) | Ieva Swanson

Christina Skowronek 

Christina Skowronek | Website

Matthew Lee 

Matthew Lee

View project | Learn more  | Download  | Tracy Carroll  | @1tracycarroll

Mary Anne Lynch

Mary Anne Lynch | Website

  Ademola Johnson

Ademola Johnson

Crissey Dunbar 

Crissey Dunbar

Paul Venderley

Paul Venderley | Website

Emily Pfeiffer

Aman Vohra | Website

Richard Watson

Richard Watson | Website | @rwatsonID

David Lindenberg 

David Lindenberg | Website | @dvdlindenberg

Ashley Chiasson

View project  | Learn more  | Ashley Chiasson | Website | @amdchiasson

David Jones123

View project  | Learn more  | David Jones123  | @ourdavidteacher

Hector Martinez 

View project  | Hector Martinez

Montse Anderson

View project  | Montse Anderson | Website | @mLearning

Yvonne Leklou 

View project  | Yvonne Leklou

View project  | Learn more  | Jane Lomas | Website | @moodleberry

Allison Goldthorpe

View project  | Learn more | Allison Goldthorpe | Website | @AGoldthorpeID

View project  | Phil Mayor | Website | @philmayor

New to the E-Learning Challenges?

The weekly challenges are ongoing opportunities to learn, share, and build your e-learning portfolios . You can jump into any or all of the previous challenges anytime you want. I’ll update the recap posts to include your demos.

If you have a blog, please consider writing about your challenges. We’ll link back to your posts so the great work you’re sharing gets even more exposure.

If you share your demos on Twitter, try using #ELHChallenge so your tweeps can track your e-learning coolness.

Share Your Transparent Echo Designs!

The transparent echo technique challenge  is still open! If you have one or more ideas you'd like to share, please jump over to the original challenge  and post your links in the comments section. I'll update this recap page to include your examples.

Related Content

30+ creative ideas for using blurred backgrounds in e-learning #131, e-learning presentations to follow on slideshare #120, 30+ creative examples of skeuomorphism in e-learning #124.

Home Blog Design How to Get Great PowerPoint Design Ideas (with Examples)

How to Get Great PowerPoint Design Ideas (with Examples)

Are you staring at that blank PowerPoint slide? Unable to decide which PowerPoint slide design is the best to make your presentation pop? The longer you look at that computer screen, the harder it seems to get PowerPoint design ideas, not easier. We’ve all been there.

You have your content ready. What you need now is a way to present this content in a way that leaves your audience impressed. Indeed, you don’t want your audience to feel bored when you present your ideas. 

5 PowerPoint Design Ideas to Craft the Perfect Presentation 

An excellent solution to this issue is to learn how to get Design Ideas on Microsoft PowerPoint. The good news is that these PowerPoint ideas have already been intelligently crafted for by the modern AI algorithms provided in Microsoft PowerPoint. Plus, combining them with visually appealing slides by SlideModel , you have the perfect toolset to make outstanding presentations .

When beautifully made PowerPoint templates already exist, there is no reason to spend your energy and the hours of your day creating a design from scratch.  

And so, without further ado, we present the creative presentation ideas to incorporate and execute stunning PowerPoint designs to ensure that your audience pays attention to you. Let’s dive in!

Presentation Idea #1: Employ existing PowerPoint themes from Microsoft PowerPoint

Your Microsoft PowerPoint comes with a number of presentation themes preinstalled that you can choose from. This way it reduces the amount of time you need to spend to choose from PowerPoint slide ideas. You can then proceed to edit and customize a presentation template per your requirements. Although they do not come with the necessary details to guide you through the editing process, this can be a good starting point.

Alternatively, you can browse some of our pre-designed PowerPoint themes examples to use in your presentations.

Presentation Idea #2: Incorporate the core design principles

With the task of creating a PowerPoint presentation, the presenter has to make sure the design elements within the presentation are attractive and draw attention. This involves a number of factors such as the alignment, color combinations, charts and graphs, fonts, animations, transitions, and many more. There is a science behind design which involves psychological principles. Each line style, font, color and graphic you use in your slides will ultimately influence the message you are conveying to the audience.

For instance, you may choose the font based on readability ( Verdana, Tahoma, Helvetica, Times New Roman ), category ( Serif, Slab Serif, Sans Serif ), purpose ( logo or text ), etc. You may choose the font size on accessibility (where a starting size of 12 points=16px is considered to be the most accessible). All the above mentioned fonts are ADA-compliant as well, which is a plus.

These core principles are a tenet of PowerPoint slide ideas, and are valid for short but also for long form PowerPoint style presentations.

Presentation Idea #3: Take the expert opinion 

A wordy slide will only make people switch off and turn to their phones. What is needed is to use as few words as possible to convey as much information as possible.

1. The 1-6-6 rule

The 1-6-6 rule is one of the few generalized rules that suggest that there ought to be one main idea for each slide, a maximum of six bullet points, and a maximum of six words per bullet point. You may also see this rule in the form of the 1-5-5 or the 1-7-7 rule. Therefore, employ this rule per your specific needs. 

2. Guy Kawasaki’s 10/20/30 rule 

Heed the words of Guy Kawasaki , the modern design evangelist. According to him, an average person can’t keep up with more than 10 concepts in a meeting. Therefore, a presentation should include no more than 10 slides, last no longer than 20 minutes, and use font not smaller than 30 points. This is known as the 10/20/30 rule by Guy Kawasaki, and some professional presenters take it in mind when preparing and designing their presentations.

Presentation Idea #4: A picture is worth a thousand words. A video a billion.

It’s not enough to be as succinct as possible because visuals are an even more effective medium to convey the necessary information. A visual can be a simple picture, graphs, charts, or a video that can ensure that the audience understands the point you are trying to make and support the message you convey to an audience. 

Converting your slideshow into a video helps you free yourself from constant clicking to get to the next point or slide. To achieve this, you can use the “Record” feature (in the Record tab) in PowerPoint to convert your presentation into a video. 

This also enables you to avoid reading your slides, which is discouraged most of the time. Have a monolog prepared for your presentation and let the slides speak for themselves in the form of a video. This way, you talk to the audience and actively engage with them. This makes you the best presenter bar none there and is one of the best PowerPoint ideas today. 

Alternatively, the PowerPoint Designer provides some attractive video presentation templates that you can use and incorporate in your slide shows. Check out some of them here:

To access these PowerPoint Design Ideas, simply go to PowerPoint’s Design tab in the Ribbon, and look for the Design Ideas button, as shown below:

Alternatively, to take advantage of video presentations, you can insert videos from the Insert tab.

Presentation Idea #5: Plot a Call to Action (CTA)

When you finish your presentation, your audience must have a purpose and a sense of direction to work towards that purpose. This requires some calls to action to be included in your presentation. These phrases will motivate and inspire your audience members and make them realize they have the drive to take the actions they need to take. 

Here are a few examples of such slides:

Creative PowerPoint Design Ideas from the PowerPoint Designer Slides

If you are looking for fresh design ideas to use in your presentations, PowerPoint Design Ideas can be helpful. Here are some examples of slide designs you can use and apply with the ease of a few clicks into your existing presentations. These designs change not only the appearance of your cover slide but also the internal slides.

Example 1: Blue PowerPoint Design Idea with Curved Lines

Example 2: A modern design idea with pastel colors

Example 3: Creative PowerPoint Design Idea with a colorful background

Example 4: Presentation Design Ideas with Creative Cover Slide Layout

Example 5: PowerPoint Design Idea Concept for Presentations

Example 6: Presentation Design Idea with diagonal lines

Example 7: PowerPoint Design Ideas with Bubble and Liquid Style

Example 8: Modern PowerPoint Design Idea Concept Template

How to use PowerPoint Slide Design Ideas to Enhance your Presentation

Microsoft PowerPoint comes with a significant number of features to create a custom slide that satisfies your design needs. This section will take you through the main methods to create a custom slide. Here we go!

1. The Home Tab

For both text and visual, the Home tab has a number of fundamental features to create an attractive slide. These features include the Layout, Alignment, Font, Font size, SmartArt, Arrange, etc. With the Arrang e functionality, you can create layers in your slide to give depth and a cooler format to the slide.

2. The Insert Tab

The Insert tab allows you to populate your slides with visuals from simple shapes to images and videos, thereby making the slide far more informative without the use of extra words. It includes the Table, Shape, Icons, Action, Equation, Audio, Video, etc. 

From this tab, you can insert a variety of visual graphics into your slides: pictures, shapes, icons, or even screenshots from your other apps.

Let’s take a look at the following quick example. Using the Icons tab, we can get access to a huge collection of Illustrations, Stickers, Videos and Cutout people. The illustrations can serve as a base point to decorate your presentation and produce visually appealing slides.

3. The Transitions and Animations tabs

Two of the most well-known features of PowerPoint, they not only allow beautiful effects to mesmerize the audience, but they are also necessary to order and arrange your text and data in a way that constitutes a narrative. Or in other words, you can use these features to support your speech and at the same time add some visual effects to your slides, while telling a coherent story. 

4. The Design and View tabs

The Design tab is the placeholder for the PowerPoint Designer feature. When you click on the Designer, it populates the right-hand side of the window with a pane that contains Design Ideas.

The Designer feature is available to those with an active Office 365 subscription. However, as a workaround, if you don’t have this version of PowerPoint, you can use the PowerPoint Online version.

When you add an image to the slide, the PowerPoint Designer automatically generates design ideas to help you create a professional-looking slide, create illustrations, convert text to a graphic, etc. You can choose from several generated layouts, which will also allow you to save a significant amount of time when you are creating a presentation.  

You can use the Slide Master and the Layout Master to make sure that all your slides contain the same font and images (e.g. logos). You will find these options in the View tab. 

In the View tab, we find options to optimize how the slide will look to the viewer during the slideshow. But another amazing feature that we briefly mentioned a bit earlier, is contained in this tab, the Slide Master .

When you choose a new layout for your slide, it has its own theme, i.e. its own way to arrange and show the text and graphics. With the Slide Master , you can make sure all your slides follow the same theme in terms of fonts and images. This in turn leads you to the Slide Layouts to modify each individual slide. 

With the Slide Master , you can modify backgrounds, rearrange placeholders, customize text format, etc. 

With the help of these feature-rich tabs, you will be able to customize and optimize your slides to your satisfaction. This will ensure that the presentation is so remarkable that the viewers can’t help but take note of the information that you wish to convey. 

It is important to remember that this is an iterative process for everyone. You might need a few trials to land on the perfect combination of color, text, alignment, animations, and the rest to get the results that you desire. 

With these tools in hand and the professionally designed templates from SlideModel, you can be sure that your presentation will never be boring again.

If you do not see the Designer feature… How to enable Design Ideas in PowerPoint?

As mentioned earlier, the PowerPoint Designer , for some known as PowerPoint Design Ideas, is an AI-powered feature within the Microsoft PowerPoint software (in the Design tab) that helps you generate slide design ideas automatically. 

However, if you do not see the Designer feature on your computer, just go to File -> Options -> General , where you will see the Automatically show me design ideas in the PowerPoint Designer section. Check this box and the Designer feature will start working. 

Let’s take a quick look at how to use the Designer feature. For the following example, we are going to simply put our text on a new blank slide and click on the “Designer” icon to get suggestions for creative slide layouts on the right. Simply click on the layout that suits your needs. The final slide will be a unique visual that you can use to get started with your presentation.

You can also go to the Designer after getting your text onto several slides to prepare a thematic slideshow. The more you experiment, the better the output. 

PowerPoint Design Ideas not working

Like any other software you’ve used for work, you may come across problems that keep you from using the Designer feature. On the desktop version, the PowerPoint Designer is only available to paid subscribers. However, the subscription for Office 365 Germany does not have this feature. On the other hand, for the web version it is available to everyone. 

Is the PowerPoint Design Ideas not working for you? There are a few reasons for such an issue to arise and there are appropriate solutions for each of them:

1. Unable to see the Design Ideas button

If you have bought the subscription to Microsoft Office but still don’t see the option to turn on Design Ideas in the Design tab, this is what you have to do to correct this error: 

• Turn on the Office Connected Experiences . Go to File > Account , and under Account Privacy , select Manage Settings :

• If your subscription is paid for by your organization, ask your IT department for it to be turned ON.
• You need to uninstall and then re-install Office if you have just upgraded to the Microsoft 365 subscription.

2. Unable to see any design suggestions

If you are able to turn on the Designer function but no new design suggestions are presented in the right hand side pane, this is how you solve this issue:

• Check to see if your internet connection is working.
• Use an in-built theme from Microsoft PowerPoint.
• Make sure your slide has the Title or Title + Content layout.
• Only use a maximum of four images of size greater than 200 by 200 pixels.
• Check to make sure no one else is co-authoring or working on this presentation.
• Check to make sure there is no shape or text box within the slide.

3. The Design Idea button is grayed out

Is the Designer functionality inaccessible or unclickable? Nothing to worry about; take the following steps to fix this problem – 

• As before, make sure your internet connection is working. Consider using a VPN service if you have any problems with access.
• Only select a single slide at a time and make sure that you haven’t clicked on another point, such as between two slides

How to Turn Off PowerPoint Design Ideas?

There are several ways to turn off PowerPoint Design Ideas, in this short tutorial we explain how to do it:

How to Turn Off PowerPoint Design Ideas using Ribbon?

The easiest way is to use the Ribbon, when you are in Normal View click on the Ribbon design option.

Then click on Design Ideas in the design option.

That’s it, that way you can turn the PowerPoint Design Ideas functionality on and off.

How to Turn Off PowerPoint Design Ideas using the Task Pane?

Another way to turn off PowerPoint Design Ideas in the normal PowerPoint view is to use the Task Pane.

Click on “Stop showing ideas for new presentations” at the top of the Design Ideas Task Pane.

How to Turn Off PowerPoint Design Ideas using PowerPoint Options?

The third option to disable the PowerPoint Design Ideas functionality is through PowerPoint Options.

Click on the file option in the Ribbon. Then the options box appears.

Click on General in the left menu.

In the right pane, uncheck “Automatically show me design ideas” and “Automatically show me suggestions when I create a new presentation”.

Click Accept.

Final Words

Once you apply these PowerPoint slide design ideas, the result will be a more engaged audience that holds on to your every word. These recommendations are the exact solution you need to refine your presentation. 

Now that you have the resources and the tools to perfect your presentation, there’s no need to wait any longer. Get started and show your audience what you can do! Let us know in the comments below how this guide has helped you create the ideal presentation.

Like this article? Please share

Presentation Ideas, Presentation Tips Filed under Design

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Download the Urban Gymkhana presentation for PowerPoint or Google Slides and start impressing your audience with a creative and original design. Slidesgo templates like this one here offer the possibility to convey a concept, idea or topic in a clear, concise and visual way, by using different graphic resources. You...

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Minimalist Business Slides

Minimalism is an art style that frees the canvas and that lets the content stand out for itself. It’s a way of conveying modernism, simplicity and elegance and can be your best ally in your next presentation. With this new design from Slidesgo, your business presentations will be as professional...

Spring Background

Flowers! That can only mean one thing! Yes, of course, allergies! Well spring is not a good time for everyone... What we agree on is the beautiful floral landscapes that are created thanks to the arrival of spring. We have transported those landscapes to this presentation, to decorate the blue...

Notebook Lesson

These are the last days before the Summer break! We know that there are some pending lessons that you need to prepare for your students. As they may be thinking about their friends and their holidays, catch their attention with this cool template!

Spring Woods Minitheme

Spring has come! This spring woods minitheme is the perfect way to celebrate the arrival of warmer days and longer nights. This playful yet professional template will help you bring your spring vibes to any presentation. It features stunningly verdant greens, inspiring pink flowers, and other warm hues that will...

Papyrus History Lesson

History lessons tend to be boring for students, since they need to remember dates and a bunch of information. Make it entertaining by editing our free presentation template, whose backgrounds based on ancient papyrus rolls take it to the next level.

Cherry Blossom Season in Kyoto

Japanese cherry blossom, also known as Sakura, is one of the most beautiful events in Japan, which usually takes place at the end of March. Why not prepare a guide with all the information for your clients? This template fits the theme like a glove, with a green background and...

Infographics

Global Technology Investments Project Proposal Infographics

Download the Global Technology Investments Project Proposal Infographics template for PowerPoint or Google Slides to get the most out of infographics. Whether you want to organize your business budget in a table or schematically analyze your sales over the past year, this set of infographic resources will be of great...

Spring Infographics

Download the Spring Infographics template for PowerPoint or Google Slides and discover the power of infographics. An infographic resource gives you the ability to showcase your content in a more visual way, which will make it easier for your audience to understand your topic. Slidesgo infographics like this set here...

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