PowerPoint Online

Online PowerPoint Success - Think Like Someone in Your Audience

When constructing an online PowerPoint presentation, it is easy to get wrapped up in creating a design and layout that looks appealing to you, however you need to imagine how this presentation will look to your audience. Focus on how your audience will perceive the presentation, how they will see, hear and interpret your message in the way that it is presented. When conducting an online PowerPoint presentation, your audience is looking directly at your slides and not at you, so the messages in the presentation have to be clear and on point to keep them focused.

Spend more time on quality content than on flashy design. You want your audience to be looking at, and remembering key messages, not wondering how you were able to create a particular effect, or worse wondering why you used such a cheesy effect. One of the most frequent complaints of audience members is that they are not able to read the text. Presenting online gives you a bit more leeway in this area since your audience will be viewing the presentation on their own screen, and are usually close enough to it to be able to read the entire presentation. However, large, clear and concise points will drive your message home much more quickly than paragraphs of forgettable information. If you have so many key points that you feel you have to reduce the font, instead break that issue up into two slides and keep the font the same size. Message penetration is the key.

Keep colors and design templates pleasant and warm. Colors have connotation and context, so be careful to use them appropriately. Red typically should be avoided because it usually has an angry connotation associated with it. However, if your online presentation is about China, where red is a national color and a symbol of good luck, it may be very appropriate to use. Typically earth tones and blues make for good background and design colors. Make sure your text clearly contrasts any background colors you use. Font styles and graphics choices set your professional image, so take time and be smart in your choices.