visual audio presentation

Encyclopedia for Writers

Writing with ai, audiovisual presentations made easy(-ier): tips for creating an effective powerpoint, prezi, or keynote.

• CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 by E . Jonathan Arnett

At some point in your academic or professional life, you’ll have to stand in front of people and give a talk about a subject, and quite often, you’ll be asked to prepare visual materials to accompany your talk. You might prepare handouts, but odds are, you’ll be asked to prepare materials that you can project on a video screen.

The classic version of these projected materials is the overhead transparency, a thin sheet of clear plastic that you can run through a laser printer or write on with special markers; this medium is slowly disappearing, but it’s still around. Sometimes, you might be able to prepare paper documents and project them to a screen via a document camera, but doc cams aren’t entirely common, and they can only present static images. Instead, you’ll usually be asked to create a dynamic presentation using software such as PowerPoint, Prezi, or Keynote. Many other programs exist, including what Google has to offer, but these are the three most common presentation programs.

Each program has its own special abilities and strengths, but they all share common basic principles that you can manipulate to create memorable, effective, and interesting presentations. Here, you’ll learn basic principles to

• select an effective presentation format
• choose readable typefaces
• place visual elements onscreen
• choose colors
• select appropriate backgrounds
• choose visual and audio effects
• deliver a memorable, effective presentation 

Table of Contents

Three Major Presentation Formats

You can choose from three basic type of format for a presentation based on PowerPoint, Prezi, or Keynote:

• bullet points
• illustrated points
• speaker’s prop

The format you choose should fit your audience and your presentation’s subject.

Bullet Points. The bullet point format is the default layout that most PowerPoint users and viewers are familiar with. Slides created in this format commonly include a title across the top and a cascading series of bulleted lines of text inside a slide’s main text box. An example of this kind of slide appears below, in Figure 1.

 Figure 1: PPT slide using bullet point format

Bullet point-format presentations have several benefits:

• They are easy to prepare. Just type, press Enter for a new line, and press Tab to create a smaller bullet or Shift+Tab to make a larger bullet.
• They are useful for highlighting important words or naming concepts that an audience needs to learn.
• They project a serious tone.

However, bullet-point format presentations also can be boring, and an overload of words will make your audience cringe. You have probably endured at least one bad PowerPoint in your life, and odds are, that bad presentation used the bullet point format.

Illustrated Points. The illustrated points format is similar, but slides created in this type of presentation focus on pictures, and text appears in a supporting role. An example of this kind of slide appears in Figure 2.

 Figure 2: PPT slide using illustrated points format

Illustrated points-format slides have several benefits: 

• They are excellent for showing conceptual relationships or demonstrating physical relationships between objects.
• People often respond positively to pictures, so illustrated points-format slides also tend to capture viewers’ interest more than all-text presentations do. 

These slides require more detailed preparation, though, and they tend to be more visually “busy,” so if your audience has problems concentrating, or if it’s vital that you highlight important words, you may want a more text-based approach.

 Illustrated points-format slides can also be combined with bullet point-format slides inside the same presentation. See Figure 3 for an example of a PowerPoint that includes both types of slide. 

Figure 3: Combination of bullet points (top) and illustrated points (bottom) slides in one PowerPoint

Speaker’s Prop. The speaker’s prop format is similar to the illustrated points format, but a speaker’s prop almost entirely consists of simple pictures that flash onscreen in rapid sequence. Any text that appears is usually very short, uses a large font, and only appears for a moment.

A speaker’s prop is appropriate for abstract subjects (e.g, the nature of free will), and if it is done well, it can be fascinating and will engage an audience.

However, this type of presentation is often more complex and time-consuming to prepare than a presentation in the other formats, and you run the risk of making it so entertaining that the audience may remember the presentation but forget what you said.

A well-done example of a speaker’s prop presentation appears in this video:

Figure 4: Screen capture of speaker’s prop presentation 

Whichever format you choose, remember that the presentation software is your servant; don’t let it tell you what to do. Always modify a template to suit your needs.

As an excellent example of what not to do, consider Peter Norvig’s classic Gettysburg PowerPoint: http://norvig.com/Gettysburg/ . It’s a satirical example of how an excellent speech—in this case, Abraham Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address, widely considered one of the classic speeches in the English language—can be ruined by using presentation software default settings and following a built-in template without modifying it.

How to Choose a Typeface

When you create a presentation, make sure that the fonts you choose are 

• appropriate for the subject and audience
• readable from anywhere in the room
• compatible with the computer you’ll be using for the presentation 

Appropriateness. Each typeface projects a visual “personality” of some sort, and you should match the font with the audience and subject you’re addressing. For example, Comic Sans is a cheerful, happy-looking font and projects a somewhat childlike ethos; it’s a good match for an upbeat subject for a younger audience. In contrast, Times New Roman is a much more serious-looking font and would be appropriate for an older audience discussing a serious subject.

Readability. Not all fonts are equally readable, and you need to pick typefaces that allow your audience to read what’s onscreen from the back of the room. You should choose fonts that 

• have relatively tall lower-case letters
• don’t use extra-thick or extremely thin lines
• have large, open spaces inside the loops, and
• (for a serif font) have large, blunt serifs. 

See Figure 5 for examples of typefaces available in PowerPoint, and consider which fonts are most and least readable onscreen.

Figure 5: Examples of readable and unreadable font choices

Of these twelve fonts, the fonts that are most readable onscreen are Tahoma, Georgia, Trebuchet, and Verdana. In fact, Georgia and Verdana were designed for use onscreen. Of the rest, only Book Antiqua is workable, but the letters’ thin parts can be hard to see onscreen, particularly if the background isn’t a single flat color.

Sans-serif fonts are usually easier to read onscreen than serif fonts are, so consider using a serif font for headings and a sans-serif font for slides’ main text. Also, limit yourself to two fonts. If you use more, the screen will look very busy, and the visual clutter may distract your audience.

Most programs have built-in lists of fonts that you can use. For example, PowerPoint 2013 includes the list of combinations that appears in Figure 6.

 Figure 6: List of built-in font combinations in PowerPoint 2013

Here is a link to a brief YouTube video that demonstrates how to access PowerPoint’s built-in list of font combinations: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/812erramvb8lvjk/AADwNcH2rqBrl_FjJgcxL3gsa/PowerPoint%20built-in%20font%20combinations.mp4?dl=0 .

Feel free to use one of these combinations, but remember that just because they’re built-in doesn’t mean they’re well-chosen or appropriate for your needs. You should always consider changing the default settings.

Compatibility. Not every typeface is available on every operating system, so find out what kind of computer you’ll use while delivering the presentation and choose fonts that will work on that computer.

For example, Helvetica is available on Mac, but it is not available on Windows-based systems; the Windows equivalent to Helvetica is Arial. Thus, if you create a PowerPoint presentation on a PC and then open the file on a Mac, or vice versa, the fonts may not transfer over, and your PowerPoint’s appearance will change, often for the worse.

Here’s a link to a list of fonts shared by Mac and PC versions of Microsoft Office: .

How to Think about Layout

When you place text or pictures onscreen, make sure you 

• apply the CRAP design principles
• avoid clutter
• avoid text overload  

CRAP Principles. The CRAP design principles are Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity. In brief, they work like this:

Contrast: If things aren’t in the same category, make them look very different (e.g., use different fonts for slide headings and main text).

Repetition: Make visual elements consistent throughout every slide (e.g., use consistent colors, callout shapes, font sizes, picture and text box locations, background images).

Alignment: Place things on the screen with a purpose. Don’t just plop images and text in random locations (e.g., equalize spaces between multiple pictures, consistently center or left-align text, line up bullets and numbers).

Proximity: Place related items close to each other (e.g., use a narrow space between a name and job title, a picture and its caption, a main bullet item and its related sub-bullet items).

(The CRAP acronym was invented by a graphic designer named Robin Williams [no, not that Robin Williams] and explained in her book The Non-Designer’s Design Book. If you’re interested in visual design, you might find it fascinating.)

When you design your PowerPoint, you should consider using the built-in Master Slide tool to make sure the visual design elements (e.g., fonts, colors, backgrounds, bulleted items’ alignment) follow the Repetition principle. Here is a link to a YouTube video demonstrating how this powerful function works:

Clutter. Keep your presentation’s design and contents relatively simple. 

• Include spaces between lines of text.
• Include spaces between images or other visual elements.
• Make sure that the text is readable.
• Use simple graphics.  

If you overload the screen, your audience will feel overwhelmed, and they won’t be able to follow your ideas.

For example, Figure 7 demonstrates a cluttered information graphic full of “chartjunk.” Its 3-D design is unnecessary, the forced perspective prevents the audience from seeing the towers’ actual heights, the callouts overlap, the towers’ transparency doesn’t provide any information for the viewer, and the beveled edges and shadows are distracting.

Figure 7: Cluttered infographic

Figure 8 shows the same data in a simple, clean infographic that an audience can follow.

 Figure 8: Uncluttered infographic

Similarly, avoid stuffing slides full of text and creating a “wall o’ words” like in Figure 9. Too much text makes a slide difficult to read and will intimidate your audience.

Figure 9: Wall o’ Words

Try to limit a bullet point-format slide to no more than seven bullets, with relatively short entries under each bullet. Of course, you can actually use as many bullets as you want, but only if you follow the CRAP principles very well. (See Figure 10 for an example of a slide that contains ten bulleted points but is still readable.)

Figure 10: Almost but not quite a “wall o’ words”

How to Choose Good Colors

Black-on-white presentations are easy to read, but they’re often very stark-looking, and your audience may not wish to stare at a bright white screen. Thus, you probably will want to use color in your presentation, and you need to choose your presentation’s colors carefully.

Contrast. Pick colors with high luminance contrast—in other words, one color should be much brighter than the other—so that your viewers will be able to read text quickly and with minimal eyestrain. Avoid extremely high color contrast, though, because extremes in color contrast can make text very hard to read. See Figure 11 for examples.

Figure 11: Examples of color and luminance combinations

Similarly, you probably want to avoid pure white text on a black screen; it’s OK for special cases, but for an entire presentation, it’s overwhelming. See Figure 12.

Figure 12: White-on-black slide design

Emotional Impact. Also consider the emotional effect of colors that you choose. The “cool” colors (darker green, blue-green, light blue, dark blue, blue-violet, purple) are calm and soothing, while the “warm” colors (red-violet, red, red-orange, orange, yellow-orange, yellow, yellow-green) are stimulating. Choose colors that are appropriate for the subject and emotional impact of your presentation. See Figure 13 for an example.

Figure 13: Emotional effects of colors

How to Choose Appropriate Backgrounds

Always make your presentation’s background relate to its topic. PowerPoint, Prezi, and Keynote all allow you to choose from built-in or downloadable background “theme” templates; insert and customize solid colors, gradients, or patterns; or import your own image to use as a background for your presentation. You can use any of these options, but whatever option you choose, the background absolutely must mesh with the topic.

For example, if you are speaking about a computer-related subject, the “Organic” PowerPoint theme template would be a very poor choice. (See Figure 14.) It looks like a sheet of paper attached to a piece of wood by a ribbon, and its text uses a serif body font; there’s nothing about the template that suggests “computer technology.” The same theme template would look entirely appropriate for a food-related subject, though.

 Figure 14: Inappropriate and appropriate backgrounds

Also, consider whether the audience has seen the background before. There are only so many built-in theme templates, and chances are that your audience has seen the same background used for a different presentation or has used that same template themselves. In fact, if an event features multiple speakers, sometimes more than one presenter will use the same template, and the audience may get confused and not remember who said what. It is always a good idea to import your own image as a background or to customize templates to fit your needs. See Figure 15 for an example.

 Figure 15: Customized “Apex” template from MS PowerPoint 2010

This brief YouTube video demonstrates PowerPoint’s built-in slide designs and how to access and use its Format Background tool: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/812erramvb8lvjk/AADoikR7jSjHHObIwOKX1qCOa/PowerPoint%20built-in%20backgrounds.mp4?dl=0  

(As noted in the “How to Think About Layout” section, it would be a good idea to use the Master Slide tool when you customize backgrounds in order to make all the slides look uniform.)

Visual and Audio Effects

You can and should use between-slides transitions, within-slide animations, and sound effects, but don’t go overboard. Instead, use subtle effects, use them sparingly, and only use them to support your points.

Visual Effects. Transitions and animations can help you emphasize points, show connections between ideas, or simply capture your audience’s attention and prevent their eyes from glazing over. (See Figure 16 for a screenshot of the animations menu in PowerPoint 2013.)

Figure 16: Expanded list of animations available in PowerPoint 2013

However, if you overload your slideshow with visual effects, or if you choose splashy effects, you will likely encounter several problems:

• Your audience will pay more attention to the moving images than to the subject you’re talking about.
• Your audience won’t be able to tell if an effect means they should pay special attention or if it’s just another effect.
• Effects will take longer than you expect to finish running, or you’ll forget to cue them. You’ll then go silent as you wait for the animations to finish, and your audience will realize you screwed up.
• Effects will introduce a lighthearted note into your presentation and detract from your professional ethos or undermine a serious subject. 

Here is a link to a video that demonstrates how to use PowerPoint’s built-in Animation tool and Animation Pane:

These same cautions apply to Prezi, but Prezi has its own special problems. Instead of switching between slides, you set up a flat “canvas” on which you place text and images, and when you present your talk, Prezi’s camera traces a path between those elements and zooms in on them. (See Figure 17 for an example of paths in Prezi.) Thus, transitions and animations are part and parcel of Prezi, which means it’s doubly important that you control their intensity. 

• Prezi will let you place elements at peculiar angles and then “rotate” the camera to emphasize them. If you rotate the camera too frequently, you’ll make your audience seasick.
• You can locate text or images anywhere on the canvas and set up arbitrary motion paths between them. If you make the camera move long distances between elements, you’ll disorient your audience members.

Here is a link to a brief YouTube video demonstrating motion paths in Prezi:  https://www.dropbox.com/sh/812erramvb8lvjk/AAC9SRhZy9v-CxNmAvQQtlf7a/Prezi%20sample.mp4?dl=0

Figure 17: Numbered sequence indicating a “path” in Prezi

Sound Effects. Audio cues have the same potential benefits and drawbacks as transitions and animations, but they also have several unique problems of their own: 

• Audio clips will sound distorted or tinny unless the computer you are using to present is connected to a good-quality sound system.
• If the audio clip is more than a few seconds long, you’ll need to shout to be heard over it.
• It’s almost impossible to talk over rock or hip-hop. Your voice just can’t compete with the backbeat.
• Music samples longer than a few seconds consume massive amounts of memory, and your file size will be huge.
• Song snippets may be so short that they’re unrecognizable.
• Nobody else likes your taste in music. 

In short, no matter what program you use, keep your presentation’s visual and audio effects relatively simple and use them to support your message. The effects should enhance the presentation; they shouldn’t be the presentation. 

Delivery Techniques

Your slideshow shouldn’t be the main focus of your talk. Instead, YOU and your message are the main focus, and the presentation should support your talk. Don’t hide behind the presentation or use it as a crutch.

Prepare Notes. Write down key phrases on notecards or, if you will have access to a speaker’s computer while you’re talking, the program’s Notes view. It’s not a good idea to write out a line-for-line script because if you read from a script, the presentation will sound stilted. The best presentations are thoroughly prepared but sound ad-libbed.

Whatever you do, DO NOT read every single word on the screen. Your audience members can read, and you’ll only annoy them. See Figure 18 for an example.

Figure 18: Example of Presenter View in PowerPoint

Practice. Run through your talk and slideshow before you stand in front of an audience. Start up the presentation, say what you intend to say out loud, advance the presentation to match your speech, and time yourself. If you don’t practice, your audience will know.

Face Your Audience. Turn your face toward the audience and make eye contact with them when you speak. If you do, the audience will be able to hear you, and they will be more likely to believe what you say.

When you create a PowerPoint, Prezi, or Keynote presentation, be sure to consider the principles discussed in this webtext. You now know how to

• choose an effective presentation format
• identify readable typefaces
• position visual elements onscreen
• pick appropriate colors
• choose relevant, useful backgrounds
• choose effective visual and audio effects
• present memorable, effective audiovisual materials

and you can create a successful presentation that will both capture your audience’s attention and provide the audience with clearly presented, easily-extracted information.

Brevity – Say More with Less

Clarity (in Speech and Writing)

Coherence – How to Achieve Coherence in Writing

Flow – How to Create Flow in Writing

Inclusivity – Inclusive Language

The Elements of Style – The DNA of Powerful Writing

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10 Audio Visual Presentation Ideas to Make Your PPT Shine

• November 21, 2023
• Interactive Presentation Maker , multimedia presentation software , Uncategorized

How can your message be effectively conveyed to your audience in just a few minutes? In fact, most people won’t have any follow-up after watching the traditional PPT. Compared with a slideshow, an audio visual presentation can help you leave a memorable impression on your audience. We discuss why you should choose audio visual presentations to share your information and list 10 audio visual presentation ideas to engage your audience. With these audio visual presentation ideas, you can easily create a super eye-catching video presentation in any presentation software.

Make Your Own Animated Presentations

Why Should You Choose Audio Visual Presentations

According to Social Media Week, viewers remember 95% of information if they choose to learn about it through video. All kinds of data show that audio visual presentation is the best choice for you. Here are three benefits of using audio visual in your presentations.

1. Audio visual is persuasive

Audio visuals can convince the audience more than plain text. For example, if you choose Mango Animate ‘s audio visual presentation maker, you can use arrows, icons, and fonts of different colors and sizes to highlight your key information. Supplementing your message by adding a voice-over is more likely to get your audience to accept your ideas.

2. Audio visual is attractive

Audio visual can capture the audience’s attention easily, which makes your whole presentation atmosphere more relaxed and pleasant. By practicing audio visual presentation ideas, you can utilize dynamic animation, animated roles, GIFs, and screen recorders to grab your audience’s attention and keep them engaged. These audio visuals will help your audience understand your content and strengthen their memory.

3. Audio visual is accessible anytime, anywhere

Audio visual presentations are easy to share and create online. In this digital age, people use mobile devices to kill time or do their work every day. These requirements make audio visual presentations more accessible. The birth of the audio visual presentation solved problems for teams working across geographies and even time zones.

10 Audio Visual Presentation Ideas to Engage Your Audiences

We believe you have understood the advantages of audio visual, you can pick the best free animated slideshow maker to start your design journey. In your design process, please keep in mind the following 10 video presentation ideas for students, they will definitely take your presentations to the next level.

1. Design an Eye-catching Cover

The first impression is very important, and determines the audience’s interest in your presentation topic. If you want your audience to engage with your presentations the entire way, why not start on the cover with suspense that they will probably keep in their minds until the end of your presentations?

2. Tell a Story

Telling a story is one of the most effective audio visual presentation ideas for raising audience interest. Think of some representative examples of human stories that relate to the theme of your presentations. The best example of this is telling your own story to create an emotional connection with your audience. They will subconsciously substitute themselves into the story’s plot, or imagine that they are the story’s core role.

3. Keep Simple

An excellent audio visual presentation example is sure to keep it simple. Spend energy and time on the information you most want your audience to know. If you convey too much information to your audience at once or use too much decoration, it will make it difficult for them to concentrate. The simpler the audio visual presentation, the more effective information your audience will receive.

4. Insert Music

Music can be used to suggest an emotional state to the audience and help to deepen memory. With Mango PM, a free photo slideshow maker with music , you can find various background music suitable for any topic, and you can even upload your own music to the audio visual presentation.

5. Add Audio Narration

Audio narration is the best choice for creating interactive presentations to create different situations for your speech, but it is also the most overlooked audio visual presentation idea. You can use the voice to change the tone and pace of your presentations so that your audience can focus on your audio.

6. Create Animations and Transitions

Interesting animations and transitions make your audio visual presentations more unique and fluid, which can be viewed as a video presentation idea for students. Various animations will draw your audience to focus their attention on specific areas. The dynamic 3D transitions that come with Mango PM, such as fast panning, zooming, and rotating, will help your audience create a feeling of being in a movie theater, and connecting with this happy factor will help them remember your message subconsciously.

7. Ask Questions

Asking questions is the most effective audio visual presentation idea for increasing audience engagement. Is your audience falling asleep during your lengthy presentations? Ask questions! They will wake up immediately. Both the questions and the Q&A session turn a boring presentation into an exploratory activity for the audience to use critical thinking.

8. Use Humor

Humor is a great way to help you connect with your audience and put them at ease. Skillful use of humor at the right moment will bring your speech to a climax. Of course, don’t overdo it either.

9. Incorporate Quotes

Quotes will enhance the authority of your PPT. You can use quotes from famous historical figures, entrepreneurs, or writers that fit your topic to get your point across. It works even better when combined with other audio visual presentation ideas. For example, you can add a quote on the cover, as if handing the audience a bright light in the dark.

10. End on a Meaningful Note

If you end it right, your speech will leave a unique memory for the audience. It’s important to let your audience know what they should do next after hearing your presentations. For example, take action towards a goal, ponder a new idea, or visit a website.

How to Make an Audio Visual Presentation with Mango PM

Looking for unique audio visual presentation examples that stimulate your imagination? Mango PM is sure to be your ideal audio visual presentation maker , whether you have design experience or not. It has all the features you need to create audio visual presentations for free, and you can implement all the audio visual presentation ideas mentioned above in Mango PM.

• Choose an audio visual presentation template from our library to get started
• Upload your own photos and videos
• Use our powerful material library to personalize your audio visual presentations, such as adding animated roles and background music
• Record voiceovers or turn on the screen recording
• Export your presentations and publish them to the world

Start Creating Animated Presentations Easily

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• Audio Visual , Creative , Event Production , Event Strategy

How to Use Audio and Visuals to Enhance your Presentation

• April 20, 2023

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The most successful presentations are the ones that utilize audio and visuals effectively. Incorporating these elements can make your presentation more engaging and memorable, helping you connect with your audience and convey your message more effectively.

Let’s explore some tips, strategies, and steps you need to take to elevate your presentation:

Begin by preparing your presentation.

Preparing your presentation can be overwhelming at first, but it is an essential part of delivering a successful and engaging talk. Whether you’re presenting to a large audience or a small group, taking the time to plan and practice your presentation can help you feel more confident and improve your delivery. Here are the steps you can take as you prepare your presentation.

Do Thorough Research on the Topic

Before you decide on what audio and visuals to use, you must first prepare an outline and do your research on the topic to gather comprehensive data and facts that would be the foundation for your session.

Build the Body of Your Presentation

Now that you have all the information you need to prepare your presentation, the next step is to organize it in a file. You can do this by creating an outline that displays the headers of each section to be discussed, allowing for easy referencing and an uninterrupted flow. Here is a simple outline you can make use of:

• Title and Subtitle
• Table of Contents
• Title of Section 1
• Text of Section 1
• Title of Section 2
• Text of Section 2
• Summary or Review

Assemble your Audio and Visuals

Several platforms and software are available to assemble your audio and visuals into a presentation. Usually, these programs come with various themes and backgrounds that you can choose based on your audience. However, keep in mind that moderation is vital. Make sure not to overcrowd your presentation with images and only use graphics that fully enhance your points.

Adding Audio and Visual Components

Audio and visual components have the power to grab your audience’s attention, emphasize key points, and bring your message to life. Whether you’re giving a business presentation, academic lecture, or a creative pitch, the use of multimedia can help engage your audience. In this day and age, with technology at our fingertips, adding audio and visual components to a presentation has become easier than ever before, and can truly make a difference in how your message is received.

Choose the Right Images and Graphics

The images and graphics you use in your PowerPoint presentation should be relevant to your topic and emphasize your message. Avoid using generic images or clip art, and instead use high-quality images that are relevant to your presentation. Also, consider using infographics or diagrams to visually represent data or statistics.

Use Animations and Transitions

Animations and transitions can add interest and excitement to your presentation. Use them sparingly and strategically to highlight important points or to add emphasis. Don’t overdo it and keep it simple as too many animations and transitions can be distracting and take away from your message.

Use Video Clips

Video clips can be a powerful tool in your presentation, especially if you are trying to demonstrate a process or show a real-life example. When using video clips, make sure they are high-quality and relevant to your topic.

Create Your Audio File

Creating an audio file is another important step in this process. You first must decide what audio files will be added to your presentation. Are you making use of voice-overs , music, or sound effects? If you choose to include these methods, make sure that your audio and visuals are in sync and working together seamlessly to convey your intended message to your audience.

It’s best to create your audio files in sections that align with your outline to avoid any confusion. When incorporating sound effects or music, confirm that they are used sparingly to avoid overpowering the presentation. This approach will help prevent any mishaps or mix-ups, allowing you to deliver a polished and professional presentation that’s easy for your audience to follow.

Lastly, incorporating audio clips can be an excellent way to add some extra pizzazz to your presentation. From sound effects and background music to brief audio clips, there are many options to choose from to add interest and variety. However, a very important final step is to make sure you have the right licensing before you choose the music for your event.

Keep it Simple

Remember, the goal of your presentation is to convey your message clearly and effectively. Don’t let the audio and visuals overshadow your message. Keep it simple, and use audio and visuals to enhance and support your message, rather than detract from it.

Final Steps for Success

Test-run your presentation.

Once you’re done assembling your presentation, you need to do a test run to ensure it is seamless and error-free.

Test-running involves:

• Proofreading your text to identify any grammatical or structural issues.
• To avoid any glitches, particularly with regards to audio and video synchronization, make sure to watch the entire presentation from beginning to end.

The famous saying “practice makes perfect” applies in this regard. While some audio-visual presentations do not require a physical guide and delivery, others might. Rehearse as many times as necessary to confirm that you are adequately prepared before you stand before your audience.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What Is Visual Media?

Visual media is the process of conveying information in the form of illustrations and pictorial presentations. They include:

• Visualizations
• Animated GIFS

What Is the 5/5/5 Rule for Presentation?

The 5/5/5 rule of presentation states that there should be:

• No more than five words per line of text in a slide
• No more than five lines of text on each slide
• At most, five slides of the first two rules in a row

This approach helps prevent your presentation from becoming bogged down with extra details or overwhelming your audience with too much information.

Adding audio and visuals to presentations, are very effective ways to convey messages to an audience. This is because they incorporate all the elements required to disseminate information efficiently. At Vario Productions, we can help you create an excellent audio-visual presentation that leaves a strong impression on your audience.

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Tips to Consider for Effective Audio Visual Presentations

There are a number of considerations to take into account in order to get the best out of your audio visual presentations..

July 23, 2018 Victor Paan 5 Comments

Presentations have gone far beyond the traditional setting we’re very accustomed to. Technology is quickly being adopted in many forms for the purpose of reaching a much broader audience. Whether you are webcasting, hosting a webinar or videoconferencing, you are connecting with a virtual audience. As streaming technology advances, becoming much simpler and cost-effective, we’ve put together some tips to consider so your messaging is on-point.

Sound Quality

It is imperative to ensure that the quality of sound is top notch. Having muddled or a weak sound is not only annoying to those present, but far worse for remote attendees. Engagement is key to the success of your event, and poor audio quality will largely decrease the amount of people interested. Not only is it important the presenter is heard, but remote attendees and those sitting in the back of the room need to be able to hear audience members when a question is being asked. Ensuring a microphone is available is paramount!

Internet Bandwidth

Internet bandwidth is easily something that gets overlooked; purchasing enough bandwidth to cover the entirety and scale of your event is crucial. Internet bandwidth determines how much data can be transmitted and at what speed. Having shaking or freezing video streams will be frustrating for your live virtual audience. Be sure to check that you are getting what you are paying for and demand time for testing, as you don’t want to be scrambling on the day of.

Types of Cameras

To figure out how many cameras you’ll need, begin by determining which sessions you plan on live streaming. Streaming events need at least one fixed camera, and multiple cameras can be helpful if you have the budget for it, as they allow different angles and shots to be taken, keeping things engaging.

Victor Paan is Director of Digital Services for Freeman Audio Visual Canada . Since joining Freeman in 2002, Victor has worked diligently for his clients, advancing his career from a delivery technician role to his current position as the Director of Digital Services. In this capacity, he draws on his technical and sales experience to support Freeman’s teams and clients in integrating state-of-the-art event solutions that will transform, grow, and extend the world of live engagements.

Mobile Friendly

Mobile and tablets are increasingly popular with everyone using them to do all of their tasks. Having scalable streaming capabilities that are available on iOS and Android will make a huge difference in your event. Your remote audience will be able to tune in from wherever they are, and you’ll reach a larger group of people regardless of the device they’re using.

Virtual Audience

It’s easy to forget about those streaming in once your event is up and running. Making sure you engage your virtual audience is very important. Speakers should greet them at the beginning, use their name and where they are from when a question comes in, and remember to look into the camera when speaking, as the speaker will most likely be trained to look only at the local audience.

A mediator or MC is a great way to engage the audience, help them develop some conversation and allow them to feel part of the event, and as latency (delay) of streaming services becomes more immediate, also look to add engagement tools like polling and live Q&A for both your local and virtual audiences.

Following these tips for an effective audio visual presentation will help your event thrive and give your audience something to remember.

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Reader Interactions

August 6, 2018 at 7:47 pm

My sister will be presenting to a potential client of their company. It was explained here that in order to make sure that the presentation will go well, she should consider the sound quality and her virtual audience. Moreover, it’s advisable to consult professionals when planning to use audio-visual for a presentation.

October 12, 2018 at 4:29 am

Thank you Victor Paan to share help full blog. With the technical era we should use the best quality cameras, sound systems and ready to face any unnecessary in problem in technique of this services and should also have the replacement of these equipment. Virtual Audience, type of camera and sound quality is main things that should be under focused. Really helpful blog i will share this with my friends.

January 10, 2019 at 11:43 am

One of my friends is getting a degree in business, so he may want to learn how to use audiovisual solutions to help him move up. It makes sense that one should make sure that their event is mobile friendly, as more people have access to phones and tablets. Thanks for the great audiovisual event tips.

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17 fun presentation ideas (with video!) to wow your audience

• 30 Mar 2023

So you want to be the next Steve Jobs. Or Martin Luther King. Or any other dazzling orator you look up to. But you need a little something to add to your presentation ideas – you don’t want to bore people to death with Powerpoint.

Whether you’re creating a sales presentation, an event presentation, or just showing your travel video to Uncle Ron, we’ve compiled some of the best ways to get your audience seriously hyped up about your message.

Biteable offers online video presentation software, so we know a thing or two about making engaging presentation videos. In this guide, we share some of our favorite video presentation inspiration and show you some of the different types of presentations you might consider.

When you’re ready to make your own video presentation, head over to  Biteable  for hundreds of brandable templates, video scenes, and workplace-ready animations. With Biteable, making a video presentation is as easy as making a PowerPoint – only a whole lot more fun.

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Types of video presentations

If you’re looking to win over your audience with a presentation, videos are the best way to do it. According to Insivia, viewers retain  95% of a message  when they see it in a video, but only 10% if they have to read on-screen text.

When you’re making your presentation, you could either make your video the whole presentation, or just a part of the whole. Did you know, for example, that you can  embed a video in a Powerpoint document?  Either is possible with our video templates and it can be interesting to mix things up once in a while.

There are four main types of presentations:

• Informative
• Demonstrative
• Inspirational

Picking the right one will ensure you’re onto a winner with your video presentation. For example, if you’re onboarding some new employees, you might choose a video template that’s an informative presentation like this one:

Or, if you want to show off how something works, a demonstration presentation might be what you want to create:

A persuasive presentation would involve creating a video more like this charity infographic example:

And if you want something a little more inspirational, try something like this positive quote video template.

But that’s not all, folks! If you’d like to check out more awesome Biteable video templates, visit our  templates page here .

Creative (and fun!) video presentation ideas

You’ve now picked the type of presentation you need. But how do you get creative with your video?

First of all, it’s important your video is top-notch. Without high-quality graphics and production value, your message may fall by the wayside. Choose online  video presentation software  that’s easy to use and makes great-looking videos. That’s where Biteable comes in.

Whatever the topic of your presentation, your video format and design need to match the overall tone and message.

Delivering a corporate presentation on climate change? A fast-paced, wildly colorful template with upbeat music is going to feel a little off-message.

To identify how to design your presentation, think about the feelings you want to evoke in your audience. Want them to be crying with laughter? Moved to tears? Motivated into taking action? Pinpointing the emotions behind your presentation will help you choose the right template and make the best video possible.

17 great video presentation ideas

Now you’ve nailed down the type of video presentation you want to make, it’s time to master the finer details. Here’s just some of the ways you can make your message sing.

1. Start with a bold statement

A bold statement can capture your audience’s attention right from the get-go. Your statement should offer something slightly unusual and maybe even a little controversial. Something to make people sit up and take notice.

2. Tell a story

One of the best ways to get your audience’s attention is to tell a story – it’ll hit them right in the feels.

A personal, human story works because it the audience can relate to it on a personal level. Think about some stand-out examples of human stories that relate to your business or idea, and tell that story so people will connect with the central character. The bigger the emotion the better: love, longing, overcoming obstacles, things we’ve all had to deal with at some point in our lives.

Think about the  ‘story arc’  – how will you frame your message so the audience immediately empathizes?

If you’re selling trainers, perhaps you’ll talk about someone who’s training for a marathon. If you’re lobbying for women’s rights, perhaps you’ll tell a story of when a passing comment affected you deeply. Maybe you should think back to the decision that started your business, and start your presentation with that.

Here’s a great example of storytelling from one of the world’s top brands:

3. Use music

Music has great power to support and enhance the emotion in a video presentation, and has been proven to sustain an audience’s attention and aid in information retention. Music is used in movies to suggest an emotional state to the viewer, so why not in a video presentation?

Modern, up-tempo music will snap people to attention at the right moment, while slow, minor-key sounds relax the brain, which is useful for reviewing content so it can slip more easily into long-term memory.

It can be a struggle to find good quality  royalty free music , but here at Biteable we have a selection of great royalty free tracks (or you can upload your own if you’re that way inclined).

Music is one of the most critical (and often overlooked) aspects of any presentation. Here’s a good example of a Biteable template where the music does a great job of supporting the message.

4. Visual metaphor

Research has shown that combining pictures and text is one of the best ways to help people engage with and retain information. There’s something about how our brain works that makes text by itself far less memorable, so if you can combine something visual with your message, you’ll keep people’s attention longer and they’ll remember more of your presentation.

Talking to a group of people about taking action on something that scares them? A picture of someone diving or bungee jumping could work. Telling your boss how important that company retreat is next year? Show them an image of happy, relaxed people with their toes in the sand.

It doesn’t have to be obvious and clichéd, either. Closed doors, wide open roads, and lighting a candle all have subconscious messages that you don’t really need to explain. (Whatever you do, just don’t use the ultimate cliche: the overused  ‘water ripple’ .)

5. Use questions

Questions can be a great way to open a presentation, because they encourage the audience to think for themselves. It opens them up to a realm of critical thinking, which is perfect when you’re gonna sock it to them with your impactful message.

‘Did you know 15 billion trees are cut down each year?’

‘Have you ever considered what life would be like if you didn’t have to save money?’

The art of asking questions in a presentation means you can incorporate them into your video as a great lead-in. Combined with some appropriate music, it can really get your audience thinking about the issue, and then you’ll go on to explain exactly what your solution is.

Having a laugh can really do a lot to win over an audience. There’s no need to be too serious, and even if you’re dealing with a heavy topic, lightening the mood can work wonders.

Whether you’re looking to create a funny sales video, an event presentation, or a presentation for an interview — one thing’s for sure, you can’t go wrong by including humor.

7. Repetition

Simple. Effective. Powerful.

Repetition can be used in several ways: by offering several one-word sentences in a row (the repetition is in the rhythm), or by repeating a word or a key phrase several time throughout your presentation.

In his famous Stanford speech in 2005, for example, Steve Jobs concluded by saying  “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”

Repetition is powerful. It drives home your key message and strengthens your position.

8. Motion Graphics

Motion graphics  are basically animation with text as a major component, and is a staple of what we do at Biteable.

When you use moving graphics in a presentation, it instantly captures attention. If your audience is just taking their seats, or are halfway through hearing your story, there’s no doubt they’ll sit up and take notice if you introduce some cool motion graphics, like this Meeting Tips example.

Although they can sometimes feel clichéd, quotes are a great way to impart a message in a presentation. Want your audience to understand something complex? A quote from Einstein should do it. Or would you like to say something meaningful and poetic? A couple of lines of Shakespeare should convey some wisdom.

10. Audio narration

Narration can give a different mood to your presentation, especially if the voice is powerful and the words are heartfelt. Use it to change the tone or pace of your presentation and it will certainly keep your audience hooked if there’s a danger of them losing interest.

11. Go bright with color

Color can have a huge effect on how your video comes across. Don’t be afraid to experiment. The contrasts of black and white can be extremely effective, but you can also grab people’s attention with some carefully-chosen primary and secondary colors, like in our Motion Graphics template.

12. Use illustrations

Illustrations are a great way to communicate information, especially if you’ve got lots to say. Whether you want to create a crowd of people or a cool depiction of some new fancy gadget, illustrations can draw the eye and make your presentation more interesting.

13. Infographics

When you utilize infographics, you can pack in a huge amount of data and information without confusing your audience. Think pie charts, digital numbers, and ascending animated graphs. These can show your audience boring data in an exciting way.

14. Create interesting transitions

The one advantage of video over a standard presentation is that you can do all types of funky things with transitions, like a whip pan transition, when the camera quickly pans between scenes. It’s a bit like a wipe, but much faster. Check out our full article on transitions  here .

15. Make it look cinematic

Adding a cinematic touch can help your audience feel receptive to your message because subconsciously, they will associate these elements with being at the cinema, eating popcorn, and generally having a good time.

16. Go retro

A cool, retro look for your presentation will make it hard to ignore. By going retro, you add a little bit of cheeky style to your message. You don’t need to go  quite as retro as the template below, but taking a step back in time is a sure way to add a little bit of zing to things.

17. End on a meaningful note

Your presentation will only give your audience a lasting impression if you end it right.

It’s important to let the audience know what you want them to do next: to visit a website for more information, to ponder an idea or new direction, or to take action toward a particular goal.

An attention-grabbing visual will work really well here, along with a meaningful end to the music – a change of pace, volume, or pitch.

What’s the takeaway message? A strong CTA (call to action) will ensure your presentation is memorable and much more likely to be talked about.

Video brings your presentation alive

Of course, we’re a little biased here at Biteable, but we’ve also sat through enough mind-numbingly dull presentations to know that video offers a delightful treat for your audience. It brings your message to life in a way no other medium can.

Ready to start crafting your presentation? Check out our range of templates  here .

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Make Your Presentations Exciting With Audio-Visual Elements

By  Lindsay Oden

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Lindsay Oden recently graduated with an MA in History from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. You can listen to his podcast and read his website , or follow him on Twitter .

You no longer need a video editing suite to make professional videos.

Bad presentations can alienate an audience and undermine your credibility. I’ve written before about some of the mistakes grad students make when giving conference presentations, and one of them is not utilizing audiovisual materials to enhance presentations. Whether it’s teaching, presenting at a conference, presenting in the classroom, or sharing research online, audiovisual tools can bring an extra dimension of excitement and intrigue to your work. Fellow GradHackers Heather VanMouwerik and Natascha Chtena have both written about using videos, audio recordings, and music in the classroom to augment lectures, so I’m going to show you some tools to improve conference and classroom presentations.

As the summer gets underway, you have an opportunity to learn a new skill or familiarize yourself with new software. Many computers come equipped with some audio and video editing software already installed, but there are many free and cheap options available to download as well. The technology available to us allows us to bring a vibrancy to presentations. As a historian of the 20th century, I’d argue that there are so many primary sources available that it is negligent to exclude them from presentations. And many disciplines—including history, sociology, journalism, musicology, and cultural studies—rely on audio and visual resources as evidence, so they should be fundamental elements in research presentations.

In total, I love letting my subjects speak for themselves, either in audio clips or video segments. These people often have moving and emotional narratives, and the audience for your presentation may be deeply affected by the materials you include. Make your presentation memorable and exciting, and ditch the PowerPoint slides that are walls of text.

Video editing software

Videos are the most striking medium because they combine the potency of seeing actual people on screen with the filmmaking techniques that keep people emotionally engaged, like editing, background music, and visual effects. You don’t have to be the next Michael Bay to realize the power of film. And better yet, many of the available video editing programs are simple and intuitive, so you don’t need to go to film school to learn how to use them.

Most computers—either Mac or PC—come with some video editing software pre-installed, like iMovie or Windows Movie Maker . These are basic programs that provide minimal functionality, but they are easy to use and free. They allow you to splice together film clips and add music or narration, all at minimal cost.

I prefer to use a program called Sony Vegas . Previous versions of the program are available for purchase, so it can be relatively cheap (I got my 2014 version for only $15.00). Sony Vegas is more robust and gives you more features, like multiple video tracks, a large effects suite, plugins, and export options. Other programs like Apple’s Final Cut or Adobe’s Premiere are also available.

More importantly, you can find thousands of online tutorials for each of these programs. They can quickly show you how to make your videos look professional and they can teach you how to use the thousands of features. Free tutorials make these programs easy to learn.

Audio editing software

If you want to give your presentation a soundtrack, then you’ll need audio editing software to piece together the various bits of music or sounds you want to use. Software like Audacity (free!), GarageBand , and Reaper allow you to import audio clips, trim them to the length you want, and export full, edited tracks. Rather than playing an entire song or manually skipping to a specific place in an audio track, editing the sounds you want can help you present the best possible or most representative audio clips to your audience. You might find this helpful if you want to play great lines from an oral history, interview, video, or song.

There are also programs online that allow you to download audio clips from videos online if you don’t want to use the video portion. Using a site like youtube-mp3.org lets you download the audio files from videos, edit them as you want, and use them in your presentations.

If you are feeling very creative, you can use audio editing software to combine audio clips, such as adding emotional music to a powerful speech, like filmmakers do in movies. You can also use audio editing software to record your own music to be used as background filler for your presentation. Make those years of piano lessons pay off.

That’s a wrap!

Audio and video editing software offer export options, meaning you can choose which file type you want to export when you’re finished. Sony Vegas has numerous high-definition formats to choose from, and Reaper lets you determine the sound quality of the files you export. Then you can upload your files to YouTube, Dropbox, Google Drive, SoundCloud, or other sharing sites so that they are easily accessible during your presentations.

Then, use the embed function in PowerPoint, Google Slides, Prezi, or Keynote to put your audiovisual files directly into your presentation. One of the reasons why Google Slides has become so popular is that you can embed videos from YouTube straight into Google Slides, and then set the video to play automatically at a specific time or with a click. By placing your videos or sounds directly into your presentation program, you can seamlessly integrate them into your speech.

Your audiovisual elements should come naturally in your presentation. They can serve as attention-grabbers, evidence, examples, or memorable takeaways for the audience. Let them enhance your research and keep the audience engaged.

How have you used audiovisual materials in presentations? What other programs might be helpful for researchers to present these kinds of materials? Let us know in the comments.

[Image from Wikimedia Commons , used under Creative Commons license]

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Tips to Consider for an Effective Audio Visual Presentation

Related posts.

3 Factors to Consider When Thinking About Audio for Your Next Conference

Presentations have gone far beyond the traditional setting we’re very accustomed to. Technology is quickly being adopted in many forms for the purpose of reaching a much broader audience. Whether you are webcasting, hosting a webinar or videoconferencing, you are connecting with a virtual audience.  As streaming technology advances, becoming much simpler and cost-effective, we’ve put together some tips to consider so your messaging is on-point.

Sound Quality

It is imperative to ensure that the quality of sound is top notch. Having muddled or a weak sound is not only annoying to those present, but far worse for remote attendees. Engagement is key to the success of your event, and poor audio quality will largely decrease the amount of people interested. Not only is it important the presenter is heard, but remote attendees and those sitting in the back of the room need to be able to hear audience members when a question is being asked. Ensuring a microphone is available is paramount!

Internet Bandwidth

Internet bandwidth is easily something that gets overlooked; purchasing enough bandwidth to cover the entirety and scale of your event is crucial. Internet bandwidth determines how much data can be transmitted and at what speed. Having shaking or freezing video streams will be frustrating for your live virtual audience. Be sure to check that you are getting what you are paying for and demand time for testing, as you don’t want to be scrambling on the day of.

Types of Cameras

To figure out how many cameras you’ll need, begin by determining which sessions you plan on live streaming. Streaming events need at least one fixed camera, and multiple cameras can be helpful if you have the budget for it, as they allow different angles and shots to be taken, keeping things engaging.

Mobile Friendly

Mobile and tablets are increasingly popular with everyone using them to do all of their tasks. Having scalable streaming capabilities that are available on iOS and Android will make a huge difference in your event. Your remote audience will be able to tune in from wherever they are, and you’ll reach a larger group of people regardless of the device they’re using.

Virtual Audience

It’s easy to forget about those streaming in once your event is up and running. Making sure you engage your virtual audience is very important. Speakers should greet them at the beginning, use their name and where they are from when a question comes in, and remember to look into the camera when speaking, as the speaker will most likely be trained to look only at the local audience.

A mediator or MC is a great way to engage the audience, help them develop some conversation and allow them to feel part of the event, and as latency (delay) of streaming services becomes more immediate, also look to add engagement tools like polling and live Q&A for both your local and virtual audiences.

Following these tips for an effective audio visual presentation will help your event thrive and give your audience something to remember. Contact us for more information.

Author Victor Paan Freeman Audio Visual Canada Director of Digital Services

Victor Paan is Director of Digital Services for  Freeman Audio Visual Canada . Since joining Freeman in 2002, Victor has worked diligently for his clients, advancing his career from a delivery technician role to his current position as the Director of Digital Services. In this capacity, he draws on his technical and sales experience to support Freeman’s teams and clients in integrating state-of-the-art event solutions that will transform, grow, and extend the world of live engagements.

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Blog Graphic Design Visual Presentation: Tips, Types and Examples

Visual Presentation: Tips, Types and Examples

Written by: Krystle Wong Sep 28, 2023

So, you’re gearing up for that big presentation and you want it to be more than just another snooze-fest with slides. You want it to be engaging, memorable and downright impressive. 

Well, you’ve come to the right place — I’ve got some slick tips on how to create a visual presentation that’ll take your presentation game up a notch. 

Packed with presentation templates that are easily customizable, keep reading this blog post to learn the secret sauce behind crafting presentations that captivate, inform and remain etched in the memory of your audience.

Click to jump ahead:

What is a visual presentation

15 effective tips to make your visual presentations more engaging, 6 major types of visual presentation you should know , what are some common mistakes to avoid in visual presentations, visual presentation faqs, 5 steps to create a visual presentation with venngage.

A visual presentation is a communication method that utilizes visual elements such as images, graphics, charts, slides and other visual aids to convey information, ideas or messages to an audience. 

Visual presentations aim to enhance comprehension engagement and the overall impact of the message through the strategic use of visuals. People remember what they see, making your point last longer in their heads. 

Without further ado, let’s jump right into some great visual presentation examples that would do a great job in keeping your audience interested and getting your point across.

In today’s fast-paced world, where information is constantly bombarding our senses, creating engaging visual presentations has never been more crucial. To help you design a presentation that’ll leave a lasting impression, I’ve compiled these examples of visual presentations that will elevate your game.

1. Use the rule of thirds for layout

Ever heard of the rule of thirds? It’s a presentation layout trick that can instantly up your slide game. Imagine dividing your slide into a 3×3 grid and then placing your text and visuals at the intersection points or along the lines. This simple tweak creates a balanced and seriously pleasing layout that’ll draw everyone’s eyes.

2. Get creative with visual metaphors

Got a complex idea to explain? Skip the jargon and use visual metaphors. Throw in images that symbolize your point – for example, using a road map to show your journey towards a goal or using metaphors to represent answer choices or progress indicators in an interactive quiz or poll.

3. Engage with storytelling through data

Use storytelling magic to bring your data to life. Don’t just throw numbers at your audience—explain what they mean, why they matter and add a bit of human touch. Turn those stats into relatable tales and watch your audience’s eyes light up with understanding.

4. Visualize your data with charts and graphs

The right data visualization tools not only make content more appealing but also aid comprehension and retention. Choosing the right visual presentation for your data is all about finding a good match. 

For ordinal data, where things have a clear order, consider using ordered bar charts or dot plots. When it comes to nominal data, where categories are on an equal footing, stick with the classics like bar charts, pie charts or simple frequency tables. And for interval-ratio data, where there’s a meaningful order, go for histograms, line graphs, scatterplots or box plots to help your data shine.

In an increasingly visual world, effective visual communication is a valuable skill for conveying messages. Here’s a guide on how to use visual communication to engage your audience while avoiding information overload.

5. Employ the power of contrast

Want your important stuff to pop? That’s where contrast comes in. Mix things up with contrasting colors, fonts or shapes. It’s like highlighting your key points with a neon marker – an instant attention grabber.

6. End with a powerful visual punch

Your presentation closing should be a showstopper. Think a stunning clip art that wraps up your message with a visual bow, a killer quote that lingers in minds or a call to action that gets hearts racing.

7. Tell a visual story

Structure your slides like a storybook and create a visual narrative by arranging your slides in a way that tells a story. Each slide should flow into the next, creating a visual narrative that keeps your audience hooked till the very end.

Icons and images are essential for adding visual appeal and clarity to your presentation. Venngage provides a vast library of icons and images, allowing you to choose visuals that resonate with your audience and complement your message. 

8. Show the “before and after” magic

Want to drive home the impact of your message or solution? Whip out the “before and after” technique. Show the current state (before) and the desired state (after) in a visual way. It’s like showing a makeover transformation, but for your ideas.

9. Add fun with visual quizzes and polls

To break the monotony and see if your audience is still with you, throw in some quick image quizzes or polls. It’s like a mini-game break in your presentation — your audience gets involved and it makes your presentation way more dynamic and memorable.

10. Use visuals wisely

Your visuals are the secret sauce of a great presentation. Cherry-pick high-quality images, graphics, charts and videos that not only look good but also align with your message’s vibe. Each visual should have a purpose – they’re not just there for decoration. 

11. Utilize visual hierarchy

Employ design principles like contrast, alignment and proximity to make your key info stand out. Play around with fonts, colors and placement to make sure your audience can’t miss the important stuff.

12. Engage with multimedia

Static slides are so last year. Give your presentation some sizzle by tossing in multimedia elements. Think short video clips, animations, or a touch of sound when it makes sense, including an animated logo .

For those dealing with multilingual audiences, consider the use of an AI image translator to seamlessly convert text within images to various languages, enhancing accessibility and understanding. There are tons of video and clip creator tools like HubSpot or Adobe But remember, these are sidekicks, not the main act, so use them smartly.

13. Interact with your audience

Turn your presentation into a two-way street. Start your presentation by encouraging your audience to join in with thought-provoking questions, quick polls or using interactive tools. Get them chatting and watch your presentation come alive.

When it comes to delivering a group presentation, it’s important to have everyone on the team on the same page. Venngage’s real-time collaboration tools enable you and your team to work together seamlessly, regardless of geographical locations. Collaborators can provide input, make edits and offer suggestions in real time. 

14. Incorporate stories and examples

Weave in relatable stories, personal anecdotes or real-life examples to illustrate your points. It’s like adding a dash of spice to your content – it becomes more memorable and relatable.

15. Nail that delivery

Don’t just stand there and recite facts like a robot — be a confident and engaging presenter. Lock eyes with your audience, mix up your tone and pace and use some gestures to drive your points home. Practice and brush up your presentation skills until you’ve got it down pat for a persuasive presentation that flows like a pro.

Venngage offers a wide selection of professionally designed presentation templates, each tailored for different purposes and styles. By choosing a template that aligns with your content and goals, you can create a visually cohesive and polished presentation that captivates your audience.

Looking for more presentation ideas ? Why not try using a presentation software that will take your presentations to the next level with a combination of user-friendly interfaces, stunning visuals, collaboration features and innovative functionalities that will take your presentations to the next level. 

Visual presentations come in various formats, each uniquely suited to convey information and engage audiences effectively. Here are six major types of visual presentations that you should be familiar with:

1. Slideshows or PowerPoint presentations

Slideshows are one of the most common forms of visual presentations. They typically consist of a series of slides containing text, images, charts, graphs and other visual elements. Slideshows are used for various purposes, including business presentations, educational lectures and conference talks.

2. Infographics

Infographics are visual representations of information, data or knowledge. They combine text, images and graphics to convey complex concepts or data in a concise and visually appealing manner. Infographics are often used in marketing, reporting and educational materials.

Don’t worry, they are also super easy to create thanks to Venngage’s fully customizable infographics templates that are professionally designed to bring your information to life. Be sure to try it out for your next visual presentation!

3. Video presentation

Videos are your dynamic storytellers. Whether it’s pre-recorded or happening in real-time, videos are the showstoppers. You can have interviews, demos, animations or even your own mini-documentary. Video presentations are highly engaging and can be shared in both in-person and virtual presentations .

4. Charts and graphs

Charts and graphs are visual representations of data that make it easier to understand and analyze numerical information. Common types include bar charts, line graphs, pie charts and scatterplots. They are commonly used in scientific research, business reports and academic presentations.

Effective data visualizations are crucial for simplifying complex information and Venngage has got you covered. Venngage’s chart templates enable you to create engaging charts, graphs,and infographics that enhance audience understanding and retention, leaving a lasting impression in your presentation.

5. Interactive presentations

Interactive presentations involve audience participation and engagement. These can include interactive polls, quizzes, games and multimedia elements that allow the audience to actively participate in the presentation. Interactive presentations are often used in workshops, training sessions and webinars.

Venngage’s interactive presentation tools enable you to create immersive experiences that leave a lasting impact and enhance audience retention. By incorporating features like clickable elements, quizzes and embedded multimedia, you can captivate your audience’s attention and encourage active participation.

6. Poster presentations

Poster presentations are the stars of the academic and research scene. They consist of a large poster that includes text, images and graphics to communicate research findings or project details and are usually used at conferences and exhibitions. For more poster ideas, browse through Venngage’s gallery of poster templates to inspire your next presentation.

Different visual presentations aside, different presentation methods also serve a unique purpose, tailored to specific objectives and audiences. Find out which type of presentation works best for the message you are sending across to better capture attention, maintain interest and leave a lasting impression. 

To make a good presentation , it’s crucial to be aware of common mistakes and how to avoid them. Without further ado, let’s explore some of these pitfalls along with valuable insights on how to sidestep them.

Overloading slides with text

Text heavy slides can be like trying to swallow a whole sandwich in one bite – overwhelming and unappetizing. Instead, opt for concise sentences and bullet points to keep your slides simple. Visuals can help convey your message in a more engaging way.

Using low-quality visuals

Grainy images and pixelated charts are the equivalent of a scratchy vinyl record at a DJ party. High-resolution visuals are your ticket to professionalism. Ensure that the images, charts and graphics you use are clear, relevant and sharp.

Choosing the right visuals for presentations is important. To find great visuals for your visual presentation, Browse Venngage’s extensive library of high-quality stock photos. These images can help you convey your message effectively, evoke emotions and create a visually pleasing narrative. 

Ignoring design consistency

Imagine a book with every chapter in a different font and color – it’s a visual mess. Consistency in fonts, colors and formatting throughout your presentation is key to a polished and professional look.

Reading directly from slides

Reading your slides word-for-word is like inviting your audience to a one-person audiobook session. Slides should complement your speech, not replace it. Use them as visual aids, offering key points and visuals to support your narrative.

Lack of visual hierarchy

Neglecting visual hierarchy is like trying to find Waldo in a crowd of clones. Coupling this with video transcription can make your presentation more comprehensive and engaging. Use size, color and positioning to emphasize what’s most important. Guide your audience’s attention to key points so they don’t miss the forest for the trees.

Ignoring accessibility

Accessibility isn’t an option these days; it’s a must. Forgetting alt text for images, color contrast and closed captions for videos can exclude individuals with disabilities from understanding your presentation. 

Relying too heavily on animation

While animations can add pizzazz and draw attention, overdoing it can overshadow your message. Use animations sparingly and with purpose to enhance, not detract from your content.

Using jargon and complex language

Keep it simple. Use plain language and explain terms when needed. You want your message to resonate, not leave people scratching their heads.

Not testing interactive elements

Interactive elements can be the life of your whole presentation, but not testing them beforehand is like jumping into a pool without checking if there’s water. Ensure that all interactive features, from live polls to multimedia content, work seamlessly. A smooth experience keeps your audience engaged and avoids those awkward technical hiccups.

Presenting complex data and information in a clear and visually appealing way has never been easier with Venngage. Build professional-looking designs with our free visual chart slide templates for your next presentation.

What is a visual presentation?

A visual presentation is a method of presenting information through visual aids such as slides, images, charts and videos. It enhances understanding and retention by illustrating key points and data visually. Visual presentations are commonly used in meetings, lectures, and conferences to engage and inform the audience effectively.

What is the role of storytelling in visual presentations?

Storytelling plays a crucial role in visual presentations by providing a narrative structure that engages the audience, helps them relate to the content and makes the information more memorable.

What software or tools can I use to create visual presentations?

You can use various software and tools to create visual presentations, including Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, Adobe Illustrator, Canva, Prezi and Venngage, among others.

What is the difference between a visual presentation and a written report?

The main difference between a visual presentation and a written report is the medium of communication. Visual presentations rely on visuals, such as slides, charts and images to convey information quickly, while written reports use text to provide detailed information in a linear format.

How do I effectively communicate data through visual presentations?

To effectively communicate data through visual presentations, simplify complex data into easily digestible charts and graphs, use clear labels and titles and ensure that your visuals support the key messages you want to convey.

Are there any accessibility considerations for visual presentations?

Accessibility considerations for visual presentations include providing alt text for images, ensuring good color contrast, using readable fonts and providing transcripts or captions for multimedia content to make the presentation inclusive.

Most design tools today make accessibility hard but Venngage’s Accessibility Design Tool comes with accessibility features baked in, including accessible-friendly and inclusive icons.

How do I choose the right visuals for my presentation?

Choose visuals that align with your content and message. Use charts for data, images for illustrating concepts, icons for emphasis and color to evoke emotions or convey themes.

How can I adapt my visual presentations for online or virtual audiences?

To adapt visual presentations for online or virtual audiences, focus on concise content, use engaging visuals, ensure clear audio, encourage audience interaction through chat or polls and rehearse for a smooth online delivery.

What is the role of data visualization in visual presentations?

Data visualization in visual presentations simplifies complex data by using charts, graphs and diagrams, making it easier for the audience to understand and interpret information.

How do I choose the right color scheme and fonts for my visual presentation?

Choose a color scheme that aligns with your content and brand and select fonts that are readable and appropriate for the message you want to convey.

How can I measure the effectiveness of my visual presentation?

Measure the effectiveness of your visual presentation by collecting feedback from the audience, tracking engagement metrics (e.g., click-through rates for online presentations) and evaluating whether the presentation achieved its intended objectives.

Follow the 5 simple steps below to make your entire presentation visually appealing and impactful:

1. Sign up and log In: Log in to your Venngage account or sign up for free and gain access to Venngage’s templates and design tools.

2. Choose a template: Browse through Venngage’s presentation template library and select one that best suits your presentation’s purpose and style. Venngage offers a variety of pre-designed templates for different types of visual presentations, including infographics, reports, posters and more.

3. Edit and customize your template: Replace the placeholder text, image and graphics with your own content and customize the colors, fonts and visual elements to align with your presentation’s theme or your organization’s branding.

4. Add visual elements: Venngage offers a wide range of visual elements, such as icons, illustrations, charts, graphs and images, that you can easily add to your presentation with the user-friendly drag-and-drop editor.

5. Save and export your presentation: Export your presentation in a format that suits your needs and then share it with your audience via email, social media or by embedding it on your website or blog .

So, as you gear up for your next presentation, whether it’s for business, education or pure creative expression, don’t forget to keep these visual presentation ideas in your back pocket.

Feel free to experiment and fine-tune your approach and let your passion and expertise shine through in your presentation. With practice, you’ll not only build presentations but also leave a lasting impact on your audience – one slide at a time.

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The benefits of interactive slides

🗣️ Active participation An interactive slide deck gives your audience cool things to click on and discover, boosting learning and engagement.

👂 Multi-sensory experience Audio, video, animations, and mouse interactions make your content immersive, entertaining and accessible.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 People-friendly format Pop-ups and embeds condense more material into fewer slides so you can break information down into digestible chunks.


🎮 Gamification Games, quizzes and puzzles make information more memorable and enable you to gather feedback and check understanding.

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What’s an interactive presentation?

Interactive slides contain clickable hotspots, links, buttons, and animations that are activated at the touch of a button. Instead of reading or watching passively, your audience can actively interact with the content.  

Genially’s interaction presentation software allows you to combine text, photos, video clips, audio and other content in one deck. It’s a great way to condense more information into fewer slides. 

If you’re a teacher, you can share multiple materials in one single learning resource. Students can create their own projects using digital media and online maps. For business or training, try embedding spreadsheet data, PDFs, and online content directly in your slides. 

An interactive slide deck is more user-friendly than a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation or Google Slides document. That’s because you can break information down into chunks with pop-ups, labels, voiceovers and annotated infographics.  

The other benefit of interactive content is increased engagement. It’s easier to keep your audience’s attention when they’re actively participating. Try Genially’s presentation software and free slideshow maker to see how it’s better than other presentation websites. You won’t go back to standard presentation apps!

How do you make a clickable slide?

The best way to make slides clickable is to use Genially’s free interactive presentation program. Design your slide then apply an interaction. In a couple of clicks, you can add popup windows, hyperlinks, close-up images, games, animations, multimedia and other content. 

Choose from the library of hotspot buttons and icons to show people what to click on. Go to Presenter View to get a preview and see how your content will appear to your audience.

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2024's Must-See Visual Presentation Examples to Power Up Your Deck

Anh Vu • 05 April, 2024 • 8 min read

Keep on reading because these visual presentation examples will blow your boring decks away! For many people, delivering a presentation is a daunting project, even before it turns to hybrid and virtual displays due to the pandemic. To avoid the Death By PowerPoint phenomenon, it is time to adopt new techniques to make your presentations more visual and impressive.

This article tries to encourage you to think outside of the slide by providing essential elements of a successful visual presentation, especially for the new presenter and those who want to save time, money, and effort for the upcoming presentation deadline.

Table of Contents

What is a visual presentation.

• Types of Visual Presentation Examples

How to Create a Visual Presentation

• What Makes a Good Presentation Visual?

Frequently Asked Questions

How ahaslides supports a good visual presentation.

As mentioned before, you need a presentation tool to make your presentation more visual and engaging. The art of leveraging visual elements is all intended visual aids make sense and kick off audiences' imagination, curiosity, and interest from the entire presentation.

The easiest way to create interaction between the presenter and the audience is by asking for rhetorical and thought-provoking quizzes and quick surveys during the presentation. AhaSlides , with a range of live polls , live Q&A , word clouds >, interactive questions, image questions, creative fonts, and integration with streaming platforms can help you to make a good visual presentation in just a second.

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So, what are the visual presentation examples? When providing as much information as possible, many presenters think that text-heavy slides may help, but by contrast, they may lead to distraction. As we explore the characteristics of good presentations, illustrations and graphics play an important role in delivering compelling content and turning complex concepts more clearly, precisely, and instantly to understand. A visual presentation is the adoption of a range of visual aids on presentation to ensure information is easier to understand and memorize. 

In addition, visual aids can also help to keep presenters on track, which can be used as a cue for reviving a train of thought. They build better interaction and communication between presenters and the audience, making them notice more deeply what you are saying.

Types of Visual Presentation Examples 

Some possible visual presentations include infographics , charts, diagrams, posters, flipcharts, idea board , whiteboards, and video presentation examples. 

An infographic is a collection of different graphic visual presentations to represent information, data, or knowledge intended more visually quickly and clearly to grab the audience's attention.

To illustrate quantitative data effectively, it is important to make use of graphs and charts. For both business use and research use, graphs and charts can show multiple and complex data in a way that is easy to understand and memory.

When it comes to presenting information systematically and logically, you can use diagrams. A diagram is a powerful tool for effective communication and brainstorming processes. It also is time-saving for people to read and collect information.

A poster, especially a research project poster, provides brief and concrete information about a research paper straightforwardly. The audiences can grab all important data knowledge and findings through posters. 

A flipchart and whiteboard are the most basic presentation aids and work best to supplement lecture slides. Excellent whiteboard and flipchart composite of well-chosen words, and clear diagram will help to explain complex concepts.

A video presentation is not a new concept, it is a great way to spread ideas lively and quickly attract the audience's attention. The advantages of a video presentation lie in its animation and illustration concepts, fascinating sound effects, and user-friendliness. 

In addition, we can add many types of visual aids in the presentations as long as they can give shapes and form words or thoughts into visual content. Most popular visual aids include graphs, statistics, charts, and diagrams that should be noted in your mind. These elements combined with verbal are a great way to engage the listeners’ imagination and also emphasize vital points more memorable.

It is simply to create more visual presentations than you think. With the development of technology and the internet, you can find visual presentation examples and templates for a second. PowerPoint is a good start, but there are a variety of quality alternatives, such as AhaSlides , Keynote, and Prezi.

When it comes to designing an effective visual presentation, you may identify some key steps beforehand:

Visual Presentation Examples - Focus on Your Topic

Firstly, you need to determine your purpose and understand your audience's needs. If you are going to present in a seminar with your audience of scientists, engineers, business owners… They are likely to care about data under simple charts and graphs, which explain the results or trends. Or if you are going to give a lecture for secondary students, your slides should be something fun and interesting, with more colourful pictures and interactive questions.

Visual Presentation Examples - Animation and Transition

When you want to add a bit of excitement to a slideshow and help to keep the listener more engaged, you use animation and transition. These functions help to shift the focus of audiences between elements on slides. When the transition style and setting are set right, it can help to give fluidity and professionalism to a slideshow.

Visual Presentation Examples - Devices for Interactivity

One of the approaches that improve communication between audiences and the use of visual aids is using technology assistance. You don’t want to take too much time to create well-designed visual aids while ensuring your presentation is impressive, so why not leverage a presentation app like AhaSlides ? It properly encourages participant engagement with interactive visual features and templates and is time-saving. With its help, you can design your presentation either formally or informally depending on your interest.

Visual Presentation Examples - Give an Eye-catching Title

Believe it or not, the title is essential to attracting audiences at first sight. Though don’t “read the book by its cover”, you still can put your thoughts into a unique title that conveys the topic while piquing the viewer’s interest. 

Visual Presentation Examples - Play a Short Video

Creative video presentation ideas are always important. “Videos evoke emotional responses”, it will be a mistake if you don’t leverage short videos with sound to reel in and captivate the audience's attention. You can put the video at the beginning of the presentation as a brief introduction to your topic, or you can play it as a supplement to explain difficult concepts. 

Visual Presentation Examples - Use a Prop or Creative Visual Aid to Inject Humour

It is challenging to keep your audience interested and engaged with your audience from the whole presentation. It is why to add a prop or creative visual aid to pull your audience's focus on what you say. Here are some ideas to cover it:

• Use neon colour and duotones
• Tell a personal story
• Show a shocking heading
• Use isometric illustrations
• Go vertical

Visual Presentation Examples - Rehearsal and Get Feedback

It is an important step to make your visual presentation really work out. You won’t know any unexpected mirrors may come out on D-day if you don’t make the rehearsal and get feedback from a reliable source. If they say that your visual image is in bad-quality, the data is overwhelming, or the pictures are misunderstood, you can have an alternative plan in advance.

What Makes a Good Visual Presentation?

Incorporate visual or audio media appropriately. Ensure you arrange and integrate suitable data presentation in your slides or videos. You can read the guidelines for visual aids applications in the following:

• Choose a readable text size about the slide room and text spacing in about 5-7 doubted-spaced.
• Use consistent colour for overall presentation, visual aids work better in white yellow and blue backgrounds.
• Take care of data presentation, and avoid oversimplification or too much detail.
• Keep the data shown minimum and highlight really important data points only.
• Choose font carefully, keep in mind that lowercase is easier to read than uppercase
• Don’t mix fonts.
• Printed text is easier to read than handwritten text.
• Use the visual to emphasize punctuation in your verbal presentation.
• Say no to poor-quality images or videos.
• Visual elements need to be strategic and relevant.

What well-designed visual aids should have?

To make an effective visual aid, you must follow principles of design, including contrast, alignment, repetition, and proximity.

Why is it important to keep visual aids simple?

Simple ads help to keep things clear and understandable, so the message can be communicated effectively.

What is the purpose of visual aids in the classroom?

To encourage the learning process and make it easier and more interesting so students would want to engage in lessons more.

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• Configure Your Teaching Space (lighting, audio, and more)

Prepare Your Content in Advance

Tools and equipment, resources and references, optimizing video and audio for online instruction.

We’ve developed this page to help you think through what you need -- and how you can best set it up -- to teach clearly and effectively online. The better your students can see and hear you, the easier it is for them to connect and engage with the material in your course. Simple, achievable visual and audio configurations will enhance your pedagogy and media production for live and asynchronous content.

Whether you are presenting via Zoom, creating materials in advance for students to engage with before class, or developing visual and audio materials throughout the semester, this page will help you:

• Optimize your A/V practices for synchronous and asynchronous instruction
• Prepare your content in advance
• Compare options for tech tools, equipment, and home studio configurations

These recommended practices build on the Best Practices page of this site. They come from multi-media learning experts with thousands of hours of experience developing instructional media. In addition, there is a rich vein of academic scholarship that speaks to the ways in which well-crafted and thoughtfully prepared video and audio materials can have a meaningful impact on students' learning experiences

Focus on engaging with your students

• Spend the time to make sure your teaching space is set up to match your teaching style. It will improve your and your students’ experience. It is not necessary to invest in high-budget production , or spend any money at all, to achieve this. An informal setting can create a personal feel, and help students feel connected to you.
• Take advantage of the ways that audio and visual technologies enhance learners’ experience in your course. Bring a sense of enthusiasm into your voice when you are presenting, use compelling audio and visual examples to deepen learners’ understanding of key terms and concepts, and make full use of collaborative technologies whenever possible. (See Best Practices for helpful remote teaching guidance and tools.) 
• Use closed captioning and auto-generated transcripts , not only to ensure fully equitable instruction for everyone, but because learners with different styles benefit from a combination of written, spoken, and visual material. Harvard's Digital Accessibility Services offers recommendations on captioning .

Prepare your audio and visual teaching in advance

• Use scripting, planning, and prototyping materials for colleagues to review. They'll help you focus and help your students learn better.
• Stick to your learning objectives. It is tempting to add a lot of information to videos, voiceovers, and slides. Be sure to use media to support your learning goals, not distract from them. You can lighten your students’ cognitive load by keeping your materials focused, relevant, and engaging.

Optimize Your A/V Practices

The advice here applies to creating both synchronous and asynchronous materials. You can also visit  Prepare Your Content in Advance for more suggestions.

Configure Your Teaching Space

Your teaching space should allow you to teach in your own style and to feel comfortable, prepared, and able to fully engage with your students. You don’t need to spend a fortune -- or any money at all -- to make that possible. Below, we have included a few key things to think about as you get yourself set up for teaching this year.

• Backgrounds and locations

Sitting vs. standing; showing up on camera

Recorded audio quality, your home network.

• Light yourself from the front: consider a desk lamp moved behind and above your computer. Position it to have the light come from above and off slightly to one side of your face at a ~30-45 degree angle.
• Avoid backlight and overhead lighting , as these can cast unflattering shadows.
• Don't sit or stand with a window behind you , as the camera's light balance will be thrown off and your face mostly obscured.

Background and locations

• Avoid busy backgrounds . Students may be tempted to spend more time examining what’s going on behind you than focusing on the material, and many cameras (especially those built into computers) have a hard time remaining focused on your face if there are a lot of things competing for autofocus.
• Protect your own digital privacy: avoid having photos or objects that would allow someone to find you or your loved ones and potentially compromise your security online.
• Avoid backgrounds showing copyright-protected artwork, images, or objects. Should you envision a future use for your content, this may prevent you from doing so.

Some instructors will want to stand, some will want to sit. The choice is ultimately yours, although it may be the case that standing can help increase a sense of energy and dynamism. We suggest continuing whichever format you typically used in your face-to-face classes. In either scenario, we recommend the following:

• Position your camera at or slightly above eye level : when you look at the screen you will be making ‘eye contact’ with your audience. This will help with creating and maintaining a connection with your students.
• Set the screen and camera perpendicular to the ground : use books, a small sturdy box, or a stand to prop up your laptop or tablet.
• Establish a steady foundation for yourself and your camera : sit in a chair that doesn’t spin, and make sure your computer and camera are not on a wobbly surface.

• If you are using a desktop computer, have your scripts positioned at eye level and just to the side of your camera so you can refer to them as you deliver your lines.
• If you are using a second device for a camera, such as an iPhone, you can use your desktop or laptop as a teleprompter. Position it just below the device, and reference your notes, slides, or script as you move through your presentation.
• Prioritize making sure you can be heard: clear audio will help your students follow along. Conversely, muffled or garbled audio will make it hard for your students to understand what you are saying. Beautiful images won’t matter if the audio isn’t clear.
• Consider a USB mic for recording asynchronous content. For synchronous experiences, your onboard mic and speakers are usually sufficient, but we recommend investing in a USB mic for asynchronous production. USB mics are available at a wide range of price points, from relatively inexpensive to professional-grade (see Tools and Equipment below). The choice should be driven by your own preferences and the guidance and suggestions of your department’s or school’s HUIT team.
• Use a quiet space:  find a location where you will be free as possible from aural distractions - people talking, pets barking, fans whirring, trucks beeping, etc. - as these can affect sound quality.

Your network connection matters. The following tips may help prevent technical problems that would derail synchronous class time, distract the learners, and impede learning.

• Use at least 20Mbps bandwidth whenever possible: Zoom requires a minimum bandwidth of 600 kbps (up/down) and recommends 1.5Mbps, but we generally find more - 20 Mbps - is better. To check the speed of your network, we suggest running Speedtest to check your upload/download speeds. If you’re not getting the speed you need, consider plugging into a wired connection. See also HUIT's recommendations on how to test your internet speed .
• Keep your software up to date and your computer’s battery charged .
• If your computer is slow or running out of storage , get your computer evaluated by your department’s or school’s HUIT team.

By scripting, storyboarding, and practicing your content ahead of time, you can alleviate some of the complexities of online teaching and draw on the right set of tools and technologies to help with your learning objectives. The tips below are designed for those who plan to pre-record asynchronous content, but the principles apply to synchronous material as well.

Writing a script before capturing your audio and video will enable you to be clear and direct about what you are trying to communicate and what you want the learner to focus on. Scripting helps you choose your best words, devise your most cogent explanation, and thereby create a clear, crisp video.

• Keep the tone conversational and your sentences short. A 2-minute video, for example, has an average of 360 words.
• Select the images you plan to use first, then write your script. This will help you organize the structure of your script.
• Minimize extraneous ideas, words, images, and sounds.
• Add cues, verbal emphases, and highlights to direct the student’s attention to important information.

Storyboarding or class flow planning

To help you focus the design of your materials, start by storyboarding to help you plan the flow of information you intend to cover. Just as a detailed class flow plan can help you stay organized during synchronous teaching, a storyboard will help you organize the visual sequence you want to occur on screen when you’re creating pre-recorded materials. A storyboard sketches out how a video, sequence of graphics, or interactive experience will unfold, shot by shot. You do not need to be an artist or designer to create an effective storyboard. You can use paper and pen, slides, or even pre-built templates available online.

As part of this planning, take the time to practice moving between your content and the tools you are using. For example, you may want to make notes on your slides or lecture materials about when you want to be speaking directly to the camera, when you want to share your screen and for what, when you want to put students into breakout rooms (and for how long), and when you will be asking other individuals (co-instructors, TFs, or student presenters) to share their screens. You might even want to put in reminders to yourself about muting and unmuting students if it will make your lecture go more smoothly at certain points.

Practicing and prototyping

If you have a complex class flow, practice! Make sure you can segue seamlessly from one idea to the next.

Moving from an idea to a concrete result takes time and often several iterations. If your materials include multiple visuals or elements in addition to voiceover, create a small sample, or prototype, and show a colleague or peer. By doing so, you will learn where your material needs more clarity. As a low-fidelity representation of your intended design, your sample is a useful way to get feedback on areas of your design and clarity of the information you aim to convey. For example:

• A 1- to 2-minute sample of a script or draft of a video with placeholder images.
• A storyboard or set of slides illustrating the sequence of information.
• Drafts of polls or instructions for collaborative work.

Additional tips on preparing your content in advance

• Always keep accessibility in mind : across the full range of tools and content you are using, it is very important that any materials you create are perceivable for people with color blindness; descriptions or screen reader capability is provided for those who have limited vision; and closed-captions or transcripts are provided for those who may not be able to hear well. (See the Accessibility tips elsewhere on this site, as well as the recommendations on captioning from Harvard's Digital Accessibility Services.) 
• Increase engagement through variety: consider using a diverse set of teaching tools including collaborative projects, whiteboard or blackboarding, audio or video materials you or others create, and face-to-face interactions. These will help keep your students’ attention piqued and the course material engaging.
• Always come back to your learning objectives : make sure that any tools or technologies you’re using are in the service of the specific concepts, terms, or skills you have identified as priorities for the lesson.

Much of what you need to accomplish can be done through Zoom and an additional webcam – see  Home Setup  for details. However, if you are feeling more adventurous, here are some additional recommendations for production and post production tools we recommend. 

Home Setup: Putting It All Together

Now that we have covered the basics, let’s put this together. Take a look below at a common setup you and many of your peers can create, often with tools and equipment you alr eady have. It integrates direct-to-camera with tablet capture or white boarding.

• Laptop, or desktop with monitor
• Tablet, or whiteboarding software

Note there are a variety of setups you can create depending on your preference, budget, and comfort level with the tools and technology. It is ultimately up to you to decide what will work best depending on your pedagogical goals.

• HUIT, Looking Your Best on Video Calls .
• Harvard Bok Center, Making a Course Presentation Video.
• Harvard Media Production Center, Webcam Conferencing Best Practices .
• Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2008). Learning by viewing versus learning by doing: Evidence‐based guidelines for principled learning environments . Performance Improvement , 47 (9), 5-13.
• Mayer, R., & Mayer, R. E. (eds.). (2005). The Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning . Cambridge University Press.
• Sorden, S. D. (2005). A cognitive approach to instructional design for multimedia learning . Informing Science , 8 .
• Wang, J., Antonenko, P., & Dawson, K. (2020). Does visual attention to the instructor in online video affect learning and learner perceptions? An eye-tracking analysis . Computers & Education , 146 , 103779.

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9 Presentation Aids to Use to Make Your Presentation Stand Out

Written by: Caleb Bruski

Looking for a way to make your presentation stand out from the crowd?

When it comes to presentations, your ultimate goal is to communicate clearly and effectively with your audience.

By adding visual aids to your presentations, your audience will more easily understand and connect with your ideas.

Throughout this article, we’re going to cover what presentation aids are, why you should consider using them plus nine different types of presentation aids to test.

Here’s a short selection of 8 easy-to-edit presentation templates you can edit, share and download with Visme. View more templates below:

Table of Contents

What are presentation aids, why use presentation aids, 9 types of presentation aids.

Presentation aids, or sensory aids, are any additional resources used to enhance your speech. 

On a very basic level, a presentation is a bunch of words used to convey ideas to an audience. Presentation aids are additional devices, techniques, resources or materials used to enhance the presentation. 

For example, this four-step process model can be a great presentation aid to showcase a step-by-step guide to your audience.

Rather than just talking about the process, a diagram like this actually details it out, making it easier for your audience to understand.

Visual aids help clarify and contextualize your points for your audience.

Whether you deliver your presentation in person or over the web, the goal is to clearly communicate with your audience. Presentation aids help achieve this goal.

Visual aids also help a presenter stay on a predefined train of thought while presenting. 

The entire experience of presenting can be rather nerve-wracking. Studies show that one of the greatest phobias throughout the world  is public speaking. 

When our words fail us, a clear presentation aid can help fill in the gaps and help us be understood. 

Take this slide example. It can be a great way to walk an audience through features. Each bullet can be clicked to take viewers to a video that provides even more information.

Presentation aids help the presenter stay within an allotted set of time. 

For those of us who have a hard time sticking to the main points, visual presentation aids help us progress forward in our thought process and give a good presentation .

Here, we have a second illustration of a presentation aid — this time in the form of a timeline. Mapping out your content like this helps make it even more digestible and can help your audience learn and remember it.

A sense of authority and trust can also be established when using visual aids.

By delivering hard facts and data in a simple way, trust is established with the audience. The authority and expertise of the presenter is also established. 

Visual aids should help your audience understand the data in your presentation.

When used correctly, presentation aids increase the chance of receiving a positive response when making a call to action. 

In summary, presentation aids are useful for the presenter, the audience and all other parties involved. Best of all, using them is easy and effective.

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Ready to wow your audience with your next presentation? We’re here to help. In this list, you’ll find nine different types of presentation aids that you might consider using to help demonstrate your main points.

1. Charts and Graphs

Charts and graphs are a form of presentation aid used to visually compare statistics and figures. These are some of the most used forms of visual aids in the business world.

Listening to long strings of numbers can be a challenging task. Comparing long strings of numbers without reference can be near impossible. Overwhelmed with this type of data, most audience members will mentally check out.

Comparing simple shapes or lines is an easier task for most people. 

Consider adding a chart like the one below as a presentation aid for your audience.

A simple chart or graph will drastically help your audience comprehend numbers in a way that is easier to understand.

It’s important to select a chart or graph that helps exemplify your point. Not all charts can communicate with clarity the same information. Learn more in our guide on how to create a chart .

2. Handouts

Handouts are physical objects given to the audience that contain information related to the presentation. 

The greatest advantage of using a handout is the physical interaction your audience has with your presentation.

Your audience has the freedom to interact with these handouts during the presentation — they can touch, smell, read, etc., giving them an edge in actually retaining the information.

The more senses your audience uses during a presentation, the better. 

A handout also lets your audience revisit parts of your presentation that were not clear. This helps everyone stay on the same page.

A bonus to using handouts is that these objects don’t just magically disappear. Long after the presentation is over, the handout will still be around. Your audience will remember your presentation every time they see your handout.

3. Demonstration

Demonstrations are actions performed to exhibit or illustrate a point. The goal of a demonstration is to take an abstract point and anchor it in reality, as well as to ensure your audience comprehends a speaking point.

Demonstrations aren’t limited to just physical demonstrations. Demonstrations may also include allegorical stories or proofs used to prove a point. Sharing personal stories or case studies could be categorized as a demonstration. 

Here’s an example of a presentation slide with a demo video embedded. If you don’t have the resources to perform a live demonstration, using a tactic like this can be a great alternative.

To understand the full potential of demonstrations, think back to your old science teacher. A science teacher's job was to teach to a room filled with easily distracted children. 

Science is one of the most complex subjects to teach and the audience is a tough crowd. How did they do it?

With demonstrations! Or more specifically, with science experiments.

Physical demonstrations are some of the most memorable moments of an entire school year. 

The reason demonstrations are more memorable than a simple speech is because demonstrations invite more of your audience’s senses to take part in the demonstration. 

Not only do you hear the lesson, but you can see, touch, smell and sometimes even taste it as well. 

The audience is also involved when the demonstration is a personal story. When the audience hears the story, they imagine it. By recreating the scenario using their own imagination, the memory lasts longer.

Demonstrations are also powerful communication tools. They have the potential to make your presentation go from mediocre to  memorable. 

While powerful, demonstrations can work for or against you. Adding too many, too large or unrelated demonstrations can distract your audience from the actual topic. Ensure that your demonstrations are connected to and accentuate your main points.

4. Diagrams

A diagram is a visual graphic or sketch focused on presenting the inner workings or relations of a subject. A diagram is different from a basic sketch. While a sketch aims to accurately depict an object's shape, a diagram aims to explain and define its functions and relations. 

Diagrams give you the freedom to list, describe, explain and map out your subject matter in a way that is not limited to its physical form. 

While mixing a diagram and physical sketch together can be cool, it’s not necessary. Diagrams ought to be chosen based on their effectiveness in explaining the subject's construction and relation to other objects.

Diagrams help explain complex relations between objects without the need for physical properties. Diagrams are great to use when sketches, photographs and videos can not capture all the attributes of an object. 

Before settling on which diagram to use, it’s best to experiment with different types of diagrams. Your decision should rely upon which diagram will aid your audience the most.

Diagrams are also great for describing and defining things that do not have form. Instead of giving a long and complex definition that no one will remember, consider using a diagram. 

Diagrams can show how this new thing relates to something familiar to your audience. This will help your audience understand and remember complex portions of your presentation.

5. Video or Audio

Audio and video clips are presentation aids used to expand the dynamic range of input in your speech.

Your audience will find it easier to engage with your presentation when you diversify your method of delivery. 

An easy way to increase audiences’ sensory input is by transitioning from a simple speech into a video or audio clip.

Videos allow you to convey information in a fast and rehearsed manner. Professional camera work captures prearranged images, audio and speech. This means video is capable of conveying emotion and information more effectively than speech. 

For this reason, a short video clip may do a better job at summarizing the main points of a presentation than a speech alone. 

While the benefits of  video are high, there are also some potential problems. The most common issue with video usage in presentations being technical compatibility issues.

A smooth transition between speech and video is necessary for your presentation. 

Rough or elongated transitions can be a major distraction for your audience. If this happens, your audience may find it difficult to reinvest in your presentation.

To ensure smooth transitions, your presentation software must be capable of integrating videos clips directly into your presentation. 

It is important to have dependable presentation software .  By doing so, you’ll be able to transition between video clips and other presentation aids.

The transitioning issue is most noticeable at the end of a presentation. Especially when a speaker attempts to transition from a slide-show into a video clip. 

Consequently, many presentations do not have a strong and official close. Lacking a strong close leaves your audience without a clear understanding of what to do next. Check out this article to ensure you know how to end your presentation on a strong and impressionable note.

Quotations are a type of presentation aid that appeal to outside authority and expertise. Quoting others helps establish a positive rapport with your audience.

Many people fear quoting others makes them appear unoriginal.

The opposite is actually true. Quoting outside sources tends to drastically improve the overall appeal of your presentation.

Quoting others shows that you have listened to others on this subject. This makes the presenter appear as a well thought out and considerate listener. 

It’s recommended that you quote those who both agree and disagree with your conclusion. By doing so, you establish a sense of trust and expertise with your audience.

Quoting those who disagree with your conclusion shows that you have taken the time and effort to engage their thought process. 

Quoting those who agree with you shows your conclusion to be a recurring conclusion.

However, always give credit where credit is due. Not only is plagiarism immoral and possibly illegal, it also damages your personal reputation. This may destroy any trust you established with your audience. Check out this guide about plagiarism to learn more.

Maps are visual representations, generally two-dimensional diagrams, that show the relative position and orientation of something. 

Maps are powerful presentation aids capable of showing valuable information beyond basic geography. 

Because maps are a form of diagram, they can deliver valuable relational information. This is especially true when used in combination with animations or graphical overlays.

Proper presentation software will allow you to update your dataset for your map. The changes should immediately update the output of your map without having to manually manipulate the image.

Visme automatically generates these scalable maps and makes the process of customizing your map easy. With just a few clicks, you can generate and customize maps with your own datasets.

8. Photographs

Photographs are still images captured on a film or digital medium and are a powerful visual aid. When used correctly, photographs can add color and shape to the speech in your presentation.

The saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" is a true statement. A picture is priceless when it’s able to capture and accentuate a point relevant to your presentation.

Photographs are unique presentations aids that give you the power to make a window for your audience to look through. This allows your audience to see and experience particular aspects of your presentation.

While the color red can be described with many words, there’s an experiential gap. Once seen, you can experience the color red.

When a presentation is given, words can help describe an idea, but not experience the idea. Presentation images give you the possibility to close that visual experiential gap.

Even in a world that sells pocket-sized HD 4k 60fps video cameras, the photograph is still the visual aid of choice for most people.

While videos are powerful in their own right, photos give you the power to capture and highlight one particular moment. 

Photos can be less distracting than videos. Videos may have background noises or other distractions. Photographs let you capture and present one image without any distractions.

When presenting, it’s important for your main speaking points to be aided, not hindered, by the presentation aid. 

While planning out your presentation, consider using photographs more frequently than video. This will help your audience experience your presentations without distractions.

Images are also much cheaper and easier to professionally edit than their video counterparts. Capturing and editing a high-quality video may take hours, days or even months. A professional-looking photo can be captured with ease and edited in a matter of minutes. 

Or, you can take advantage of a free stock photo library like you get with Visme. This way, you can ensure your presentation photos are copyright protected and free to use.

9. Volunteers

Volunteers are people selected from the general population to participate in a demonstration. 

Using volunteers in demonstrations is one of the most effective presentation aids available. Using this tactic efficiently comes with all the advantages of a classic demonstration, and so much more.

Human interaction is hardwired into us. We tend to remember faces, body shapes, expressions and emotions. A demonstration with volunteers lets you instantly change the dynamic of the speech.

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Demonstrations with volunteers encourage audience interaction with your subject matter. 

When the audience sees a volunteer interact with your presentation, the barrier to entry is lowered — plus, it gives your audience the chance to become a volunteer that’s doing the interaction themselves.

This makes your subject more approachable and your call to action more likely to succeed.

Be sure your interactions with the volunteer are somewhere between professional and semi-professional. Most people are already afraid to be on stage. An unprofessional or condescending demeanor will only make things even more uncomfortable.

Ensure that your volunteer’s role has a strong connection to your main point. Like all good demonstrations, make sure it is contributing to your presentation. If a particular portion of the presentation is not related to the main point, your audience's mind may begin to wander. 

At the end of the demonstration, be sure to thank and dismiss your volunteers when they are done contributing. There is nothing more distracting for the audience than having an extra person nervously lurking around on stage. 

If done correctly, your audience will remember the demonstration done with volunteers and recall the driving points of your presentation. The volunteer will likely also remember the event for a longer period of time and may even share parts of your presentation with others.

Try Presentation Aids in Your Next Presentation

Creating and utilizing presentation aids can help your presentation go from acceptable to phenomenal. With proper physical and mental preparation, your presentation is sure to impress.

The best way to mentally prepare yourself for your presentation is to be physically prepared. 

Visme makes presentation preparation easy and takes all the guesswork out of the design process. Visme has thousands of high-quality templates for you to customize and choose from. We are certain that with the right tools, you can make an awe-inspiring presentation.

Create a free account and see why Visme is one of the best and easiest ways to create a stunning and engaging presentation.

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About the Author

Caleb is a freelance writer, frontend web developer and photographer who is passionate about all things tech.

The Role of Audio Presentations

Steven R. Crawford, Ed.D.

Studies have shown that video presentations are generally more effective than audio presentations (Noetel et al., 2021). But that doesn’t mean you should overlook audio-only elements when adding multimedia to your courses. In fact, there are situations where audio is particularly beneficial. Plus, audio presentations can save you time. They are easier to create and don’t require a lot of specialized software and equipment. 

Where Audio Excels

• Providing learner feedback — Researchers found that audio feedback can provide more details. For example, a five-minute recording contains about 625 words. That’s equivalent to more than a page of writing. Audio feedback is also better at providing emotional connection than written feedback. (Killingback et al., 2019). Additional research shows that audio feedback is personalized to the learner and, like written feedback, can be re-accessed when needed (Carruthers et al., 2015). Most importantly, though, learners have shown a preference for audio feedback over written comments (Parkes & Fletcher, 2017). And it’s easy too! Many learning management systems allow instructors to record individualized audio feedback directly to the learner via the assignment feedback tool.  
• Interviews — Faculty can help increase learner understanding through the use of interviews. Audio recordings of faculty-conducted interviews can provide additional insight into a subject through free-flowing conversation and the use of probing questions. They’re also easier for faculty because there is no need to include visuals. Interviews can be conducted virtually over a video conferencing platform with only the audio recorded, or in-person using a mobile phone with an audio recorder.  
• Reaching all learners — Audio-only presentations are not as effective as other types of multimedia for conveying information or processes. However, they can help you reach more learners, especially students who have limited internet access. That’s because audio files are typically smaller in file size when compared to video presentations. These files can be stored more easily by both instructors and learners due to the smaller size. Also, the smaller files can be transmitted more quickly and at a lesser cost to available internet bandwidth. This is an important factor considering that about 15% of Americans do not have access to home internet access via a wired connection (Federal Communication Commission, 2020). This includes students in both rural and urban areas.

Creating Quality Audio

When recording audio, there are a few simple things you can do to improve the quality of your audio. 

• Find a quiet location where you can minimize background noise. Noises from fans, loud machines, and other people can be distracting to your listeners. 
• Think about what you want to say before pressing the record button. If your goal is to provide spontaneous comments, then write down a few keywords to ensure you have addressed all your intended points. 
• When you are recording, make sure that you wait three seconds between pressing the start button and speaking. Pause again at the end of your recording before hitting stop. Having this space at the beginning and end of your recording will ensure that you do not inadvertently cut off any of your words.

While you can record with any type of microphone, including those built into your mobile device and laptop, make sure you are speaking as close to your microphone as possible to minimize background noise. An external microphone can help improve the quality of your audio, but you need to make sure you get the correct type of microphone. 

• Unidirectional — Unidirectional microphones capture audio from one direction in order to minimize background noise. They are best for a single person.
• Bidirectional — Bidirectional microphones capture audio from two directions and are useful for interviews when you can place the microphone between the two speakers.
• Omnidirectional — Omnidirectional microphones capture audio from all directions. This is the type of microphone found on most laptops. 

Quality Course Design

To ensure any audio-only course elements work well for your students, make sure your recordings are clear and free of background noises. This can also help you meet Quality Matters Specific Review Standard 8.5 — Course multimedia facilitate ease of use. When recording audio presentations that are intended for all of your learners in the course, provide a transcript of the audio presentation. This will ensure that your presentation is available to all learners as guided by QM Specific Review Standard 8.4 — The course provides alternative means of access to multimedia content in formats that meet the needs of diverse learners. When you are providing feedback to a single learner on their assessments via audio, you may not need to provide a transcript. However, you will want to be mindful to provide the same level of quality feedback to learners who are deaf or hard of hearing via written feedback as you provide to other learners through audio recordings.

One final tip: When preparing for an official QM course review, provide a statement to the Course Review team that alerts them to the fact that you will be using audio feedback in order to meet Specific Review Standard 5.3 — The instructor’s plan for interacting with learners during the course is clearly stated. This should also be communicated to your students in your syllabus.

Carruthers, C., McCarron, B., Bolan, P., Devine, A., McMahon-Beattie, U., & Burns, A. (2015). ‘I like the sound of that’ – an evaluation of providing audio feedback via the virtual learning environment for summative assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 40 (3), 352–370. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2014.917145

Federal Communication Commission. (2020, April). 2020 broadband deployment report (FCC 20–50). https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-20-50A1.pdf

Killingback, C., Ahmed, O., & Williams, J. (2019). ‘It was all in your voice’ - Tertiary student perceptions of alternative feedback modes (audio, video, podcast, and screencast): A qualitative literature review. Nurse Education Today, 72 , 32–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2018.10.012

Noetel, M., Griffith, S., Delaney, O., Sanders, T., Parker, P., del Pozo Cruz, B., & Lonsdale, C. (2021). Video Improves Learning in Higher Education: A Systematic Review. Review of Educational Research, 91 (2), 204–236. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654321990713

Parkes, M., & Fletcher, P. (2016). A longitudinal, quantitative study of student attitudes towards audio feedback for assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 42 (7), 1046–1053. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2016.1224810