PowerPoint is the most frequently used tool to support a webinar. The quality of PowerPoint presentations can still be improved in many ways, whereby a number of small adjustments can make a big difference. The necessary tips will be discussed below, as well as a number of guidelines divided into the following topics:
- Creating the PowerPoint presentation
- Visualising the content (translating text to image)
- PowerPoint in the webinar player
Creating the PowerPoint presentation
When creating the content of the PowerPoint presentation, first of all think about the objectives and the target group, in order to ensure that the content is relevant and the jargon is appropriate. When making a PowerPoint presentation for an online audience, a number of different rules apply than for a physical audience, because online people are more difficult to keep involved. Therefore, use many slides, on average at least one per minute, and only cover one subject per slide.
Another basic principle when setting up a PowerPoint is that the speaker is the story and the PowerPoint only supports it. The use of too much text on a slide is therefore absolutely not recommended. The participants’ attention shifts to reading the text, which distracts them. It is better to fill the slides with 3 to 4 short bullet points and/or visualise the content. This gives the gist of the story and can be further explained verbally. Providing examples that are recognisable for the audience is a suitable form of explanation, because it allows participants to empathise with the situation.
As far as the structure is concerned, the webinar and therefore the PowerPoint presentation always consist of a number of fixed parts, such as an explanation of possible interaction and technical problems. Furthermore, the most effective way of structuring the topics is to brainstorm in a pyramid structure. Always indicate what the main message is and subdivide this into a number of points. This makes the presentation logical and understandable for viewers, so that more is remembered.
Tip: Use the free mind-mapping tool Xmind to structure your PowerPoint presentation clearly, for example in a pyramid structure.
Organising and planning the creation of the PowerPoint is also important. If several people are working on one presentation, one person should be responsible for the content and one for the PowerPoint. This will make the presentation a whole. You should also keep a tight schedule when creating a PowerPoint presentation, regardless of the preparation time available. You should also bear in mind that the presentation needs to be practised.
Visualising the content (translating text into images)
Research has shown that images determine 83% of what is remembered, sound only 11% and the remaining 6% is formed by other senses. People are therefore visually oriented and in order to get the message across properly, it is essential to present an image clearly. A diagram or figure is a good example of this and can easily be used and designed in PowerPoint. This is a good example of how a diagram or figure can be used and designed easily in PowerPoint.
Tip: You can easily modify PowerPoint’s standard diagrams. For example, the pop-up that appears when you insert a diagram can be used to turn 5 spheres into 7.
In addition, use plenty of unique, relevant and good quality illustrations. Illustrations evoke emotions, making the message more memorable. Make sure that there are not too many illustrations on one slide and that they have a minimum resolution of 72 dpi. The PowerPoint presentation is only one of the components in the player and in addition to the video stream and other components, it is scaled to the size of the computer screen or tablet. Finally, adding the company logo is irrelevant, as this is often already included in the webinar player.
PowerPoint in the webinar player
When using a PowerPoint presentation, the technical possibilities of the webinar player must be taken into account. The player has been developed so that everyone can attend the webinar, regardless of the type of browser, computer or tablet. This has consequences for the possibilities of the PowerPoint presentation in the webinar player.
For example, only a (flat) PowerPoint can be uploaded for the webinar. The webinar player namely makes use of ‘slide upload’ or ‘screen capture’. With slide upload the slides are pre-loaded into the webinar player, these are static images. This means that it is not possible to use special effects such as text or play videos in the PowerPoint presentation. With slide capture, a picture is taken every second, which means that hyperlinks, for example, are possible, but “fast” elements such as videos are not.
Tip: Ask for our conditions for PowerPoint in the webinar player. In addition, a project manager from Company Webcast can be consulted if necessary.