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30+ tips and tricks to make Google Slides presentation look good

Home 30+ tips and tricks to make Google Slides presentation look good

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Let’s face it, it’s no fun to look at a slide with heavy texts and overcrowded images. It leaves the audience bored and disinterested. It’s very important for your Google Slides presentation to look good in order to have your audience on board. You don’t need to be a designer to learn how to make aesthetic google slides. You can make some basic editing and formatting easily in Google Slides presentation to take it to the next level. In this article, we present some amazing hacks to have a killer presentation that leaves the audience in awe.

Be prepared for a bonus at the end!

Use Google Slides layouts wisely

1. customize slide layouts.

Every presentation needs to follow a basic layout which is regular throughout. Google Slides have a set of layout and theme options to choose from. But in case you wish to edit certain elements, you are free to do it. This will make the presentation truly yours. Click here for a complete guide on using layouts any fresher can use.

2. Use pretty backgrounds for Google Slides

Most of the professional presentations contain a lot of jargon-heavy information written in plain texts on plain backgrounds. Instead, include a transparent or mild background to support your text. The background can either be related to the story or just a plain color wall that goes with the text font and the context.

3. Draw attention with dark background

Audience gets tired of looking at bright colors all day. So, using a dark background not only catches their attention, but is also pleasant for the eyes. But remember to use the matte finish or mild colors for text with the dark background.

4. Try black and white theme to look professional

Often, a black and white theme stands out both because of the professionalism it conveys. This keeps your presentation minimal in appearance and adds to the authenticity of your delivery. But you should be careful not to make it look boring.

5. Use the Master Slides tool

Any change you make in the master slide will automatically reflect on all other slides. Customize the master slide first so that you can save time. You can modify backgrounds, rearrange placeholders, or change theme for the whole presentation with Master slides tool.

6. Keep it minimal

Don’t go fancy with the designs and fonts, keep it minimal. Overcrowding the slides with bulky texts and images or vibrant colors is not a good idea. It will distract the audience and make the presentation look unprofessional.

How to make Google Slides look good with Images

1. use shape masks to make creative images.

Using regular shapes like square and rectangle for images can get boring. To make it interesting, give different shapes to the images.

How to use shape masks in Google Slides:

Select the image you want to apply a shape mask on. Crop the image to the size you want. In crop tool, go to Shapes and choose a shape from the drop-down menu.

2. How to import images from the web

Adding relevant and catchy images make your google slides aesthetic. But you may not have the perfect image to go with the slide. In that case, you can directly download the picture from Google without leaving the tab.

How to import Google images into Google Slides:

Go to Insert >> Image >> Search the web >> Type in the name of the image you want. Or, go to Explore section and Google directly from the Slides tab.

3. Reflect your images if it suits the context

This will be a really cool effect, especially for slides with a single important image. Reflecting your images is a creative way to grab the attention with a single slide. But, this is a bit outdated feature, so it’s better to avoid for professional presentations.

How to reflect an image in Google Slides:

Select an image. Go to Format options and tick the box next to Reflection. Use the slider to adjust the size and transparency.

4. Make the image transparent

Another tip is to adjust the transparency of your image rather than adding a plain image. Plus, you can write relevant text on top of a transparent image.

How to make an image transparent in Google Slides:

Right-click on the picture and go to Formats option. Go to Adjustments >> Transparency. Adjust the transparency as per your requirements.

5. Resize and rotate shapes and images

When you import an image from the web, it might not be the right size for your slides. Google Slides allows you to resize and rotate the images and shapes.

To resize a picture, simply select the picture and move the cursor to bring to the desired size. To rotate an image, click the picture and choose Arrange. Then, click Rotate and select the preferred orientation. Avoid these while using images in Google Slides presentation: Though there are a hundred things you can do to your image, overdoing it will beat the point of making your Google Slides presentation look good. Following are some of the things you should avoid so that the slides look professional.

Using blurry or irrelevant pictures. Stretching or cropping the image more than necessary Low resolution images Watermarked images Not adding citations while using a picture you don’t own Crowding the slides with pictures Using reflection or transparency settings in all the images

Make your Google Slides presentation interactive

1. use the interactive q&a tool.

Having a Q&A section at the end helps you clear any doubts your audience might have. You can make it more interesting by using the Q&A tool. The audience don’t have to wait till the end of the presentation, they can type in the question whenever they want.

How to use the Q&A tool:

During your presentation, activate the Q&A feature by clicking on the Q&A tool. Audience sees a weblink where they can submit their questions. You can answer them at the end of the presentation. You can check the past questions by going to Tools >> Q&A history

2. Create a timeline

In many business presentations, you might need to present the progress of a project and timeline is an important part of it. It is easy to understand and remember. This can be used for interactions and discussions with the audience.

How to create timeline in Google Slides:

Go to Insert >> Diagram This shows a list of different types of timeline templates in built with Google Slides. Choose the one you like and edit it for your data.

Color schemes for your Google Slides presentation

1. edit theme colors.

Every Google Slide theme you choose comes with a pre-set color scheme. However, you can customize the theme according to the color you prefer.

Go to Slide >> Edit Theme Choose a color from the drop-down menu. Here’s a guide on choosing the right color for your Google Slides presentation.

2. Use color split

Using two different colors on the same slide is visually appealing. Make sure you use complementary colors like yellow and blue. For example, if you are using a blue background, use orange color for the texts.

3. Create a color overlay

Color overlay is a technique to make transparent shapes appear on your images or text. You can either apply it to the whole slide or a part of it.

Go to Insert >> Shape Choose a shape if you want to overlay only a part of your slide. Place the selected shape on the slide. Click on the shape and go to Fill colors and choose the color you want. Avoid these while choosing colors for your Google Slides presentation: While adding colors in a smart way can grab the audience’s attention, there are certain rules you should stick to while using them. Here is a small list of things to avoid in order to make your Google Slides look good.

Using multiple bold colors in a single slide Using same color for theme and texts Not sticking to your brand colors Using bright colors for reflection of images or texts. Overusing color gradient

Tips for text in Google Slides presentation

1. try different font attributes.

No one is going to read all the text in your presentation. So, you can highlight the parts which you want to stress on. You can make the text bold, italics, or underlined.

2. Research the top text fonts to use in Google Slides

There are a number of text fonts available in Google Slides, but not all of them make it to a professional presentation deck. So, it’s very important to know the most preferred text fonts to use in Google Slides.

Here are the 5 top text fonts:

Open sans Montserrat Cabin Ubuntu Lato

3. Use text box to have neat texts

Texts randomly strewn across the slides can be distracting for your audience. So, use a text box to have the texts placed in a neat way. You can also align your texts to left, right or centered to make it look professional.

4. Add a drop shadow to the text

Another way to make your texts look interesting is to use a drop shadow effect for Google Slides. However, if you lack experience in designing, we suggest you not to use this effect.

How to add drop shadow:

Select the text you want to use drop shadow on. Go to Format and check the box near Drop Shadow. Use the slider to adjust blur, transparency, and angle.

5. Add the technical terms to your personal dictionary

There might be terminologies or names that are specific to your topic, which may come off as spelling errors. In slides, they may appear in red and you may lose your credibility. To remove this, you can add those terms to the personal dictionary.

Go to Tools >> Personal dictionary Add the technical terms. They will no longer be shown as spelling errors. Common mistakes people make in Google Slides text: While the above features can make your text professional and easy to read, most people miss out on the basics.

Omitting indentation Wrong alignment of text on the slide Using very large or very small texts Not proofreading for typos Inadequate spacing between texts or lines.

Include infographics in Google Slides presentation

1. experiment with different types of diagrams.

If you have a lot of data to present, it’s better to present as graphs or charts instead of pulling off large sheets of data. There are different types of graphs you can use like line graph, bar graph, histogram, pie chart, etc. So, use them in your presentation. This adds credibility to your work and presentation.

2. Let your graph speak for itself

This means you must label, highlight or add everything in the graph such that anyone can analyze it. A single graph with right labels and arrows to show the trend can convey the meaning much better than large amount of texts or spreadsheets.

Add animation to make Google Slides presentation attractive

1. add subtle animation effects on texts.

If you have a lot of information to share on a single slide, use animations to delay some texts instead of displaying everything at a time. This works well for bullet points where you can display one point after another.

2. Add a GIF or a meme

One of the main reasons why presentations are boring is the lack of fun element. Adding a GIF or a relatable meme is not only funny, but helps you put the message across easily. It is an effortless attention grabber.

But you have to make sure it gets added as an animated GIF rather than a still image. For this, the following steps will help:

Find the GIF in Google and copy the image address. Go to Google Slides >> Image >> by URL Paste the URL and click Insert. Remember you have to insert the image by URL for it to play.

3. Add trimmed videos in Google Slides

People recollect visuals better than written text. So, if there is a video on YouTube which can explain what you want to convey, use it. But instead of including the full video, you can add only the relevant part by using the embed option.

4. Use transitions for slides

Adding smooth transition effects for individual slides helps in keeping the flow. The most recommended transition effects to use in a professional presentation are dissolve, fade in, slide from the left, fly in from bottom and fly in from left to right.

Go to Insert >> Animation Select a transition from the available options. Apply to a single slide or all slides, as you wish.

Are you terrified by the amount of effort you have to put in researching about fonts, choosing best colors and get the formatting perfect? This can be time-consuming if you designing is not your biggest flex.

Don’t worry! Here’s the good news!!

You can skip all these steps and still have an amazing presentation deck if you use professional templates!

Use Google Slides presentation templates

Making a presentation from the scratch is wasted time and energy which could be spent on crafting the story you want to convey. That’s why we bring to you the best presentation templates to help you tell your story in your unique way. SlideKit has professional templates designed by experts and you can customize it according to your needs. This can be installed as an add-on in Google Slides for free. It ensures consistency of aspects like font, theme, color scheme and layout used throughout the deck.

SlideKit has slides in the business and other professional domains which you can download, edit and use for free. Premium membership gives you access to 3500+ templates over 35+ niches. Using these templates will make your Google Slides presentation stand out. Here are a few tips to make the most out of SlideKit’s professional google slides templates .

1. Customize the templates

The presentation deck you choose will have all the design and infographic elements you need; but you need to customize them according to your data and your preferred color and font. In SlideKit, you can add images, videos, or hyperlinks, and place them wherever you want on the slide. Additionally, you can acquire hyperlinks from other websites to your own which is referred as niche edits .

2. Use niche-specific templates

There are templates available for different domains, so choose the one that fits your industry. Templates are perfect for branding since they come with placeholders for logo, letterhead, contact details and website address. But it’s important to choose the one that is aligned with the industry. SlideKit makes it easier for you by giving you a variety of industry-specific options to choose from. Moreover, incorporating effective SEO strategies , such as optimizing presentation titles, using relevant keywords, and providing quality content, can significantly enhance the online visibility of your Google Slides presentations, making them more accessible to your target audience and boosting overall engagement.

3. Plug in your data to relevant infographics

As mentioned before, including graphs and charts is beneficial for both you and your audience. Depending on the domain, SlideKit offers relevant infographics which can be customized according to your data. You can change the labels, legends, scale and figures, among many other features.

Now you have the best resources and tools to make your Google Slides presentation look compelling.

Happy presenting!

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How To Make Google Slides Look Good [Complete 2024 Guide]

  • Last updated January 2, 2024

Making a standard presentation is easy, but knowing how to make Google Slides look good is an entirely different challenge. In my guide, I will show you how to make your Google Slides better , both functionally and aesthetically.

Keep reading to learn how to take your Google Slides presentation from good to great !

Table of Contents

1. Choose a Google Slides Theme

How to make Google Slides look good—theme slide

Themes ensure your presentation has visually consistent colors, fonts, sizes, and layouts. This goes a long way toward providing a professional and polished appearance, and it’s much easier for the audience to follow along.

  • Choose a theme that aligns with the tone and purpose of your presentation.
  • Ensure slides have a consistent set of colors, fonts, and layouts.
  • Select a visually appealing color scheme and legible font combination.

While you can handpick background color palettes, typefaces, and slide layouts, many of the best Google Slides templates are built into the program! In a blank presentation, you’ll find them on the right-hand side.

How to make Google Slides look good—blank presentation

Creating Your Own Google Slides Theme

It’s fairly straightforward to create your theme in Slides. Add whatever background color, images, shapes, and page formatting you prefer. Right-click your chosen slide and select “ Add to theme .”

Adding a personalized theme in Google Slides

Related : Don’t want to make one from scratch? I’ve got you covered with some of my favorite Google Slides templates  at the bottom of this article.

How To Import a Theme to Google Slides

  • Create a new presentation or open an existing one.

How to import themes to Google Slides—Where to find Themes tool

Note : Importing a theme into your presentation will impact all of your slides.  To revert to the previous version, use the “ Undo ” button by pressing the keyboard shortcut  Ctrl + Z  (on Windows) or use  Command + Z  (on Mac).

2. Choosing Color Schemes in Slides

A color scheme is one of the first things your audience will see, so it’s one of the most critical elements. Google Slides offers plenty of color options, including gradients  (which can be used for almost all the elements, including background, font, and shapes).

Use color theory principles  (like complementary colors) to create combinations that stand out for the right reason. Color psychology is also a great way to express emotions or convey messages purposefully:

  • Warm colors (e.g., red, orange, yellow) can express warmth, energy, or even a warning.
  • Cool colors (e.g., blue, green, purple) can represent relaxation, sophistication, or security.

Use Color to Make Sections Stand Out

Strategically use color to highlight essential elements (e.g., headings, critical data). To guide the audience’s attention:

  • Use vibrant shades that contrast the color scheme.
  • Assign specific colors to categories, sections, and team members.

Be Mindful of Contrast

Check that the text and background colors have enough contrast for better reading. The most readable combination is dark text on a light backdrop (or vice versa). In charts and graphs, use color to improve focus and understanding.

Note :  Avoid colors that can blend together or present difficulties for people with color blindness .

3. Choosing Text and Fonts

Your chosen font portrays information and dramatically improves your presentation’s overall aesthetic. If you’re trying to make a cool presentation on Google Slides, you’ve got a lot to consider!

Use Clear, Legible, and Easy-to-Read Fonts

Avoid overly decorative or ornate fonts because they can hinder readability (especially when projected on a larger screen). Stick to widely available and compatible fonts across devices like Arial, Georgia, or Open Sans.

Ensure Font Sizes, Weights, and Styles Stand out

Headings should stand out; supporting text should be smaller (or less emphasized). This is done to guide the audience’s attention and improve readability.

Note : While they can add visual interest, excessive use of font styles can be distracting and more challenging to read.

Complement Font Pairings

Select a combination of fonts  that contrast each other and create visual interest. Consider using online resources or font pairing tools for inspiration. We recommend sticking to a maximum of two to three fonts to prevent visual chaos.

Use Fonts That Align with Branding Guidelines

If your website uses a specific font and color scheme, incorporate them into your presentations to support the organization’s visual identity.

Align Text and Spacing

Align text and leave enough white space for a clean, organized look.

4. How to Add Word Art to Google Slides:

  • Select “ Insert ” > “ Word Art ” from the drop-down menu.

Where is Word Art in Google Slides

  • Type your text, then press the “ Enter ” key on your keyboard.

How to add multiple lines of text in Word Art

There you have it! Your Word Art will now appear on your selected slide.

How to insert Word Art in Google Slides

Note: If you want to edit the font or color, click the Word Art, and a formatting box will pop up.

Word Art formatting box

5. How To Add Google Slides Transitions

You can ensure seamless transitions from slide to slide with a couple of clicks:

Google Slides transitions—How to add transitions

  • If you want to apply the selected transition to all slides in your presentation, click “ Apply to All Slides .”
  • Any transitions applied to skipped slides won’t play during the preview.
  • Click the “ Stop ” button when you’re finished.

How to apply a transition to all slides on Google Slides

Tip : You can configure your presentation to play automatically  using Google Slides’ automatic transitions. This removes the need to press the spacebar or click on the screen to trigger the next slide.

How Many Transitions Are Available in Google Slides?

At the time of writing, Google Slides offers seven built-in transitions . There is currently no option to add or download additional transitions.

6. How To Add Animations on Google Slides

Enhance the visual appeal of your slideshow by incorporating animations (i.e., effects that make elements move). They can be applied to almost every object, from images to tables to bullet points. Follow the steps below to add animations to your slides:

How to animate individual objects on Google Slides

  • You’ll notice that your selected object’s “ Animation Type ” is set to “ Appear .”

How to set animations for individual objects

  • Fade in : This transition introduces the object by gradually fading it in.

A sample of the fade in animation in Google Slides

  • Fly in from left/right or top/bottom : The object flies into the slide from one side.

A sample of the fly in animation in Google Slides

  • Zoom in : The object starts small and slowly increases in size.

Under “ Animation Type ,” you’ll see the “ Start Condition ” drop-down. Open it to select whether the animation should play upon clicking a slide, with the previous animation, or after the previous animation.

How to set the start condition of an animation

Note: The start conditions “With Previous” and “After Previous”  will only work if there is another animated object immediately before your selected object .

How to adjust the speed of animations

  • Click on the “ Play ” button to preview your animation(s).
  • Click the “ Stop ” button to end the preview and continue working on your slideshow.

Related : Google Slides vs. PowerPoint: Which Program Is Better?

Tips for Using Transitions & Animations

We recommend using these effects sparingly to emphasize essential elements or facilitate the flow of information. Avoid using them solely for decorative purposes.

Pick Subtle and Smooth Transitions

Flashy or distracting effects can overshadow your content. Your goal is to provide a seamless flow between slides. Try a simple fade or slide transition.

Adjust the Timing and Duration

Transitions shouldn’t be too fast or slow. Aim for a natural pace that allows the audience to follow along comfortably.

Highlight Specific Elements Within a Slide

Selectively animating text, images, or charts can emphasize critical points (or reveal information) in a controlled manner. Avoid excessive animation that appears gimmicky or distracting.

Be Consistent

Choose a specific transition style or animation effect — then stick to it. This will help you avoid distractions and inconsistencies.

7. Using Images and Videos

Images and videos on a Google slide

Adding images and videos to slides can greatly enhance visual appeal and engage your audience. Here are some points to consider when choosing an image:

  • Choose images that are relevant to your content.
  • Use high-quality images that are clear, crisp, and well-composed.
  • Use images that evoke emotions or illustrate concepts.
  • Strike a balance between text and images on your slides.
  • Consider using images as slide backgrounds.
  • Adjust transparency or apply overlays to maintain readability.
  • Experiment with image formatting options (e.g., cropping, resizing, transparency, brightness).

8. How To Include Infographics in Google Slides

Infographics on a Google Slide

Infographics in a presentation can communicate complex information effectively. Use the drawing feature in Google Slides to make attractive and informative infographics. Keep these points in mind when using infographics:

  • Keep your infographics clean and basic.
  • Choose from bar charts, pie charts, line graphs, timelines, flowcharts, maps, and diagrams.
  • Avoid overwhelming your audience: Use limited details, succinct labeling, and clear graphics.
  • Use custom colors, typefaces, and visual styles to reflect your presentation or company identity.
  • Highlight the most significant facts or data.
  • Make sure infographic details are simple to read and understand.

How Can Poor Design Affect A Presentation?

Your presentation could be significantly impacted if you haven’t learned how to make Google Slides look professional. Here’s why:

Lack of Clarity

Poor aesthetics often make it more difficult for the audience to grasp — or focus on — details. Avoid cluttered or crowded presentations, imprecise typefaces, and insufficient color contrast. Key points might be missed, or the audience may get distracted.

Unprofessionalism

A disorganized presentation might give the appearance of being unprofessional, affecting the presenter’s credibility.

Poor Readability

Small fonts, poor contrast, and ornamental typefaces can strain the eyes and make it difficult to follow a presentation.

Lack of Visual Appeal

A presentation with a dull or unappealing design may fail to catch attention (and make the material less memorable).

9. A Few of My Favorite Google Slides Templates

If you’re not interested in using stock templates (let alone creating your own), I’ve got you covered with these slick presentations:

Ganymede Template

Ganymede—Dark-colored title slide in a presentation template

The Ganymede template offers a modern style with bold text for extra impact. Whether you aim to make a lasting impression with your pitch deck — or simply want to use colors that align with your brand — this template suits your needs.

Access Template

Dynamic Business Template

Green-and-white title slide in a presentation template

An effective project management report is characterized by clarity, and your color scheme plays a significant role. I love the streamlined theme of this Google Slides template and appreciate that a blank timeline chart, roadmap diagram, and funnel are included for incredible customization.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make google slides vertical.

You can make Google Slides vertical  by following simple steps:

  • Open a new or existing presentation.
  • Click the “ File ” button to open a drop-down menu.
  • Click the “ Page setup ” option.
  • Select the “ Custom ” option and set your desired size (width and height)
  • Hit “ Apply ” to save the changes.

Can You Do Hanging Indent in Google Slides?

Yes. There are three methods to do hanging indent in Google Slides:

  • The ruler (blur triangle) along the top to position your hanging indent.
  • The keyboard Tab key for quick indentation adjustments.
  • Select “ Text Fitting ”> “ Indention ” > “ Hanging ” > “ First line indent ” > “ Hanging indent ” to the desired amount.

Are There More Google Slides Templates?

Yes. There are many free Google Slides templates out there. Here are ten additional templates  for you to use.

Bottom Line

Any presentation’s goal is to keep the audience’s attention, and you can do that with a balance between aesthetics and practicality.

I hope I’ve helped you learn how to make your Google Slides look good, express your message, and captivate your audience. If you need more assistance, Spreadsheet Point’s premium Google Slides templates  can take the pressure off you. When you use the code SSP, you’ll get 50% off !

Get Premium Templates

  • How To Download Google Slides [Step-by-Step Guide]
  • How To Add Bitmoji to Google Slides
  • How To Make Google Slides Play Automatically

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how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Art of Presentations

15 Tips to Make an Amazing Google Slides Presentation Design!

By: Author Shrot Katewa

15 Tips to Make an Amazing Google Slides Presentation Design!

There are many reasons that people like to use Google Slides. It could be for a school project, work presentation or just to share information with friends and family.

Whatever the reason, one thing is certain: you want your design to look amazing! If you want an easy way to create a great-looking design for your next presentation then this blog post is for you.

In this article, we will go over 15 tips on how to make an amazing design using Google Slides. Whether it’s your first time creating a presentation on Google Slides or if you’re an experienced professional, these tips are sure to help guide you in the right direction!

So, let’s get started!

Note – if you are strapped for time , simply considering outsourcing the presentation design process to a professional! I’d recommend using Fiverr . It is completely hassle-free to set up and start using. Plus, you don’t need to pay anything to hire a professional. You only pay for the slide design! And, you can start with as little as $5 to $10 per slide!

Tips to Make an Amazing Google Slide Presentation Design!

Since this is going to be an action-packed article with a ton of suggestions, let’s just dive right in with the tips!

1. Create a Compeling Narrative Through a Story Arc

A presentation is only as good as the narrative it holds!

If your presentation doesn’t leave “ food for thought ” for your audience, they are less likely to remember your presentation, and even less likely to take any action afterward (which is mostly bad news especially if you are trying to convince your investors to give you more money!)

Presentation design goes hand-in-hand with the content that is going to be used for the presentation. Thus, start with a compelling story.

The best way to create a convincing story for your presentation is to use the “ Story Arc “.

A “ Story Arc ” or a “Narrative Arc” is something that has been successfully used by storytellers and writers for ages. The keyword here is “successfully”!

A powerful narrative can not only help your audience understand the intricacies of the subject of the presentation, but it also makes the presentation engaging and entertaining.

The best way to start working on a story arc is to either look at what is the most important aspect of your presentation and how can it be emphasized in a manner that takes the role of a protagonist?

Another way that I’ve used the story arc in my presentations successfully is to work backward. Think of what is the end outcome that you expect, and try to track things backward in order to achieve the end outcome.

No matter what approach you take, if you are able to fit a story arc in your presentation, you’d be golden!

Finally use stories from your life, or what you experienced while working on a project! I’ve seen this works really well and resonates with the audience. Here’s a quick video on tips for using storytelling in your presentation.

2. One Topic Per Slide

Now that you’ve identified the larger part of what you going to cover in your presentation – in other words, the content, you now need to lay it out on your presentation such that it can be consumed by your audience comfortably!

One of the simplest tips to design a better presentation is to make sure that you don’t cramp all the information in a single slide or 4-5 slides! Make sure that you spread out the presentation on multiple slides so that the audience can absorb all the information, but in short bursts, and then move on to the next topic!

A good rule of thumb for a good design is to try and cover just 1 topic on a slide.

I’ve seen this work plenty of times, and I personally also use this technique for my presentations. Simply divide the content of your presentations first into multiple key sections. Then, divide the sections further into key topics that should be covered within that section.

You can do this activity on a sheet of paper or just on the first slide of the presentation. Once you’re done with this activity, you’ll realize that the outline that you’ve just created also serves as the “Agenda” or the “Table of Contents” slide.

Now, all you’re left to do is fill in the information that needs to go under each topic.

You may be wondering how is this a design tip. Well, when you have just one concept present on a slide, it is not only easier for your audience to consume, but also easier to design. You’ll realize this when designing the presentation and thank me later!

Remember, there will be times when you will not have much to say about a particular topic, your slide will look empty, and you will be tempted to add another topic on the same slide. Don’t fall for that. Instead, use images that accentuate the text or the topic of the slide.

3. Start with a Template (Don’t Design from Scratch!)

This next tip might seem a bit obvious to some.

But, the reality is that quite a lot of people tend to miss out on the fact that you can use presentations that already look good, and just customize the slides for your content!

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Google Slides already provides you with a number of free templates. Here’s how you can access them –

  • First, visit your Google Slides dashboard page.
  • Login to your Google Account (if prompted)
  • Choose a template from “Start a new presentation” section
  • You can also click on “Template Gallery” to view more templates.

The one template that I end up using over and over again is the file name “ Consulting Proposal “. It has got a sleek modern design, a good mix of image slides as well as different text placeholder slide layouts for you to easily edit your presentation.

But, feel free to check out other templates and see which one fits your need the best.

The point here is that if you are not great at designing a presentation, you’d perhaps be better off using a template rather than starting from scratch!

4. Use Fonts the Right Way

When it comes to designing a good presentation on Google Slides (or any application for that matter), fonts do play a key role in how your presentation looks!

Thus, it is important to make sure that you use the fonts correctly when creating your presentation.

Here’s what you need to remember when using fonts for your presentation –

  • Use Just One or Two Fonts – Don’t use too many fonts in your presentation. Your presentation design will not look good. Plus, using too many fonts in a presentation shows lack of consistency and professionalism in design.
  • Combine Fonts – Ideally, just use one font if you are unsure of which fonts work great together. But, you can also combine fonts to make the content of your presentation standout!

If you do want to go with a two-font option, use the Google Fonts tool to identify the font combination.

Here’s how you can find a good font combination for your presentation –

Step 1 – Visit Googe Fonts and Search for a Font

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Google Fonts site provides free fonts that are compatible with most modern internet sites and web browsers. Google Fonts are considered the gold standard for sites as these look very modern and are light.

The best thing is – most of them are already available in your Google Slides presentation by default.

So, the first step is to visit the Google Fonts website . Then, search for a font, to begin with. My favorite font is Montserrat . But, you can also go with Lato, Roboto, or Source Sans Pro if you are looking for a Sans Serif Font .

If you are looking for a Serif font , I would recommend using Merriweather .

Step 2 – Choose the Font and click “Pairings”

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

The next step is to choose a font. You can either type one of the fonts that I mentioned in the search bar and click on it once it appears OR you can also simply choose from the list provided below.

Just make sure that you click on the font that you like to open it.

Once the font is open, click on the “Pairings” tab on the top (as shown in the image).

Step 3 – Choose a Font Pair

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Now simply choose one of the font pairs provided by Google Fonts. You can also click on a font pair to see how it looks on the section on the right.

Play with the options provided and choose the font combination that you like.

Now, simply go back to your Google Slides presentation and change the fonts according to your selection.

5. Choose the Right Color Combination

Just the way fonts are an important part of your Google Slides presentation design, choosing a good color combination can make your presentation look visually appealing, consistent, and professional.

Unfortunately, a lot of struggle with choosing a good color combination. Thus, I highly advise going with a monochromatic color scheme.

A monochromatic color scheme in a presentation provides a variety of color combinations of the same color. This makes your presentation look consistent and professional.

Moreover, using a monochromatic color scheme is a perfect way option for a beginner as it requires the least amount of time and effort to set up!

Check out my other article on using a monochromatic color scheme for presentations to understand the topic in-depth.

Then, also check out how to use the eyedropper tool in Google Slides to implement the color scheme that you end up choosing.

Make sure that you change the color at the theme level in Google Slides instead of changing it on every single slide. This will save you quite a bit of time!

6. Use the Expore Tool to Generate Slide Designs

Once you’ve decided the fonts, color scheme, and theme, and you have the content structured out, you’ve done most of the hard work!

All you are now left to do is create the slide designs. And, to help you with that, make sure that you use the “ Explore Tool ” in Google Slides.

The “Explore” feature in Google Slides generates slide designs based on the content that is already present on the slide. It is a great way to get a slide designed almost instantaneously!

The “Explore” feature in Google Slides works much as the design ideas feature in PowerPoint.

Based on the content on the slide, it will throw a few suggestions on how the content can be laid out on the slide. You can choose the design you like. If not, you can still design your own slide. But, it is definitely worth trying out first. Pretty cool, isn’t it!

I wrote a detailed article on the Explore Feature in Google Slides . Make sure you check out that article to learn where to find this tool and know how to use it!

That said, one thing to keep in mind is that this feature is still an experimental tool . And, while it is getting better with time, I wouldn’t recommend using it with every single slide.

In my experience, I’ve noticed that using the “Explore” feature in Google Slides works best when you want to create a title slide, a section break slide, or just want to get a few ideas on how the slide can be designed.

7. Apply the 3 by 3 Design Rule

The 3 by 3 design rule, otherwise also known as “ the rule of thirds “, is a principle that has been borrowed from photography. But, it is every bit applicable even for slide designs and other design elements!

As per the 3 by 3 design principle, you basically need to divide the visual canvas into 3 equal-sized vertical and horizontal grids with the help of 2 vertical grid lines and 2 horizontal grid lines.

Here’s a video that explains the concept of the rule of thirds for presentations –

Using these grids helps place the content correctly in the grids such that the key message usually aligns with the way our eyes like to see them visually!

The 3 by 3 design principle may seem confusing at first, but once you’ve understood how to use it, you can literally take your presentation design skills a few notches above the rest!

Using 3X3 Grids to Properly Layout Content on your Slides

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

The interesting thing is, you can take the same principle to make it work with elements apart from the images that are present on your slide. And, the results are just amazing!

The picture above shows how most people design their slides (on the left). However, you can literally transform the way your slides look by applying the concept of 3×3 grids to any existing content on the slides! (as shown on the right part of the picture above)

Here’s another video that explains how this concept of 3 by 3 grids can be used to take any existing slides and make them better (if they aren’t properly organized).

8. Use Powerful Images

They say – “An image speaks a thousand words!”. This absolutely holds true when it comes to big impact presentation!

If you recollect any one of the top presentations from Steve Jobs. His presentation was almost always using powerful images with very few words on them.

Using images, as opposed to a lot of text, on your presentation has a few advantages of its own –

  • Visual Appeal – Using images makes the slide visually appealing. Think about it – if there aren’t too many objects placed on the slide, the chances of making design related mistakes are also far lower!
  • Emotional Connect – Using images creates a subtle emotional connect in the minds of the audience with the topic of the presentation and/or the presenter.
  • Audience Focus – When you use text on a presentation, often the audience just reads the text and doens’t want to listen to the presenter. Instead, when using the images, you control the focus of the attention of your audience. Once you have their attention, making a presentation impactful is a lot easier!
  • Faster Design Process – In most cases, it is faster to find an image and add it to the presentation rather than think of a way to design a slide to communicate a concept. This is especially true if you have only basic design skills.

If you watch some of the most famous TED or TEDx presentations ( know the difference between TED and TEDx presentations here ), it is quite common to see presenters using high-impact images with text. Ever wonder why is it so?

Well, one of the most important reasons is that you are able to control the attention of the audience!

Now, if you are wondering how to find images for your presentation, keep reading as I’ve got some great recommendations for add-ons later in the article!

9. Keep the Text on the Slide Readable

If using images for most slides is not the way for you, then this section is going to be quite important!

In fact, even if you do plan to use just images on your slides, there may still be a few slides where you will need to have some text. If so, make sure that the text on the slide is readable!

Make sure that you don’t use text that is too small to read.

As a general rule – the further the audience is going to be away from the screen, the larger the size of the text!

Here’s what to remember for the size of the text on the slides –

  • Presentation seen on a computer screen – If the presentation that you are designing is going to be seen on a computer screen (either over an email or a zoom call), then make sure that the font size used for the presentation is not less than 16 points .
  • Presentation seen on a large screen – If the presentation is going to be delivered in an auditorium, then it is recommended to use a font size no less than 30 points . For the rest of the situations, anything in between should be fine!

Also, make sure that you don’t use too much text on the same slide. Remember – you only need to cover one key topic on one slide.

It is totally okay to just use one word in the middle of the slide, and talk about that topic rather than using text from a complete word document on a slide!

If your audience will have to squint to read what is written, it just creates a bad user experience and they quickly lose interest.

Also, for the above reason, don’t include everything on the slide that you plan to say! If you do so, you may come across as a person who is just reading from the slide! Most importantly, the audience is going to end up reading the text from the slide faster than you speak, and end up losing interest in the presentation!

10. Ditch the Bullet Points (Use Infographics Instead!)

Using bullet points on a presentation is so 1990s! It’s just not the way good presentations are given anymore!

If you want your presentation design to look good, make sure that you get rid of bullet points. Instead, you can either use images, icons, or even infographics!

I’ve written an entire article on how to use infographics in Google Slides where I also talk about SmartArt and charts in Google Slides. Make sure you check out that article!

There are a ton of different ways in which you get infographics for Google Slides. I’ve talked about that also in the same article that I’ve linked above.

Likewise, you can also use icons instead of bullet points. Although adding icons to Google Slides is not an option that is available by default, there are a few ways you can work around this problem. For instance, you can use an add-on like “Flaticon” that provides free icons for Google Slides!

If you are wondering how to create a slide with bullet points and use icons or other methods, here’s a good example of an actual client slide that I redesigned –

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

As you can see on the image, simply using icons and structuring the text to give proper hierarchy to the information can make all the difference to the design of the slide!

In case you don’t want to use icons, you can also use numbers with circles, and use a similar design instead of just adding bullets to your presentation. If you do so, your presentation will still look good!

11. Avoid Using Just Table or a Graph

The next tip to remember is to avoid using just a table or a graph on a slide. Make sure that you also include a few points that act as key takeaways from the information that you provide.

Using just a table will present a lot of information on a single slide. This will definitely cause an information overload. And, even though your audience may be able to assess what is being presented to them, it is important to either highlight key pieces of information in the table or a graph.

Alternatively, you can also add a couple of lines of text indicating the key learnings from the data set.

Don’t get me wrong, it is important to have data sets on a presentation if you have one! But, just make sure that you also highlight key pieces of information that your audience should pay attention to.

12. Keep Animations and Transitions Subtle

Another design tip that you should keep in mind is the use of animations and transitions in Google Slides.

You want to make sure when using animations in Google Slides , you don’t add any funny movements. Think old school when using animations and transitions in your presentation.

Any additional movement or sudden transitions can distract the attention of the audience from the core topic and the messaging of the presentation.

So, make sure that you keep the use of such animations or transitions to the minimal!

13. Use Professional Google Slides Templates

If you find that the free template doesn’t have enough slide layouts for your presentation or doesn’t really fit the topic of your presentation, you may want to consider using professional templates!

There are a ton of different ways you can get templates for Google Slides. Unfortunately, most of the free options (and even most paid options) have outdated designs!

My personal favorite method for getting amazing Google Slides presentation templates is using Envato Elements .

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

The best part about using Envato Elements is that not only does it provide you with the best-in-class designs for your templates, but it also provides you with an option to download an unlimited number of presentations! (yes, you hear that right!)

Moreover, the pricing of Envato Elements is also really affordable! All you need to do is click on Envato Elements to visit the website, view the templates, and click on the “ Get Unlimited Downloads ” button on the top.

You will be prompted to sign up and pay a subscription. Just go for a monthly subscription and pay for one month (You can easily remove the payment method and cancel your subscription anytime).

Once you’ve logged in, simply cancel your subscription. Your subscription will be valid until the next date of renewal even if you cancel it.

Now, for the one month that you’ve paid, feel free to download all the templates that you like including templates for Google Slides, and PowerPoint!

14. Use Add-ons for Faster and Better Designs

One of the challenges with Google Slides, as opposed to some of the most reliable presentation design software, is the limited number of features it offers.

I suppose we should not really be complaining about it given that we do get a great presentation design application for free along with several additional advantages with Google Slides ! That said, you do feel the need for a few pro-features that PowerPoint has to offer.

However, one way to fix this problem is to use add-ons with Google Slides!

Using add-ons allows you to use third-party tools and bring additional functionalities to your Google Slides presentation!

Add-ons on Google Slides are easy to add. Simply go to the Google Marketplace, and search for the add-on that you would like to add. Install it, and you are done!

Check out my complete guide on using Add-ons on Google Slides where I not only talk about how to use add-ons in Google Slides, but I also provide you with my personal favorite top 5 recommendations of add-ons that you should be using in Google Slides!

15. Hire a Professional

Well, the last tip is not so much as a tool that you can use on Google Slides. But, it is a great hack to ensure that you create great presentation designs!

Simply hire a professional to do the design work for you! You may be wondering that hiring a presentation professional might be difficult. However, that is not the case.

You can easily find some really good presentation designers on Fiverr , and you can start at as little as $5 to $10 dollars per slide! I’ve personally used freelancers from the site, and although finding a good freelancer may take you 15-20 minutes, you can easily outsource your work and let the designer worry about the rest!

The best part is – you don’t have to pay a single penny to hire a professional. You only pay to get the work done!

There are a ton of other platforms to hire professionals that can design a good presentation for you. However, I have found Fiverr (especially for presentation design work) and Upwork to be the most effective.

A Few Things to Remember When Delivering the Presentation

Once you have created an amazing Google Slides presentation, you are perhaps ready to deliver the presentation. However, I’d like to also share a couple of tips that can be helpful when you plan to give the presentation!

So, here they are –

1. Use a Presentation Remote

It doesn’t matter whether you are giving a presentation in an auditorium or online through Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

Using a presentation remote helps you keep your hands free and allows for free movement and hand gestures. This does help engage with your audience.

Check out my other article on using presentation clickers with Google Slides where I provide you with a few tips and recommendations on which remote you should go with.

2. Use the Q&A Tool in Google Slides

A unique feature that Google Slides provides is the Q&A tool. This is great especially if you are delivering a webinar-style presentation or if you are simply addressing a large gathering.

This tool allows your audience to send questions during the course of your presentation. Then, at the end, you can simply view the questions in the Q&A session and answer them one by one!

It is a great way to deliver an engaging presentation using Google Slides!

Credit to cookie_studio (on Freepik) for the featured image of this article (further edited).

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8 Tips on How to Make Google Slides Look Good

Princess Angolluan

Expect your audience to not be very impressed if you have a generic Google Slides presentation. They’re used to seeing similar information online, and this makes it difficult for you to get through to them. Deliver your point effectively by learning how to make Google Slides more pleasing to the eye in this guide.

Tip: already have a great-looking presentation? Learn how to extract images from Google Slides or PowerPoint .

How to Make Google Slides Look Good

1. choose the right slide layout, 2. use an appropriate color scheme, 3. choose a font based on application, 4. insert infographics, 5. embed videos and gifs, 6. add animations and transitions, 7. interact with audience using the q&a tool, 8. use google slides templates.

While the definition of a “good-looking presentation” is very subjective, there are some benchmarks that you can refer to. The following eight tips can improve the appearance of your Google Slides presentation:

Position your photos and text at optimal locations on a slide so that your audience can read and consume the details you’re presenting without hassle. But where are these “optimal locations”? That’s where slide layouts come into play.

When you add a new slide to a Google Slides presentation, you have an option to choose a layout. The layouts are preset with image placeholders, text boxes, title boxes, and similar elements. You just need to insert your content.

Find the slide layouts by clicking the downward arrow beside the “New slide” button in the toolbar. Choose one of these common (but effective) slide layouts:

Slide layouts in Google Slides

  • Section header: use this layout to separate your content into different sections. It also helps your audience understand when you’re transitioning to another topic.

Section Header

  • Title and body: this is likely to be the layout you use most often in your presentation. Use it to present an idea with supporting bullet points.

Title And Body Layout

  • One column text: this layout is good to use when you want to insert a supporting photo beside a text box.

One Column Layout

  • Caption: Sometimes a picture can convey more meaning than a slide filled with text. For full-screen photos, the caption slide is the best option.

Caption Layout 1

  • Big number: when presenting important figures and statistics, this layout will help deliver a better impact among your audiences.

Big Number Layout

Good to know: learn how to add a chart to your Google Slides presentation .

Colors play a vital role in setting the mood of your presentation. If you choose the wrong color scheme, you may not be able to deliver your point clearly. Worse, your audience could get distracted if you choose tacky colors.

Consider the context and audience of your presentation when choosing a color scheme:

  • Monochrome for formal scenarios: when delivering keynote presentations, pitch decks, and other business reports, use colors that look more formal. Consider black and white themes or incorporate varying shades of blue to add visual interest to your slides.

Monochrome Slide

  • Vibrant themes for the creatives: if you’re running a creative studio or making a presentation related to marketing, consider using more vibrant colors. Make sure you find the right blend to showcase your own creative abilities.

Vibrant Slide

  • Utilize your brand colors: if you want to showcase your products or services in your Google Slides, why not use your brand’s colors? This would give more emphasis to your products and increase brand awareness.

Aside from the appropriate slide colors, remember to apply your chosen color scheme to other elements as well. Ensure that the color of your text contrasts nicely with the background for optimal readability. Simply put, use light-colored fonts for dark backgrounds and vice versa.

When selecting fonts, consider looking up font psychology on the Web. Basically, it shows how different styles of fonts can evoke emotion or tone among people. The following are the three major font categories:

  • Serif: use this when delivering formal presentations, especially in academic and corporate applications. Examples include EB Garamond, Lora, and Roboto Serif.

Serif Fonts

  • Sans serif: for more casual applications, use a sans serif font, such as Arial, Lexend, and Work Sans.

Sans Serif Fonts

  • Script: if you want to showcase your creativity, such as for art presentations and marketing pitches, a script font may be more appropriate. Examples are Caveat, and Lobster. You can also opt for a “hand-drawn” font, such as Amatic.

Script Fonts

Whichever you choose, use only two to three fonts in your Google Slides presentation. This way, you provide enough visual interest to your slides and avoid making them look tacky. Pairing serif and sans-serif fonts for the title and body text is a great way to start.

Remember to experiment with the font sizes, too. Establish a visual hierarchy using bigger fonts for headers and smaller fonts for the details.

Heading Hierarchy

Good to know: use these tools to identify fonts in images .

Infographics provide a more interesting and meaningful way to present your data compared to plain text. Since there are graphics and visual cues involved, your audience can consume the content more intuitively (like in a process flow diagram).

Process Flow Diagram

Google Slides offers numerous kinds of diagrams, from grids to cycle charts. Whichever you choose, ensure that it matches the set of information that you’re presenting. For example, you can use a timeline chart when presenting the milestone years of your brand.

Timeline Diagram

To add an infographic in Google Slides, go to “Insert -> Diagram.” Select your preferred chart, and edit as needed.

Insert A Diagram

Videos are great supporting materials in your presentation, especially when you’re discussing complex topics. You have two source options here: YouTube and Google Drive.

Inserting a Video From YouTube:

  • Go to YouTube and find the video that you want to insert.
  • Click the “Share” button.

Share Button From Yt

  • Choose “Copy.”

Copy Link From Yt

  • Return to your Google Slides presentation.
  • Go to “Insert -> Video.”

Insert Video

  • Click the search bar at the top, and paste the link that you copied.
  • Select the result that appears.
  • Click the “Insert” button.

Insert Video From YouTube

Inserting a Video From Google Drive:

If you want to use videos that you have previously recorded or ones you downloaded from Facebook, upload them to your Google Drive account first, then insert them into your slides as instructed below:

  • Go to your account on Google Drive , and select your video.
  • Right-click on the video, then choose “Share -> Copy link.”

Copy Link From Google Drive

  • Return to your presentation.
  • Choose “Insert -> Video.”

Insert Video

  • Switch to the “Google Drive” tab, then paste the link you copied to the search bar at the top.

Insert Video From Google Drive 1

  • Click “Insert” to finish.

Insert Button Google drive

When using a video in your presentation , remember that it’s only supporting material. Ensure that it lasts no more than two minutes on a slide. Keep the number of video clips to a maximum of three in your entire presentation, too.

For short clips that span only a few seconds, we recommend using GIFs instead. They’re much lighter in storage than videos and would be just as effective. You can add one by choosing “Insert -> Image” in the menu bar.

Insert Image

Whichever source you prefer to use is up to you. You can search for photos online in an app, upload them from your drive or local storage, or copy and paste the URL of your image.

Tip: running out of space on Drive? Learn how to delete files from Google Drive to gain more room .

Using animations and transitions can make your Google Slides more attractive and enjoyable. They make your presentation appear less static and can also help with the pacing of your discussion.

When adding them to your slides, ensure that they are uniform throughout. For animations, it’s good to use up to two styles. For transitions, apply a single effect to every slide to not risk distracting your audience. Follow the steps below to add animations and transitions:

  • Go to “Slide,” and select “Transition.”

Transition In Slide Menu

  • Select your preferred effect in the side panel under “Slide Transition.”
  • Adjust its speed as necessary.
  • Click “Apply to all slides.”

Slide Transition Options

  • Under “Object Animations,” select the effect you want to apply to your text or object.

Object Animation Options

  • Preview your transition and/or animation using the “Play” button.

Play Animation Button

Note: we recommend that you avoid using the “Spin” animation for normal text, as it can be distracting. This also applies to the “Flip,” “Cube,” and “Gallery” transitions.

Related: want to whiz along more quickly when creating your presentation? Check out these Google Slides keyboard shortcuts .

After attracting your audience’s attention, go a step further to keep them engaged. One of the best features that you can use in Google Slides is the Q&A tool. Follow these steps to implement it:

  • Click the “Slideshow” button in the top-right corner of your screen.

Slideshow Button

  • Choose the More icon (vertical three dots) in the lower-left corner.
  • Select “Q & A” from the list.
  • Alternatively, press the “A” key on your keyboard.

Q And A Tool

  • Click “Start new.”

Clicking Start New Button

You can enable this tool from the very start of your presentation. There will be a link displayed on top of the presenter screen where your audience can send their questions and concerns. This link works until you disable it or your presentation ends.

Qa Tool Link

The questions will pool in the Q&A tool as your presentation progresses. Ensure that you allot time to address them. You can find the questions in the same tab as the steps above.

Given our tips, you probably realize that creating a visually appealing presentation consumes much time and effort. You may want to use a Google Slides template to save time for other tasks.

Templates already follow a structured format, from the design elements to the layout. Just insert your content, and customize the template to your needs.

FYI: make it educational for your kids by creating a simple flash card game in Google Slides .

Final Thoughts

A good-looking presentation doesn’t just impress your audience – it also ensures that your point comes across. To create an effective Google Slides presentation, consider using preset layouts and templates, and select the right colors and font styles to properly set the mood of your presentation.

Infographics, videos, and other visual cues would also be beneficial. And to top it off, consider using the Q&A tool to keep your audience engaged.

Want to learn more? Take a look at these 10 Google Slides tips to save you time .

Image credit: Unsplash . All screenshots by Princess Angolluan.

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Princess Angolluan

Princess is a freelance writer based in Croatia. She used to work as an English teacher in Hokkaido, Japan before she finally changed careers and focused on content writing & copywriting, while running their own digital marketing company in Europe. For 5 years, she has written many articles and web pages on various niches like technology, finance, digital marketing, etc. Princess loves playing FPS games, watching anime, and singing.

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20 Google Slides Tips to spice up your Presentations

Google Slides tips, 20 great tips to push your presentation slide show to the top of the list, make people listen and get your message across clearly, professionally and with style.

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By Lyudmil Enchev

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4 years ago

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how to make a google slide presentation pretty

If you need to make a presentation, you want to give yourself the best chance of success. To sell the product or yourself, to inform, to get your message across – the better the presentation the better the chances. Slide show presentations are a common way of doing this, but they are no less useful for that. They have many advantages, it’s why they are so popular, they can get the information across clearly, concisely, and memorably if done well. One of the most important decisions is which software to use. One option is Google Slides, but the software alone will not a great presentation make. In this article, we’ll give you some tips on how to really spice up that Google Slides presentation to create something you are proud of and more importantly will get the job done.

What is Google Slides?

Google Slides is a specialized presentation program that is part of the Google Drive service and it is free or there is a paid-for business option – G suite.  It is available as a desktop application and also as a web app or mobile app, so it can be used in pretty much any situation by anybody with computer access.

Put simply Google Slides enables anyone to create a presentation and edit it , and significantly can allow you to collaborate with other users in real-time . It is designed for online use and is regularly updated with new, fresh features. Crucially, it is also incredibly easy to use .

You’ve got the resource, you’ve got the concept, so the only question that remains is how do you make it something special? Here are the top 20 design tips to consider when using Google Slides:

Tip 1: Use templates Tip 2: Use plenty of  images Tip 3: Experiment with typography Tip 4: Add diagrams and infographics Tip 5: Get creative with your images Tip 6: Be careful with color Tip 7: Add animated transitions Tip 8: Collaborate with your team Tip 9: Add videos Tip 10: Hold back on the text

Tip 11: Make it a story Tip 12: Make reference Tip 13: Add links Tip 14: Take questions Tip 15: Make notes Tip 16: Add bullet points Tip 17: Make it device friendly Tip 18: Use numbers Tip 19: Finish with C.T.A Tip 20: Don’t extend too much

Tip #1: Use templates

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

The theme of your presentation should be represented by the theme of your slideshow. It will hold everything together.

Unless you are a designer yourself, it can be tricky and time-consuming to design a presentation from scratch that looks the part. The professional designers know what they are doing and give you plenty of options. It isn’t lazy, it doesn’t reflect on your design skills (you aren’t a designer anyway), and nobody questions your creativity.

In actual fact, using the numerous professionally designed templates available on Google Slides does two really useful jobs, if, in fact, they notice at all. Firstly it shows the audience that you know your limits and more importantly, it gives you time to focus on the content of the presentation. It is after all the content that is your principal goal. Plus it gives you extra time to concentrate on your all-important presentation skills.

The templates are all exceptionally designed, and completely and easily editable including the addition of images, layout, color, and background color. Really what more could you need?

Tip #2: Use plenty of  images

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Presentations need to be visual. We remember images, we understand images, we recognize and associate with images, and we are brief visual creatures. You need to use images, but we wish it was that simple. don’t just throw them in for the sake of it!

The images you use have a huge effect. The key is to use powerful and appropriate images such as photos and illustrations that help you get your message through. Images that emphasize and enhance your words, stoke up emotion and clarify a complex issue, all these images are useful and powerful. They help you deliver what you want, they help you get your message across and you need to get them into the presentation as thoughtfully as possible.

So you know, you want images so then you need to decide on the right ones. Either use your own images previously downloaded or created and saved and insert them or use Google image search. If you use Google’s image search which has a tremendous number of options, we’re talking in the millions here, it isn’t even necessary to download them first, just add them via your browser tab, insert, image, type in keywords and search away then click on your choice and it’s done.

The type of images you add is important and well worth thinking about. Illustrations can show creativity, originality, and imagination. They are great for illustrating more abstract or complex ideas. You can choose between artistic, hand-drawn, graphic, geometric, simple outlines, etc, all will generate a different tone and feel. Photographic images can present reality, credibility, and honesty. With either choice, you can get really creative, grab the attention, hold the attention, and be remembered.

Be aware that heavy files can result in lagging, which is the last thing you need. Run the presentation through, to check it’s smooth.

Tip #3: Experiment with typography

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

If you’ve got great content, and we’re sure you have, why go with a bog-standard font. Let’s get creative and choose the font that will suit your theme, your content, and your style, a font that will catch the eye and set you apart. In Google Slides when you click on a text box you get a font option, including size, color, etc. There is a great range but selecting “more fonts” at the top will direct you to the free Google Fonts service. Here you can get really funky. Don’t be afraid an unusual font can have a wow effect but remember it needs to be readable too. You can add your own custom fonts too.

And that’s not all, clicking on the More option on the menu bar (far right) gives you room to play with the text you have, from the usual rotation, size, text fitting, and positioning to the more interesting drop shadow and reflection options. (including opacity, and translucency slide bars.) These add interest and an extra dimension and look like you’ve really made an effort.

Tip #4: Add diagrams and infographics

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

As with the images above, infographics and diagrams are ideal for presentations. They convey masses amount of information in accessible chunks in a visual way. If you’ve got stats and data or even a complex idea to explain there is little as confusing and frankly dull as long lists of figures or long-winded explanations. This is where the latest craze for infographics really comes into its own.

You can create infographics independently of Google Slides and simply insert it, in the correct spot. Alternatively, you can create a chart or graph, a flowchart, or a diagram straight in Slides, using google sheets or one of the standard menu options. Again these are flexible and editable.

Tip #5: Get creative with your images

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

We’ve already established that you need images, right? If you’ve selected the appropriate powerful ones, now is the time to put in a tiny bit of effort to add a little extra style. Google Slides contains an option for masking images, meaning you can play with the edges, round off the corners, change image shape and add other stylistic elements. These little things make a huge difference so get creative and experiment, you can always undo, the many options by simply clicking on the image, then the Mask image icon (the little triangle).

Tip #6: Be careful with color

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

We all know colors can improve a presentation but it is equally true that they can ruin it too. A tendency to throw colors around willy-nilly can look childish and distract from your main aim, so think carefully.

Colors carry associations and are emotive(be aware that they are also culture-sensitive) and can be a great psychological tool when presenting. But you have to make some decisions about what, where, and how much.

  • Brand Colors – if you’re presenting your brand, colors are a fantastic way of creating a strong flow of identity throughout. You can stick to the exact colors or use tonal variations and still keep the consistency.
  • Bright Colors – catch the attention, but don’t overdo it. Combinations work well, especially regarding images and texts.
  • One dominant color – A theme that eases from slide to slide, when used cleverly focuses the eye and highlights key points.
  • Black and White – a classic for a reason, dramatic yet clear, elegant yet simple, and you can add grey or occasional pops of color that really stand out.
  • Trends of 2022 – colors go in fashions too, check out the most trendy colors and combinations in 2022 .
  • Gradients – Gradients and color transitions are very popular.
  • Backgrounds – full or part, transparent or semi-transparent, plain, pattern or texture – background really help draw the eye to a particular section. You can also add your own.

Google Slides makes it easy to edit colors into your work, the difficult bit is making the decision in the first place.

Tip #7: Add animated transitions

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

The visual effect given when moving from one slide to the next, transitions is one of the simplest methods of adding a professional feel to the overall presentation. In Google Slides, just click on the “Transitions” button on the menu and choose from the many options available. The rule of thumb is to find one you like and stick to it during the whole presentation, there are lots of options but don’t be tempted to mix them up. A great transition will keep the interest and create a dynamic flow, a cacophony will distract.

It’s worth noting you should try to keep the number of slides and therefore transitions as low as possible, too many slides is too much movement and not enough focus.

Tip #8: Collaborate with your team

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

A great advantage of Google Slides is that as it’s online, anyone with permission can see where you are at with the design and even edit it. If you are working with a design team or content writers this is ideal, if you want another opinion it’s a great option too. Another set of eyes can offer insights, and advice, and often see mistakes that you haven’t even noticed. And always get your presentation proofread to avoid potential embarrassment, the last thing you need is to be talking over a glaring typo, hours spent putting together a great presentation can be lost in an instant.

All edits are tracked by the user and indicated by color coding and you can give various levels of permissions. With a revision history that tracks changes to the presentation.

Tip #9: Add videos

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

It may be appropriate to do something a little different and add a video, it will cause a stir. If you think this is an option that will add to your presentation and isn’t just there because you can do it, then it’s easy to do in Google Slides.

By clicking on “Insert” then “video”, you can add either form your own saved video to your Google Drive account or search YouTube videos. Be sure to watch the video before embedding it, you don’t want an embarrassing surprise. Then edit or format your video as you wish, you can change position or size and playback options, it’s easy but a great way of impressing the audience.

Tip #10: Hold back on the text

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Your presentation is an aid to your speech, a guide, and in addition, it is not a document to be read. A text overload will do one of two things either people will focus on the writing and you’ll lose their attention, or worse you’ll lose them altogether and they’ll focus on neither.

The rule is to be brief, the shorter the better. Strong impacting, emotive, emphasizing, provocative – these are the words you are looking for, nobody wants long explanatory texts (that’s what your images are for).

Experts recommend up to six words per slide is enough to gain the attention and get the audience to listen to what you have to say.

Tip #11: Make it a story

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

We are surrounded by stories from the earliest fairy tales of childhood to the binge-watched Netflix dramas of present times. If you want your presentation to really strike a chord, storytelling is the way to go. Stories, anecdotes, and personal snippets all will allow your key communicative aim to be understood. They also give you a chance to show your personality, humor, humility, experience, and knowledge, and liven things ups.

The slide show is used as a guide through your story, a background that will hold the key concepts and arguments, keep them clear, and hold the focus. But essentially they supplement and add whilst you do the work.

Tip #12: Make reference

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

By referring to current events, and culture you kill two birds with one stone. Firstly, the audience can relate to your message and can link your ideas to what they are familiar with. Secondly, it keeps things topical, relevant, and up-to-date and that includes the images of you. It forms a vital link with the audience, you are part of them and not apart from them.

But beware you need to know your stuff, what you may think is topical could fall on deaf ears. Research and know your audience, think of age and cultural differences – you don’t want your witty observation to fall on stony ground. And everything should be focused back on your main point, link it to the presentation.

Tip #13: Add links

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Links will enable people to lookup more detailed information, links will also show you’ve done your background, links look academic, and links can add a level of professionalism.

With Google Slides there is a research tool, which makes it simple to add links to websites but also to images or additional files in your Drive account. A very useful way of allowing you to be brief and focused but supplying all information that is needed. You can even type into the Google Slides to search for relevant images and sites.

Tip #14: Take questions (often)

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Don’t wait until the end to invite questions, people often forget what they were going to ask or are just desperate to get to the free buffet! Questions should be invited throughout, interaction is good, and it makes the audience feel part of the process. In a physical presence in a meeting room or conference hall, this should be scheduled into your time, it is easy to forget and move on.

Google Slides has a Presenters notes section that only you can during the presentation, this is an excellent place to remind yourself to ask for questions.

If your presentation is virtual then Google Slides can create a link for you to send to your audience. Through this link, the viewers can post questions which then appear in the box. An excellent way of increasing active viewing.

Tip #15: Make notes

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

As we’ve established your slide show is not a complete presentation, your skills are absolutely vital. You need to be prepared for the pressure and the performance. Google Slides provides a “Presenter Notes” option where you can create a guide for each slide, or a script if you wish. There is a good chance you will forget something or get lost at some point unless you really know your stuff – and even then it’s more than possible.

When you start your slide show select “Present” and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Click on the gear icon and open your written notes. The notes open in a separate window, so you need to arrange your setup so you have different screens meaning the audience doesn’t see the notes. The notes follow the slide you are on, forwards or backward, and at whatever speed you are working.

Tip #16: Add bullet points

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

In an article, proposal, or report, bullet points are great, they break up texts, highlight key points, and make scanning easier but these are text for reading. A presentation is not for reading. You need to explain the slides, the bullets don’t. If it’s worth a bullet point it’s worth a slide of its own. Don’t patronize your audience with obvious point breakdowns when a few words will do the trick. If they need a breakdown, or explanation add a link.

Tip #17: Make it device friendly

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

You may well be using your presentation slide show in a very standard, typical way, perhaps projecting it onto a screen behind you from your laptop. Remember Google Slides is online so you can access it from a mobile device or tablet. This means that it is possible to cast from your device to a screen. You don’t necessarily have to carry around your laptop for your presentation.

It is also great for working on your presentation remotely, where ever you may be. You get a great idea on the train, take out your phone and access your presentation.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that others can access your presentation from their device too, so remember when doing the design that your presentation needs to look at the part on the small screen.

Tip #18: Use numbers

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Numbers add clarity, help the listeners know where you are, act as a guide through the process, and make it feel like you are progressing. If you number each slide there is a sense of drawing to a goal, it’s a simple rule but one of the best. They take seconds to add on Google Slides and are proven to help.

Tip #19: Finish with C.T.A

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

A call to action is a great way to finish. It has the dual function of closing the presentation and opening the next dialogue. Devote a whole slide to it, make it provocative, you want this part to be remembered.

Thank your audience, of course, it pays to be polite… but please don’t waste a slide on this. Your ending needs to be dramatic and memorable. The questions you need to pose at the end of your presentation, and the questions the audience needs to be asking themselves is… what now? Tell them what you want them to do – directly.

Tip#20: Don’t extend too much

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

We’ve left it to the end, it’s so important but be brief. Nobody will thank you for needlessly extending, you sat in presentations yourself and you know exactly what everybody is thinking. Let’s get this over and done, yes? This is what the experts say and who are we to argue.

  • Ten key slides  – Seems harsh and obviously, it’s only a guide but it’s a good guide. This is the optimal number of slides in a Slide Show presentation, as most people don’t cope well with more than ten key ideas in one session.
  • Twenty minutes – If your presentation talk is planned for 20 solid informative minutes it’s plenty. You can have a brief intro (but keep it brief) and clearly, it’s flexible for additional questions and discussions but your actual presentation time should be around 20 minutes.

Presentation construction and the presentations themselves are not necessarily dull. These key tips are both general and Google Slide specific. The idea is to create something that will wow your audience, look professional, create a buzz, and most importantly of all – achieve your main goal. Substance and style rather than one over the other.

You and your design are a team, working together to get the information and message across. The design should, of course, look the part and these tips will help you there – but it shouldn’t dominate.

You are a focal point too, and here are some things to remember:

  • Have energy – if you are not enjoying it, no one will.
  • Practice – eye contact, voice, and gestures, they all go a long way to selling the message and keeping people with you. Practice in front of a mirror, in front of friends and family, even a pet -it makes a difference when you do it in front of an audience – you’ll get the feel.
  • Prepare – double-check the equipment, and proofread the presentation (better get it to proofread).
  • Feel Comfortable – get there in good time, check the room and facilities, wear clothes you feel good in, it all helps your confidence.
  • You can’t please all the people all the time – remember some people will always be bored, and won’t react, hit the majority and you’ll be fine.

These Google Slides tips are exactly that tips, you use what you want, what you think will work for you, and you will work for your audience. The Slides will help, they are the magic wand but you are the one waving it and speaking the magic words.

You may also be interested in these related articles:

  • 35 Free Google Slides Infographic Templates to Grab Now
  • 39 Free Google Slides Templates For Your Next Presentation
  • 70 Inspiring Presentation Slides with Cartoon Designs

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how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Lyudmil Enchev

Lyudmil is an avid movie fan which influences his passion for video editing. You will often see him making animations and video tutorials for GraphicMama. Lyudmil is also passionate for photography, video making, and writing scripts.

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how to make a google slide presentation pretty

May 1, 2024

How to make Google Slides that look good

Six simple rules to make your presentations more visually appealing. Start applying these design principles to your presentations and make beautiful slide decks

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Co-founder, Head of Product

Creating great presentations can be a daunting job — you can’t just be a good writer, you also need to make visually-pleasing slides. Designing a presentation involves hundreds of design decisions — like structuring the content,  laying it out on a page (should you use columns? rows? bullets?), choosing typefaces (there are so many fonts!) and font styles, to selecting colors and adding graphics.

Unless you’re a professional slide designer, you’ve probably wasted hours struggling with these decisions.

If you want to make visually appealing, cool-looking, or aesthetic Google Slides but don’t know where to start, then this guide is for you.

Always start with content, not visual design.

Before we get into it, let’s start with the cardinal rule of presentation-making .

The single biggest mistake we see all the time is people who try to “design” slides before having a clear idea of what they want the presentation to say . You should align visual design to content structure, not the other way around.

We strongly recommend that you start by mapping out your content . Start with an outline that will force you to clarify the goals and shape of your presentation and hone in on your key messages. Don’t worry about writing all of the copy on the page yet, but try to get to a list of slide titles and the key points you want to make.

Try to answer the following questions:

  • Who’s the audience? (What should be the voice and tone?)
  • What are the three key takeaways for the presentation?
  • Are people going to be reading the slides or is someone going to be talking over it? (How dense should the slide content be? How many slides do you need?)
  • Will it be projected on a screen or will people look at it on their phones (in which case you might want to use a vertical layout )?

You don’t have to design slides from scratch.

Staring at a blank presentation can be daunting and paralyzing — after all, you have to figure out both your content structure and design your slides. Here are some alternatives to getting started.

Use a template

The easiest way to make beautiful Google Slides is to use a premade template . Instead of trying to master slide design yourself, leverage the work that other designers have already put in.

How should you choose a template? You can choose a template either based on the presentation content you need or based on its visual design. If you already have a content structure in mind (because you followed the first step of this guide!), then you can actually choose from a wider set of presentation templates. Just look for the visual style and content layouts that fit your need.

A screenshot of the Plus template library for free Google Slides templates.

Check out the Plus template library for Google Slides — they’re totally free to use.

Use an AI presentation maker

Plus AI is one of the best AI presentation makers . It gives you the best of both worlds of starting from scratch and from a template. Plus can generate an outline for you from any prompt, so you don’t need to stare at a blank sheet of paper (or screen) or be constrained by the exact structure in an off the shelf template.

The slides that Plus AI generates are clean and professional, including a wide variety of slide layouts that you can further customize and tweak . You can also apply custom themes to customize the look and feel even further.

6 design rules for making visually appealing slides

Even if you use a template or a tool like Plus AI, it is still useful to understand the principles of slide design, so you have more freedom to edit and play with your content structure. You don’t need to become a typography expert or master color theory, just follow these basic principles to quickly up-level your slide designs.

1. Page layout is your first priority

It doesn’t matter how aesthetic your color palette is or how harmonious your typeface choices are, if content is not well laid out on your page.

  • Check your slide margins and spacing across your slides.
  • Zoom out and look at them in a grid view, which will help you spot issues.
  • If you have repeating elements on a page (e.g., 3 columns of text), make sure they are aligned and evenly spaced. Use an imaginary grid to layout your content.

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

2. Establish clear information hierarchy

In general, don’t use more than 2-3 font sizes on a page. A reader should be able to quickly glance at your slide and understand which text elements are titles, headings, and detail. The more text sizes you have on the page, the more muddled your content structure becomes.

If you’re struggling with this rule, you probably have too much content on your slide. Try splitting it up into two or more slides.

Make sure your titles and headings are visually distinct from your body text. You can accomplish this by varying text size, weight (e.g., boldness), typeface (font), color, and positioning.

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

3. Keep everything consistent across slides!

Make sure your slide title looks exactly the same and is located in the same place across your slides. Don’t vary text styles or sizes across slides. Use a consistent and coherent color palette. If you have graphic elements, make sure they are in the same style across the presentation.

You can make exceptions to this rule, but make sure you do so intentionally, like inserting a full bleed quote slide to emphasize a point.

These are the first three rules because they are all you need to make a visually pleasing presentation. Once you’ve mastered these, you can play with your slide designs to introduce more visual interest — to make them look “cool,” or “aesthetic.”

4. Establish an intentional, but limited, color palette

Using color is the easiest way to evoke a mood or tone.

We recommend picking one, two, or three primary colors for your presentation, then building out a color palette around that. Always test your palette to make sure there is enough contrast between your background and text colors, so that your content remains legible! (As a general rule of thumb, keeping your background and primary text colors neutral can help.)

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

You can get inspiration anywhere. Use a color picker to extract colors from a photograph that represents a feeling or vibe you like. Adapt the colors from your favorite brands and websites.

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

By the way, you can use Plus AI to generate custom color palettes for you. You can import themes from Plus templates or use tools like Coolors.co to generate color palettes quickly.

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

5. Typography is a vibe

Like colors, your choices of font (and font styles) do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to conveying your message. It is the most immediate way to convey a tone. Is this a serious or playful presentation? Is the vibe luxurious and refined or cool and cutting edge?

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

We recommend selecting one or two fonts for your presentation. For professional, business, or minimalist presentations, just go with one (just make sure it looks good at all sizes). If you want to add more visual interest, try choosing a pair of contrasting fonts.

Tips for choosing fonts in Google Slides:

  • Use the Google Fonts site to preview some text. Try them out at different sizes and weights.
  • In Google Slides, the default set of font choices is pretty limited. You can add more by clicking More fonts inside the font dropdown.
  • Note that unfortunately you cannot use custom fonts (i.e., non Google fonts) in Google Slides. This means that if your company or brand uses a specific font, you’ll need to find something similar in Google Slides.

Need a place to start? Here are some of our favorite font pairings:

  • Roboto & Bitter
  • DM Sans & Sanchez
  • Sync & Plus Jakarta Sans
  • Fraunces & Source Sans Pro
  • Libre Bodoni & Inter
  • Hepta Slab & Space Grotesk

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

6. Add graphic elements but don’t overdo it

Obviously, adding graphic elements like illustrations, icons, photos, or abstract shapes can make a big impact on your presentation. We love using imagery in our designs.

In general, the more image-heavy your presentation is, the simpler you should keep your other design elements (fonts, colors, content density).

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Tips for adding images to your presentation:

  • Ideally, the photos should have some relevance to your presentation.
  • Visual consistency. Make sure the photos and your presentation color palette are harmonious. If possible, make sure photos are in a consistent visual style across the presentation and especially on the same slide.
  • There unfortunately aren’t many built-in photo editing tools within Google Slides, but you can often get a lot of mileage out of just adjusting the brightness and opacity of images to make them more cohesive.
  • Mask your images in a shape (like a rounded rectangle or circle) to mirror other slide design elements on the page and create focus.
  • Btw, Google Slides doesn’t support SVG import. Here’s a workaround for that .

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Beyond photos and illustrations

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Try adding a gradient background instead of (or in addition to) using photos. It’s a simple but powerful way to create something more eye-catching.

Instead of building or hunting down complex infographics, try playing around with native shapes within Google Slides. You can accomplish a lot with simple geometric shapes.

Free resources

Here are some of our favorite free design resources. Make sure you check the license and usage rules and give credit to designers when needed.

  • Photos: unsplash.com , pexels.com
  • Icons: thenounproject , Figma community (search for icons)
  • Fonts: Google Fonts , How to pair fonts
  • Gradient backgrounds and more: magicpattern.design
  • Colors: coolors , colorhunt.co
  • Inspiration: awwwards.com , siteinspire.com , dribbble

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31 Free Google Slides Templates For Gorgeous Presentations

31 Free Google Slides Templates For Gorgeous Presentations

by Bridgette Mabuto

January 23, 2019

Blog , Roundups

The right word in the right place makes all the difference.

Google Slides for Stunning, Easy Presentations

Google Slide templates are the perfect way to present information or pitch ideas without going through the stress of design.

As someone who doesn’t like to speak publicly, having an outline and prompts during even the shortest of presentations has been a great help to me. And because Google Slides are the easiest ways to create these presentations, I’m a huge fan of Google Slide templates.

We’ve put together a list of our favorite free Google Slide templates for you to use no matter how short or extensive your presentation. With these slides, you won’t just be presenting information like a pro, that information will look good while you do it.

Dawn Google Slide Presentation

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Dawn has three of our favorite things: It's Modern, Simple, and it's Free! Can't get much better than that! The Google Slides template comes with 34 professionally designed slides, so you can just find the one that works best for you and add your information.

Aloha Presentation Template

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

While you might not want to use this template for your more serious presentations, it’s way to gorgeous not to include on the list. The Aloha template comes with bright and modern editable slides and can be used in both Googles Slides and Power Point.

Alpha Presentation Template

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Alpha is the perfect Google Slide template for organizing your thoughts into concise, clean spaces. The template is quite professional and keeps the focus on content rather than design.

Origami Template

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

The homogeneous feel that Origami brings to its template make it an ideal option for business presentations. The template comes with agenda, chart, service, and dashboard slides, so you can present like a real professional.

Red Aesthetics

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Even though Red Aesthetics looks amazing, the template is so minimalistic that it’s the perfect hybrid of creativity and professionalism. The Google Slides template comes with multiple options for various slide designs, but allows for photos and artwork to come alongside information.

Juliet Presentation Template

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

You can adjust the colors of the gorgeous brushstroke on the intro slide of Juliet. The pack comes with 25 different slide options, so your color scheme can be carried out through your presentation. You’ll also get over 80 icons when you download this presentation template.

Creative Magic

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

It’s all in the name. The set of slides in this pack are all extremely creative with a side of ‘90s aesthetics. The template comes with a variety of slide options, including tables, charts, and graphs.

Vision and Mission Business Template

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Don’t let the beautiful first slide of this template fool you: Vision and Mission Business template is all about presenting information in a concise way. The slides are modern, clean, and very comprehensive.

Cymbeline Presentation

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Whether you want to use Cymbeline on Google Slides or PowerPoint, it is a minimalistic template that will help your presentation look professional. The pack comes with 25 slides, all simply designed in black and white.

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

On a simple white background, Salisbury adds a little oomph to its design by incorporating sharp angles. The design takes nothing away from the information, complementing your work.

Elegant Google Slides Theme

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

With its Victorian borders and stunning swashes, the Elegant theme is an ideal option for your more formal presentations. The pack comes with 25 slides that can all be customized to your specifications.

Helicanus Presentation Template

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

The backgrounds of the 25 slides included with Helicanus alternate between rustic photographs and plain. Of course, you can edit them to match your color scheme, but the feature-rich slides are perfect for click-and-go presentations.

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Featuring a set of office-inspired slides, this simple theme is a perfect template for short presentations with minimal information. Palmer is also very classy, which is always a good thing.

Technology Themed Template

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

With 23 easy to customize slides, Technology is a free template that presents a simple way to display complex information. With graphs, tables, and maps, Technology will help you break it down to potential investors.

Dolabella Presentation Template

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

If you’re a lover of classic, aged designs, you’ll fall in love with this presentation template. Dolabella is rich in features that will make creating your Google Slides a breeze.

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Sometimes having a simple, clean template allows focus to be on the information. Ellsworth has all the slide layouts you could need and will make it so easy for you to show off your presentation.

Finance Google Slide Template

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

No one really wants to talk about money, but if you have to, do it in an elegant, professional way. This finance slide set is perfect for monthly reports or wading through large amounts of information.

Roderigo Presentation Template

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

With funky graphics and plenty of empty space for information, Roderigo offers a versatile way to engage and inform an audience.

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

The gorgeous watercolor effects with Kelsie are an example of how art and business can meld together. The design is completely editable and comes with graphs, tables, and chart slides.

Olivia Google Slide Presentation

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Olivia is a fun, engaging Google Slide template that keeps content fresh with bright colors and plenty of blank spaces. The pack comes with 25 varieties of slides and 80 different icons.

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Definitely one of the simpler options on this list, Ulysses comes with several different slide options as well as fun graphics. Everything, from the colors and texts and photos, can be edited.

Mercury Business Template

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

To keep the design elegant and neat, Mercury was created with a very specific set of colors and layouts. The ordered and modern slides are perfect for delivering information and thoughts.

Arvirargus Template

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Arviragus was created in tribute to Cadwal, a popular template that wasn’t functional for presentations. The new template has larger text and sharp contrasts to make content pop.

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

With dozens of slide options, Rosalind offers a bright way to showcase your presentation. The Google Slide template comes with plenty of features and is easy to customize.

Minimal Google Slide Template

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Minimal relies on simplicity for its effectiveness, and in good order! The stunning black and white slides make Minimal the perfect template for a professional presentation.

Ganymede Presentation Template

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

From the title slide, you might think Ganymede is too simple for you. But the Google Slides template is one of the brightest and varied presentation options on this list!

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

The hints of watercolor and rough edges bring a beautiful sense of wonder to the Eglamour template. With its blank spaces, the presentation is still professional, but the pops of color just make it stunning.

Science Google Slides Theme

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Made with teachers and students in mind, Science is a Google Slides theme that is both fun and modern. The theme comes with 25 different layouts and plenty of cool features.

Titania Presentation Template

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Because Titania does have a smaller text size, you might not want to use it for huge presentations, but the template is still a colorful, versatile option for shared and printed documents. Titania comes with 25 slide layouts and features beautiful patterns and shapes.

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

The botanical influence of Constance makes it one of the most gorgeous Google Slide templates on the list. The calming greens and bright accents make it an ideal presentation theme.

Yorick Presentation Template

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

If your company or business has branded around a specific color, Yorick will allow you to highlight that color without being distracting. The presentation design is elegant and efficient, drawing focus to the content rather than the design.

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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

  • Guy Kawasaki

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Remember: Less is more.

A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others. Here are some unique elements that make a presentation stand out.

  • Fonts: Sans Serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial are preferred for their clean lines, which make them easy to digest at various sizes and distances. Limit the number of font styles to two: one for headings and another for body text, to avoid visual confusion or distractions.
  • Colors: Colors can evoke emotions and highlight critical points, but their overuse can lead to a cluttered and confusing presentation. A limited palette of two to three main colors, complemented by a simple background, can help you draw attention to key elements without overwhelming the audience.
  • Pictures: Pictures can communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably but choosing the right images is key. Images or pictures should be big (perhaps 20-25% of the page), bold, and have a clear purpose that complements the slide’s text.
  • Layout: Don’t overcrowd your slides with too much information. When in doubt, adhere to the principle of simplicity, and aim for a clean and uncluttered layout with plenty of white space around text and images. Think phrases and bullets, not sentences.

As an intern or early career professional, chances are that you’ll be tasked with making or giving a presentation in the near future. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others.

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

  • Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist at Canva and was the former chief evangelist at Apple. Guy is the author of 16 books including Think Remarkable : 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.

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How to use gemini to create ai images in google slides.

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Google's Gemini AI can generate images in Google Slides, so you don't have to open a separate tab or app to find images for your presentation. This is a quick and effective way to reinforce your presentation's message. When paired with the most helpful templates , you can create a professional slideshow in minutes, not hours.

We show you how to use Gemini AI to generate images in Google Slides on a desktop. You can access this tool on all desktop computers, including budget-friendly Chromebooks , and whip up your presentation on the go.

How to use Gemini in Google Slides

AI image generation with Gemini isn't available in Google Slides by default. To access Gemini in Google Slides, you need access to one of the following Google AI programs:

AI image generation was previously available in Google Slides with Duet AI. Google replaced Duet AI with Gemini for Google Workspace in February 2024.

  • Gemini Enterprise and Gemini Business add-ons for Google Workspace accounts
  • Google One AI Premium for personal accounts
  • Google Workspace Labs
  • The Gemini Education add-on for Google Workspace for Education.

All Gemini AI features are only available in English but can be accessed worldwide. Google Workspace Labs is free, but access is restricted, so you may have to wait months before you can use Gemini in Slides. If you need access quickly, we recommend one of the other programs.

The easiest way to access Gemini in Google Slides is a Google One AI Premium subscription for a personal account. This service is free for two months, after which it costs $20 a month. In addition to all Gemini tools and 2TB of Google One storage, you get access to features like Fitbit Premium, Nest Aware, and unlimited Magic Editor saves in Google Photos.

Gemini Education is a paid add-on for Google Workspace education accounts. It's available in a basic plan or premium plan, and both have monthly usage limits per license.

Text introducing the Gemini app displayed on a Google Pixel 8

ChatGPT vs. Gemini: Which gives the better answers?

Gemini is bringing ChatGPT some much needed competition

How to use AI to generate images in Google Slides

To get started, check that you're signed in to your Google account and have access to Gemini. Then, open Google Slides. If you aren't sure if you have access to Gemini, follow Step 1. If the Create image with Gemini button is missing, you don't have access to the AI tool.

google slides blank slide

  • Enter a prompt in the text box on the right side of your screen.

google slides gemini window

  • Wait for Gemini to generate four images based on your prompt. The process usually takes no longer than 20 seconds.

four images of red owls generated with gemini in Google Slides

The image can now be edited like any image in Google Slides, including cropping, rotating, and adjusting transparency settings . Click View more to generate another four images (this doesn't remove the ones already generated).

Add feedback by clicking the thumbs-up or thumbs-down icon on each image.

Tips for using AI to generate images in Google Slides

Gemini is a handy tool for adding relevant images to Google Slides. Like any AI image generator, it requires specific prompts to generate the image you want.

Use specific details when creating prompts

Use descriptive words to generate the right image. Think of features you can see or feel. Colors, shapes, texture, and lighting are important elements of an image that you can add to your prompt. For example, "red vase with a rough surface on a windowsill in the morning" is a better prompt than "vase on a windowsill."

images of vases generated with gemini in google slides

Add styles to fine-tune the output

Underneath the text box is the Add a style drop-down menu. Selecting an option from this list generates an image in a style such as a watercolor or sketch.

Check previously generated images

Google Slides saves the images you generated in the sidebar for your session. Scroll down to see all the images you generated. These disappear when you refresh or close the page.

Generate beautiful presentations in minutes

Gemini is a handy asset in Google Slides as it can help create the non-essential parts of your presentation a breeze. There's more to the AI tool than image generation. Try these Gemini tips and tricks to see how you can use it across multiple Google products.

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25 Free Aesthetic Google Slides Themes With Pretty Presentation Designs 2024

Barni Rajah

Have a group presentation coming up soon? Google Slides is an excellent choice for collaborative presentation projects. It allows people to work on the document simultaneously. 

Woodz Google Slides Template a premium aesthetic Google Slides template on Envato Elements

It's never too early to start preparing your content. Choose an aesthetic Slides template for your presentation. A pre-built design template saves you time. You'll create the best possible professional presentation.

This article lists over 20 free-to-download classy presentation templates. We'll take a close look at premium aesthetic Slides templates from Envato Elements. We'll look at different premium pretty Google Slides themes for inspiration. All these options will help you work smart within your means.

Let's go through this article. Find the best Google Slides template for your next presentation! You'll see top options for aesthetic Google Slides themes.

The Best Premium Aesthetic Google Slides Template Designs on Envato Elements for 2024 (Unlimited Use)

You can find loads of aesthetic Google Slides themes on Envato Elements. These trendy and cute Google Slides templates are designed by professionals. They are great to work with.

An Envato Elements subscription takes your creative projects to new heights. Stand out from the crowd. Show your creativity and professionalism without spending hours on your projects. Pretty Google Slides themes are the best way to do that.

Explore Aesthetic Google Slides Templates

Find loads of premium aesthetic Google Slides on Envato Elements

Envato Elements has a great offer. Get unlimited downloads of templates, music, photos, videos, and other digital assets. All for a low monthly fee.

If you choose to work with free templates found online, you could face some risks. Outdated designs, limited features, and uniqueness are the main issues. They aren't the top Google Slides templates with aesthetic designs.

4 Best Premium Aesthetic Google Slides for 2024 (Envato Elements)

Below, you'll find a few premium aesthetic Google Slides inspiration from Envato Elements. Use these for your presentations in 2024:

1. B-Clinique - Trendy Slides

Cover Plastic Surgery Google Slides Template

This trendy slides template was designed for plastic surgery or cosmetology clinics. Use it for any industry with a few simple edits. It comes with 30 beautifully designed slides. It uses an earthy tone of browns, which helps create a very calm feel to the presentation. 

2. Leavy - Classy Presentation Template

Leavy - Classy Presentation Template

Leavy comes with 120 unique slides and two color variations. It's a multipurpose slide template. All elements are editable. It's easy for you to customize the template according to your content. Leavy has a simple yet elegant design that allows your content to take center stage.

3. Aesthetic Brand Marketing Google Slides Presentation

Aesthetic Brand Marketing Google Slides Presentation

Are you in marketing? Present your next campaign with Google Slides templates aesthetic! These aesthetic slides scream fun!

Here's one of our cute slides templates that comes with 30 slides that use pop colors. This works great with a white background to grab your audience's attention. Create cute slide templates and fun presentations. 

4. Hermosa - Aesthetic Blur Background Google Slides

Hermosa - Aesthetic Blur Background Google Slides

"Hermosa" means beautiful in Spanish. The name does justice to aesthetic Google Slides themes like this one.

This template comes with 30 unique slides. Cute themes for Google Slides are easy to edit and customize. Present your brand in a fun light with an aesthetic template like this. Show your audience how lively yet professional your brand can be. Start working with aesthetic Google Slides like this one!  

25 Top Free Pretty (Aesthetic) Google Slides Templates to Download for 2024

Envato has monthly freebies! Before diving into free templates found online, check Envato's free offerings. 

Free Envato Elements files

Here's the deal:

  • Envato Elements offers 12 individual files like templates, fonts, music, and more monthly. Create a free account and download this month's premium free files now. 

A Google Slides theme template is not this month's premium freebie? Free aesthetic Google Slides theme templates are your next best option. It beats starting from scratch.

Ready to discover Google Slides templates aesthetic for free? Let's look at 20+ free aesthetic Google Slides themes from around the web:

1. Neutral Colors Free Cute Themes for Google Slides

Are you looking for cute themes for Google Slides? Or maybe you're looking for boho Google Slides themes? Let's start this list with neutral colors and aesthetic slides.

Go for clean aesthetic Google Slides templates like this one. Keep it clean and simple. That's the secret behind cute Google Slides themes.

Neutral Colors Free Google Slides Theme

2.  Vintage Moodboard Google Slides Templates Aesthetic for Free

If you're into mood boards, this one is for you. It's also ideal if you need boho Google Slides themes.

Create a DIY visual experience with this template. Cute slide templates like this one come with cute backgrounds. Leave a warm impression with your audience. Start working with aesthetic Google Slides like this one. 

3. Social Media Strategy Cute Themes for Google Slides

Are you in search of an eye-catching and easy-to-use template? This is a pretty Google Slides themes to present your strategy. The aesthetic slides featured are everything you need for your next presentation. Work with Google Slides themes aesthetic like this one.

4. Modern Resume Free Google Slides Theme

Orange is a good color to inspire trust and dynamism. This Google Slides templates aesthetic for free comes with orange slides. It comes with slides for contact, work history, and skills. This is one of those slide templates aesthetic with a simple style. That leaves plenty of room to add your style. 

5. Business Geometric Free Aesthetic Google Slides

Aesthetic style comes in different shapes and forms. This is great if you're looking for Google Slides themes aesthetic. It's a cute slide templates with geometric shapes for each slide.

Show your personality but still keep it professional. Start working with aesthetic Google Slides templates like this one! 

6. Creative Blobs - Free Pretty Google Slides Theme

Are you looking for cute Google Slides themes? This is right up your alley. Some cute Google Slide themes are suitable for PowerPoint as well. This is one of those. It comes with a vibrant and warm colors. It's a cheerful-looking cute templates for Google Slides.  

7. Tech Illustrated - Free Trendy Slides  

Pretty Google Slides themes come in many shapes and forms. Check out this pretty and tech-inspired download. It comes with techie illustrations. This Google Slides templates aesthetic for free comes with a vibrant purplish-blue background. 

8. Rainbow Gradients - Free Classy Presentation Template

This cute Google Slides template features a rainbow-like background. Most aesthetic google slides templates have a clean and minimal design. This one definitely follows that trend. The abstract gradients featured makes this an aesthetic Google Slides. 

Rainbow Gradients - Free Classy Presentation Template

9. Big X Design Free Aesthetic Google Slides Theme

Make a bold statement with aesthetic Google Slides themes. This is a great example of aesthetic Google Slides.

Create aesthetic Google Slides with this download. Pretty Google Slides themes can also be clean and minimal. Add your information and get ready to impress your audience. 

10. Creative Magic - Free Cute Themes for Google Slides

Let your creative magic shine with these aesthetic slides. It is a Memphis design-styled template. It uses bright colors and abstract elements. Most cute templates for Google Slides use color. Aesthetic Google Slides templates like this one use a white background.

11. Mortimer Free Template for Google Slides

Work with these fun and cute Google Slide themes. This aesthetic Google Slides features abstract and liquid elements. It uses gradient colors for some background elements. It's a great Google Slides themes aesthetic to get started. 

12. Manhattan Free Template for Google Slides

This aesthetic Google Slides design is bold and minimal. Pretty Google Slides themes don't have to be overcrowded. These cute slide templates are a good example. It comes in yellow and black and uses geometric designs. 

13. Capri - Free Google Slides Theme

Some cute Google Slide themes use summer colors. This one uses pale summer colors like green, orange, yellow, red, and cream. Show your fun side and personality with cute slide templates. Start working with these cute templates for Google Slides.

Capri - Free Google Slides Theme

14. Potter - Free Google Slides Template

Are you looking for creative and cute themes for Google Slides? This might be a good fit. These cute slide templates comes with a black background. Fonts and elements are in white and yellow for contrast. This Google Slides themes aesthetic is ready for your presentation. 

15. Elliot - Free Classy Presentation Template

Are you into gradient backgrounds? This is a minimalist aesthetic Google Slides themes. It comes with bold gradient background colors. Add your information into these cute Google Slides templates. Impress your audience with your design skills. 

16. Free Watercolor Google Slides

If you're in search of a DIY effect, this is for you. These cute Google Slides themes features 34 slides. This slide templates aesthetic also includes infographics. It's got loads to offer for a free template. Some cute Google Slide templates are free.

17. Business - Google Slides Templates Aesthetic for Free

This is one of the best Google Slides themes aesthetic. It comes in blue and features some infographics. Create pretty Google Slides themes with this download. The design is suitable for any business-related presentations.

18. City Silhouettes - Free Pretty Google Slides Theme

Pretty Google Slides themes use bright colors. This one has yellow, blue, and red. The background is a light shade of gray. Create amazing and aesthetic Google Slides with this download. Cute themes for Google Slides like this one aren't easy to find. 

City Silhouettes - Free Pretty Google Slides Theme

19. Abstract Wave Flower Boho Google Slides Themes

Are you in search of boho Google Slides themes? These cute templates for Google Slides is a good choice. It has a soft washes brown background color. It uses flowers as a design element. It's a beautiful Google Slides templates aesthetic for free! 

20. Yellow Cute Templates for Google Slides 

Aesthetic Google Slides templates have only necessary elements. These are a yellow and cute templates for Google Slides. Add your information in black or white for contrast. Create a Google Slide templates aesthetic with this download. 

21. Stylish Flowers Free Cute Google Slides Templates

If you're into boho Google Slides themes, this one is for you. Work with cute Google Slide templates like this one. It comes with a beautiful light blue background. These cute Google Slides templates also features flower patterns.  

22. Diverse People Free Aesthetic Google Slides Themes

Promote diversity with aesthetic Google Slides themes. The light purple background is perfect for Google Slides templates aesthetic.

Each slide features different people. It's a cute slide templates with a strong message. This is one of the best Google Slides templates aesthetic for free

23. Social Media Brand Guidelines Free Google Slides Theme

Working in social media campaigns? This aesthetic Google Slides themes is a great tool. Present your strategy and ideas in a clean way. Aesthetic Google Slides offer enough blank space to add your information. 

Social Media Brand Guidelines. Free PPT Template & Google Slides Theme

24. Creative Scribbles Free Aesthetic Google Slides Themes

Let your fun personality shine through with cute Google Slide themes. Some aesthetic Google Slides templates come with handmade elements. This one features cool scribbles.

Pretty Google Slides themes like this one are ready to use. Add your information and images. 

25. Yellow Arrow Free Cute Google Slides Themes

Make a visual statement with this download. Pretty Google Slides themes like this one come with bold elements. Yellow is a great color to communicate energy.

Cute Google Slide themes can be soft or bold, like this one. Experiment with Google Slides templates aesthetic for free! 

How to Quickly Customize Cute Google Slides Themes (For 2024 Presentations)

We’ve looked at some of the best aesthetic Google Slides themes from around the web. Now, it’s time to learn how to customize them. You’ll see how to make your own pretty slides - fast!

Let's customize a Google Slides templates aesthetic design in five quick steps.

Want to follow along? Jump over to Envato Elements . Download the premium Bianco pretty Google Slides template .

Cute Google Slides themes

Let's get started:

1. Rearrange Slides

Cute Google Slides templates like this one have dozens of pretty slides inside. It’s up to you to choose which ones to work with. To rearrange them in Google Slides, click on the View tab. Then, choose Grid View from the dropdown.

Aesthetic Google Slides themes

Or delete those that you don’t want. When you’re finished, click Grid view again to get started building your pretty slides.

2. Add Your Own Text

Aesthetic Google Slides themes save you time by having layouts pre-built. All you've got to do is fill in your own content. That starts with text. Highlight the contents of any text box, and then type over them.

Text on pretty slides

This lets you easily add text to every slide. You don’t have to create your own text boxes or waste time devising your own layouts. Repeat as needed throughout your favorite pretty Google Slides themes.

3. Customize Font Effects

Some font and text effects are added for you. That’s a key advantage of cute Google Slides templates. But don’t think of this as a constraint. You still have full creative control!

Fonts Google Slides templates aesthetic

From there, change out the fonts, or add your own. Plus, you can add text effects like bolds and italics with a single click.

This is a good time to visit Envato Elements and check out thousands of custom fonts available. Use these to make stunning pretty slides. They’re included with your Envato Elements subscription!

4. Change Shape Colors

You've got control over this as well. To change a shape's color, get started by clicking on an object to select it. On the menu, click the Fill Color dropdown.

Fill color pretty Google Slides themes

You’ll see a color chooser menu appear, with tabs for Solid and Gradient . Pick one of the color presets or create your very own in the Custom group. This is an easy way to add your own style. Work with pre-built cute Google Slides templates.

5. Add Images

What’s worth a thousand words? Images, of course! They’re easy to add to your favorite aesthetic Google Slides themes. Click into an image placeholder. Choose Replace Image from the menu bar.

Images in cute Google Slides templates

Choose Upload from Computer . Browse to a stored image, then click to import it. It'll appear inside your cute Google Slides themes. It'll be sized and scaled to fit perfectly.

Are you searching for images to use? As an Envato Elements member, you've got access to millions of stock photos. Browse the stock photo library today!  

5 Quick Design Tips to Build Pretty Slides in 2024

Pretty Google Slides themes give you a jumpstart in presentation building. Consider these five quick tips to save time and make a great impression every time you present:

1. Choose Animated Designs

Even the best aesthetic Google Slides themes may be a little flat without animation. Animations help you move from slide to slide and keep audiences focused.

Cute dog aesthetic Google Slides themes

Many premium cute Google Slides templates have animations built in. That’s very useful because it saves you the time of having to create them manually.

2. Choose Your Own Theme Colors

Cute Google Slides themes are going to have their own color palettes built in. Each presentation you give should reflect your personal style. It often pays to change out the colors to those you’ve chosen yourself.

This is especially useful if you've got custom brand colors that you want to show off. Fortunately, it’s easy to change theme colors in Google Slides. To help you get started, we created a full tutorial on the subject! Check it out now:

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

3. Don’t Forget Typography

Fonts and text make up a big part of the style of your pretty slides. Many premium templates have stunning custom fonts included. This goes a long way towards impressing your audience.

typography fashion pretty slides

Choose eye-catching text styles when you pick out cute Google Slides templates. And don’t forget to visit the Fonts section of Envato Elements for designs you can use anywhere.

4. Mix Up the Audio

Think you've got to spend every single second narrating your slides? Think again. Adding music and audio is a great way to keep your slides interesting. It will also give yourself a break.

Google Slides makes it easy to add any kind of audio to your pretty slides. It only takes a few clicks. We've got a tutorial to help you get started:

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Envato Elements includes a vast library of audio. Take a look at the latest offerings in music and sound effects .

5. Illustrate, Don’t Write

Aesthetic Google Slides themes succeed by finding new ways to present data. With options like infographics, charts, and maps, you can avoid dull, text-heavy slides. Each of these is a unique way to illustrate ideas.

Leavy Google Slides templates aesthetic

Cute Google Slides themes from Elements include designs like those. It’s the perfect way to keep your pretty slides interesting. Doing that, in turn, keeps your audience engaged.

5 Top Aesthetic Google Slides Presentation Design Trends for 2024

Improve your presentation skills and start creating slides like a pro. Here are five design trends to get you on the right track:

1. Explore Special Themed Template

But it's also fun to try out special themed templates. Search for a theme that best suits your project, audience, and content. You'll find loads of these special templates on Envato Elements.

Check out some examples:

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

2. Keep It Minimal 

Minimalistic slides are the best. Keep your slides clean and simple by avoiding clutter. Use larger fonts, turn all paragraphs to bullet points, and not have too many elements on each slide. Keep your audience's attention throughout your presentation. Create slides that are easy to follow.

Flattener Brand Sheet Google Slides a minimalistic premium template on Envato Elements

3. Leave Plenty of White Space

Create a clear separation between all elements on a slide. Leave ample white space around them. This makes it easier for your audience to focus on. Using white space also helps you maintain a minimalistic approach to your slides.

4. Visuals vs. Texts

A picture paints a thousand words. Visuals are preferred over texts. Having to read loads of texts on a slide quickly makes it dull and reflects poorly on your presentation. Turn lengthy text into photos or infographics. It makes it easier for your audience to understand and remember your presentation.

EUKA - Creative Aesthetic Google Slides Template

5. Careful Use of Animations and Transitions 

But too much of it, and it turns into a distraction. Subtle, simple, and professional-looking effects are safe to use. Avoid using a transition or animation on each slide. One for every three slides should be the maximum. Find the right balance and use them wisely. 

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Find More Top Google Slides Template Designs for 2024

Need more inspiration? Browse through more elegant Google Slides themes for 2024. Here are three of the best and latest selections to start with:

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Benefits of Using Professional Templates

There are a lot of Google Slides templates with powerful aesthetics for free out there. But a professional premium template has some advantages. Learn the benefits over the free templates. Here are just a few of them:

  • More Customization Options . Professional templates offer a lot more customization options than free aesthetic Google Slides. Tweak every slide, color, and font of your cute Google Slide themes. Make the aesthetic slides speak to your audience.
  • Come With Extras .  Professional cute Google Slides templates include extra features. These include infographics and image placeholders. This means you've got everything you need to create. Leave a professional impression on your audience in one package. Don't worry about trying to piece together various free templates. 
  • Greater Design Variety . Professional and cute themes for Google Slides offer more variety. You’re not limited to the same layout. That might be the case with many cute Google Slide templates for free. 
  • Save Time . Envato Elements gives you access to top creative templates. There are placeholders for each type of content. These will guide you through the aesthetic Google Slides creation process.
  • Impress Your Audience . Aesthetic Google Slides templates from Envato Elements use the latest and best design trends. You'll end up with a creative and aesthetic slides to stand out.

Benefits of Envato Elements (The Power of Unlimited Use)

Benefits of Envato Elements

Envato Elements is a unique service. It's a flat-rate subscription. It includes thousands of great aesthetic Google Slides themes for a single flat-rate price.

Sign up for Envato Elements. You'll get access to thousands of unlimited-use graphics and templates. Find from web themes to aesthetic Google Slides themes . All for one low price!

Common Google Slides Questions Answered (FAQ)

Aesthetic Google Slides themes are the key to a great design. It helps to know how to customize them. It's natural to still have questions. Learn how to navigate the Google Slides templates aesthetic designs featured.

Are you having trouble with your Google Slides templates with highly aesthetic designs? Let's look at five of the most common questions to help you out:

1. Can You Customize Your Pretty Google Slides Themes Color Scheme?

Maybe you love the cute Google Slides themes you downloaded. But the colors aren't quite right. Tweak the pretty slides to match your color scheme. Luckily, that's possible.

Learn how to customize the colors in your cute Google Slides themes. Check out this tutorial:

2. How Can You Add New Fonts in Google Slides?

Yes, you can! Text is important when it comes to Google Slides. That's the way you communicate with your audience. Take some time to choose a good font that enhances your content. The good news is that in Google Slides, you can:

  • change the font type
  • add more fonts
  • change font size and color

Check out this quick tutorial to learn how:

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

3. What Charts Should You Try in Google Slides?

A  line graph is one tool that every presenter should have in their toolbelt. It's a great way to illustrate data over time.

Learn to create a line graph with the help of this quick video tutorial:

4. Does Google Slides Support Other Formats?

I have good news. You can convert PowerPoint templates to aesthetic Google Slides themes. Learn to import a PPTX to Google Slides:

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

5. What's the Best Way to Show Data in Google Slides?

Even if you're using pretty Google Slides themes, you can still add data that tells a story. It's possible to create a chart and match it to your pretty slides.

Learn how to make the best charts and graphs in Google Slides. Check out this tutorial:

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Learn More About Making Great Google Slides Presentations in 2024

Create presentations on your own or as part of a team. Google Slides makes working on a document at the same time with others extremely easy. That's just one benefit of using Google Slides. Check out our How to Use Google Slides (Ultimate Tutorial Guide) . It's a compilation of smaller tutorials. Choose topics you'd want to learn more about and focus on them. 

Here are three examples of smaller guides to start with:

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Grab a Premium Aesthetic Slides Template Today!

Create your next presentation with a premium aesthetic Slides template. Start by browsing through premium aesthetic Google Slides themes on Envato Elements. A subscription allows you to download and use any of these templates without limits. Find all kinds of elegant Google Slides themes for download!

Don't want to go premium just yet? Free templates will come in handy now. This way, you don't have to start building from scratch. You'll find some good free aesthetic Slides themes listed in this article. 

Work smart now by investing in a premium aesthetic Google Slides theme template. Download one today!    

Editorial Note : This post has been updated with contributions from Andrew Childress and Janila Castañeda . Andrew is a freelance instructor for Envato Tuts+. Janila is a staff writer with Envato Tuts+.

Barni Rajah

60 Effective PowerPoint Presentation Tips & Tricks (Giant List)

Here's a PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks guide that takes you through how to make a good PowerPoint presentation.

PowerPoint Presentation Tips

The best PowerPoint presentations shouldn’t be remembered. Instead, they should fall into the background to support you and the message you’re trying to get across.

Unlike good PowerPoint presentations , bad PowerPoint presentations are a distraction. You may remember them, but not in a good way.

You’ve seen them before. They might have millions of lines of text. Or a disjointed flow to the slides. Even worse, some slides feature ugly photos and poor design that detract from the message you’re trying to get across. That can even hurt your credibility as a professional or speaker.

Office Workers Doing Presentation

This article will take you from finding your initial topic to learning how to make a great PowerPoint presentation. Our guide covers everything in between so that you learn how to present a PowerPoint like a pro.

These Microsoft PowerPoint presentation tips and guidelines are organized into sections. So cut straight to the advice you need and come back when you’re ready for the next steps.

Guide to Making Great Presentations (Free eBook Download)

Making Great Business Presentations eBook promo

Also, download our Free eBook: The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations . It’s the deepest resource for learning effective presentation skills for a PPT.

This eBook covers the complete presentation process. It takes the PowerPoint tips and tricks you learn in this article further. Learn how to write your presentation, design it like a pro, and prepare it to present powerfully. It’s another great source for presentation design tips.

Master PowerPoint (Free Course): 15 Essential Tips

This article is full of helpful tips so you can build a powerful presentation. You can also find more PowerPoint tips in this video lesson:

To learn even more about how to make a PowerPoint look good, review the huge list of tips below.

What Makes a PowerPoint Presentation Effective?

Knowing how to use PowerPoint and work within it quickly is helpful. But more important is making a good presentation that hits all your goals. A great PowerPoint presentation is:

  • Prepared to Win . Research, plan, and prepare your presentation professionally. It helps you deliver an effective message to your target audience.
  • Designed Correctly . Your visual points should stand out without overwhelming your audience. A good PowerPoint visual shouldn’t complicate your message.
  • Practiced to Perfection . Rehearse your timing and delivery so that your points land as practiced with a live audience.
  • Delivered With Poise . Present with a relaxed inner calm and confident outward projection. Give your audience warmth, excitement, and energy.
  • Free From Mistakes . Avoid typos, cheesy clip art, and mistakes like reading directly from your slides.

Consider this your all-inclusive guide to how to make a good presentation. We’ll look at preparing your presentation and explore how to design it in PowerPoint. Plus, we’ll cover how to practice and nail your delivery successfully come presentation time.

We’ll also address what not to do in these tips for PowerPoint presentations—so you can sidestep any big mistakes. Now let’s dig into these tips for effective PowerPoint presentations.

Killer Presentation Preparation Tips to Get Started Right

Before even opening PowerPoint, start by addressing these things. These Microsoft PowerPoint tips and tricks will ensure that you’re prepared for your presentation:

1. Know Your Stuff

Your presentation isn’t about your slides alone. It’s about the message you want to get across. Before filling in stats, facts and figures, think about the narrative that’ll be discussed, why, and in what order.

2. Write It Out

Start in a Word or Google doc, and storyboard or script the entire presentation. This will give you an idea of how the information presented will flow and how viewers will see it in sequence. Learn the complete writing process .

3. Highlight What’s Most Important

A presentation covers the most crucial pieces only. Whatever you’ve been working on that led to this—a paper, a work project, a new product design—doesn’t need to be shared in its entirety. Pick key points and put the rest in an “Appendix” to refer to during the Q&A session at the end.

4. Know Your Audience

How you talk to a room full of medical professionals should be different from the way you address a room full of young entrepreneurs. Everything, in fact, is different: your topic selection, the language you use, the examples you give to illustrate points. The little bits of humor you include should be tailored specifically with your target audience in mind.

Understand your audience’s needs to create a successful PowerPoint presentation. Customize your content to meet their specific requirements.

5. Rehearse! (Yes, Already)

It’s never too early to get used to the rhythm of your presentation and take note of points you want to emphasize. While saying it out loud, you’ll start to develop a “feel” for the material. You’ll notice that some things work well, while others don’t and might need to be worked around.

6. Rewrite After You Rehearse

As you’re rehearsing your presentation, you’re bound to stumble over sections that don’t quite flow naturally. Instead of reworking your delivery, it might be time to consider the content and rewrite the areas that served as stumbling blocks.

“Editing is hard. ‘It’s good enough,’ is a phrase wannabes use. Leaders take editing seriously.” – Anthony Trendl

The most important part of creating a great presentation is the writing stage. The second most important stage is rewriting.

7. Share With a Friend

If the stakes are high for your presentation, it’s never too early to get feedback from those that you trust. Here’s an article that helps you collaborate as a team on a PowerPoint presentation. Get PowerPoint design tips from those that you trust when you collaborate.

Simple Tips to Design Your PowerPoint Presentation Better

Second only to you (the information you bring and how you present it) is your PowerPoint slides. If not designed well, a PowerPoint can be disengaging or distracting (regardless of the content quality). Here are some presentation design tips to make sure this doesn’t happen to you:

8. Keep Your Slides Simple

This is one of the most important PowerPoint presentation tips to follow when designing your slides. Keep in mind that less is more (effective.) A cluttered slide is distracting. It causes confusion for an audience: Which part of the slide should I focus on? Should I read the slide or pay attention to the presenter?

A simple, visually appealing slide will engage your audience, keeping them on track with your main points. Here’s an example of a simple slide that serves its purpose perfectly:

Nook - Minimal Powerpoint Template

Minimalist slide templates like Nook can help you resist the urge to clutter your slides.

9. Limit Words on Your Slides

Piggybacking on the last point, less is more effective. If possible, avoid bullets altogether. Otherwise cut them to just a few simple words. The audience should be listening, not reading.

10. Use High-Quality Photos and Graphics

One of the most important tips for quality PowerPoint presentations is to use high-quality photos and graphics.

Earlier in this tutorial, you saw Envato Elements, an all-you-can-download service with PPT tips inside of templates. Those pre-built designs are a beginner’s best friend. They’re even better when paired with Elements’ unlimited library of stock photos .

People are more likely to take you seriously if your presentation is visually appealing. Users view attractive design as more usable. Similarly, they’ll view a more attractive PowerPoint as more effective.

11. Use Accurate and Relevant Charts and Graphs

Charts and graphs can also be distracting if they’re not used right. Make sure your information design is simple and clean so that the audience doesn’t spend the entire time trying to decipher what your X axis says. Learn more about PPT data presentation .

12. Use High-Quality, Fresh Templates

Have you seen the old PowerPoint template that looks like worn paper and uses ink splashes? Yeah, so has your audience. Templates can be distracting if they’re too basic or if the design feels dated. You need one with great design options.

Costs are always a concern. But when you use Envato Elements, you’ve got everything you need to create a great PowerPoint presentation . That’s thanks to the incredible all-you-can-download subscription package.

The best PowerPoint tips and tricks can hardly compare to the value of using a template while building your presentation.

On Envato Elements, there are thousands of PowerPoint design templates that are ready to use. Instead of designing a presentation from scratch, start with a template! Just add your specifics to the placeholders.

Galaxi Powerpoint Template

Templates like Galaxi are impressively designed and waiting for your slide specifics.

The best PowerPoint design tips save you time. And there’s no tip more powerful than this one: use a pre-built template . It helps you master how to present a PowerPoint without spending all your time in the app.

13. Choose Appropriate Fonts

Fonts are an important part of engaging your audience. Fonts and typography choices have a subconscious effect on viewers. They can characterize your company’s presentation and brand either positively or negatively. Make sure that you’re choosing fonts that are professional and modern.

14. Choose Color Well

Like font choice, colors cause specific subconscious reactions from viewers. Choosing an outdated color combination for your presentation will render it ineffective.

Below is an example of the Popsicle PowerPoint template , which has a modern presentation color choice:

Popsicle - Colorful Powerpoint Template

The Popsicle PowerPoint template highlights how harmonized color palettes can create beautiful slides.

15. Clean + Simple Formatting Makes All the Difference!

We’ve got a full tutorial on how to make a good presentation slide . Give it a read through and review the accompanying video. Just remember, less is more. The focus is you and your message , not your slides.

16. Make Sure All Objects Are Aligned

A simple way to create a well-designed presentation is to make sure all items on a slide are intentionally aligned. To do this, hold down Shift and select all the objects you want to include. Then choose Arrange in the options bar and apply Alignment Type .

17. Limit Punctuation

This isn’t the place for exclamation points. Emphasize your points (while speaking). Don’t enlist punctuation to do this for you. (Leave these at home!!!)

18. Avoid Over-Formatting Your Points

This PowerPoint presentation tip is simple. There’s no need to have every word of every bullet point capitalized, or to have all your bullet points in title case. If possible, drop bullets altogether. Again, the simpler, the better!

Limit your text formatting, including reducing the use of bullets, underline, and other effects. Compare the before example on the left to the revised version on the right.

over-formatted vs simple text

19. Combine Information With Graphics in PowerPoint

One of the most powerful presentation skills for PPT is using infographics. With the right type of visuals, slides come to life and reduce the text in favor of graphics.

Infographics help combine information with graphics. It’s easier to explain complex ideas when you use visual formats that are intuitive.

Practice Presentation Tips: Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse!

Delivery is probably more important than the actual content. Here’s how to become more aware of your own unique ticks, and how to present like a polished pro:

20. I’ll Say It Again, Rehearse!

Just do it. Again and again. Experiment with pauses, gestures, and body language. Practice around one hour for every minute of your speech.

21. Practice With a Timer

Consistency is key to an effective PowerPoint presentation. The timing should be similar (ideally the same) each time you rehearse. This one will especially pay off when it’s time to present in front of your audience.

22. Slow It Down

Many of the best speakers today intentionally speak slowly. You’ll have the chance to emphasize, appear more thoughtful, and make your information easier to digest.

23. Pause More Often

Like the prior tip, pausing more often allows your main points to be emphasized and gives time for information to sink in. You need to let key points breathe a little before rushing into the next section.

24. Record Yourself

Use your phone’s voice recorder. Assess and critique yourself. Consider:

  • Are your pauses too short or too long?
  • Are you speaking slowly enough? Too slow?
  • When you’re nervous, does your voice get high like the mice in Cinderella?

record yourself presenting

It’s always weird to hear your own voice recorded; don’t stress it. Use this as a time to adjust.

25. Choose Three Focal Points in the Room

If you stare at the same spot (or even creepier, the same person) the entire time, your presentation will be ineffective (and awkward.) People will be distracted by you, wondering what you’re staring at.

Try this: pick three points in the room (typically: left, center, right). Take time to direct your delivery toward each physical focal point in the room. Also, focus on the center when making your primary points.

26. Vary Your Sentence Length

This makes you sound more interesting, and it’s easier for your audience to follow. Think short and punchy. Or go long and complex for dramatic effect.

27. Modulate!

Don’t speak in monotone for your whole presentation. Be conscious of raising and lowering your voice tone. Otherwise, people will tune you out, and you’ll come across like the teacher in Charlie Brown.

28. Practice in Front of a Mirror

What you look like is as important as how you sound. Pretend you’re having a normal conversation, and allow your hands to move with your speech to emphasize your points. Just don’t get carried away! (I’m thinking Brene Brown or President Obama , not your Aunt Jamie after a few gin and tonics.)

29. Use “Present Mode” When Rehearsing

When you finally are ready to hit the Present button in PowerPoint, make sure you use the Present Mode option. This allows you (and only you) to view extra notes about each slide—just in case you forget something!

30. Practice With New Audiences

If possible, try doing a few real live test runs as a webinar or even at a local Toastmasters organization to get some feedback from a live audience.

31. Engage the Audience by Asking Questions

There’s no reason that a presentation should be one-sided. Why not invert the format and ask your audience a question?

To learn how to create a slide that kicks off a Q&A, use this article . These PowerPoint design tips help you create an engaging and exciting discussion.

Helpful Tips to Step Up and Deliver Come Presentation Time

When the actual day arrives, there are only a few last PowerPoint presentation tips and guidelines to keep in mind:

32. Take a Deep Breath

Deep breathing is proven to relieve stress. It’s simple, and it’ll help you remain calm and in the moment, even up to the last minute before starting.

33. Lighten Up Your Mood

Tell yourself a joke or watch a funny video clip. Do this before the presentation, of course. Research concludes that happy people are more productive. More productive is more focused and able to perform better.

34. Remind Yourself to Take It Slow

When we’re stressed or nervous (or both), we tend to speak faster. Consciously, take yet another deep breath and remind yourself to take it slow!

35. Read the Room

Every presentation room has a temperature. It’s your job as a speaker to gauge it and tailor your presentation to it.

Here’s a great example. Layoffs are coming at a company, and you’re asked to speak to an audience. Even if the audience isn’t personally affected by the actions, you’ve got to consider the morale of the workforce.

read the room

Skilled speakers have a knack for reading the energy of the room and adjusting their presentation on the fly.

The last thing that group will want to hear is how strong the economy is and why the company is the best place to work. That doesn’t mean that you’ve got to align to their uncertainty, but don’t go too far against the grain while presenting.

Robert Kennedy III is a master of bringing energy and aligning a speech to the audience. Here’s his advice for adjusting:

“It can be hard to wake up a “dead” crowd but go for it. Most of all, don’t take their energy personally. Focus on serving them with every bit of your fiber then leave empty.”

36. Fake It ‘Til You Make It!

Go forward with confidence. If you act confident, you’ll start to feel more confident. Move slowly with grace, speak clearly, smile, wear something nice. You’ll appear confident to all attendees (no matter how you feel internally).

PowerPoint Presentation Tips and Tricks to Help Avoid Mistakes (What Not to Do)

Most importantly, focus on what you can do to make your presentation better. There are a few important things not to do that we’ve got to address. Here are a handful of PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks to help you avoid missteps.

37. Stop With the Sound Effects

Sound effects are distracting and outdated. In most cases, avoid them. Add audio or music to your presentation to inject interest or highlight an important point, but it’s something to take extra care with. If you insert audio, then make sure your use really connects with your audience and has a fresh approach. Otherwise, it’s best to leave it out.

38. Don’t Use Flashy Slide Transitions

Again, this is distracting and outdated. Use transitions and subtle animations in your PowerPoint presentation. But you need to take care and do it right .

39. Beware of Clip Art

This PowerPoint presentation tip shouldn’t even have to be said. But please, please don’t use clip art. Use professional graphics instead.

40. Don’t Be Afraid to Be Afraid

The fear of public speaking is a real one. Many beginners think that if they’re feeling nervous that a presentation won’t go well or succeed. That might lead them to cancel the presentation.

Here’s a tip from expert Sandra Zimmer, who leads The Self-Expression Center on conquering your fears before you take the stage:

“Get out of your head and into your body. I do this through a grounding exercise that really works to calm nerves and bring you present in the moment.”

If you think that public speaking fears aren’t normal, you might never give your award-winning presentation. So don’t be afraid to be afraid, and acknowledge it’s part of the process!

41. Don’t Read Directly During Your PowerPoint Presentation

If you spend your entire presentation looking at the screen or your note cards, you’re sure to lose your audience’s attention. They’ll disengage from what you’re saying, and your presentation will fall flat.

Reading from your paper or screen also makes it look like you’re not prepared. Many people do it, but no one should. As a general rule, only present something you know well and have, at least mostly, memorized the main points of.

42. Don’t Miss Out on PowerPoint Customizations

Many new PowerPoint users often make significant mistakes when using Envato Elements designs.

The best way to see how to make a good presentation PPT is to start with designs from others. That means using a template, but that doesn’t mean you can’t customize them!

Haluiva : Pitch Deck Keynote Template

Don’t forget that PowerPoint templates are infinitely customizable. Think of them as guides with built-in presentation design tips.

To see more presentation tips that show you what not to do, make sure to check out our guide .

Work in PowerPoint More Effectively (Tips & Tricks to Level Up Your PPT Skills)

These PowerPoint tips will help you get the most out of the application to level up your next presentation. Let’s dive in.

43. Use the Visual Guides

When you’re designing your next PowerPoint presentation, it helps to create a sense of visual rhythm. Slides that have objects aligned and centered are more likely to resonate with an audience.

44. Use a Few Animations (Tastefully)

Animations in effective PowerPoint presentations are a slippery slope. We’ve all sat through presentations where there were so many objects in motion that it was easy to lose focus on the key ideas in the presentation.

But that’s why animations get an unfairly bad reputation. Use animations to create motion and hold an audience’s attention. Use them sparingly and on key elements on your slide, and you’ll capture that attention properly.

45. Stage Key Content With Animations

You just learned that animations should avoid being distracting. But there’s an important principle to using animations properly. It’s called staging content.

Staging content means that the content appears step by step. There’s nothing worse than overwhelming an audience with all your content at once. But when you stage content, bring it on step by step.

Take it from presentation pro Suzannah Baum :

“If you’re sharing a slide with lots of different points on it, using the animation to reveal those points one at a time is a way to keep the presenter’s content flowing smoothly.”

For more animation presentation tips and tricks, follow our guide .

46. Add a Video to Your PowerPoint

When you’re sharing a big idea in your presentation, it helps to share your perspective from a few different angles. Adding a video to supplement your content can do just that. Luckily, it’s easy to add and embed a YouTube video in your next PowerPoint presentation.

47. Add Charts & Graphs

Charts and graphs can help you tell stories with data. It’s easy for an audience to zone out when you throw a big data table or set of statistics at them.

instead, convert those to charts and graphs. Try out our tutorial to learn how to edit those graphs.

48. Build Your Own Infographics With SmartArt

Earlier in this tutorial, we gave you one of my favorite PowerPoint design tips: use infographic templates.

Here’s another. One of my favorite PowerPoint features is SmartArt, which allows you to build infographics right inside the app.

You don’t have to use another graphic design app like Photoshop or Illustrator to add visuals. Instead, try out SmartArt to help you build graphics that are easy to update.

49. Use Presenter View

Remember that when you use the PowerPoint, you’ re the presentation. The slides are just there to reinforce what you’ve got to say and support your speaking points.

That’s why I always recommend using Presenter view. More often than not, you’re going to have several displays. Presenter view shows your content on your screen, while your presentation is displayed on another screen.

50. Track Your PowerPoint Changes

One of my favorite PowerPoint design tips is to collaborate. Those who know you best will suggest compelling changes that are sure to help you succeed.

As you start collaborating on your presentation, it helps to keep track of proposed and included PowerPoint changes. Use this article to track changes made by others.

10 More Advanced PowerPoint Tips & Tricks

Really need to wow an audience with a good PowerPoint presentation? Give these tips a try to make an unforgettable impression:

51. Engage With an Interactive Quiz

A good PowerPoint presentation gets your audience involved. One of the best PowerPoint tricks is to do that with a quiz. By engaging audiences, a quiz makes your slides memorable.

MIDTEST - Education Quiz Powerpoint Presentation

By adding trivia, you’ll see how to present a PowerPoint in a way that people will love. Channel your inner game-show host today. MIDTEST is a  good PowerPoint presentation  with quiz slides.

52. Illustrate With Custom Image Masks

One of the top PowerPoint tips is to illustrate your slides. But you can go beyond simple, rectangular images on each slide.

BURTE - Powerpoint Template

The Burte template is full of  PowerPoint tricks , including custom image masks. Image masks shape photos into unique works of art. And thanks to premium templates, you can style photos just like this. Masks overlay your photos onto geometric shapes, instantly elevating your style.

53. Print Handouts With Extra Notes

Wonder how to give a good presentation PPT that audiences will remember? Give them a piece of it to take home.

PowerPoint makes it easy to print handouts with room for notes on the page. This way, audiences can keep copies of your slides, along with their own notes. This is the perfect way to ensure everyone engages with and retains your content.

54. Make Bulk Edits With Master Slides

When you think about how to present a PowerPoint, consider your branding. That means keeping your logo front and center in the eyes of an audience. But if you’re working with a lengthy slide deck, this could seem daunting.

That’s where master slides come in. They’re common in premium layouts, and they’re a leading example of presentation skills for PPT. Master slides let you make bulk edits fast.

55. Shrink File Sizes for Sharing

Many of the top presentation tips involve making your slides more accessible. Often, that involves sharing them with audiences online.

You’ll often find that email clients and cloud services limit the size of files that you share. This can be a problem with large PPT slide decks. But there are a few quick steps you can take to reduce PPT file size. Cut graphics, scale down photos, and more.

56. Map Processes With Flowcharts

As you consider how to do a good PowerPoint presentation, think of ease of understanding. After all, you’re trying to explain something to your audience.

Infographics Multipurpose Powerpoint

The  Flowcharts in Infographics  template seamlessly illustrates ideas and processes. A flowchart maps out a process in a visual way. Instead of resorting to endless narration, try a quick illustration like this. It saves you time and effort, and your audience is sure to thank you.

57. Use Brand-Specific Colors

Using presentation skills for PPT helps form an association between your message and branding. There’s no better way to do that than with your brand colors.

PowerPoint makes it easy to change color themes, adding your brand colors and logo to each slide. This is one of the top PowerPoint tricks for marketing presentations.

58. Build Social Media Posts in PPT

A good PowerPoint presentation doesn’t have to be shared through a projector. Use the app and templates to build amazing illustrations to use anywhere.

Soffee - Social Media CoffeeShop Presentations

A template like Soffee helps you learn how to present a PowerPoint easily with a pre-built design.

Try using PowerPoint to create social media posts. It helps you engage with your audience, with no need to design custom layouts from scratch.

59. Be Industry-Specific

One of the top presentation tips in 2024 is to be industry-specific. That means avoiding generic layouts and choosing something more customized.

This offers two key advantages. First, you save time by having layouts built for you. Second, you gain design inspiration for your specific topic. Themed templates are truly the best of both worlds.

Medical and Health Powerpoint Template

The Medical and Health template is a good PowerPoint presentation with a set theme.

60. Design for Online (Virtual) Sharing

Last but not least in our list of PowerPoint tips comes virtual presenting. More and more often, slides will be shared with online audiences around the globe.

Why not design your slides for that very purpose? And then learn how to share flawlessly with a global team? It’s one of the top presentation tips for 2024. Embrace it today.

More Great PowerPoint Tutorial Resources

We’ve built a resource for Microsoft PowerPoint that you’re sure to want to try. It includes countless PowerPoint tips and tricks. It’s called How to Use PowerPoint (Ultimate Tutorial Guide) and has all the PowerPoint design tips you need.

Discover More Top PowerPoint Template Designs From Envato Elements for 2024

You’ve just seen our favorite powerful PowerPoint presentation tips and guidelines to help you improve your speaking. We’ve also mentioned Envato Elements, an incredible all-you-can-download source for top PowerPoint designs .

Here are five of the best PowerPoint templates that you can use to create your best presentation yet:

1. Galaxi PowerPoint Template

Blast off to success with the help of this PowerPoint template! Think of the pre-built slide designs as pro PowerPoint design tips. They’re built by professional graphic designers. All the popular and modern slide styles that are perfect for your next presentation. Use Galaxi’s five styles and 30 designs to create a great presentation.

2. Masmax PowerPoint Template

Masmax Powerpoint Template

We selected templates for this article that match the PowerPoint tips and tricks provided. Masmax fits the bill perfectly across its 234 unique slide designs. These slide designs are sure to align with the latest in design expectations.

3. STYLE Multipurpose PowerPoint Template V50

STYLE - Multipurpose PowerPoint Template V50

Style is subjective, but we can all agree that this template is stunning! The light and airy slide designs are built with fashion-focused designs in mind. But that doesn’t mean that it’s not perfect for most presentations. When learning to present a PowerPoint, remember that templates can be customized to suit your purpose.

4. Peachme Creative PowerPoint Template

Peachme Creative Powerpoint Template

Peachme has image-focused slides with splashy designs. The slides are colorful and perfect for a modern presentation. Don’t worry about remembering all the PowerPoint design tips because they’re included in the pre-built slides. Use Peachme’s designs for your presentation today.

5. Buizi Office Building Rent PowerPoint Template

Buizi - Office Building Rent Powerpoint Template

Buizi markets itself as a real estate focused template. It’s ideal for that purpose because of the minimal, image-focused slide designs. But that also makes it a perfect choice for presentations in many fields.

We’ve just scratched the surface of PowerPoint design tips with these five options. Here are many more, bundled inside of the best roundups on Envato Tuts+:

How to Build a Good PowerPoint Presentation Quickly (In 2024)

You’ve already seen effective presentation skills PPT techniques. But you may be wondering exactly how to do a good PowerPoint presentation. It only takes a few clicks. Let’s learn how in just five steps.

For this mini-tutorial, we’ll use the Enjoy PowerPoint Template from Envato Elements. You’ll see that it’s a beautiful template that helps you learn how to present a PowerPoint by giving you every object and layout you need.

how to make a google slide presentation pretty

Let’s get started:

1. Choose Your Slides

As you can see, a template like Enjoy has dozens of unique slides inside. The key to how to give a good presentation PPT is to choose only the slides that you need.

select slides

One of the best PowerPoint tricks is to start by selecting slides you wish to use from your template.

In PowerPoint, scroll through the sidebar on the left to view different slide layouts. Right-click and choose Delete to remove unwanted designs. Plus, you can click and drag slide thumbnails to reorder them in the deck.

2. Add Text

Consider how to do a good PowerPoint presentation without investing a ton of time. That’s where premium templates come in.

add text

One of our top presentation tips when working with a PPT is to lean on the pre-built text boxes for your content.

To add custom text, simply click and select the contents of any text box on your slide. Then, type in your own words. Repeat as needed throughout your slide deck.

3. Customize Fonts

With text selected, it’s easy to customize fonts on each slide. Find the Font section on PowerPoint’s Home tab. From there, you’ve got a variety of dropdown options.

customize fonts

Another of our top tips for presentation tricks is to use a custom font setting in your template.

Click to change the font, font size, and more. You can also use the buttons on the left to add bolds, italics, and more.

Need more custom font styles? As an Envato Elements subscriber, you’ve got instant access to thousands of custom fonts . Use them in your presentation with ease.

4. Insert Images

Slides like this one contain an image placeholder. That’s another advantage found only with premium templates. These make adding images a breeze.

insert images

Add images to your PPTX template for more visually interesting slides.

To get started, find an image file stored on your computer. Then, drag and drop it over the placeholder. PowerPoint will import it, sized and scaled for a perfect fit.

5. Change Colors

One of the top effective presentation skills is changing shape colors. This helps you control the look and feel of each slide.

change colors

With a shape selected, find the Shape Format tab on PowerPoint’s ribbon. Then, click on the Shape Fill dropdown. You’ll see a color chooser menu appear. Click on any thumbnail to apply it to the shape or browse through the Gradient and Texture options.

Start Putting These PowerPoint Presentation Tips & Tricks Into Use Today!

Learning to write, design, and present a PowerPoint presentation is an invaluable skill, no matter where you use it. If you’re a good communicator of important messages, you’ll never go hungry.

Luckily, improving PowerPoint presentations isn’t as hard as it seems. Follow these tips for PowerPoint presentations to design and deliver with greater confidence.

Remember: Less is more (effective) . Use PowerPoint presentation templates for better design and more effective visual impact. And you can customize a PPT template quickly , with the right workflow.

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Technology Thesis Defense: How is Google search affecting our intelligence?

It seems that you like this template, technology thesis defense: how is google search affecting our intelligence presentation, free google slides theme, powerpoint template, and canva presentation template.

Download the Technology Thesis Defense: How is Google search affecting our intelligence? presentation for PowerPoint or Google Slides. Congratulations, you have finally finished your research and made it to the end of your thesis! But now comes the big moment: the thesis defense. You want to make sure you showcase your research in the best way possible and impress your advisors. That's where this amazing template comes in. With it, you can be sure that your presentation will be top-notch and you'll be well on your way to success. Create a perfect presentation for your next thesis defense by using this template now!

Features of this template

  • 100% editable and easy to modify
  • Different slides to impress your audience
  • Contains easy-to-edit graphics such as graphs, maps, tables, timelines and mockups
  • Includes 500+ icons and Flaticon’s extension for customizing your slides
  • Designed to be used in Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Includes information about fonts, colors, and credits of the resources used

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