alternate name of presentation

• Daily Crossword
• Word Puzzle
• Word Finder
• Word of the Day
• Synonym of the Day
• Word of the Year
• Language stories
• All featured
• Gender and sexuality
• All pop culture
• Grammar Coach ™
• Writing hub
• Grammar essentials
• Commonly confused
• All writing tips
• Pop culture
• Writing tips

Advertisement

• presentation

noun as in performance; something given, displayed

Strongest matches

• demonstration
• introduction

Strong matches

• arrangement
• investiture
• proposition
• remembrance
• representation

Weak matches

• dog and pony show
• sales pitch

Discover More

Related words.

Words related to presentation are not direct synonyms, but are associated with the word presentation . Browse related words to learn more about word associations.

noun as in coming into sight

• actualization
• manifestation
• materialization

noun as in outward aspect, characteristic

• countenance

noun as in prize or reward

• adjudication
• distinction
• feather in cap
• scholarship

noun as in start of an event or action

• commencement
• inauguration
• installation
• origination
• point of departure
• starting point

Viewing 5 / 63 related words

Example Sentences

Look no further than those execs who have sat through online presentations outlining a more inclusive workplace only to have to go back to working in teams where they’re made to feel different.

The day of the presentation comes, and the ecommerce team gathers around, continuously nodding along with each slide.

In the questions-and-answer presentation on Wednesday, Palantir did not address the issue of voting power.

For repurposing, you can use four different formats, which are – video series, infographics, podcasts, and presentations.

This presentation will explain the ins and outs of the process as well as the need for older children who are looking for a home as well.

We were scoring it like the Olympics: presentation, technique.

Bogucki includes the leaflet in a Powerpoint presentation he has developed.

Her biggest surprise, she said, was realizing how much presentation and technical points mattered.

That may be partially because The Big Lebowski is their most nihilistic presentation.

One of the hottest tickets at the 2014 edition of Comic-Con, the annual nerd mecca in San Diego, was the Marvel presentation.

You were obliging enough to ask me to accept a presentation copy of your verses.

Nor was ever a better presentation made of the essential program of socialism.

After the presentation of the Great Southern case our Bill was heard and all the opposition.

The presentation of the Railway case and the rebutting evidence did not begin till all the public witnesses had been heard.

Furthermore, a note is payable on demand when it is thus stated, or is payable at sight or on presentation.

Synonym of the day

Start each day with the Synonym of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

On this page you'll find 100 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to presentation, such as: appearance, delivery, demonstration, display, introduction, and offering.

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Synonyms and antonyms of presentation in English

Presentation, synonyms and examples, see words related to presentation, presentation | american thesaurus.

Word of the Day

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

a small model of a person or animal with parts of the body that are moved with strings

Renowned and celebrated (Words meaning ‘famous’)

Learn more with +Plus

• Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
• Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English
• Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus
• Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
• English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
• English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
• English–Dutch Dutch–English
• English–French French–English
• English–German German–English
• English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
• English–Italian Italian–English
• English–Japanese Japanese–English
• English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
• English–Polish Polish–English
• English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
• English–Spanish Spanish–English
• English–Swedish Swedish–English
• Dictionary +Plus Word Lists

Add ${headword} to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

{{message}}

Something went wrong.

There was a problem sending your report.

• TheFreeDictionary
• Word / Article
• Starts with
• Free toolbar & extensions
• Word of the Day
• Free content
• presentation

Synonyms for presentation

• investiture
• demonstration
• arrangement
• introduction
• performance
• representation

the act of conferring, as of an honor

Something bestowed freely, the instance or occasion of being presented for the first time to society, the activity of formally presenting something (as a prize or reward), related words, a show or display.

• presentment
• lecture demonstration
• counterdemonstration

the act of making something publicly available

The act of presenting a proposal.

• proposition
• first reading
• second reading

a visual representation of something

• Snellen chart

formally making a person known to another or to the public

• making known
• reintroduction

(obstetrics) position of the fetus in the uterus relative to the birth canal

• prescription
• prescription drug
• prescription medicine
• prescriptive
• prescriptive grammar
• prescriptive linguistics
• prescriptivism
• presence chamber
• presence of mind
• presenile dementia
• present moment
• present participle
• present perfect
• present perfect tense
• present progressive
• present progressive tense
• present tense
• present times
• presentable
• presentational
• present-day
• presentiment
• presentness
• preservable
• preservation
• preservationist
• preservative
• President Abraham Lincoln
• President Adams
• President Andrew Johnson
• President Arthur
• Present Worth
• Present Worth of Capital Expenditures
• present you as
• present you with
• present yourself
• Present, The
• Present-Day English
• Present-Minded Individualism
• present-worth factor
• presentability
• presentablely
• presentableness
• presentably
• Presentance Report
• Presentaneous
• Presentasi Pemikiran Kritis Mahasiswa
• Presentation Accept
• Presentation and Personalization Management
• Presentation Brothers College, Cork
• Presentation client
• Presentation Connect
• Presentation Connection Endpoint
• Presentation Connection Endpoint Identifier
• Presentation Context Definition List
• Presentation Context Identifier
• Presentation Controller Mediator Entity Foundation
• Presentation Convent Kodaikanal
• Presentation copy
• Presentation Data Value
• Presentation Department
• Presentation Departments
• Présentation des Normes Européennes
• presentation drawing
• Presentation du Systeme de Planification et de Gestion de Frequence
• Presentation Element Parser, YACC
• Presentation Environment for Multimedia Objects
• Presentation File
• Presentation Function
• Présentation Générale Lex Persona
• presentation graphics
• presentation graphics program
• Facebook Share

Synonyms of presenting

• as in offering
• as in introducing
• as in donating
• More from M-W
• To save this word, you'll need to log in. Log In

Thesaurus Definition of presenting

Synonyms & Similar Words

• representing
• coming out with
• showing off
• dramatizing
• impersonating
• introducing
• acquainting
• reintroducing
• reacquainting
• volunteering
• contributing
• giving away
• administering
• benefitting
• throwing in
• sacrificing
• pitching in
• chipping in
• handing out
• dishing out
• meting (out)
• forking (over, out, or up)
• pungling (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• withholding

Thesaurus Entries Near presenting

presentiments

Cite this Entry

“Presenting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/presenting. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on presenting

Nglish: Translation of presenting for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of presenting for Arabic Speakers

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the day.

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

8 grammar terms you used to know, but forgot, homophones, homographs, and homonyms, commonly misspelled words, how to use em dashes (—), en dashes (–) , and hyphens (-), absent letters that are heard anyway, popular in wordplay, the words of the week - mar. 15, 9 superb owl words, 'gaslighting,' 'woke,' 'democracy,' and other top lookups, 10 words for lesser-known games and sports, your favorite band is in the dictionary, games & quizzes.

Related Words and Phrases

Bottom_desktop desktop:[300x250].

How to Name a Slide in PowerPoint

If you’re creating a PowerPoint presentation, it’s crucial to give each slide a descriptive and concise name to help with organization and navigation. In this article, we’ll explore the importance of slide naming and provide tips for choosing effective names, common mistakes to avoid, and strategies for automating the process.

Table of Contents

Why Slide Naming is Important in PowerPoint Presentations

Slide naming helps you keep track of your content and structure, making it easier to navigate your presentation both during and after creation. It allows you to quickly find the slide you need, and also helps your audience engage more effectively with your content.

Additionally, slide naming can also improve the accessibility of your presentation. By giving each slide a descriptive and unique name, individuals with visual impairments who use screen readers can better understand the content on each slide. This can make your presentation more inclusive and accessible to a wider audience.

Best Practices for Naming Slides in PowerPoint

When naming your slides, it’s important to keep it short and to the point. Try to use descriptive words that are both relevant and memorable to your audience. Avoid using jargon or overly technical language, as this can be off-putting for your viewers.

Also, consider creating a consistent naming convention to make it easier for your audience to follow along. For example, you may want to use numbers to indicate the order of your slides, or use specific prefixes to group slides together.

Another important consideration when naming your slides is to ensure that the titles accurately reflect the content of each slide. This will help your audience to quickly understand the purpose of each slide and how it fits into the overall presentation. Additionally, you may want to consider using action-oriented titles that clearly communicate the key message or takeaway from each slide.

Finally, it’s important to review and revise your slide names as needed. As you develop your presentation, you may find that certain slide names no longer accurately reflect the content or that new slides need to be added. By regularly reviewing and updating your slide names, you can ensure that your presentation remains clear, concise, and easy to follow.

Understanding the Structure of a Slide Name in PowerPoint

Typically, a slide name should consist of between 1-3 words that succinctly describe the content on the slide. It’s important to keep in mind that the slide name will be visible to both the presenter and the audience, so aim for clarity above all else.

Another important consideration when creating slide names is to ensure that they are consistent throughout the presentation. This helps to create a sense of cohesion and makes it easier for the audience to follow along. Additionally, using a consistent naming convention can also make it easier for the presenter to navigate the presentation and find specific slides quickly.

Finally, it’s worth noting that slide names can also be used to provide context and guide the audience through the presentation. For example, if you are presenting a series of case studies, you could use slide names to indicate which case study is being discussed on each slide. This can help to keep the audience engaged and ensure that they are following along with the presentation.

Tips for Choosing Effective Slide Names in PowerPoint

Here are some tips to help you choose effective slide names:

• Think about your audience: What language and terminology will they be familiar with?
• Identify what’s most important: Focus on the main point or takeaway for each slide rather than trying to include every detail.
• Consider the “so what?” factor: Why is this slide important to the overall message of your presentation? Make sure your slide name reflects this.
• Make it memorable: Consider using catchy phrases or rhetorical questions to make your slide names stand out.

Another important factor to consider when choosing slide names is the length. Keep your slide names short and concise, ideally no more than 3-5 words. This will make it easier for your audience to quickly understand the content of each slide and follow along with your presentation. Additionally, try to use active verbs in your slide names to make them more engaging and impactful.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Naming Slides in PowerPoint

Here are some common mistakes to avoid when naming your slides:

• Using vague or general names like “Overview” or “Introduction”.
• Being too wordy or complicated.
• Using irrelevant or confusing keywords.
• Not using a consistent naming convention across all slides.

However, there are other mistakes that you should also avoid when naming your slides. One of them is using abbreviations or acronyms that are not commonly known or understood by your audience. This can lead to confusion and make it difficult for your audience to follow your presentation.

Another mistake to avoid is using names that are too similar to each other. This can make it hard to differentiate between slides and can cause confusion for both you and your audience. It is important to use names that are unique and descriptive of the content on each slide.

How to Use Keywords in Slide Names for Better SEO Performance

Adding relevant keywords to your slide names can help your presentation perform better in search engine results, making it easier for people to find and engage with your content. If you’re creating a presentation for a website or online publication, be sure to research relevant search terms and incorporate them into your slide names.

It’s important to note that while adding keywords to your slide names can improve your SEO performance, it’s also important to avoid overusing them. Keyword stuffing can actually harm your search engine rankings and make your content appear spammy. Instead, focus on using keywords naturally and in a way that accurately reflects the content of your presentation.

In addition to using keywords in your slide names, you can also optimize your presentation for SEO by including relevant alt text for images, using descriptive titles and meta descriptions, and ensuring that your content is high-quality and valuable to your audience. By taking these steps, you can improve your search engine rankings and attract more traffic to your presentation.

Creating a Consistent and Easy-to-Follow Naming Convention for Slides in PowerPoint

To create a consistent naming convention for your slides, you may want to start by identifying specific prefixes or suffixes that make sense for your presentation. These could include numbers for slide order, or specific letters or abbreviations to differentiate between sections or topics within your presentation.

Another important aspect to consider when creating a naming convention for your slides is to keep it simple and easy to follow. Avoid using complex or lengthy names that may confuse your audience or make it difficult for you to navigate through your presentation. Additionally, make sure to use a consistent naming convention throughout your entire presentation to maintain clarity and organization.

How to Rename and Reorder Slides in Your Presentation

If you need to rename or reorder slides, PowerPoint makes it easy to do so. Simply select the slide you want to rename, right-click on the name in the slide navigation pane, and choose “Rename Slide”. From there, you can type in the new slide name. To reorder slides, simply drag and drop them to the desired position in the slide navigation pane.

It’s important to note that when you rename a slide, any hyperlinks or references to that slide within your presentation will also need to be updated. This can be done manually, or you can use PowerPoint’s “Update Links” feature to automatically update all links and references to the renamed slide.

Automating the Process of Naming Slides in PowerPoint Using Macros and Add-ins

If you’re creating a large presentation with many slides, you may want to consider automating the process of slide naming. PowerPoint allows you to create macros and add-ins that can help streamline the process. These can be created using VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) or other programming languages.

One benefit of automating slide naming is that it can save you a significant amount of time. Instead of manually typing in slide names for each slide, you can use a macro or add-in to automatically generate names based on the content of the slide. This can be especially useful if you’re working on a tight deadline or have a large number of slides to create.

Another advantage of using macros and add-ins for slide naming is that it can help ensure consistency across your presentation. By using a standardized naming convention, you can make it easier for your audience to follow along and understand the flow of your presentation. This can also help you stay organized and keep track of your content more easily.

Examples of Great Slide Names for Different Types of Presentations

Here are some examples of great slide names for different types of presentations:

• For a business presentation: “Key Performance Indicators” or “Sales Projections”
• For an educational presentation: “Evolution of the Universe” or “The Civil Rights Movement”
• For a creative presentation: “The Art of Typography” or “Music and Emotion”

Collaborating on Slide Naming with Your Team or Co-Authors

If you’re working on a presentation with a team or co-authors, it’s important to establish a clear naming convention from the outset. This can help ensure consistency across all slides, and prevent confusion or duplication of effort down the line.

Using Descriptive Phrases and Adjectives to Make Your Slide Names More Engaging

Consider using descriptive phrases and adjectives to add more depth and interest to your slide names. For example, instead of “Sales Statistics”, you could use “Impressive Sales Statistics that will Blow Your Mind”. Just be careful not to go overboard – keep your slide names concise and relevant.

The Impact of Good Slide Names on Audience Engagement and Retention

Choosing effective slide names can make a big impact on how engaged your audience is throughout your presentation. By using clear, descriptive names, you can give your audience a better idea of what to expect from each slide, and keep them focused on your message. Additionally, studies have shown that providing visual and textual reinforcement of information can improve retention rates, so choosing the right slide names can be an important part of this process.

Conclusion: Mastering the Art of Slide Naming in PowerPoint

Naming your slides is a small but critical part of creating a great presentation. By following the tips and best practices outlined here, you’ll be able to create effective, clear, and engaging names for all of your slides. Remember to keep it short and to the point, and use descriptive language that reflects the most important information on each slide. Happy presenting!

By humans, for humans - Best rated articles:

Excel report templates: build better reports faster, top 9 power bi dashboard examples, excel waterfall charts: how to create one that doesn't suck, beyond ai - discover our handpicked bi resources.

Explore Zebra BI's expert-selected resources combining technology and insight for practical, in-depth BI strategies.

We’ve been experimenting with AI-generated content, and sometimes it gets carried away. Give us a feedback and help us learn and improve! 🤍

Note: This is an experimental AI-generated article. Your help is welcome. Share your feedback with us and help us improve.

We use essential cookies to make Venngage work. By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.

Manage Cookies

Cookies and similar technologies collect certain information about how you’re using our website. Some of them are essential, and without them you wouldn’t be able to use Venngage. But others are optional, and you get to choose whether we use them or not.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are always on, as they’re essential for making Venngage work, and making it safe. Without these cookies, services you’ve asked for can’t be provided.

Show cookie providers

• Google Login

Functionality Cookies

These cookies help us provide enhanced functionality and personalisation, and remember your settings. They may be set by us or by third party providers.

Performance Cookies

These cookies help us analyze how many people are using Venngage, where they come from and how they're using it. If you opt out of these cookies, we can’t get feedback to make Venngage better for you and all our users.

• Google Analytics

Targeting Cookies

These cookies are set by our advertising partners to track your activity and show you relevant Venngage ads on other sites as you browse the internet.

• Google Tag Manager
• Infographics
• Daily Infographics
• Graphic Design
• Graphs and Charts
• Data Visualization
• Human Resources
• Training and Development
• Beginner Guides

Blog Beginner Guides

8 Types of Presentations You Should Know [+Examples & Tips]

By Krystle Wong , Aug 11, 2023

From persuasive pitches that influence opinions to instructional demonstrations that teach skills, the different types of presentations serve a unique purpose, tailored to specific objectives and audiences.

Presentations that are tailored to its objectives and audiences are more engaging and memorable. They capture attention, maintain interest and leave a lasting impression. 

Don’t worry if you’re no designer —  Whether you need data-driven visuals, persuasive graphics or engaging design elements, Venngage can empower you to craft presentations that stand out and effectively convey your message.

Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface, extensive presentation template library and customizable design options make it a valuable tool for creating slides that align with your specific goals and target audience. 

Click to jump ahead:

8 Different types of presentations every presenter must know

How do i choose the right type of presentation for my topic or audience, types of presentation faq, 5 steps to create a presentation with venngage .

When it comes to presentations, versatility is the name of the game. Having a variety of presentation styles up your sleeve can make a world of difference in keeping your audience engaged. Here are 8 essential presentation types that every presenter should be well-acquainted with:

1. Informative presentation

Ever sat through a presentation that left you feeling enlightened? That’s the power of an informative presentation. 

This presentation style is all about sharing knowledge and shedding light on a particular topic. Whether you’re diving into the depths of quantum physics or explaining the intricacies of the latest social media trends, informative presentations aim to increase the audience’s understanding.

When delivering an informative presentation, simplify complex topics with clear visuals and relatable examples. Organize your content logically, starting with the basics and gradually delving deeper and always remember to keep jargon to a minimum and encourage questions for clarity.

Academic presentations and research presentations are great examples of informative presentations. An effective academic presentation involves having clear structure, credible evidence, engaging delivery and supporting visuals. Provide context to emphasize the topic’s significance, practice to perfect timing, and be ready to address anticipated questions. 

2. Persuasive presentation

If you’ve ever been swayed by a passionate speaker armed with compelling arguments, you’ve experienced a persuasive presentation . 

This type of presentation is like a verbal tug-of-war, aiming to convince the audience to see things from a specific perspective. Expect to encounter solid evidence, logical reasoning and a dash of emotional appeal.

With persuasive presentations, it’s important to know your audience inside out and tailor your message to their interests and concerns. Craft a compelling narrative with a strong opening, a solid argument and a memorable closing. Additionally, use visuals strategically to enhance your points.

Examples of persuasive presentations include presentations for environmental conservations, policy change, social issues and more. Here are some engaging presentation templates you can use to get started with: 

3. Demonstration or how-to presentation

A Demonstration or How-To Presentation is a type of presentation where the speaker showcases a process, technique, or procedure step by step, providing the audience with clear instructions on how to replicate the demonstrated action. 

A demonstrative presentation is particularly useful when teaching practical skills or showing how something is done in a hands-on manner.

These presentations are commonly used in various settings, including educational workshops, training sessions, cooking classes, DIY tutorials, technology demonstrations and more. Designing creative slides for your how-to presentations can heighten engagement and foster better information retention. 

Speakers can also consider breaking down the process into manageable steps, using visual aids, props and sometimes even live demonstrations to illustrate each step. The key is to provide clear and concise instructions, engage the audience with interactive elements and address any questions that may arise during the presentation.

4. Training or instructional presentation

Training presentations are geared towards imparting practical skills, procedures or concepts — think of this as the more focused cousin of the demonstration presentation. 

Whether you’re teaching a group of new employees the ins and outs of a software or enlightening budding chefs on the art of soufflé-making, training presentations are all about turning novices into experts.

To maximize the impact of your training or instructional presentation, break down complex concepts into digestible segments. Consider using real-life examples to illustrate each point and create a connection. 

You can also create an interactive presentation by incorporating elements like quizzes or group activities to reinforce understanding.

5. Sales presentation

Sales presentations are one of the many types of business presentations and the bread and butter of businesses looking to woo potential clients or customers. With a sprinkle of charm and a dash of persuasion, these presentations showcase products, services or ideas with one end goal in mind: sealing the deal.

A successful sales presentation often has key characteristics such as a clear value proposition, strong storytelling, confidence and a compelling call to action. Hence, when presenting to your clients or stakeholders, focus on benefits rather than just features. 

Anticipate and address potential objections before they arise and use storytelling to showcase how your offering solves a specific problem for your audience. Utilizing visual aids is also a great way to make your points stand out and stay memorable.

A sales presentation can be used to promote service offerings, product launches or even consultancy proposals that outline the expertise and industry experience of a business. Here are some template examples you can use for your next sales presentation:

6. Pitch presentation

Pitch presentations are your ticket to garnering the interest and support of potential investors, partners or stakeholders. Think of your pitch deck as your chance to paint a vivid picture of your business idea or proposal and secure the resources you need to bring it to life. 

Business presentations aside, individuals can also create a portfolio presentation to showcase their skills, experience and achievements to potential clients, employers or investors. 

Craft a concise and compelling narrative. Clearly define the problem your idea solves and how it stands out in the market. Anticipate questions and practice your answers. Project confidence and passion for your idea.

7. Motivational or inspirational presentation

Feeling the need for a morale boost? That’s where motivational presentations step in. These talks are designed to uplift and inspire, often featuring personal anecdotes, heartwarming stories and a generous serving of encouragement.

Form a connection with your audience by sharing personal stories that resonate with your message. Use a storytelling style with relatable anecdotes and powerful metaphors to create an emotional connection. Keep the energy high and wrap up your inspirational presentations with a clear call to action.

Inspirational talks and leadership presentations aside, a motivational or inspirational presentation can also be a simple presentation aimed at boosting confidence, a motivational speech focused on embracing change and more.

8. Status or progress report presentation

Projects and businesses are like living organisms, constantly evolving and changing. Status or progress report presentations keep everyone in the loop by providing updates on achievements, challenges and future plans. It’s like a GPS for your team, ensuring everyone stays on track.

Be transparent about achievements, challenges and future plans. Utilize infographics, charts and diagrams to present your data visually and simplify information. By visually representing data, it becomes easier to identify trends, make predictions and strategize based on evidence.

Now that you’ve learned about the different types of presentation methods and how to use them, you’re on the right track to creating a good presentation that can boost your confidence and enhance your presentation skills . 

Selecting the most suitable presentation style is akin to choosing the right outfit for an occasion – it greatly influences how your message is perceived. Here’s a more detailed guide to help you make that crucial decision:

1. Define your objectives

Begin by clarifying your presentation’s goals. Are you aiming to educate, persuade, motivate, train or perhaps sell a concept? Your objectives will guide you to the most suitable presentation type. 

For instance, if you’re aiming to inform, an informative presentation would be a natural fit. On the other hand, a persuasive presentation suits the goal of swaying opinions.

2. Know your audience

Regardless if you’re giving an in-person or a virtual presentation — delve into the characteristics of your audience. Consider factors like their expertise level, familiarity with the topic, interests and expectations. 

If your audience consists of professionals in your field, a more technical presentation might be suitable. However, if your audience is diverse and includes newcomers, an approachable and engaging style might work better.

3. Analyze your content

Reflect on the content you intend to present. Is it data-heavy, rich in personal stories or focused on practical skills? Different presentation styles serve different content types. 

For data-driven content, an informative or instructional presentation might work best. For emotional stories, a motivational presentation could be a compelling choice.

4. Consider time constraints

Evaluate the time you have at your disposal. If your presentation needs to be concise due to time limitations, opt for a presentation style that allows you to convey your key points effectively within the available timeframe. A pitch presentation, for example, often requires delivering impactful information within a short span.

5. Leverage visuals

Visual aids are powerful tools in presentations. Consider whether your content would benefit from visual representation. If your PowerPoint presentations involve step-by-step instructions or demonstrations, a how-to presentation with clear visuals would be advantageous. Conversely, if your content is more conceptual, a motivational presentation could rely more on spoken words.

6. Align with the setting

Take the presentation environment into account. Are you presenting in a formal business setting, a casual workshop or a conference? Your setting can influence the level of formality and interactivity in your presentation. For instance, a demonstration presentation might be ideal for a hands-on workshop, while a persuasive presentation is great for conferences.

7. Gauge audience interaction

Determine the level of audience engagement you want. Interactive presentations work well for training sessions, workshops and small group settings, while informative or persuasive presentations might be more one-sided.

8. Flexibility

Stay open to adjusting your presentation style on the fly. Sometimes, unexpected factors might require a change of presentation style. Be prepared to adjust on the spot if audience engagement or reactions indicate that a different approach would be more effective.

Remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, and the best type of presentation may vary depending on the specific situation and your unique communication goals. By carefully considering these factors, you can choose the most effective presentation type to successfully engage and communicate with your audience.

To save time, use a presentation software or check out these presentation design and presentation background guides to create a presentation that stands out.    

What are some effective ways to begin and end a presentation?

Capture your audience’s attention from the start of your presentation by using a surprising statistic, a compelling story or a thought-provoking question related to your topic. 

To conclude your presentation , summarize your main points, reinforce your key message and leave a lasting impression with a powerful call to action or a memorable quote that resonates with your presentation’s theme.

How can I make my presentation more engaging and interactive?

To create an engaging and interactive presentation for your audience, incorporate visual elements such as images, graphs and videos to illustrate your points visually. Share relatable anecdotes or real-life examples to create a connection with your audience. 

You can also integrate interactive elements like live polls, open-ended questions or small group discussions to encourage participation and keep your audience actively engaged throughout your presentation.

Which types of presentations require special markings

Some presentation types require special markings such as how sales presentations require persuasive techniques like emphasizing benefits, addressing objections and using compelling visuals to showcase products or services. 

Demonstrations and how-to presentations on the other hand require clear markings for each step, ensuring the audience can follow along seamlessly. 

That aside, pitch presentations require highlighting unique selling points, market potential and the competitive edge of your idea, making it stand out to potential investors or partners.

Need some inspiration on how to make a presentation that will captivate an audience? Here are 120+ presentation ideas to help you get started. 

Creating a stunning and impactful presentation with Venngage is a breeze. Whether you’re crafting a business pitch, a training presentation or any other type of presentation, follow these five steps to create a professional presentation that stands out:

• Sign up and log in to Venngage to access the editor.
• Choose a presentation template that matches your topic or style.
• Customize content, colors, fonts, and background to personalize your presentation.
• Add images, icons, and charts to enhancevisual style and clarity.
• Save, export, and share your presentation as PDF or PNG files, or use Venngage’s Presentation Mode for online showcasing.

In the realm of presentations, understanding the different types of presentation formats is like having a versatile set of tools that empower you to craft compelling narratives for every occasion.

Remember, the key to a successful presentation lies not only in the content you deliver but also in the way you connect with your audience. Whether you’re informing, persuading or entertaining, tailoring your approach to the specific type of presentation you’re delivering can make all the difference.

Presentations are a powerful tool, and with practice and dedication (and a little help from Venngage), you’ll find yourself becoming a presentation pro in no time. Now, let’s get started and customize your next presentation!

Sign up for our daily newsletter

• Privacy Policy
• Advertise with Us

8 Alternatives to Microsoft PowerPoint You Need to Try

Microsoft PowerPoint carved out a niche for itself in the sphere of presentation. However, many people now see PowerPoint as outdated and expensive, especially given that the platform hasn’t really evolved with the times. As more people look for ways to engage audiences with narrative storytelling over boring slide presentations, they seek alternatives to PowerPoint that let them have greater control over their presentations. After all, shouldn’t we all be looking for cost-effective solutions as we choose value over dogma? Then look no further than these great alternatives to Microsoft PowerPoint.

1. Google Slides

3. libreoffice impress, 5. slidebean, 7. beautiful.ai, 8. zoho show, frequently asked questions.

Also read: 14 Useful PowerPoint Templates to Set Up a Digital Planner

Google Slides helps you tell stories that matter while enabling synchronization. It’s an incredible PowerPoint alternative that costs absolutely nothing to use.

You can create easy-to-use visual presentations on Google Slides with its simple user interface. The PowerPoint-like design makes it a breezy transition for experienced PowerPoint users, but it’s also easy to navigate through the menus if you are new to making presentations.

With Google Slides, you have complete control over the page size and formatting. Although the text options are limited, there are many other standout design features included. You can choose from the preformatted slide themes or import your own backgrounds, then add slide transitions or object animations to enhance your presentation.

You’re free to work from anywhere, as Google syncs all of your work to Google Drive, and you can gain access to your presentations from any device. Easily share presentations on the Web through the custom link or via email. You can even set the presentation up to allow multiple users editing privileges that sync in real time, which means you never have to worry about which version is the most recent.

The best part? Google Slides is a completely free-to-use app – all you need is a Google account .

If you want something a little less traditional than PowerPoint, Prezi is a great option. Many claim Prezi is more engaging and persuasive.

Prezi takes a completely different approach to digital presentations. For instance, you can build a complete presentation structure on a single canvas, zooming in and out as you emphasize and de-emphasize facts. This way, you are controlling and guiding what your audience sees.

Unlike most other presentation software tools, Prezi gives you the option to make video presentations, interactive reports, infographics, and more.

Prezi is cloud-based presentation software, so you can access your presentations across many platforms. You can try Prezi for free, but it is extremely limited. For instance, you won’t be able to download your work or save it as a PDF. You can, however, create a presentation from scratch and use your laptop to quickly present it to your team. If you need more, you’ll have to upgrade. Prezi has three different pricing tiers for individuals: Standard ($5/mo), Plus ($15/mo), and Premium ($59/mo).

LibreOffice Impress is a part of the LibreOffice suite, an open-source alternative to Microsoft Office. When considering alternatives to PowerPoint, LibreOffice Impress is right up there with Google Slides, as it lets you open and save files in PowerPoint format or convert them to the OpenOffice extension.

On the surface, LibreOffice looks very similar to PowerPoint. It offers many of the same tools, and even the menu options and ribbon appear very similar to the well-known Microsoft product.

Format text, add images, set slide transitions and more with LibreOffice. You can also select from different aspect ratios, which can be important when using a different projector. Best of all, LibreOffice Impress is free to use!

Also read: 11 of the Best Journaling Apps for Windows

Keynote , Apple’s alternative to Microsoft PowerPoint, offers a sleek, sophisticated approach to presentation design. Keynote users agree that it’s intuitive and easy to use.

You can create beautiful presentations in Keynote without wasting time surfing for unique templates. This presentation tool has many eye-popping templates to choose from and offers most of the same features as PowerPoint, making it a great alternative.

Unlike PowerPoint, though, Keynote provides much more control over the text, images, and objects you insert into your presentations. Furthermore, you can save completed presentations in a variety of formats or export the files into images or a PDF.

The only drawback to Keynote is its exclusivity, as it’s only available on Apple devices. However, it is native to macOS, meaning it is free for Mac users who need presentation software.

If you only have a little time on your hands to design eye-popping PowerPoint slides, then Slidebean will be a good fit for you!

With Slidebean, you only input content, while the software helps you design and format your content. You can also choose from hundreds of preformatted templates or start your own presentation from scratch.

Once in the design platform, everything is fairly straightforward. After the software preformats slides for you, click the text boxes to input your data. After you’ve typed everything in, click the AI tool to have it format everything for you or move objects manually.

Sidebean does offer a free, basic version of their Web-based presentation tool. However, if you decide to upgrade to use some of the more advanced features, it will cost $299/year for the all-access version.

Also read: 9 of the Best LMS Alternatives to Google Classroom

If you design social media graphics , you may have already heard of Canva , a highly recommended app in terms of entry-level graphic design. Even e-learning platforms like Skillshare offer classes that utilize Canva for social media marketing. However, this Web-based design suite isn’t just for creating social media posts – it can also be used to create presentations.

Within the “Presentation” section of Canva, you have the option to select different types of presentations, including widescreen (16:9), fullscreen (4:3), mobile-friendly, or game-like presentations. Then choose from the hundreds of predesigned templates or create your own presentation from scratch.

As far as the interface goes, the presentation creator works similarly to the rest of the Canva platform. You can add images or graphics, format text, and even insert audio or video. Furthermore, you can add animations, slide transitions, and even set the presentation to run automatically with timed slides.

Since Canva is Web-based, you can present your creations from anywhere as long as there’s an Internet connection. Unfortunately, Canva does not let you download your presentations as PowerPoint files – only image files or PDFs.

Canva does offer a free version with some limitations. If you decide you need more than that, upgrade to the Pro plan for $12.99/month.

Like Slidebean, Beautiful.ai is an alternative to PowerPoint that is designed to make your presentation design process take minutes, not hours.

Unlike most presentation programs, Beautiful.ai is a tool that streamlines your design process. Set all of the formatting upfront, then put in your text while the tool helps you determine the best design. It adjusts your design in real time as you add elements to each slide so that you don’t have to ever worry about making everything fit.

Of course, Beautiful.ai’s primary goal is to help you create outstanding, appealing presentations that capture your target audience’s attention. Unfortunately, all of this comes at a premium. Beautiful.ai doesn’t offer anything more than a 14-day free trial. After that, pricing starts at $12/month (billed annually).

Also read: What Is Microsoft Lists and How to Get Started with It?

Zoho is a leader in software solutions, and their PowerPoint alternative, Zoho Show , is no different.

Zoho Show is a Web-based alternative to PowerPoint that lets you create stunning presentations your way. Its setup is much the same as PowerPoint itself, and it offers all of the same features.

Unlike PowerPoint, Zoho Show lets you import a variety of file types, including .PPT, .PPTX, .PPS, .PPSX, .ODP and .SXI. Also, the embed options are much more robust with Zoho Show – you can even add tweets, YouTube videos, and images directly from Flickr.

Zoho Show is free to use, but you can upgrade to a more advanced plan for as little as $3/month.

Also read: 10 Free Microsoft SharePoint Alternatives

Can I open .ppt files in any programs besides PowerPoint?

Several of the PowerPoint alternatives listed in this article, such as Google Slides, Keynote, LibreOffice Impress, and Zoho Show, will open PowerPoint files (.ppt) files and allow you to edit them. However, you may run into formatting issues that you have to correct.

Do any PowerPoint alternatives work on mobile devices?

Several PowerPoint alternatives are mobile friendly. Google Slides ( Android | iOS ), Canva ( Android | iOS ), Zoho Show ( Android | iOS ), and LibreOffice Impress ( Android | iOS ) are all available as mobile apps. However, the experience of creating a presentation will be far superior on PC.

Is there a way to use PowerPoint for free?

Although Microsoft Office requires a subscription, you can use Office online or on your mobile device for free. There are also other workarounds that grant you free access to Microsoft Office .

Image credit: Canva Studio via Pexels . All screenshots by Megan Glosson.

Our latest tutorials delivered straight to your inbox

Megan Glosson is a freelance technology writer based in Nashville, TN. She has extensive experience working with everything from printers to smart home systems, and serves as the go-to “tech guru” for a small business that sells digital products. Megan has created thousands of articles for online publications and company blogs, including How-To Geek, Clean Email, and Review Geek. When she’s not writing, you will probably find Megan playing board games with her partner and two children or swimming in the pool. You can check out Megan’s entire portfolio on her website, https://www.meganglosson.com/.

👀 Turn any prompt into captivating visuals in seconds with our AI-powered visual tool ✨ Try Piktochart AI!

• Piktochart Visual
• Video Editor
• Infographic Maker
• Banner Maker
• Brochure Maker
• Diagram Maker
• Flowchart Maker
• Flyer Maker
• Graph Maker
• Invitation Maker
• Pitch Deck Creator
• Poster Maker
• Presentation Maker
• Report Maker
• Resume Maker
• Social Media Graphic Maker
• Timeline Maker
• Venn Diagram Maker
• Screen Recorder
• Social Media Video Maker
• Video Cropper
• Video to Text Converter
• Video Views Calculator
• AI Infographic
• AI Instagram Post Generator
• AI Newsletter Generator
• AI Timeline Generator
• For Communications
• For Education
• For eLearning
• For Financial Services
• For Healthcare
• For Human Resources
• For Marketing
• For Nonprofits
• Brochure Templates
• Flyer Templates
• Infographic Templates
• Newsletter Templates
• Presentation Templates
• Resume Templates
• Business Infographics
• Business Proposals
• Education Templates
• Health Posters
• HR Templates
• Sales Presentations
• Community Template
• Explore all free templates on Piktochart
• The Business Storyteller Podcast
• User Stories
• Video Tutorials
• Visual Academy
• Need help? Check out our Help Center
• Earn money as a Piktochart Affiliate Partner
• Compare prices and features across Free, Pro, and Enterprise plans.
• For professionals and small teams looking for better brand management.
• For organizations seeking enterprise-grade onboarding, support, and SSO.
• Discounted plan for students, teachers, and education staff.
• Great causes deserve great pricing. Registered nonprofits pay less.

Communications

7 Great PowerPoint Alternatives

Here’s a quick question for you:

Did you really pay attention to the last presentation you sat through?

Sure, you remember some slides, graphs with financial forecasts, and bullet points. But at some point, you probably zoned out.

What makes presentations dull is that they’re made using the same tried and trusted Microsoft PowerPoint templates that everyone has been using for years. So what happens? Every presentation looks the same. 

Don’t get us wrong. Microsoft PowerPoint is a fantastic tool, and a pioneer in presentation software for a good reason.

But if users keep creating presentations the same old way and do not utilize presentation software to its full potential and employ their own styles and customizations, they’ll likely end up with a cookie-cutter slide deck that’s been used millions of times before. 

If you’re on this page, you’re probably on the looking to create your best presentation.

Why you should look for the best alternative to PowerPoint

To create professional looking presentations is more than just piecing together text, data visualizations , and images echoed by speaker notes.

Every slide should have an impact on the audience or reader, make a key point, and catch the eyes of your audience. All your presentations need to be mindful of visual design. Color, for example, influences up to 90% of a person’s snap judgment about a product.

There are many paid and even free alternatives available in the presentation space with better, newer, and fresher templates that can punch up your next presentation.

To make things easier for you, we’ve listed seven great alternatives to Powerpoint utilizing some of the best presentation software, complete with an overview of their features and individual pros and cons.

You can also click on the links below to go straight to each alternative to PowerPoint on this list. 

• Google Slides
• Beautiful.ai
• Apple Keynote
• LibreOffice Impress
• Adobe Creative Cloud Express

Alternative presentation tools

1. piktochart.

• Wide selection of professional-quality customizable templates
• Newbie-friendly video tutorials and a blog with design resources
• Robust features for free users, with even more available for Pro users
• Collaboration features for teams

Piktochart is a web-based design application that lets you create professional-looking presentations , infographics , posters , reports , flyers , social media graphics using a simple drag-and-drop interface. 

Piktochart pros

Like a PowerPoint presentation, Piktochart offers a wide range of templates for themes and topics to suit needs for marketing and sales, financial forecasts and performance, investor pitches, and more from creating dynamic presentations.

For new users or those who want to design and share presentations from scratch, check out the platform’s Help Center, Video Tutorials, and Blog, all of which offer a wealth of resources on Piktochart and general design topics. 

Free business users will have access to plenty of design key features on a completely free basis, but more can be unlocked if you get a paid plan for more customization options.

Paid plans start at $168/year ($14/month) for Pro and $29/month.

The Pro Team plan allows teams to work on shared presentations and consolidate projects.

Finally, you can download a presentation in high-resolution pdf files to present offline, PowerPoint files, or present straight from the platform user interface as a PowerPoint alternative.

You can also design an infographic and download it as blocks to convert into presentation slides or other graphic formats. Safe to say, Piktochart’s online presentation maker is one of the best free PowerPoint alternatives available today.

Piktochart cons

Unfortunately, Piktochart does not support native video playback on presentations, which rules out interactive video presentations. It also does not have version history.

You can, however, embed videos from Vimeo and YouTube into your presentation online, share to publish it, and copy and paste the URL on a browser to view the visual. 

Also, you can now record your presentations and that’s a form of “video presentations” that you can appreciate.

You could get started right away with Piktochart by signing up for free .

2. Google Slides

• Great for users already deep in Google’s online ecosystem (e.g., Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Drive) and a popular PowerPoint alternative
• Free for all personal users, and accessible to enterprises through G Suite
• Presentation app accessible on browsers and mobile devices
• Supports presentations through Chromecast and AirPlay

Google Slides is a slide deck platform that’s part of Google’s web-based office suite within Google Drive.

This presentation tool lets you create and present pitch decks, training modules, animated presentations, business presentations, and project presentations among others right in your browser, with no need to install any software. 

Google Slides pros

Google Slides is great if you’re already invested in other Google tools like Docs, Forms, and Sheets.

As one of the most-used alternatives to PowerPoint, it is also arguably the most accessible to create, share, and download presentations in different file types. Not only is it free to use for all personal users (enterprises can unlock more features through G Suite), but it’s also available on both browsers and mobile devices. 

Slides’ integration with Google Drive, Docs, and Sheets means that importing audio and video files, managing presentations, and collaborating on projects with teams is a breeze. 

Google Slides cons

One of the downsides of Google Slides being widely accessible to users of all skill levels is that you don’t get more advanced features and design tools found on other platforms.

For example, Google Slides does not have a selection of templates or visual content for common types of projects and presentations, but it’s nowhere near the variety you’ll find on the other platforms on this list. 

Bottom line? Google Slides is the best PowerPoint alternative for creating basic presentations with professionally designed templates. 

But if you want more advanced key features like slide transitions and effects, it’s best to look for another PowerPoint alternative for interactive presentations.

3. Beautiful.ai

• Uses AI to recommend visual elements and layouts on your slides based on design principles
• A simple and user-friendly design tool makes it easy for newbies to create beautiful presentations in minutes
• Wide selection of presentation application, slide templates, and key features

As its name suggests, Beautiful.ai is a presentation software that leverages artificial intelligence to suggest ways to visualize your ideas and customize your designs.

Beautiful.ai pros

Beautiful.ai ’s technology is the driving force behind its Smart Slides feature. 

Smart Slides ‘understand’ the content on your slide to make the best presentation possible. From there, this presentation tool intuitively makes recommendations on what elements you may want to add later and how you may want your slide layout to appear.

For novice users with little to no design experience, this process happens automatically, with Beautiful.ai organizing ideas and visualizing content quickly — all while providing guidance every step of the way. You get professional looking presentations in little time!

Free users have more than 60 presentations to choose from, with the option of unlocking more on the basic plan for $12/month and $15/month, billed annually and monthly, respectively. 

Beautiful.ai cons

Beautiful.ai is exclusively a presentation tool, and possibly the most popular PowerPoint alternative for technically savvy marketers, which can be disappointing if you want to use it to create other visual projects like posters and infographics as it lacks these key features. This would include data visualization and visual content.

Its Smart Slides also have set parameters that leave little for customization, meaning it works best when creating a simple presentation. 

Users can only move elements to specific spots on each slide which automatically adapt, which means you can’t make the overall design of your presentation your own. 

4. Apple Keynote

• Comes built-in with Apple macOS and is available for free on iOS as a presentation app
• Tight integration with other Apple apps makes it a natural choice for Mac users
• Compatible with PowerPoint and other presentation apps
• Better transitions and effects than PowerPoint

Keynote is Apple’s presentation application software that comes included with any purchase of an Apple laptop and desktop computer. 

It’s part of the Apple iWork productivity suite, alongside Pages and Numbers. 

Keynote pros

Keynote’s tight integration with other Apple apps also makes it a natural choice for Mac users. 

If you’re already familiar with Pages and Numbers, you’ll feel right at home with Keynote’s three-panel interface, composed of a formatting panel on the right side, a large editing section in the middle, and thumbnails on the left side. 

But what makes Keynote one of the popular PowerPoint alternatives are its transitions and effects. 

In particular, the software’s impressive Magic Move transition allows visual objects to smoothly move positions from one slide to another when playing your presentation.

Keynote users can also collaborate on presentations in real-time. Additionally, you can place restrictions on who can edit and only view your presentation. 

Keynote cons

PowerPoint and Keynote are generally compatible , provided Keynote presentations are exported in .ppt or .pptx format. 

However, elements like transitions, layouts, and fonts may look off if you’re exporting from Keynote to PowerPoint. You also will not have any integrations with live services such as Google Analytics.

5. LibreOffice Impress

• The entire LibreOffice suite is open-source and free
• Software supports all PowerPoint formats: .pps, .ppt, .pptxx

LibreOffice gets a lot of love for being a free and open-source alternative to Microsoft Office. LibreOffice Impress is the productivity suite’s alternative to PowerPoint, offering many of the same features found in its Microsoft counterpart. 

LibreOffice Impress pros

LibreOffice Impress supports all PowerPoint formats: .pps, .ppt, and .pptx. 

With it, you can create all kinds of slide-based presentations using five different editing and viewing modes:

• Normal, for general editing
• Outline, for outlining text content
• Notes, for adding and editing notes attached to slides
• Handout, for paper-based materials
• Slide Sorter, for quickly finding and changing the order of slides

Impress’s UI is far from the prettiest, but it gets the job done in a no-frills way with features like animations, effects, support for audio and video files, and timed presentations. 

LibreOffice Impress cons

Impress requires installation but is available on Microsoft, Mac, and Linux. The platform is also exclusive to desktops. 

Impress has only 23 default templates to choose from, so we recommend looking for templates on third-party platforms like GitHub . 

However, you’ll need to do some digging if you want templates that are just as good-looking as the ones found on software like Piktochart.

It’s also worth noting that even if Impress supports other presentation software, you can expect to see some formatting issues when importing and exporting presentations between platforms. 

6. Zoho Show

• Ideal for users invested in Zoho Office Suite
• Free for personal use; competitive rates for enterprise users
• Promises to keep formatting and elements intact when switching to PowerPoint

Zoho Show is a web-based presentation platform that’s part of the Zoho Office productivity suite. 

If you’re already using any of the Zoho office suite apps, it makes sense to create your presentations.  

Zoho Show pros

Zoho Show’s feature set is comparable to other platforms’ capabilities. 

It offers perks like real-time collaboration and editing, transitions and effects, animations, slide review and commenting, deck downloads, and online publishing, as well as online broadcasting and discussions.

Zoho supports file types on PowerPoint and open-source platforms like OpenOffice. 

Furthermore, Zoho promises that any presentation viewed on PowerPoint will be free of issues like missing fonts, layout errors, and broken objects. 

Zoho has more than 20 presentation themes to choose from, along with 100 fonts, animations, and charts to visualize data.

Zoho is free for personal users and small teams of up to five people. 

You can also unlock enhanced security, more collaboration features, storage, and admin controls by moving from the free plan to the Standard and Premium plans for $4/month and US6.4/month (billed annually), respectively. 

Zoho does not have an offline mode; you’ll need Internet access to edit or present slide decks. 

Videos and tweets on Zoho presentations can only be viewed online. At present, there’s no support for offline content.

7. Adobe Creative Cloud Express

• Ideal for individual users and enterprises that rely heavily on the Adobe design ecosystem
• Comes with a desktop version and mobile apps for iOS and Android
• Free to use and does not require a Creative Cloud account

Adobe Creative Cloud Express is a relatively new web-based design service that lets users create presentations as well as creative portfolios, landing pages, product pages and catalogs, newsletters, and photo galleries. 

Adobe Creative Cloud Express pros

Using Adobe Creative Cloud Express built-in Presentation Maker will come naturally to you if you or your business is already familiar with other Adobe products. 

But even new users with little to no graphic design experience will pick up the click-based platform in no time.

You can also use the other tools in the Adobe Creative Cloud Express suite, like Adobe Creative Cloud Express and Adobe Creative Cloud Express, to make specialized content to make your slides more interactive. 

For example, Adobe Creative Cloud Express Video supports audio and video content. You can also upload content straight from third-party sources like your library, Dropbox, Google Drive, and even social channels.

It also offers free users a small but diverse selection of presentation templates for different projects and occasions. 

Naturally, you unlock more templates and features like branding and team collaboration if you upgrade to the paid plans instead of a free plan.

Pricing starts at $9.99/month or $99.99/year for individual users and $19.99/month or $239.88/year for teams and enterprises. 

Adobe Creative Cloud Express cons

Free users are limited to a small selection of templates, limited ability to edit presentations, and no interactive features, e.g. interactive charts; which can get old when you need to make multiple engaging presentations in a year. 

Presentations made using the free version will also include the Adobe watermark. Finally, Adobe Creative Cloud Express does not support offline editing once you download a presentation.

What to look for in PowerPoint alternatives

Just as there are many ways to make a presentation , there are also several PowerPoint alternatives to consider. Some are better than others or have more features and presentation tools designed for your needs. 

To make choosing between Powerpoint presentations and their alternatives easier, consider these criteria:

• Accessibility . Is it an operating system (OS)-based or browser-based platform? The former requires installation on your computer (as in the case of PowerPoint) while the latter means it can be accessed using any web browser. Each has its pros and cons, depending on your needs. For example, OS-based platforms don’t require an Internet connection to run. On the other hand, browser-based platforms need an Internet connection but can be accessed (along with your designs) on any browser.  
• Usability . Is the platform easy to use or does it have a steep learning curve? Look for software that comes with tutorials designed to help new users create professionally designed slides. The best presentation software isn’t just simple and easy to use, but it also supports additional media to keep the audience engaged.
• Notable features . Apart from the usual ability to add text, images, and graphics to slides, you want a presentation platform with extra features such as collaboration, robust design tools, support for audio and rich media, and a wide variety of templates for reports and presentations. You want to capture the audience’s attention!
• Price . Finally, consider the price of the presentation software. Some are a free alternative, others come bundled with the OS, while the rest are available to enterprises on a monthly and annual subscription. 

Make your best slides with Piktochart presentation templates

Using Piktochart, you can make visuals and build better presentations within minutes in various formats.

With Pro, you can also collaborate with up to 24 members, unlock custom templates and professionally designed layouts, have complete control, upload your own fonts, and get unlimited downloads.

Stop searching for PowerPoint alternatives, and get started today by signing up for free.

Robin Geuens is a writer turned SEO specialist. When he's not wondering what Google is up to next he's either reading, taking courses, playing video games, or wondering where to travel to next.

Other Posts

Artificial Intelligence

8 Best AI Banner Generators in 2024

11 Ways To Improve Employee Engagement

Design Fusion: The 9 Vibrant Graphic Design Trends to Watch in 2024

Do you want to be part of these success stories, join more than 11 million who already use piktochart to craft visual stories that stick..

• Is a New iPad Pro Coming Soon?
• Get It Now: Spring Tech Deals at Amazon

The 8 Best Free PowerPoint Alternatives

Professional results for tight budgets

• Swansea University, Staffordshire University

Microsoft PowerPoint is a great tool for creating professional-looking slideshows and presentations. However, the home version requires a Microsoft 365 subscription, and the free mobile app locks some features behind the sub as well. Fortunately, there are plenty of free PowerPoint software alternatives out there. Here's a look at some of the best options and how they compare to PowerPoint. 

Best Direct PowerPoint Replacement: Google Slides

Very similar to PowerPoint.

Free to use. 

Compatible with PowerPoint.

An internet connection is strongly recommended. 

Where there's a need for an app, Google seems to have it covered. Google Slides is its PowerPoint equivalent and it's a lot like Microsoft's app. Very simple to use and offering full compatible with the alternative, you can access Google Slides via your browser and easily create custom presentations with audio and your own images, all entirely for free. It also offers great live collaboration features for teamwork purposes.

The only minor downside is you need an internet connection to at least get started but the service does also work offline with presentations syncing once you're back online.

Best for Designers: Prezi

Video editing included.

Can easily make data visualizations. 

Stylish user interface.

Free option is pretty basic.

No support.

Presentations viewable by all.

Prezi is a great option for designers who have a vision but aren't technically proficient at achieving it. Its simple drag and drop interface makes it a breeze to organize your presentation just how you want it. Backed up with other Prezi apps that mean you can create videos or more stylish data visualizations than simple graphs, it's ideal for industries that are more visual than others. A series of pre-made templates makes it all the more attractive. 

Prezi isn't as free as it seems though. To get the full wealth of features like advanced image editing, offline access, and narration, you'll need to pay a subscription fee.

Best for Quick Results: Zoho Show

A theme for every occasion.

Quick to create something.

Intuitive interface.

Need to be online to use it.

Simple to use yet highly effective is the sweet spot for quick results, and that's certainly the case with Zoho Show. You might need to be online to use it, but it's worth the connection with an intuitive user interface that adapts to what you need to do. You can easily embed videos, tweets, and images into your presentations with some neat transition effects making things more interesting. 

Collaboration tools further sweeten the deal with annotation features meaning you can work together well as a team and fast.

Best for Animations: Powtoon

Great animation tools.

Easy to use.

Can export to social media platforms.

Branding applied on free presentations.

More about animations than slideshows. 

PowToon tackles PowerPoint presentations from a slightly different angle than a lot of its competitors. It's primarily great for creating full animations and videos rather than presentations that you would click through and present yourself. That lends itself perfectly to the internet which is why it's so useful that you can export your presentations to various forms of social media. 

With a drag and drop template, you can create something within about 20 minutes from your browser. The free version bundles in branding logos so viewers will always know you've used PowToon to create them but that's a small price to pay for an otherwise very accessible and simple to use piece of software. 

Best for Mass Branding: Renderforest

Plenty of options for expanding branding.

300MB cloud storage for free.

Unlimited exports.

Exports can be low in quality.

Content is watermarked.

RenderForest thinks of itself as more than just a PowerPoint alternative. It tackles everything you might need from creating logos to designing promo videos, music visualizations, landing pages, and websites. That's on top of its extensive animations and intro creation. That might sound intimidating but the service keeps things simple, so it won't take you long to mock something up and develop it.

Stick to the free version and there are some restrictions such as branding on your videos, lower quality logos, and so forth, but it's a solid start for an otherwise entirely free service. In particular, if you just need to concoct a quick 3-minute video for a presentation, RenderForest has you covered.

Best for Non-Designers: Visme

Plenty of templates to choose from.

Can set up five projects at once.

Charts and widgets support.

Limited cloud storage.

Visme branding on free plan.

Been asked to make a presentation and you don't know where to start? Visme is perfect for those that aren't well versed with graphics as it offers an extensive template library. The free plan limits your options a little but there are still some decent choices here. In addition, the service provides cool ways to make stats and data look exciting thanks to chart and widget support. It's all done through a simple drag and drop interface too that makes it super simple to add video and embed other content. 

Just bear in mind that storage options are a little limited and everything on the free plan will contain Visme branding. 

Best for Office Replacement: LibreOffice Impress

Full program rather than browser-based.

Extensive support. 

Similar experience to Microsoft Office.

Requires installation. 

Not quite as intuitive as alternatives.

LibreOffice is a popular free alternative to Microsoft Office, so it makes sense to use LibreOffice Impress if you want the closest experience to Microsoft's package. Unlike most of the others here, you need to install LibreOffice on your PC or Mac which means it's no good for Chromebooks or moving between different systems. However, in exchange, you get an intuitive experience that makes it simple to create slideshows, whether you're handing them out to a class or conference afterwards, or simply projecting them on screen. 

Bear in mind you have to seek out templates yourself though which may be off-putting for the least technically minded user out there. 

Download for:

Best for Apple Users: Keynote

Simple to use. 

Apple Pencil support. 

Cloud based as well as app based.

App is only on Apple devices.

Keynote is Apple's direct competitor to Microsoft PowerPoint and it's a great alternative, especially if you're a Mac user. With app support for iOS and Mac, it takes seconds to get started. Alternatively, PC users can use Keynote via the iCloud website and easily work across multiple devices. 

One of the best features is the ability to use the Apple Pencil on an iPad to create diagrams or illustrations making it great for skilled artists. As well as that, Apple provides plenty of convenient templates for personal and professional projects. 

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day

• Best Free Family Feud PowerPoint Templates
• The 8 Best Spotify Alternatives in 2024
• 10 Free PowerPoint Game Templates
• How to Use Microsoft's Free PowerPoint Viewers
• The 8 Best Gmail Alternatives of 2024
• The 8 Best Android Productivity Apps of 2024
• 5 Best Free PowerPoint Background Sites
• The 8 Best Google Drive Add-ons for 2024
• The Best Free Skype Alternatives of 2024
• The 8 Best Video Mergers of 2024
• 5 Best Free Online Word Processors for 2024
• The 8 Best iPad Pro Apps of 2024
• The 10 Best Note Taking Apps of 2024
• The 8 Best Android File Managers of 2024
• The 8 Best Pedometer Apps for iPhone in 2024
• 19 Best Free Cloud Storage Services for Backup in 2024

• Presentation Design

13 Best Free Presentation Websites Alternatives to PowerPoint in 2023

‍ What is a presentation website?

Presentation websites are applications created to present information as a slide show. Slideshows are presentations that comprise charts, images, videos, and the standard text. They ensure that data is displayed clearly, summarized, and readable to the audience.  

Slideshows work best when presented on a projector or a big screen. Intermittently, some users might print out slide shows as documents, but this is ill-suited for that purpose. 

Any presentation tool must have three fundamental functions:

• ‍ A text editor: to input the contents of the presentation.
• ‍ An import function: to insert and manipulate images and other content.
• ‍ A slide-show or presenter mode: that displays the content in a nice, formatted way.

Slide shows often consist of a combination of text, video, images and charts. Their primary function is displaying clear, readable and summarized data to an audience.

Most presentations are shared and presented on a larger screen or through a digital projector. In rare occasions, slide presentations are printed out as a replacement for text documents, but this is a really inefficient way to review data, that Garr Reynolds calls ‘ PresDocs ’ (Garr Reynolds is the author of Presentation Zen, one of the most important go-to reference for successful presentations).

Related Read: What Makes Up the Best Presentation Templates?

What makes the best presentation website?

When looking for the best presentation apps, there is a need to consider not just pitch decks but also school lectures, religious sermons, and adverts. Therefore, an excellent presentation app should be affordable, have enough sharing and collaboration options, have a range of pre-built templates, and be flexible. 

Visualization in presentations

A presentation without visual aids can be very boring. It's hard to remember things if they are just words on a page or screen. But with visuals, people retain information much better. So, ensure you have some great images to help your audience understand what you're talking about.

Consider using infographics if you want to add some spice to your presentations. Infographics are visually appealing ways to present complex information in a simple way. They can include charts, graphs, maps, diagrams, timelines, etc. Many online tools are available to create them, including Piktochart , Visually, and Canva . 

Presentation or visualization names of websites

Presentation websites allow you to create amazing presentations through the use of web technologies.

There are many cases when you might need to create a presentation for a particular purpose. Creating a presentation on PowerPoint is easy, but that doesn't mean it's the best option. That's why we'll talk about how to create a presentation without PowerPoint and how to get the best out of these presentation website alternatives. 

However, there exist today, numerous applications, software, and websites that can help create stunning designs and art for presentations other than PowerPoint. From Slidebean to Google Slides, there are more than enough presentation apps to help you. No matter your tastes, needs, and specifications, there is always one that fits your bill. Read on to find out more.

What makes a great PowerPoint Alternative?

Not everyone prefers PowerPoint. Why? Because it can feel and look clunky at times. But not every PowerPoint alternative works the same way. To find the best one for you, look out for features such as:

• Ability to present online and offline.
• Sharing and collaboration features.
• Features that allow for easy interpretation and assimilation of data.
• Highly customizable templates.
• Good transition and animation capabilities.
• Work import capabilities.

What are some good presentation websites

Here's a list of the best 10 powerpoint alternatives for 2023:.

Check out our top 10 presentation software tools that we believe are great alternatives to PowerPoint. We've curated this list based on our own interests and research. Let's dive right in and get started:

1. Slidebean presentation builder

Key Differentiator: Time Efficiency and Design

Pricing: Free with limited features, paid plans start at $199/year

Slidebean tops our list for its impressive time efficiency and design capabilities. This presentation software harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to calculate new slide designs in seconds. The platform offers a vast array of professional templates, each equipped with text suggestions tailored to various industries, making presentation creation a breeze. Slidebean also allows logo integration, enhancing your branding. Moreover, the tracking feature provides valuable insights into audience engagement, giving you the opportunity to improve your content and drive success in your presentations.

TRY SLIDEBEAN PRESENTATIONS

2. google slides.

Key Differentiator: Collaborative Convenience

Pricing: Free

Google Slides is an excellent choice for those seeking seamless collaboration and cloud-based convenience. With a reliable internet connection, multiple collaborators can work on a single project simultaneously without any need for downloads. The platform also allows sharing via email, facilitating easy dissemination of your presentations. Although Google Slides offers some impressive templates, it could benefit from more diverse design options for a truly personalized touch.

TRY GOOGLE SLIDES

Key Differentiator: "Zooming" into Creativity

Pricing: Free with limited features, paid plans start at $5/month)

Prezi's zoom function sets it apart, creating engaging and dynamic presentations. It boasts a unique smart structure technology that impresses audiences. However, using Prezi's exceptional features might require training and design skills. While the free version offers significant benefits, remember that it comes with privacy limitations. Consider opting for the paid plans if confidentiality is crucial for your presentations.

4. Apple Keynote

Key Differentiator: Sleek and Sophisticated

Pricing: Free with Mac devices, standalone versions available for macOS at $19.99

Designed for Apple users, Keynote brings sleekness and sophistication to your presentations. The software is versatile, allowing you to work on floor plans and text slides alike. While it may lack some collaborative features of other platforms, Keynote excels in creating aesthetically pleasing and professional presentation materials.

TRY KEYNOTE

5. haiku deck.

Key Differentiator: Simplified Storytelling

Pricing: Free with limited features, paid plans start at $9.99/month

Haiku Deck focuses on visual storytelling, providing an array of visually appealing templates and high-quality images to captivate your audience. The software streamlines the presentation process, making it ideal for those seeking simplicity and elegance. With its user-friendly interface, Haiku Deck enables you to create impressive slides in minutes.

TRY HAIKU DECK

Key Differentiator: Design Flexibility

Pricing: Free with limited features, paid plans start at $9.95/month)

Though primarily known for graphic design, Canva also offers powerful presentation tools. With a vast library of design elements, templates, and stock images, Canva allows you to fully customize your slides. Its collaborative features and easy sharing options make it a go-to choice for teams working on presentations.

Key Differentiator: Visual Content Creation

Pricing: Free with limited features, paid plans start at $25/month

Visme excels in visual content creation, offering impressive charts, graphs, and infographics. This platform goes beyond conventional presentations, making it ideal for educational and business purposes. It enables you to create interactive and engaging content that will leave a lasting impact on your audience.

Key Differentiator: Animated Presentations

Pricing: Free with limited features, paid plans start at $19/month

If you want to bring your presentations to life with animation, Powtoon is the software for you. Its dynamic and animated slides add flair to your content, keeping your audience engaged throughout the presentation. Powtoon's easy-to-use interface and extensive library of animated assets make it perfect for creating captivating animated presentations.

TRY POWTOON

Key Differentiator: Multi-dimensional Presentations

Pricing: Free with limited features, paid plans start at $12/month

Emaze stands out with its multi-dimensional presentation capabilities. It offers 3D templates, virtual reality integration, and immersive slides, making your presentations stand out. For those seeking innovative ways to captivate audiences, Emaze is a powerful choice.

10. Zoho Show

Key Differentiator: Collaborative Creation

Pricing: Free with limited features, paid plans start at $5/month

Zoho Show offers collaborative features that make teamwork seamless. It allows multiple users to collaborate in real time, making it an excellent choice for group projects and presentations. The platform also provides a variety of templates and customization options to suit your presentation needs.

TRY ZOHO SHOW

A presentation software launched in 2020, Pitch is already referred to as a “PowerPoint killer”. It was created to help non-designers (or beginners) create excellent pitch decks. 

Pitch has an extensive library of presentation templates, but this is just one of its benefits. This software emphasizes collaboration and even includes built-in video collaboration for remote teams to work together. Pitch presentations can also be integrated with Google Analytics, Google Sheets, and similar applications.

This cloud-based presentation tool proffers a user-friendly alternative to PowerPoint. Its sleek editor interface allows you to add your preferred background images, import a variety of designs, and collaborate easily with others. It is known to be very user-friendly.

Slides offers access and edit features from any device, as long as it is internet-connected. It also helps manage privacy rights, allows presentations offline, offers analytics management, and allows for adding GIFs and images. 

However, it is limited in slide options and templates and does not offer graphic inclusions.

Gamma is a user-friendly web tool designed to make creating presentations easier for both educators and students. Its standout feature is its AI technology, which handles design tasks, allowing users to focus on their content. With Gamma, anyone can quickly create visually appealing presentations without needing advanced design skills.

How do I create a presentation without PowerPoint?

Numerous alternatives to PowerPoint are on the Internet. The issue is not about creating a presentation without PowerPoint but getting that presentation tool or software that can help achieve your goal. 

While many tools offer free accounts to peruse and utilize online and offline presentations, some do not. This does not mean the free tools are not good, rather, it is just a marketing idea. 

What can I use instead of PowerPoint for free?

Here are some presentation tools you can make use of instead of PowerPoint;

WPS Office boasts functionality and a well-designed, along with offline document capabilities. Sometimes accused of having very similar features to Microsoft Office, users can efficiently work on PowerPoint files. It also offers many templates. However, collaboration might be a bit stressful. 

WPS Office is available on Android, Web Windows, iOS, Linux, and macOS.

If there is one thing Canva has, it is templates. Canva makes PowerPoint look simple with a vast array of templates for every specification. If you have a problem with making decisions, do not use Canva.

However, that is its Achilles heel; many people find themselves scrolling for so long. Not all templates are free but, it helps narrow down your options. 

• Bonus Tool: InVideo

InVideo is considered a cloud-based online video editing tool with the feature of creating slideshow videos. it contains a huge selection of slideshow templates, stock footage, photos, and music to make great slideshow videos without a watermark. Although it is available for free, some features require a premium subscription.

Without a doubt, it can be stressful to get that one presentation software that can fit your exact specifications and give the required output. Although utilizing Slidebean can be very flexible, it can also be use to produce the best infographic presentation that compares data in an easily-understood manner.

Popular Articles

Startup vs Small Business: Main differences

How to Kickstart the economy

Let’s move your company to the next stage 🚀

Ai pitch deck software, pitch deck services.

Financial Model Consulting for Startups 🚀

Raise money with our pitch deck writing and design service 🚀

The all-in-one pitch deck software 🚀

Check out our list of the top free presentation websites that offer unique features and design options. Discover the best platform for your next presentation now.

This presentation software list is the result of weeks of research of 50+ presentation tools currently available online. It'll help you compare and decide.

This is a functional model you can use to create your own formulas and project your potential business growth. Instructions on how to use it are on the front page.

Book a call with our sales team

In a hurry? Give us a call at 

NOW AVAILABLE! The Presentation Playbook Series

• Trade Show Presenter
• Testimonials
• Trade Show Staffing
• Sample Videos
• Seminar Speaker

Spark's Presentation & Public Speaking Blog

• 10 PowerPoint Alternatives That Make Your Presentation Memorable

April 26, 2016

by Andy Saks

Imagine attending a presentation on a topic that fires you up. As the speaker takes the stage, you anticipate an insightful, inspiring experience.

Then a PowerPoint title slide appears on the screen. You estimate this will be the  eight-billionth  PowerPoint slide deck you’ve endured in your life, and hope the presentation will still be engrossing  despite this old, tired, tedious format. But it’s exactly as dull, tedious, and forgettable as you’d feared.

Now imagine attending a conference, seminar, trade show, internal meeting, or other event with a whole lineup of speakers, in which every single speaker uses PowerPoint. As each speaker clicks through an endless series of listless bullet points, confusing charts and cheesy stock footage on pre-fab templates, your very life force ebbs away. You leave drained, angry, and determined you won’t get fooled again.

I’ve attended too many presentations like these, and I bet you have too. (I’ve even emceed a few!) Organizations produce them with high hopes and heavy promotion. And then…the speakers pummel the opportunity into submission with a flurry of forgettable slides. Why?

My guess: when presentations are planned, PowerPoint’s use is almost reflexive. It’s every speaker’s default format. Its use feels familiar, comfortable and safe, a security blanket to which you can tether your content. And no one ever got fired for giving a safe presentation.

Trouble is, to your audience, “safe” translates to “bland, obvious, and forgettable.” A parade of PowerPoint presentations won’t engage your audience, reward them for spending their valuable time with you, or incentivize them to attend your next presentation, forcing you to build a whole new audience from scratch next time.

If you’re planning a presentation (or a whole seminar’s worth of them), remember: your goal isn’t just to deliver information. They can get that elsewhere. It’s also to create a memorable experience . So consider this your wake-up call: DUMP POWERPOINT , or at least minimize its use.

What could you do instead? Glad you asked!  Here’s a list of 9 other presentation formats I’ve personally used as a corporate emcee , or seen others use successfully. Each is designed to outshine PowerPoint with an appealing structure that gets audience members actively involved, creates space for spontaneous insight and humor, and makes your presentation(s) seem unique, memorable, and worth revisiting next time you speak.

RELATED POSTS:

6 tips to make your seminar or event emcee script sparkle

4 key tips to help you be a good emcee

POWERPOINT ALTERNATIVE 1: USE PREZI

Ready to use warp your audience’s fragile little minds? Try Prezi , a visual design format that will keep them riveted.

With Prezi, instead of creating a bunch of separate slides, you place all your content in different areas on one ginormous slide. Then, you use Prezi’s unique “pan-and-zoom” feature to zoom around the slide like a prop plane might zoom around above a town, diving into one content area as you address it, then zooming up and over to the next one.

It’ll make more sense if I show you, so here’s a Prezi I created to accompany a booth presentation I built for Citrix at the VMworld trade show at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco:

And here’s me delivering that Prezi in Citrix’s booth at VMworld:

Prezi has its limitations. Its design interface is completely different from PowerPoint, and has some quirks, so there’s a learning curve that I found frustrating. Its design options (fonts, text sizes, text colors and text background colors) are very limited, and it offers only one animation option (“dissolve”). Plus, to edit and view your Prezi offline, you’ll have to sign up for a paid membership. Oh, and overdoing the pan-and-zoom feature can make your audience a tiny bit seasick.

Still, what Prezi does (panning and zooming) it does very well, giving it a whole different (and far more dynamic) flavor than PowerPoint. That’s especially true for presentations about physical objects, because Prezi lets you pan and zoom into each different area of the object as you explain it, thus taking your audience on a fanciful virtual tour. Moreover, using Prezi shows your audience you like taking risks and using new technology, which reflects well on you.

POWERPOINT ALTERNATIVE 2: STAGE A DEBATE

Watching one person expound on a given topic: boring. Watching two topic experts spar on that topic, challenging each other with divergent points of view: fun!

So take a cue from the politicians, bring out the podiums (or “lecterns,” as they’re actually called ) and have two or more of your topic experts debate each other live on stage.

Your rules of engagement can vary, and will likely work just fine as long as they create enough structure to hold the format together, and enough leeway for a free exchange of ideas. Try these guidelines:

• Pose a question your experts and audience find intriguing (“What will our industry look like in ten years?”)
• Assign each debater a contrasting perspective on the topic, and have them research it
• Use a moderator to keep the action moving, lively, and controlled
• Use 1-3 pre-determined “plant” questions to get the debate going
• When they’re ready, let audience audience members pose questions as well
• Encourage the debaters to challenge each other’s answers

If this format sounds unpredictable, you’re right. It’s unscripted live theater, and anything can happen. But that’s the allure. Debating opens a myriad of opportunities for unexpected insights, fun verbal jousting, keen perspectives, and situational humor (the best kind!). Your audience members will be on the edge of their seats, eager to see what happens next.

POWERPOINT ALTERNATIVE 3: RUN A PANEL DISCUSSION

Not quite ready to tackle a debate? Take it down one notch, and run a panel discussion.

Speakers love panels because they lessen each speaker’s content burden, which lowers each speaker’s stage anxiety. Audiences love panels because they 1) create a round robin of information delivery, 2) generate multiple perspectives in a single presentation, 3) get the audience directly involved, and 4) shift the topic from what speakers want to talk about to what audience members want to hear about.

To run a panel discussion, line up your speakers in a row on the stage (in chairs, on a couch, or even standing) and have a moderator (the company CEO, an industry thought leader, or a professional emcee) ask a handful of questions submitted by the speakers to get everyone’s juices flowing. Then let your audience members ask questions, either by placing handheld microphones on stands in the aisles, or by having volunteers deliver handheld microphones to audience members who raise their hands from their seats.

Want an example? The first 45 seconds of this video shows me emceeing a panel discussion at the Volvo Construction Equipment booth during the ConExpo trade show in Las Vegas, featuring Volvo’s own engineers:

POWERPOINT ALTERNATIVE 4: PRODUCE A GAME SHOW

Game shows are one of my favorite options, because they directly involve at least one audience member, and almost invariably generate oodles of situational humor.

You can easily create your own “generic” game show with these simple guidelines:

• Create 3-5 multiple-choice questions on your program topic. Each question relates to some aspect of your topic; perhaps a little-known fact or commonly-held myth whose truth will surprise people (and cement your reputation as a topic expert).
• Offer 3-4 total answer options for each question. One option is correct; at least two more should seem plausible. The last option can just be a joke (but make it a good one!).
• Place your questions on (I can’t believe I’m saying this!) PowerPoint or Apple Keynote slides, one question per slide. Then animate the appearance of each question, answer choice, and correct answer notation  to match precisely your delivery of that content, so you, the audience, the contestant and the slide are always in sync.
• Draft your speaker, company executive, or professional emcee as your game show host.
• Invite an audience member to stage to be your contestant. Choosing the audience member can be as simple as picking a volunteer’s raised hand, or as complicated as asking everyone a challenging test question about your topic to ensure your contestant knows their stuff.
• After each correct answer is revealed, have the game show host expound on that topic a bit, offering background, context, relevant personal experience, etc.
• Get you audience members involved as often as you like, by polling them for the right answer (“Show of hands: who thinks it’s answer ‘A’ is correct? Who thinks ‘B’ is correct?”), asking them if they approve of the contestant’s answer, or allowing the contestant to consult with them directly before answering.
• Reward your contestant with a sweet prize no matter how they perform.

If you really want to go for it, you can model your game show after a popular TV game show your audience would know and love, using a similar title, structure, visual setup, even a costume that helps your game show host resemble the one on TV.

Because they generally last only a few minutes, game shows tend to work best as quick “palate cleansers” that inject energy and humor into the room between longer-format (and presumably duller) presentations.

Ready for examples? Here’s a game show called “Make a Bundle with AT&T” that I built and delivered for AT&T at the Channel Partners West trade show in Las Vegas:

Here’s one I built and delivered at an event I emceed for Spark client Atrion, called the AlwaysOn Symposium, held at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA:

POWERPOINT ALTERNATIVE 5: RUN A LIVE PRODUCT DEMO

Years ago, I emceed a series of corporate traveling shows called the AMD/Microsoft North American Tech Tours. During each Tech Tour, we visited 10-20 cities around North America and produced a six-hour seminar on computer chips and software in each city, featuring product experts from AMD and Microsoft.

Often, we’d stage a special event earlier in the day called a Server Build, designed for local owners and employees of small, independent computer stores (called “system builders” in the industry).

First, participants would buy PC server components and software at cost. Then, we’d gather them in a room at work tables, hand out their server components, and participants would assemble their servers as a group while AMD and Microsoft product experts explained a bit about each part’s design, features and value. Participants would each leave with a ready-to-use server in hand they built themselves.

System builders  loved the Server Build for what it was (a rare chance to get their hands dirty actually building something they coveted from scratch with expert guidance and alongside fellow enthusiasts) and what it wasn’t (yet another tedious PowerPoint presentation about building something).

So ask yourself: Is there some aspect of your product or service whose assembly and/or configuration could be turned into a live group activity? Could you offer that experience to your audience members at a reduced cost, so they master it  and enjoy a shared experience with their peers as you position yourself as the authority on that product or service? That’s the type of experience they wouldn’t soon forget, and would probably do again next time around.

POWERPOINT ALTERNATIVE 6: SING AND DANCE (REALLY!)

Yes, I’m talking about singing, dancing, acting, juggling, puppetry, any theatrical format you’re daring enough to deliver.

At first glance, this one probably seems even riskier than the game show. Why would you allow this? Who on earth would volunteer to participate?

But remember: your goal isn’t just to deliver information; it’s to create a memorable experience . I’ll be people on your staff have hidden talents: singing, dancing, acting, juggling, and more. Injecting a short, playful performance into an otherwise-tedious presentation adds an element of surprise and silliness to corporate events often starving for just that sense of fun.

So let your staffers show their creative sides, and they’ll produce a sight your audience won’t forget seeing.

Still skeptical? Will a song about erectile dysfunction convince you? Here’s a performance from my friends at the trade show talent agency CE Talent , singing about E.D. and Viagra in Pfizer’s booth at a trade show for urologists. Hear that applause at the end? That’s the sound of tired trade show attendees drinking in this unexpected fun like it’s a daiquiri in the desert. And dig those sweet harmonies!

POWERPOINT ALTERNATIVE 7: HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE / Q&A SESSION

Here’s another example from the AMD/Microsoft Tech Tour shows: at the end of each show, we ran a no-holds-barred Q&A session for the audience. We brought on stage every product expert from AMD and Microsoft featured in the show, and let audience members fire questions at them for as long as we could manage.

Like the other formats, these sessions were wonderfully unpredictable by nature. Most of our attendees ran PC-building businesses that relied heavily on AMD and Microsoft products, so they had a heavy business stake in everything AMD and Microsoft. The Q&A offered them a unique, coveted chance to speak directly and in person to representatives from those companies. For some audience members, asking their question provided their primary motivation for attending our show.

Consequently, Q&A sessions were unpredictable and often raucous. They ran anywhere from 15-45 minutes. Some questions focused on benign, factual topics, like product specs and launch dates. Others featured an audience member venting angrily over AMD’s or Microsoft’s products, policies, or personal treatment. Some answers tied product experts in knots, or forced them to admit what they didn’t know or couldn’t share; others generated heated exchanges between attendees with differing opinions.

Why would we intentionally initiate a structure so burdened with negative potential? Credibility. These sessions demonstrated a willingness by AMD and Microsoft not just to stop by and deliver their own marketing messages, but to listen openly and respond honestly to the concerns of their customers, which cemented their credibility with one of their core constituencies. In fact, through eight separate Tech Tours and over 100 total shows, the Q&A segment was one of the few components we ran at every show, without fail.

Your organization may not possess the visibility or importance to engender any hostile exchanges. More likely, your Q&A session would elicit a handful of reasonable “softball” questions from audience members. Regardless, your willingness to stand on stage and make yourself directly accountable to your audience members would generate the same credibility for you.

POWERPOINT ALTERNATIVE 8 : TRY A TALK-SHOW FORMAT

Sometimes PowerPoint is inevitable. You have content you want to share, and a slideshow is simply the most effective way to share it.

In these troubled times, try spicing up your delivery by turning your monologue into a dialogue.

Often on the Tech Tours, we’d bring chip and software engineers on stage to talk the audience through the latest AMD and Microsoft product releases. These folks were extremely smart, but rarely comfortable serving as the focal point of the action, blinded on stage by a bright spotlight, and hearing their own voices boom out of the speakers and off the walls, all with hundreds of spectators watching.

Rather than leaving them on stage to suffer alone, I’d sit with them on stage and walk them through the slides, like a talk-show host walking through a casual late-night interview.

At the beginning of each slide, I asked an easy “lead-in” question that offered them a natural jumping-off point to discuss the topic. (“So Jim, how does this PC processor differ from last year’s model?”)

As they answered, I served as the audience’s proxy, asking follow-up questions about things audience members likely wanted clarified or expanded. (“You say this year’s processor is 18% faster. How will the average customer of a PC builder in the audience experience that bump in speed in their day-to-day computing?”)

When a given slide’s content was exhausted, I asked a teaser question to create a bridge to the next slide and topic, and build audience anticipation for it. (“This new processor has impressive speed, but I understand that’s nothing compared to the speed increases you’re planning in your product roadmap. Can we take a look?”) (Note: I could tease the next slide because we always placed two monitors at the foot of the stage facing the speakers. One, the “program” monitor, showed us the same slide the audience saw on the large screen behind us. The other, the “preview” monitor, secretly showed us the next slide in the deck, so I could always see the next slide at a glance.)

Based on our feedback, both our product experts and audience members found it helpful to have me greasing the wheels of the conversation through this talk-show format. For product experts, I provided a calming influence on their public speaking anxiety, a focal point for their attention, a chance to turn a daunting lecture into a friendly conversation, and a “cheat sheet” for their content as I prompted them on what to say next. For audience members, I served as a proxy to get their questions answered, a through-line to make the content delivery more connected and understandable, and a second presence on stage to liven up their viewing experience.

Here’s an interview with an AMD rep discussing a new product called AMD Live at a Tech Tour show in Atlanta:

POWERPOINT ALTERNATIVE 9 : USE TECHNOLOGY CREATIVELY

In 2013, I saw Richard Branson speak at the closing keynote of the Cisco Live US trade show at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

Just before the keynote started, show management asked the 1,000-plus keynote attendees who’d packed the ballroom open a Cisco Live smartphone app we’d previously downloaded. As pulsing music began flowing through the speakers, we were instructed to hold up our smartphones and not press any buttons.

Watch what happened at the 33-second mark:

That’s right; the Cisco Live smartphone app commanded the flashes on our smartphones to blink on and off in time with each other and to the music, automatically. All we had to do was hold our phones up high.

Think about that. Cisco Live had instantly and unexpectedly created a shared experience through the technology they knew we were carrying. Each of us scanned the room, gazing in wonder at all the smartphones flashing in time with our own, seeing our own sense of amazement reflected by those around us.

I’ve worked at over 200 trade shows and attended many trade show keynotes. Most I’ve long forgotten. But I’ll never forget this one, because it made me a participant in something unforgettable, something that underscored the power of new technology.

Here’s an even-more-impressive example: A few years ago, the public radio show “This American Life” staged a live video broadcast of its weekly program, streamed to movie theaters across the country. To close the program, titled “The Invisible Made Visible,” host Ira Glass invited the band OK Go to perform their song “Needing/Getting” on stage. To augment their performance, the band used a smartphone app downloaded by theater audiences (including mine, in Framingham, Massachusetts) to turn audience members into musicians “playing their smartphones” in time with the music.

It makes sense when you see it, so take a look:

Now think about your event, organization, theme, venue, audience, product, services, speaker(s) and topic(s). Think about the technologies you have at your disposal, both within your organization and in the wider world, including in the pockets of your audience members. Could you harness that technology to produce an unforgettable, shared experience like this, something that makes your audience members gasp with wonder?

POWERPOINT ALTERNATIVE 10: RUN A PRIZE DRAWING

Every AMD/Microsoft Tech Tour show ended with a prize drawing, the “dessert” of our event.

Prize drawings are no-brainers at almost any event. Everyone loves free stuff! And it’s a great way to end your event on a loose, fun high note, showing gratitude for your audience members showing up and staying through your event.

So before the show, gather some goodies for a prize drawing. At the conclusion of your event, raffle everything off, by drawing names or numbers out of a hat (or some other method of random selection).

Prizes could include:

• Your company’s products and/or services (a great chance to promote what you do!)
• Your event sponsors’ products and services
• Your venue’s products and services (Free hotel night! Free dinner in hotel restaurant!)
• Branded odds and ends (coffee mugs, mousepads, etc.)

Make sure you:

• “start small” with the lowest-value items, and work your way up to the highest-value items
• explain each item as you introduce it, so audience members can be suitably impressed
• thank each donor for the item, especially event sponsors and venues

How would your prize giveaway look? Steal some ideas from this prize giveaway I ran at one AMD/Microsoft Tech Tour show in Seattle:

I hope these PowerPoint alternatives create the drive and direction for you to try something new, fun, interactive and memorable in your next presentation. Don’t worry that it won’t work perfectly; it doesn’t have to. Audiences will be so grateful for something different, the’ll give you leeway to make mistakes if you smile through them. It’s all part of the live experience.

And if you step out of the PowerPoint box, you may find that for a long time afterward, when you encounter someone who was in your presentation audience, they’ll tell you they remember what you said, how you said it, and how inspired it made them feel.

Got a question or a idea of your own to add? Share it in the Comments field below, or contact Andy directly anytime!

ABOUT SPARK PRESENTATIONS

Spark owner and professional emcee Andy Saks

Andy Saks owns and runs Spark Presentations, a private company founded in 1998 that provides presentation skills training and speech coaching for executives, salespeople, marketers and other businesspeople, plus booth staff training for trade show exhibitors.

Spark also books professional presenters and public speakers to represent its clients at high-profile events, in roles like keynote speaker, trade show booth presenter, master of ceremonies (emcee) and auctioneer, as well as on camera talent and voice talent.

Spark’s client list includes large corporations like AT&T, Best Buy, FedEx, Hyundai, Intel, Kimberly-Clark, Olympus, Owens-Corning, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, and Volvo; high-tech industry players like AMD, Atrion, Citrix, Gigamon, and Symantec; service organizations like Vistage, 1nService and NERCOMP; and New England institutions like the Boston Jewish Film Festival.

Andy is also the author of The Presentation Playbook Series , a three-volume set of books that help businesspeople master common presentation situations by building and running speaking “plays” like a coach or player calls a key play in a game.

For more information on Spark services, please contact Andy Saks via email or Spark’s Contact page .

Posted in: Sparky Says: Presentation & Public Speaking Tips | No Comments

Tags: emcee , PowerPoint , scriptwriting

Add your comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

Search Spark’s Blog

Spark news: coming (& recent) attractions.

• Spark booth presenter shines at Las Vegas tech show
• Navy SEAL fundraiser books charity auctioneer Andy Saks
• Boston awards event books Spark master of ceremonies
• Read all Coming (& Recent) Attractions

Sparky Says: Presentation & Public Speaking Tips

• 10 Tips to Boost Donations at Your Fund the Need / Paddle Raise
• 7 Tips to Encourage Audience Questions in Your Presentation Q&A
• Read all Sparky Says (Speaking Tips)

Presentation Frequently Asked Questions

• Trade show presenter 101: Your guide to booking a booth presenter (Part 1)
• Sales presentation skills: How much is your pitch actually worth?
• How do I hire the right trade show presenter?
• Read all Presentation FAQ

Spark's Client Success Stories

• Emcee tips: How Spark’s master of ceremonies made AT&T’s awards dinner fun
• Trade show booth ideas: How to get the most value from your presenter
• Trade show booth ideas: Recycle your presentation script
• Read all Spark Success Stories

Spark Presentations

Andy Saks, Owner & Lead Speaker

781-454-7600 | Email | Contact page

Don't miss exclusive Spark deals! Sign up for your Spark e-newsletter today.

5 Better Alternatives To Google Slides

I f you're looking to create a compelling presentation to showcase a new idea or persuade others, Google Slides may be the first option that comes to mind. But with few built-in templates, basic themes, and a limited graphics collection, you'll likely have a hard time making your presentation stand out against others.

If you want to make your presentation truly stand out, there are several alternatives to Google Slides that offer extra perks and features to give your presentations an edge. While Google focuses on integrating Slides with its other work-based apps like Sheets and Docs, other presentation apps focus more on design elements, transitions, and themes to help you convey your brand or personal image throughout your presentation.

We've tested these Google Slide alternatives to give you an idea of other available options to deliver impactful presentations. If you're looking for a way to make boring information more fun and engaging, here are the best presentation apps to replace Google Slides.

Read more: Major Graphics Card Brands Ranked Worst To Best

Microsoft PowerPoint

There's a reason so many businesses around the globe use Microsoft PowerPoint. Building its reputation as the go-to option for delivering high-quality presentations, the software generated $100 million in annual sales only three years after its initial release in 1990.

Microsoft PowerPoint may be Google Slides' largest competitor, but there are plenty of unique features that can add an extra flourish to your slides. PowerPoint excels in its impressive library of custom animations and slide transitions, which are fairly limited in Google Slides. Another unique feature is its AI-powered Designer tool. This provides professional design schemes that mirror the words used in your slides. For instance, if your title slide is named "Basketball Team 2024," Designer will automatically suggest pictures and slide layouts associated with basketball.

As PowerPoint has been in development longer than Google Slides, it naturally offers more nuanced features if you're looking for something specific. For example, you can save individual slides as an image file (using .png or .jpeg formats) or as a separate presentation file. There's also a large library of free PowerPoint templates designed to speed up your workflow. Moreover, PowerPoint integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Teams with its PowerPoint Live function, allowing you to easily share your presentation with your co-workers.

Prezi offers an innovative approach to showing presentations with its unique canvas feature. Unlike traditional presentation software, Prezi lets you zoom and pan around a flexible canvas. The canvas may feel distant to something of a presentation program, but there is still some linear order provided thanks to the Timeline view.

Finding ways to visualize data is one of the biggest challenges when dealing with presentation software. Prezi resolves this struggle with the help of its Story Blocks: a series of infographics available in multiple designs to visually represent data. You can easily edit infographics and even add animations to individual shapes. This can help add a story to your presentation and help you emphasize key points.

To further enhance your presentation visually, Prezi offers several topic path settings, which let you change how Prezi transitions from one topic to another. These options include subtopics, which are super helpful for breaking large chunks of information down. If you're looking for a unique, modern approach to presenting information, Prezi is a top pick.

If you're looking to create a professional presentation to convince potential clients about your business idea, Slidebean is a popular choice among professionals with plenty of customization options. One of the issues with Google Slides is its fairly limited template library, which is filled mostly with basic designs. Slidebean offers a better alternative with a broad selection of innovative templates split into categories for convenience.

The app's user interface is easy to navigate so that you can create slides in less time. Each slide has a dedicated Design and Outline tab. You can use the Outline tab to quickly edit the information on each slide without being distracted by all the visual elements. Another productivity-enhancing feature is the ability to generate a presentation theme from your website. Simply enter your URL, and Slidebean will automatically apply the theming to your presentation.

Slidebean is another presentation app to take advantage of AI. Using the Auto-Design feature, you can generate recommended slide layouts based on your existing content. It also features AI text suggestions designed to suit different industries. Overall, Slidebean offers a quicker, more efficient method for creating stunning presentations compared to Google Slides.

Canva is a well-known app among graphic designers, but it's also capable of making stunning presentations. The app also has mobile editions, so you can easily create and edit presentations on your Android phone , iOS device, or tablet. As long as you have an internet connection, you can modify your designs wherever you are.

To get started, head to Canva's online presentation maker . Canva offers a vast range of templates categorized by topic, which easily surpasses the simple templates in Google Slides . While some of the templates are only available to Canva Pro members, there is an ample amount of free templates to help you get started. You'll also find a large selection of stock photos, shapes, and illustrations to create beautiful customized slides.

Because Canva is built for graphic designers, you can access several features to give your presentation consistent theming. These include color palettes, font sets, and even a brand kit that allows you to add your company's fonts (available to Pro members only). One time-saving feature is Canva's Uploads tab, which lets you access recently uploaded media files. This offers a convenient way to copy content between different presentations.

Visme is a powerful visual design tool able to create videos, infographics, and presentations. One of the perks of using Visme is the company's free educational content, which offers advice on how to create impactful content to boost your brand. After signing up, the company also asks whether you're using Visme for your business, education purposes, or personal use to offer personalized tips.

In terms of charts and graphs, Visme offers some of the most impressive features we've seen from a presentation app, so you can effortlessly convey important statistics. From the Data tab, you can access dozens of graph styles to visually represent your data. Then, simply double-click a chart inside your presentation to edit the values instantly in a simple table format.

Another area that Visme excels in is collaboration. You can either generate a link to publish your presentation on the web or share your presentation privately with others. For each team member, you can choose who can view, edit, and comment slides for a seamless workflow. There's also a Slack integration that lets you receive messages whenever changes are made to your presentation. Visme is free for all users, with limited features available in its premium plans.

Read the original article on SlashGear .