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• Presentations

15 Pro Tips to Design a Good (Vs Bad) PowerPoint (That Doesn't Suck)

Over the years, PowerPoint has gained a bad reputation. There's even a trending hashtag #DeathbyPowerPoint on Twitter and Instagram. Why? There are hundreds of bad PowerPoint presentation examples that went a little like this presentation:

Don't let your next PowerPoint presentation fall victim to one of several missteps. This collection of tips from experts will set you on the right path. Learn how to avoid death by PowerPoint by following the good PowerPoint design tips in this article. 

Good PowerPoint presentations can be a great way to connect with your target audience and improve your bottom line. Bad PowerPoint slides are easier to avoid than you might think.

In this article, we’ll share what makes a bad PowerPoint presentation. You'll also learn why you should avoid making people sit through one at all costs. Then, we'll give you a handful of tips from the presentation pros that'll help you design a good PowerPoint . Best of all, you'll learn how to avoid death by PowerPoint.

What Makes a "Bad" PowerPoint Presentation?

As rude as it might sound, in most cases, PowerPoint isn't the main reason behind a bad presentation. After all, PowerPoint is just a tool. It's used to create great slides, and it's also used to create  bad  PowerPoint slides.

Our Envato authors have designed hundreds of PowerPoint templates. According to their expertise, the main reason for bad PowerPoint presentations is design-related.

Slide design with poor layout that uses fonts and colors that detract from the message on the slide is one of the main reasons why PowerPoint gets such a bad reputation . 

A classic mistake in PowerPoint slideshow design is to include too much information on a single slide. Take a look at this presentation on Lung Cancer  from SlideShare. Not only will you find information overwhelm, but they also decided to add 100 charts on one slide!

A couple of other reasons that lead to bad PowerPoint presentations include:

• a topic that's got nothing to do with your audience’s interest
• failing to make a connection with your audience
• reading directly from the slides

Envato author, Celsius Designs , recommends paying extra attention to the layout and sketching out the presentation on the paper before going into PowerPoint and creating the final presentation. They also suggest studying successful presentations online.

Another team of our Envato authors, AQR Studio , says that every bad presentation they witnessed had the same thing in common:

"...too much text on individual slides and bad layout." 

Their advice is to take a look at presentation templates created by professionals and study them to find common elements that make for an attractive presentation. They also suggest adding in your own style instead of copying someone else’s.

Lastly, don’t forget that nerves and knowing your audience plays an important role in your presentation delivery as well. According to David Beckett , a TEDx speech coach,

“[...]two major reasons for poor presentations: nerves, and not paying enough attention to the audience.”

Now that you know what makes a bad PowerPoint presentation, let’s discuss why you should avoid making your audience sit through it.

Why a Bad PowerPoint Presentation Hurts Your Message

A bad presentation will not only leave a sour taste in your mouth, but it'll also bore your audience. Once your audience gets bored, chances are they'll disengage from the presentation. They'll stop paying attention to what you've got to say (also known sarcastically as death by PowerPoint).

Also, once your audience becomes disengaged, chances are they won’t remember the topic, much less the content of your presentation. If you’re presenting in front of potential business partners or investors, you run the risk of not closing the deal or getting the necessary funding.

Ultimately, a bad presentation will result in a bad impression of your brand and business. Luckily, we’ve gathered the best PowerPoint design tips from the experts that'll help you create good PowerPoint presentations and avoid death by PowerPoint.

15 Tips from Professionals for Creating Good PowerPoint Presentations

No matter how experienced you are, the truth is, bad PowerPoint presentations can happen to anyone. Even successful speech coaches aren’t immune to delivering bad presentations.

Consider this story from Michelle Mazur, speech coach from  Communication Rebel :

“Once I was invited to give a presentation on cultural trends. I worked closely with the meeting planner. In fact, she approved every slide I was going to present. This was an executive-level audience and she wanted the content to be perfect. I researched, I prepped, I practiced, I had great examples.  

Five minutes into my presentation, one executive raised his hand and asked “Are these trends based on quantitative research?” My reply was, “No, they are qualitative cultural trends.” He and half the room tuned out. The presentation flopped. My mistake was basing my whole speech on information from one person. That question killed me and there was no way to save the presentation in the moment...

I recovered. You can too when your presentation sucks. The most important point is: Keep Speaking. Learn from your mistakes and don't let them hold you back.”

As Dr. Mazur says, the good news is that you can recover from a bad presentation and go on to successfully create good PowerPoints that don’t suck. Below, you’ll find 15 tips from the experts that'll help you rock your PowerPoint design and your presentation skills.

1. Graphics for Visual Aid

Bad PowerPoint slides are cluttered, wordy, and boring. They lose sight of the focus of a PowerPoint presentation. Remember, your goal is to present information in clear, understandable ways. By adding graphics for visual aid, you can do exactly that. For example, consider infographics. These are illustrations built to share ideas.

Rather than packing a slide with words to explain a concept, map it out with an infographic. This might be a process flow chart, or a 3D hierarchy diagram. In fact, premium infographic templates from Envato Elements offer thousands of options. Choose one that works well for your topic, then drop in your details.

2. Stick to Readable Fonts

Top examples of bad PowerPoint slides often share something in common: strange fonts . Sure, unique fonts can be fun and amusing. But they don’t have a place in a professional slide deck. It’s bad PowerPoint form to use these fonts.

Instead, you need to choose a clear, stylish font that’s easy to read. Remember, audiences might be reading your slides from the back of a large room.

This doesn’t mean fonts have to be boring. Far from it - and again, Envato Elements is here to help. As a member, you've got access to thousands of custom font designs with unlimited downloads.

Each one will work in your PowerPoint. Avoid becoming an example of bad PowerPoint form and choose a premium custom font today! They look great and help you succeed.

3. Consistency Is Key

The number one tip for your PowerPoint design is to be consistent. This simply refers to using the same fonts and colors throughout your presentation instead of changing them up every other slide.

It’s a good idea to use the same fonts and colors used in the rest of your brand assets. But if you aren’t sure which colors and fonts are a part of your brand identity, you can’t go wrong with keeping it simple.

Speaker and author Hugh Culver is proof that simplicity works:

“A consistent theme pulls together the variety in your images and message, as you move from problem to solution. You could use the baked-in themes supplied in PowerPoint or Keynote – I don’t because I want a simpler, more unique look.

I create a custom theme simply with my titles, a consistent white background, and sometimes with my logo or my client’s logo.”

4. When It Comes to Text, Less Is Always More

As mentioned earlier, too much text will overwhelm your audience. Another downside of using too much text is that your audience will read the content of the slide before you’re done talking about it and then tune you out.

TEDx in-house presentation expert, Aaron Weyenberg , makes an excellent argument for using less text in your PowerPoints:

“With text, less is almost always more. One thing to avoid—slides with a lot of text, especially if it’s a repeat of what you’re saying out loud. It’s like if you give a paper handout in a meeting—everyone’s head goes down and they read, rather than staying heads-up and listening. If there are a lot of words on your slide, you’re asking your audience to split their attention between what they’re reading and what they’re hearing. That’s really hard for a brain to do, and it compromises the effectiveness of both your slide text and your spoken words. If you can’t avoid having text-y slides, try to progressively reveal text (like unveiling bullet points one by one) as you need it.”

5. Use the Presentation as an Aid, Not the Main Tool

Don’t forget that you, the presenter, are the star of the presentation. Your presentation is there to reinforce your ideas and help you sell your point. Take advice from  Seth Godin :

“[...]make slides that reinforce your words, not repeat them. Create slides that demonstrate, with emotional proof, that what you’re saying is true not just accurate.”

6. Use Guides to Make Sure Everything Aligns Properly

PowerPoint experts from Nuts and Bolts Speedtraining firmly believe you should add guides to your slides.

“When creating a template in PowerPoint, add guides around the placeholders of the parent slide layout.

That way if you accidentally made a mistake or if you want to make things easier to align in the normal view, then you can just turn those on again and see where everything is supposed to be placed.”

7. Contrast Always Wins

Bad PowerPoint presentation examples don’t stand out. They’re hard to follow, both in style and delivery. You need your slides to stand out to succeed.

Contrast is your best design bet to do exactly that. By styling with contrast, your key ideas will be instantly recognizable.

They’ll never fade into the background. This keeps your audience focused and engaged. Plus, it looks great. This is crucial to remember.

Your slides go beyond real-time viewing while you’re presenting. They need to be stylish and understandable for later too.

8. Memorize the Concepts & the Scripts

Inc.500 entrepreneur and speaker, Kevin Daum says you should memorize both your presentation content and script. Memorizing your script and the concept also helps in case there are technical difficulties with your presentation.

“Audiences know an amateur the second the notes come out or the presenter looks at the screen as a reminder. This is your material. If you don't own it, you can't expect the audience to respect you as an expert.”

9. Use Relevant Imagery

There is no doubt that images and visual elements can enhance your presentation and make it even more impactful. But those images and other visuals need to be relevant. According to visual communications expert, Curtis Newbold :

“You may, for instance, need to give a presentation on dairy production in your community.[...]What I need to see are images that tell a story about the dying industry and its challenges, and infographics that explain processes for overcoming the hurdles. You need a lot of visual information, yes. But it also needs to be relevant.”

10. One Message Per Slide

Your presentation needs to pique curiosity in your audience and get them interested in the topic. Once you've got their attention, you need to keep it and the best way to do that is to stick to one message per slide.

Professional training and coaching expert David JP Phillips even goes so far to state presenters should focus on one key message per slide and include no more than six objects (or lines) on each.

11. Use Animation Carefully

Animation can certainly make a good PowerPoint design more dynamic, but only when used correctly. Otherwise, it’s a distraction that can ruin the impression of your presentation. Learn from Konrad Schroth , PowerPoint expert:

“Like a lot of other PowerPoint features, animation can be distracting if used badly. However, if used rationally, animation can grab your audience's attention at strategic points, allow you to "chunk" information for better comprehension, and help explain complex systems and relationships. After all, we are "wired" to pay attention to movement.”

Learn the basics of using animation:

12. Pay Attention to the Structure

Your presentation needs to have a good flow. It’s important to include all the necessary elements if you want your presentation to be compelling. More specifically, a good presentation resembles a stage production, according to leadership development and executive coaching expert Jeff Black .

“You have to have all the elements: You’ve got to have a great opening act, you’ve got to have something in the middle to pull it through and you’ve got to have a great curtain’s finale at the end.”

13. Practice Is the Key to Success

Don’t forget to practice, practice, and then practice some more the delivery of your presentation. Nancy Duarte , the author of Resonate , shares this as her best advice for new presenters:

“Nothing worthwhile is easy, and the best communicators aren’t always born that way. Many of them saw the importance of improving their skills and put the work in. It will be work. But if you become a golden communicator, your life is in your hands.”

Learn some valuable tips for practicing your presentation:

14. Build for Online Sharing

Learn about online-focused slide decks, and look at some of the best templates now:

15. Build Presentations to Engage

Examples of bad PowerPoint slides may take many forms. But they all tend to bore an audience. Maybe they’re overloaded with content, hard to understand, or just aren’t interesting. That’s why you should always engage with your audience.

This can take many forms. If nothing else, always include a Q&A slide at the end of your deck. This gives your audience the chance to clarify anything they might’ve missed.

An even better option is to be engaging and interactive throughout. By using a game or quiz, you can make presentations fun! And a happy audience is always a more engaged audience.

Learn more about interactive quiz game PowerPoints with the help of this tutorial:

How to Quickly Customize Good PowerPoint Designs (With Premium Templates)

Want to know the ultimate way to avoid bad PowerPoint slides? Two words: premium templates.

By using a premium Envato Elements PowerPoint template , you can impress any audience. Elements has thousands of stunning options available now.

Premium templates offer stunning styles, unlike free templates. Plus, they save you time thanks to their ease of use. In fact, you can customize one in just five quick steps. Let’s look at how.

Want to follow along and learn more? Download the great Virtually PowerPoint template  from Envato Elements now.

1. Select Your Key Slides

Bad PowerPoint examples are often overloaded with dozens of slides in a row. Even the most fascinating topics will eventually lose an audience if they drag on too long. That’s why you should choose only a few key slides to get your points across.

This is easy with a premium template in PowerPoint. Find the View tab, then click on Slide Sorter. Here, you’ll see a thumbnail for every slide in the deck. You can remove unwanted slides by right-clicking on them and choosing Delete Slide . Once you’re finished, click Normal on the View tab to start editing.

2. Edit Text Features

Words are the backbone of winning PowerPoint decks. And thanks to premium templates, they’re easy to add. Notice how slide layouts have text already in place. To change it out, click into one of the text boxes. Select the contents, then type over them using your keyboard. Repeat throughout your slide deck.

Keep in mind: bad PowerPoint presentation examples are often too wordy. Avoid this by deleting any unwanted text boxes to free up some space on your slides.

3. Explore Font Effects

Once you’ve added text, you can customize it. Go to the Home tab on PowerPoint’s ribbon and find the Font section on the left. Here, you’ll see many buttons and dropdowns.

The dropdowns control the size and style of your font. The buttons drive custom effects like underlines, italics, and more. Click through them and watch your choices apply to the text that you have selected.

4. Customize Photos

Another example of bad PowerPoint technique: a lack of images. Don’t forget to add illustrations at regular intervals. These boost visual interest and keep viewers and readers focused on you.

Premium templates, once again, make this easy. On many slides, you’ll see shaped image placeholders. Browse to a stored image file on your computer, then drag it over your slide.

Drop it into place, and watch PowerPoint import it. Notice it'll scale to fit perfectly. It’s an effortless way to build a good PowerPoint slide.

5. Style Shapes with Color

A bad PowerPoint deck often will lack in color and style. A bland aesthetic is a quick way to lose an audience. That’s why the use of color is so important. And a premium template like Virtually makes creative use of color.

You can also change shape colors in PPT to fit your own style. Click on a shape, then find the Shape Format tab on the ribbon. On it, you’ll see the Shape Fill dropdown color chooser. Explore the countless options and click one to apply it. This is one of the top ways to build a great slide layout with plenty of cool colors. 

Find Even More Good PowerPoint Examples

If you're trying to make a PowerPoint that doesn't suck, you'll want plenty of good PowerPoint examples for inspiration. Here are some good PowerPoint designs to inspire you:

The Top Source for Great PowerPoint Templates (To Build Good Presentations)

Want the best source for great PowerPoint templates? Envato Elements is your answer. For a flat monthly rate, you’ll have access to unlimited downloads of the world’s best PowerPoint templates . These help you make great slides every day. Plus, you’ll find other resources like stock photos, custom fonts, and much more.

Elements is the top creative value today. The unlimited downloads included give you unlimited possibilities. You can try out as many stunning PowerPoint designs as you want to find the one that’s right for you.

Envato Elements helps you build great PowerPoint slides. It avoids the pitfalls of bad PowerPoint designs. That’s because every template is designed by creative experts. You’ll benefit from:

• pre-built text placeholders
• room for images and illustrations
• custom infographics to illustrate data
• unique fonts used throughout
• animated options for smooth transitions

As you can see, Elements templates save you from building bad PowerPoint slides. In moments, you can build amazing layouts that audiences will adore.

Check Out Our Free Online Presentation Guide

Do you want to learn even more about making great PowerPoint presentations? We've got the resource for you! We'll take you through the complete process to get you ready for your next business presentation—from start to finish.

Don't miss our free online presentation guide, The Complete Guide to Making Great Business Presentations . It's chock full of powerful business presentation advice to help you make your next business presentation your best yet.

Avoid Making PowerPoints That Suck By Applying These Pro Tips

Death by PowerPoint is a real thing that can happen to anyone. If you want to make sure that your presentations leave a positive impact, keep these tips in mind. Great content and stellar design pair together to help you avoid bad PowerPoint presentation examples. Follow the PowerPoint design tips and good PowerPoint examples in this article.

If you need a good PowerPoint design template for your presentation, make sure to check out our sites. Grab PowerPoint templates and design away today. Both are sure to help you avoid the curse of bad PowerPoint slides!

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

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Blog Beginner Guides How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

Written by: Krystle Wong Jul 20, 2023

A top-notch presentation possesses the power to drive action. From winning stakeholders over and conveying a powerful message to securing funding — your secret weapon lies within the realm of creating an effective presentation .  

Being an excellent presenter isn’t confined to the boardroom. Whether you’re delivering a presentation at work, pursuing an academic career, involved in a non-profit organization or even a student, nailing the presentation game is a game-changer.

In this article, I’ll cover the top qualities of compelling presentations and walk you through a step-by-step guide on how to give a good presentation. Here’s a little tip to kick things off: for a headstart, check out Venngage’s collection of free presentation templates . They are fully customizable, and the best part is you don’t need professional design skills to make them shine!

These valuable presentation tips cater to individuals from diverse professional backgrounds, encompassing business professionals, sales and marketing teams, educators, trainers, students, researchers, non-profit organizations, public speakers and presenters. 

No matter your field or role, these tips for presenting will equip you with the skills to deliver effective presentations that leave a lasting impression on any audience.

Click to jump ahead:

What are the 10 qualities of a good presentation?

Step-by-step guide on how to prepare an effective presentation, 9 effective techniques to deliver a memorable presentation, faqs on making a good presentation, how to create a presentation with venngage in 5 steps.

When it comes to giving an engaging presentation that leaves a lasting impression, it’s not just about the content — it’s also about how you deliver it. Wondering what makes a good presentation? Well, the best presentations I’ve seen consistently exhibit these 10 qualities:

1. Clear structure

No one likes to get lost in a maze of information. Organize your thoughts into a logical flow, complete with an introduction, main points and a solid conclusion. A structured presentation helps your audience follow along effortlessly, leaving them with a sense of satisfaction at the end.

Regardless of your presentation style , a quality presentation starts with a clear roadmap. Browse through Venngage’s template library and select a presentation template that aligns with your content and presentation goals. Here’s a good presentation example template with a logical layout that includes sections for the introduction, main points, supporting information and a conclusion: 

2. Engaging opening

Hook your audience right from the start with an attention-grabbing statement, a fascinating question or maybe even a captivating anecdote. Set the stage for a killer presentation!

The opening moments of your presentation hold immense power – check out these 15 ways to start a presentation to set the stage and captivate your audience.

3. Relevant content

Make sure your content aligns with their interests and needs. Your audience is there for a reason, and that’s to get valuable insights. Avoid fluff and get straight to the point, your audience will be genuinely excited.

4. Effective visual aids

Picture this: a slide with walls of text and tiny charts, yawn! Visual aids should be just that—aiding your presentation. Opt for clear and visually appealing slides, engaging images and informative charts that add value and help reinforce your message.

With Venngage, visualizing data takes no effort at all. You can import data from CSV or Google Sheets seamlessly and create stunning charts, graphs and icon stories effortlessly to showcase your data in a captivating and impactful way.

5. Clear and concise communication

Keep your language simple, and avoid jargon or complicated terms. Communicate your ideas clearly, so your audience can easily grasp and retain the information being conveyed. This can prevent confusion and enhance the overall effectiveness of the message. 

6. Engaging delivery

Spice up your presentation with a sprinkle of enthusiasm! Maintain eye contact, use expressive gestures and vary your tone of voice to keep your audience glued to the edge of their seats. A touch of charisma goes a long way!

7. Interaction and audience engagement

Turn your presentation into an interactive experience — encourage questions, foster discussions and maybe even throw in a fun activity. Engaged audiences are more likely to remember and embrace your message.

Transform your slides into an interactive presentation with Venngage’s dynamic features like pop-ups, clickable icons and animated elements. Engage your audience with interactive content that lets them explore and interact with your presentation for a truly immersive experience.

8. Effective storytelling

Who doesn’t love a good story? Weaving relevant anecdotes, case studies or even a personal story into your presentation can captivate your audience and create a lasting impact. Stories build connections and make your message memorable.

A great presentation background is also essential as it sets the tone, creates visual interest and reinforces your message. Enhance the overall aesthetics of your presentation with these 15 presentation background examples and captivate your audience’s attention.

9. Well-timed pacing

Pace your presentation thoughtfully with well-designed presentation slides, neither rushing through nor dragging it out. Respect your audience’s time and ensure you cover all the essential points without losing their interest.

10. Strong conclusion

Last impressions linger! Summarize your main points and leave your audience with a clear takeaway. End your presentation with a bang , a call to action or an inspiring thought that resonates long after the conclusion.

In-person presentations aside, acing a virtual presentation is of paramount importance in today’s digital world. Check out this guide to learn how you can adapt your in-person presentations into virtual presentations . 

Preparing an effective presentation starts with laying a strong foundation that goes beyond just creating slides and notes. One of the quickest and best ways to make a presentation would be with the help of a good presentation software . 

Otherwise, let me walk you to how to prepare for a presentation step by step and unlock the secrets of crafting a professional presentation that sets you apart.

1. Understand the audience and their needs

Before you dive into preparing your masterpiece, take a moment to get to know your target audience. Tailor your presentation to meet their needs and expectations , and you’ll have them hooked from the start!

2. Conduct thorough research on the topic

Time to hit the books (or the internet)! Don’t skimp on the research with your presentation materials — dive deep into the subject matter and gather valuable insights . The more you know, the more confident you’ll feel in delivering your presentation.

3. Organize the content with a clear structure

No one wants to stumble through a chaotic mess of information. Outline your presentation with a clear and logical flow. Start with a captivating introduction, follow up with main points that build on each other and wrap it up with a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

Delivering an effective business presentation hinges on captivating your audience, and Venngage’s professionally designed business presentation templates are tailor-made for this purpose. With thoughtfully structured layouts, these templates enhance your message’s clarity and coherence, ensuring a memorable and engaging experience for your audience members.

Don’t want to build your presentation layout from scratch? pick from these 5 foolproof presentation layout ideas that won’t go wrong. 

4. Develop visually appealing and supportive visual aids

Spice up your presentation with eye-catching visuals! Create slides that complement your message, not overshadow it. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t mean you need to overload your slides with text.

Well-chosen designs create a cohesive and professional look, capturing your audience’s attention and enhancing the overall effectiveness of your message. Here’s a list of carefully curated PowerPoint presentation templates and great background graphics that will significantly influence the visual appeal and engagement of your presentation.

5. Practice, practice and practice

Practice makes perfect — rehearse your presentation and arrive early to your presentation to help overcome stage fright. Familiarity with your material will boost your presentation skills and help you handle curveballs with ease.

6. Seek feedback and make necessary adjustments

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and seek feedback from friends and colleagues. Constructive criticism can help you identify blind spots and fine-tune your presentation to perfection.

With Venngage’s real-time collaboration feature , receiving feedback and editing your presentation is a seamless process. Group members can access and work on the presentation simultaneously and edit content side by side in real-time. Changes will be reflected immediately to the entire team, promoting seamless teamwork.

7. Prepare for potential technical or logistical issues

Prepare for the unexpected by checking your equipment, internet connection and any other potential hiccups. If you’re worried that you’ll miss out on any important points, you could always have note cards prepared. Remember to remain focused and rehearse potential answers to anticipated questions.

8. Fine-tune and polish your presentation

As the big day approaches, give your presentation one last shine. Review your talking points, practice how to present a presentation and make any final tweaks. Deep breaths — you’re on the brink of delivering a successful presentation!

In competitive environments, persuasive presentations set individuals and organizations apart. To brush up on your presentation skills, read these guides on how to make a persuasive presentation and tips to presenting effectively . 

Whether you’re an experienced presenter or a novice, the right techniques will let your presentation skills soar to new heights!

From public speaking hacks to interactive elements and storytelling prowess, these 9 effective presentation techniques will empower you to leave a lasting impression on your audience and make your presentations unforgettable.

1. Confidence and positive body language

Positive body language instantly captivates your audience, making them believe in your message as much as you do. Strengthen your stage presence and own that stage like it’s your second home! Stand tall, shoulders back and exude confidence. 

2. Eye contact with the audience

Break down that invisible barrier and connect with your audience through their eyes. Maintaining eye contact when giving a presentation builds trust and shows that you’re present and engaged with them.

3. Effective use of hand gestures and movement

A little movement goes a long way! Emphasize key points with purposeful gestures and don’t be afraid to walk around the stage. Your energy will be contagious!

4. Utilize storytelling techniques

Weave the magic of storytelling into your presentation. Share relatable anecdotes, inspiring success stories or even personal experiences that tug at the heartstrings of your audience. Adjust your pitch, pace and volume to match the emotions and intensity of the story. Varying your speaking voice adds depth and enhances your stage presence.

5. Incorporate multimedia elements

Spice up your presentation with a dash of visual pizzazz! Use slides, images and video clips to add depth and clarity to your message. Just remember, less is more—don’t overwhelm them with information overload. 

Turn your presentations into an interactive party! Involve your audience with questions, polls or group activities. When they actively participate, they become invested in your presentation’s success. Bring your design to life with animated elements. Venngage allows you to apply animations to icons, images and text to create dynamic and engaging visual content.

6. Utilize humor strategically

Laughter is the best medicine—and a fantastic presentation enhancer! A well-placed joke or lighthearted moment can break the ice and create a warm atmosphere , making your audience more receptive to your message.

7. Practice active listening and respond to feedback

Be attentive to your audience’s reactions and feedback. If they have questions or concerns, address them with genuine interest and respect. Your responsiveness builds rapport and shows that you genuinely care about their experience.

8. Apply the 10-20-30 rule

Apply the 10-20-30 presentation rule and keep it short, sweet and impactful! Stick to ten slides, deliver your presentation within 20 minutes and use a 30-point font to ensure clarity and focus. Less is more, and your audience will thank you for it!

9. Implement the 5-5-5 rule

Simplicity is key. Limit each slide to five bullet points, with only five words per bullet point and allow each slide to remain visible for about five seconds. This rule keeps your presentation concise and prevents information overload.

Simple presentations are more engaging because they are easier to follow. Summarize your presentations and keep them simple with Venngage’s gallery of simple presentation templates and ensure that your message is delivered effectively across your audience.

1. How to start a presentation?

To kick off your presentation effectively, begin with an attention-grabbing statement or a powerful quote. Introduce yourself, establish credibility and clearly state the purpose and relevance of your presentation.

2. How to end a presentation?

For a strong conclusion, summarize your talking points and key takeaways. End with a compelling call to action or a thought-provoking question and remember to thank your audience and invite any final questions or interactions.

3. How to make a presentation interactive?

To make your presentation interactive, encourage questions and discussion throughout your talk. Utilize multimedia elements like videos or images and consider including polls, quizzes or group activities to actively involve your audience.

In need of inspiration for your next presentation? I’ve got your back! Pick from these 120+ presentation ideas, topics and examples to get started. 

Creating a stunning presentation with Venngage is a breeze with our user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and professionally designed templates for all your communication needs. 

Here’s how to make a presentation in just 5 simple steps with the help of Venngage:

Step 1: Sign up for Venngage for free using your email, Gmail or Facebook account or simply log in to access your account. 

Step 2: Pick a design from our selection of free presentation templates (they’re all created by our expert in-house designers).

Step 3: Make the template your own by customizing it to fit your content and branding. With Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can easily modify text, change colors and adjust the layout to create a unique and eye-catching design.

Step 4: Elevate your presentation by incorporating captivating visuals. You can upload your images or choose from Venngage’s vast library of high-quality photos, icons and illustrations. 

Step 5: Upgrade to a premium or business account to export your presentation in PDF and print it for in-person presentations or share it digitally for free!

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The 5 differences between a pitch and a presentation.

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Persuade me. If you can.

“Tell me a little bit about yourself.”

“Pitch me your business idea.”

“Why should I do business with you?”

Where, exactly, does the story begin? In order to pitch your ideas - or your job skills - effectively, it’s important to understand the fundamental differences between a presentation and a pitch. Because a pitch is more than just an informational presentation. Beyond the constructs of the various TV shows, like Shark Tank , a pitch doesn’t necessarily inform. A good pitch compels . In other words, a pitch inspires action.

Persuasion Creates Opportunity, inside Your Pitch

That’s right, “inspires”. Because if all you want to do is instruct, like an informational presentation, that’s not a pitch. True, your audience might get smarter. But are you getting any richer? What does “good” look like, when it comes to your pitch? Maybe it looks like a new job . A new promotion. Or a new initiative that’s delivered (persuasively) by none other than you. Would you invest in that pitch?

Consider these five key differences between a presentation and a pitch:

• You Don’t Have to Go it Alone : it’s easy to fall into the trap that you’re alone on an island when it comes to your pitch - and that’s why you better talk fast, right? Wrong. A presentation is about information. A pitch is about connection . Slow down, and stop trying to lift the world by yourself. Instead, connect your message to the people you wish to influence most: your investors, your potential new employer, your boss. Stop focusing on yourself and consider the puts and takes for the person right in front of you. You may not be facing off with Mr. Wonderful, but if you can find a way to connect to your audience, you’re making wonderful progress. How does your pitch impact the person you’re trying to influence? Are you clear on their outcomes, not just your own?
• Outcomes, Not Obstacles : there are four words that need to be a part of any persuasive conversation or pitch. Here they are: “I’ve thought this through”. Thinking things through means looking beyond the details. Zoom out and see if you see the big picture - have you thought things through? After all, a pitch is persuasive. It’s not a how-to. You’re not there to instruct, you’re there to inspire. Thinking things through points towards outcomes . What is the outcome of your business idea? What’s the outcome of you being hired by this firm? Stop focusing on your past experience and knowledge (Your background and resumé won’t disappear, when you make this shift). Turn your experience into outcomes for your audience. That way, you create an experience for your investor (or potential employer). Sharing outcomes starts by answering this simple question: “What’s the biggest promise you can keep?”
• What’s Your Log Line? Brant Pinvidic has sold over 300 different vehicles to various studios in Hollywood, including reality TV shows like Pawn Stars and Bar Rescue . In his book, The 3-Minute Rule, he explains how it can be useful to have a “log line”. He defines a log line as “the single most valuable element of your offering...in a single sentence or phrase.” He explains how he sold the idea of The Biggest Loser, the most successful show his company has produced so far: “Overweight contestants compete to lose weight; the winner is the biggest loser.” Simplicity wins, when it comes to your pitch.
• Use Leadership Language - Not Just Description: If you want a pitch that’s a winner, consider the difference between language that describes and language that creates. The language of description is all around us - in news reports, white papers and web pages. The language of creation, however, focuses on what we might be able to make, build or do together. Leadership language emphasizes creation: creating partnerships, opportunities, options and outcomes. Which do you think is more important in a pitch, description or creation? If an investor can take a quiz on your business idea, describe it, and earn an “A”, you might just be the biggest loser. Because if your audience is smarter, but they’re not co-creating a new solution with you, what have you won? Do you want to get a grade, or to get paid?
• Close Like You Know: a compelling pitch is, at its core, is a series of “yeses”. A pitch always finds a way to “yes”. How do you know if your pitch is going well? When you hear these three words from your audience: tell me more . Can you share ideas that are inarguable? Ideas and concepts that inspire agreement instead of inviting argument? These paths lead to yes. And then, at the end of your pitch, offer the easiest thing in the world to say “yes” to. And what is the easiest thing in the world to say “yes” to? No, it’s not free beer. It’s an invitation . What is the invitation you can offer? An invitation that’s logical and actionable and measurable. An invitation to co-create the next step - the step that just might get you into the winner’s circle. Or that new job you’ve been hoping for.

You don’t have to watch Shark Tank in order to see the value in a persuasive conversation. That’s right: a pitch is simply a conversation, if it’s done right. A conversation that’s compelling, clear and guided, so that your audience sees your vision. A vision that’s presented in a way that makes people say “yes”. Using the language of creation, a pitch builds to a “tell me more”, based on a story that gets your audience involved and connected with your vision. So, if you’re looking for a new job, or a new way to get your ideas across, consider how you might be able to create the one thing that every pitch needs: a connection to your audience. Instead of focusing intently on your background, your struggle, or your hero’s journey, consider instead how you can make your audience the hero. That kind of language just might help you create what’s missing. So, you’re invited to change the conversation - and change your results - whenever you’re ready to win.

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• February 23, 2022

4 Main Differences Between Good and Bad Presentation

Written by Tom Caklos

Presentation designer

If you are reading this, there’s a chance that you are trying to nail your presentation.

As a presentation designer , I feel like I can give you a few interesting tips, that will dramatically improve your presentation.

No matter if it’s a presentation for an event, employees, or a school project. You can apply these literally in any industry.

Let’s kick off with the first point:

1. The amount of copy on each slide

When it comes to making a good presentation, it’s very important that you limit your copy on each slide.

Nobody wants to read a long essay on every single slide. It is simply boring.

Try to limit the amount of copy you have on each slide. For example, instead of writing a whole paragraph, you could probably put it in a few short bullet points.

As Seth Godin (marketing expert) once said: “no more than 6 words per slide!”. Of course, that’s a bit extreme and it takes a lot of storytelling skills in order to do that.

But if you can, try to limit the usage of the words on every slide and you will improve your presentation drastically!

2. Visuals & design

Now, since I am working as a professional presentation designer – it could sound like I am trying to sell you something.

But the reality is that humans are more likely to remember visuals than texts. We also respond better to visual-rich slides, so why not improve your design? The beautifully designed presentation also gives the vibes that you really care about your audience.

However, there is a one downside when it comes to design. It is very time-consuming. For ex. it takes me around 45 minutes to design every single slide.

So usually it takes me around 30 hours to design a presentation that is 45 slides long. It’s very time-consuming and exhausting process if you have to do it all by yourself ( if you need help, feel free to contact me ).

3. Easy-to-follow structure

Another difference is very easy-to-understand structure.

You need to align your slides with the storytelling – so your audience gets the message that you are trying to convey.

It’s very bad practice to jump from one topic to another when presenting, so that might confuse your audience.

4. Storytelling

Good storytelling can make the difference if you close a new client or no. It is a difference between getting new investors or continuing to struggle.

If you are presenting your deck only by reading from your slides – that could put many people off. It shows that you are not prepared.

That’s why you need to be able to basically talk to the audience as you would to your friends in a bar.

Making a connection with an audience is the hardest thing – but with good storytelling, this could be the easiest part of your presentation.

So these are only a few differences between good and bad presentation – but the most important ones.

If you are making your presentation in Powerpoint , Keynote or Google slides – feel free to reach out to me and I will be more than happy to give you some feedback & critique!

Thanks for reading my article! When I write, I always try to bring as much value as I can. If you're having any questions, or if you need any help, feel free to reach out to me!

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14 Dos and Don’ts for an Effective Presentation

Renderforest Staff

16 Jun 2021

7 min read  

Giving a presentation can be stressful. There are just too many balls to keep in the air: an effective opening, audience engagement, body language, visual aids, anxiety management. The list goes on. 

On a positive note, public speaking and presentation skills can be learned and refined. That’s why we put together a list of 14 dos and don’ts that will help you deliver a killer presentation. If you already have your presentation idea and are wondering how to effectively develop and deliver it, this article is for you.

Let’s jump right in and explore the basic rules of making and giving a presentation.

Focus on the Key Message

From the very beginning, the audience should feel that your speech is leading to something important. This is what will spark their curiosity and keep their attention focused. 

Of course, to achieve such an effect, you should actually have something important to communicate. Otherwise, your audience will feel like they wasted their time (and would be right to think so). The material you present should resemble an arrow with a clear point, not an unending loop of words that leads to nowhere. 

But having something worth telling is only part of the job. You also need to make sure that your entire presentation is woven around that key idea. From beginning to end, your core message should be your guiding light. Each sentence should move the audience closer to it, and by the end of the speech, leave them with a sense of illumination.

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Plan the Structure

Planning your speech beforehand is the only way to avoid getting sidetracked. As you think about your message, try to structure it in a way that makes its delivery most effective for the audience.

So, how do you structure a presentation? Consider both the logical and emotional implications of your structure. First, you want to give your listeners enough background information to help them get better acquainted with the topic, but not so much as to get them bored. Once all the need-to-knows are out of the way, make a seamless transition to your main message and start laying out your arguments in a convincing way.

Also, think about the emotional effect you want to achieve in each part of your presentation. The best way to go about it is to capture your audience’s attention right off the bat, which is often considered to be the hardest part of giving a presentation.

“How do I begin a presentation?” is a question you’ve surely asked yourself.  Once you’re done introducing yourself, you can jump into the presentation with a story or an intriguing question. Then, build suspense throughout the speech and release it at the end with a well-grounded closing statement.

Tell a Story

How do you present a topic? As human beings, we’re attracted to stories. This is why we go to the movies, read fiction and, yes, become all ears when hearing gossip. Thus, it’s always a good idea to begin your presentation with a story or even spice it up with one in the middle. This can make all the difference between an engaged and indifferent audience. 

Need some proof? Watch this TED talk and see how the presenter wins the audience over in less than 3 minutes using the magic of a personal story (admittedly, a relatable one).

Keep a Conversational Tone

Many first-time public speakers try a bit too hard to make their speech expressive. As a result, their presentations appear showy and even pompous to the audience.

To prevent this, simply use a conversational tone. Feel like you are communicating your message to individual people, rather than a large alien audience. This will not only ease you up but will help the audience connect to you as well. 

After all, when you really look at it, you are talking to individual people, not their aggregation.

Remember the Takeaway

What is the one thing you’d wish the audience to take away from your speech as they leave the room or the auditorium? Define it in a single phrase or sentence, using straightforward, accessible language, and present it at the end of your presentation. Keep that takeaway in mind when planning your speech, and put a special emphasis on it during the wrap-up.

Source: TED talk by Angela Lee Duckworth

Time your speech.

There’s probably a specific timeframe within which you should complete your speech. Even if it’s not rigidly set, the audience will have certain expectations as to how long your presentation will take. 

Therefore, it’s important to plan beforehand the approximate time your speech should take and set a timer during rehearsals. If your presentation lasts longer than expected, make sure to leave the inessential parts out. 

As you memorize your material, your speech will get smoother and faster. This will also shorten the time required for it. Thus, before making any adjustments to the length of your script, rehearse it a few times.

Do Your Rehearsals  

Practice your speech as many times as necessary to build confidence. This is not to say you should memorize every single word or sentence, but you should know exactly what you need to cover at every point. 

When you’re confident enough about your speech, there’s one less reason to be nervous during the presentation. You can now relax and focus on building rapport with your audience.

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Perhaps, the worst thing you can do during a presentation is to read your script. Even glancing at a paper or screen far too many times is distracting enough. What’s more, your audience will find it difficult to connect to your message, as it will all feel mechanical and staged.

The solution? It’s fairly simple: rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.

Don’t Rely on Slides

A slide should never be the main source of information for the audience. Use it as a mere extension that makes your speech more engaging or credible. Always keep in mind that your audience needs to learn from you , the speaker, not from your slide.

It goes without saying that you shouldn’t stuff any slide with text. Or include so much information (whether textual or visual) that your audience gets overwhelmed and stops following your speech. When it comes to slide design, minimalism is your best friend. 

To know if you’re relying heavily on your slides or not, ask yourself this question: “Will my presentation still make sense without the slides?” If the answer’s no, then you should rethink your script. But, there’s also a fun side to this. When you free your slides of the burden to inform, they can now be used creatively and even enhance the effect of your speech.

Notice how the presenter in the video shown above only turns to slides to highlight or demonstrate a point she made. And if you remove all the slides? The presentation will be just as complete and impactful.

Don’t Use Fancy Slideshows

How a good presentation should look like? Nowadays, there are lots of advanced presentation software and screen-sharing tools one can use to “wow” the audience. The problem with them? “Wowing” your audience with something as trivial as slides is hardly why you’re making your speech. The fewer distractions there are in your presentation, the better. Keep this in mind, and avoid using anything showy. 

Don’t Talk Too Fast (or Slow)

While presenting, it’s recommended to maintain a consistent pace that’s neither too fast nor too slow. Talking fast might cause unnecessary tension in the audience, and excessively slow speech is sure to annoy them.

While different people naturally speak at different paces, it’s still something that can be worked on and modified with enough practice. You can refine your pacing during rehearsals until the preferred pace is second nature to you.

Don’t Forget Backup Slides

You’re about to start your presentation, but the internet connection is too slow, and your slides won’t load. On top of it, you didn’t follow our advice about not relying on slideshows. What do you do?

Well, if you’re considerate enough, you will have a USB flash drive with backup slides. Next time you feel like forgoing this little step, recall this scenario.

Don’t Neglect Body Language

The way you move your body on stage tells a story. And if that story is incoherent with the one you’re telling with your words, disharmony arises. Imagine a speaker is talking about peace and tolerance, yet their every movement is abrupt, hasty, and aggressive. Sure, this might be the result of nervousness, but would you still be able to connect to their message? The answer’s likely to be no.   

When rehearsing your speech, don’t neglect body language. Practice standing tall, keeping your hands open, and your movements relaxed. Avoid pacing on the stage during your presentation, as it may distract or, worse yet, annoy your listeners. 

Check out this TED talk by Emily Esfahani Smith. Pay attention to how her empathetic facial expressions and open hand gestures help to reinforce her message.

And, of course, don’t skip eye contact. Instead of glancing over the entire audience, pick a few individuals from different parts of the room, and establish your eye contact with them. This little trick will help you feel like you’re speaking to one person at a time. And that’s far more manageable than speaking to everyone at once.

To emphasize a point, sometimes, what you need is not words but their absence. Take a pause after you ask a question or make a strong statement. Spare your audience a moment to think, reflect, and ponder. Or leave a gap of silence right before you present something exciting to build suspense and anticipation.

No one expects you to go on talking for 10-15 minutes without a pause. Take a few seconds once in a while to breathe. Draw in deep breaths to collect your thoughts and calm your nerves if the situation calls for it. This is one of the most effective ways to relax when presenting.

These were the things good presentations include. Hopefully, you’ve learned enough from our tips and are now ready to get to work. Delivering effective presentations is not an easy task, but definitely, one that’s worth the effort. If you’d like to create a presentation for your speech or even online platforms, give these customizable templates a try.

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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

• Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

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

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

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

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

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Home Blog Google Slides Tutorials Google Slides vs. PowerPoint: A Detailed Comparison

Google Slides vs. PowerPoint: A Detailed Comparison

There was a time when anyone making a slide deck using presentation software was likely to use PowerPoint, with Apple’s Keynote being a close competitor. As time progressed, presentation platforms became available online and through mobile devices. In the initial years of this transition, PowerPoint lagged behind in the wake of online presentation suites and mobile device presentation apps. One of the most obvious competitors then was Google Slides, leading to the debate about Google Slides vs. PowerPoint.

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Importance of Presentation Tools

Google slides and microsoft powerpoint: historical context, accessibility and device compatibility, price comparison, presentation templates, basic editing features, media embedding capabilities, annotation and presentation options, animations and transitions, file conversion capability, collaboration and teamwork capabilities, pros and cons of powerpoint and google slides, case studies: powerpoint and google slides.

Presentations have become a staple for business professionals, teachers, students, and even people in the military. As using computers and mobile devices became easier with the improvement in easy-to-use graphical interfaces, people quickly switched to slide decks, video presentations, remote meetings, and other presentation delivery methods. People no longer needed whiteboards or oral presentations, as the visual aids offered by presentation software were just too good to let go of. This meant that presentation software was continuously improved and adapted for different devices.

Over the years, different presentation software has been accompanied by several accessories, such as presentation remotes and laser pointers. All of these have been virtually replaced in recent years with virtual apps or integrated features within presentation software that allow easy remote switching of slides through mobile devices and the ability to turn a cursor into a laser pointer. Furthermore, add-ins for different presentation platforms have emerged with innovative and ever-increasing options to enhance presentations. 

The Rise of PowerPoint as a Presentation Software

Developed by Robert Gaskins and Dennis Austin during the 80s, it was a presentation software developed for Mac computers. Along the way, Gaskins and Austin also employed the help of a third developer, Thomas Rudkin. PowerPoint 1.0 for Mac was released in 1987, and 10,000 copies were sold. Shortly afterward, Microsoft acquired Forethought Inc., the company that made PowerPoint. It took some convincing from colleagues, leading Bill Gates to seriously think about PowerPoint being an effective software.

For a long time, PowerPoint remained the major presentation software for desktop computer users, more precisely, Windows and Mac users. 

Emergence of Google Slides as a Viable PowerPoint Competitor

Nearly 20 years after its initial release, things began to change. The Internet had started taking the world by storm, and more people could use desktop computers than ever before. Not to mention, mobile devices started becoming ‘smarter.’ Then, Google launched its Google Docs Suite with an online version of a PowerPoint-like app. This app later became Google Slides. While Google was able to provide free online presentation software that could also enable the opening, editing, and sharing of PowerPoint-compatible files, Microsoft lagged in delivering a similar product. It wasn’t until 2012 that Microsoft PowerPoint came with proper online features. With the introduction of a free version called PowerPoint Online and later integration with Office 365 (now known as Microsoft 365), Microsoft caught up to Google Slides. Furthermore, the two became available for mobile devices, catering to the needs of smartphone users.

Google Slides vs PowerPoint: Feature Comparison

The first thing to consider when it comes to the Google Slides vs. PowerPoint debate is device compatibility. Back in the day, PowerPoint was limited to Windows and Mac computers, whereas Google Slides could mostly be used only through Internet-connected browsers. Much has changed since the launch of the Google Docs Suite, which led to what we now know as Google Slides. This means that both PowerPoint and Google Slides are now more compatible with different devices than ever before.

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft PowerPoint has Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS apps. While Windows Phone is no longer produced, Microsoft released a version back then. Other than apps, PowerPoint is accessible through Internet browsers via the free but limited version called PowerPoint Online and the full-featured Microsoft 365 suite.

Google Slides

Google Slides was initially an online presentation app available via Internet-connected browsers. Later, it produced various apps for Android, iOS, Chrome OS, and Wear OS devices. Furthermore, you can also use Google Slides offline on a desktop computer using the Google Docs Offline Chrome extension. This extension also works with other Chromium-based web browsers like Edge.

Before we discuss the features of both presentation platforms, it is worth discussing the pricing mechanism that Google and Microsoft use for their presentation software.

Microsoft provides a free version of PowerPoint via a Microsoft account that you can use to access an online version. Furthermore, it also comes with OneDrive integration and up to 5Gb of free cloud storage. The full-featured version of PowerPoint has different license types, with an annual recurring fee for personal, family, business, and enterprise use. Microsoft also offers free versions for educational institutions, teachers, and students. The classic 2021 version of PowerPoint is also available for one-time purchase and is called Office Home & Student 2021. However, this is for non-commercial use and is more of a version with limited features.

As of 2024, Microsoft 365 starts at $69.99 for a personal package or around $6 per user per month. Depending on your needs, you can opt for family, business, or enterprise packages.

While Google Slides has been free for users of Google accounts for quite some time, it also comes with premium packages. Unlike the Google Drive-integrated version with 15GB of cloud storage, the paid version of Google Slides comes integrated with Google Workspace, which has various versions for business use and an enterprise package. Google Workspace for Education provides free and discounted versions for educational use.

Unlike the free version of Google’s products, Google Workspace offers advanced security, cloud storage, and custom emails with all Google products like Gmail, Google Sheets, Google Slides, Google Docs, Google Drive, Google Calendar, and others integrated into one suite. Furthermore, it integrates with third-party apps for advanced integration for enterprise use.

Google Workspace can cost $6 per user per month or around $72 annually for a basic package. Other packages for business and enterprise use can cost more depending on the number of users.

Different presentation software has different templates, enabling end users to create customized slide decks to suit their needs. A number of native and third-party templates are available for both platforms. (Also, learn more about Slide Deck vs PowerPoint in our article)

Microsoft PowerPoint provides hundreds of templates that are accessible directly through its apps and online versions. You can also download PowerPoint templates from Office.com. Furthermore, more third-party developers provide customizable PowerPoint templates than Google Slides. SlideModel alone provides over 50,000 PowerPoint templates with various customizable characters, maps, diagrams, backgrounds, and layouts.

One of the things that Google Slides has lagged in is the provision of templates that are as good as PowerPoint. Not only are there fewer developers making templates for Google Slides, but the quality can also be often lacking. Compare that to the PowerPoint templates available via Office.com and third-party developers, and you will find PowerPoint to be a clear winner in this comparison. Suppose you are a Google Slides user searching for templates that can offer something similar to an experience provided by PowerPoint templates. In that case, you can either use PowerPoint templates in Google Slides or explore these Google Slides templates .

The basic editing features of PowerPoint and Google Slides are quite similar, with a few exceptions. If you are new to presentation making, you might want to first see our articles about how to start and end a presentation .

A glance at the Home tab of the Ribbon menu provides basic editing features, including the fonts, text styles, size, and alignment options. Moreover, you can use this menu or the left sidebar to create, duplicate, add, or hide slides.

Besides the left sidebar, Google Slides provides basic editing features via the Format menu. This menu caters to text, alignment, spacing, and other basic features. The Slide menu has many layout selections, slide duplication, and creation features. Many basic formatting options are also visible from the Google Slides toolbar. What sets apart Google Slides formatting options is mainly the availability of different font families, with fewer editing and enhancement features such as text stylizing options in Google Slides.

Both PowerPoint and Google Slides provide various embedding options to embed content within slides.

PowerPoint via the Insert tab offers options to add pictures from your device and online, including via Bing search stock photos provided by Microsoft. You can also insert illustrations, cutout people, stickers, and cartoon characters provided within the app. PowerPoint also comes with stock icons, shapes, 3D models, symbols, charts, and the ability to add videos and audio to slides. The videos include not only ones from within your device but also online videos and stock videos provided by Microsoft. Unlike past versions, Microsoft has come a long way in offering embedding capability for YouTube videos and other platforms such as Vimeo, SlideShare, Stream, and Flip. Additionally, you can instantly record a screencast and insert it into a PowerPoint slide.

PowerPoint supports MP4, WMV, AVI, MOV, MPEG, and SWF video formats, as well as audio formats such as MP3, WAV, M4A, and WMA.

Google Slides provides shapes, tables, diagrams, charts, and WordArt that is similar but arguably inferior to PowerPoint. The embedding options offered by Google Slides are a close replica of PowerPoint. Available via the Insert menu, you can add images from your device via URL, Google search, your device camera by taking an instant photo, and Google Drive. Similarly, you can insert Audio and videos from YouTube and Google Drive. 

Google Slides supports videos from  MP4, AVI, MOV, and WMV formats, whereas supported audio file formats include MP3, WAV, and OGG. In terms of embedding capabilities, Google Slides is more geared towards online users, whereas PowerPoint also provides enhanced offline capability to embed videos and reasonable support to embed videos from popular video streaming platforms. Other features, such as making a screencast, require using third-party add-ons for Google Slides.

PowerPoint’s Draw tab and the Pointer options in Slideshow mode (accessible via the right-click menu) can highlight and turn your cursor into an instant laser pointer. You can also move the cursor to the bottom to reveal many of these features in slideshow mode and find options to zoom into text, view slide thumbnails, etc.

Regarding annotation and presentation features, Google Slides lags far behind PowerPoint. The Line and Scribble options are pretty limited, and while you can turn your cursor to a laser pointer or highlight text in Slideshow mode, PowerPoint’s ability to zoom and sort slides and Drawing tools cannot be matched.

When it comes to animations and transitions, PowerPoint’s capability compared to Google Slides has often been overlooked.

The Transitions and Animations tab provides transitions and animations in PowerPoint. Slide switching is a pleasure if you know how to arrange the transitions from the very basic reveal, split, and fade to the advanced Morph transitions. Similarly, PowerPoint animations are divided into four major sections, including animations for Entrance, Emphasis, Exit, and Motion Paths. Motion Paths are the most complex PowerPoint animations, enabling the definition of a path for an animated object.

You can go to Insert -> Animation after selecting an object or Slide -> Transition after selecting a slide to reveal animations and transitions in Google Slides. Unfortunately, both animations and transitions in Google Slides are pretty basic and limited, unlike PowerPoint, which offers basic to advanced transitions and animations. For example, the PowerPoint morph transition can create the illusion of moving objects, and Motion Paths can reveal objects on a set path defined by the user.

Microsoft PowerPoint and Google Slides support file conversion to different formats. However, some conversion options require third-party apps.

PowerPoint supports converting files to PDF, XPS, MPEG 4, WMV, EMF, RTF, SVG, BMP, PNG, JPEG, TIFF, ODP, and other formats. Many file conversion formats in PowerPoint are also native, such as the legacy PPT, PPA, POT, and PPS formats and the new formats PPTX, POTM, PPTM, PPSX, and POTX.

Google Slides provides native file conversion options to download your file as a PPTX, ODP, PDF, TXT, JPEG, PNG, or SVG file. However, to convert Google Slides to video or other formats, you must use third-party add-ons such as Creator Studio.

In the wake of COVID-19 and remote working, the need for collaboration and teamwork, even for presentations, cannot be underestimated. Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace have often tried competing in this niche using various products woven into their presentation software.

The fact that Microsoft doesn’t simply produce a presentation suite but an entire environment, from operating systems to remote meeting apps, gives it quite an advantage. PowerPoint comes integrated with OneDrive, Teams, Loop, Skype, and various other apps you can use to collaborate online. Depending on your Microsoft 365 subscription, some features are limited to enterprise users, particularly for the desktop version of PowerPoint. You can share your files using OneDrive with specific people or by generating a publicly accessible link. Use the online version of PowerPoint to embed a code to share your presentation online.

Collaboration on a Live PowerPoint file can be performed through a browser, the desktop, or the mobile version of PowerPoint. Furthermore, its integration with Microsoft Teams helps integrate PowerPoint natively for remote meetings.

Google Slides initiated online collaboration and sharing long before Microsoft adapted to the concept. The initial version of Google Slides readily provided options such as sharing the file of online cooperation via a direct link that Microsoft later integrated into PowerPoint. Furthermore, you can also use the Publish on the Web option in Google Slides to embed the slides online.

In terms of collaboration, what makes the real difference is the close integration of various Microsoft products with PowerPoint. In contrast, Google Drive and Google Meet have been trying to do the same for Google Slides, with the latter being less popular for remote meetings than Microsoft remote meeting apps such as Teams and Skype. 

Unlike Microsoft, Google has struggled to leverage ChromeOS and Android as a primary choice for enterprise use since both operating systems lack the ability and compatible hardware to run heavy apps. Windows or Mac seems to be an obvious choice for end users when it comes to non-linear editing, research, graphic design, and other fields of work that require using resource-intensive apps. This also impacts the preference for Google Slides compared to Microsoft products such as PowerPoint, which integrates with the Microsoft-provided experience.

While much can be said about PowerPoint and Google Slides’ features, let’s examine some of the pros and cons of using both presentation platforms.

Pros of Using Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft PowerPoint has a number of handy features that make it a worthy presentation software and live up to its reputation as an industry leader.

Feature Rich

PowerPoint is a feature-rich presentation software with many advanced features to help you edit, create, design, and present your slides with many user-friendly options. 

Integration with Microsoft Products

PowerPoint, combined with the overall Microsoft experience, is based on its Windows operating systems, Teams, Skype, OneDrive, and other apps to provide support for PowerPoint.

Offline Access

Unlike Google Slides, which works best online, the offline version of PowerPoint allows users to create and present slides offline without requiring Internet connectivity.

Availability of PowerPoint Templates

You can find PowerPoint templates on any topic imaginable, with countless third-party developers adding free and premium templates daily. This ever-expanding resource is something that presenters can always leverage to make their presentation visually appealing and with easy-to-edit templates.

Advanced Collaboration Features

While PowerPoint was late in providing online collaboration features, the ability to work remotely has been expanding and improving once integrated.

Add-ins and Integration with Third-Party Apps

PowerPoint add-ins and third-party app integration have been seamless and ever-expanding. Not only can you use a wide array of add-ins to further enhance PowerPoint features, but you can also integrate it with various third-party platforms and apps such as Adobe Creative Cloud, Salesforce, LinkedIn, Zapier, Bing Translate, etc.

Integration of AI

In recent years, Microsoft has been quick to integrate AI in PowerPoint. From PowerPoint’s Designer feature and Bing Translation tool to the integration of Copilot, Microsoft has been quickly enabling end users to leverage AI to create and design slides.

Cons of using Microsoft PowerPoint

While PowerPoint has many benefits, end users should also consider a number of cons.

Expensive Cost Structure

PowerPoint can be quite costly, and not everyone will be willing or able to afford a hefty annual recurring fee. The free version and license for noncommercial use have stringent requirements from which few can benefit. The free version of PowerPoint available as PowerPoint online has limited features.

Platform Dependency

While PowerPoint has an online version with ever-increasing features and mobile versions for Android and iOS, it is still more of a desktop app. We can argue that the online version isn’t as smooth as the functionality of the desktop version, and the mobile apps still leave a lot to be desired. Other than the Mac version of PowerPoint, it has been designed to integrate with Microsoft OS and apps, making it somewhat platform-dependent.

Pros of Using Google Slides

Google Slides has various pros as a presentation app for different types of end users.

Cloud-Based and Cross-Platform Accessibility

The promise of Google Slides or Google’s suite was always ease of access through the Internet and cross-platform compatibility. Like other Google products of its kind, Google Slides provides ease of access via the Internet and accessibility regardless of what operating system you are using. Using a modern browser allows you to access and use Google Slides without any platform dependency.

Economical Option for Making Presentations

Using the full-featured PowerPoint can be quite expensive, whereas Google Slides provides all basic features in the free version, with the option to upgrade to Google Workspace for more advanced features. Furthermore, Google Drive comes with 15GB of free cloud storage space compared to the meager 5GB provided by OneDrive. This can be helpful for long-term use for storing presentations online.

Compatibility with PowerPoint Files

If you can’t afford PowerPoint, Google Slides can be the next best thing. It provides compatibility for PowerPoint files, with the option to convert files in various other file formats such as PDF, RTF, ODP, etc. You can even start a presentation using Google Slides and download it as a PowerPoint file for use with PowerPoint. While many other apps also offer such features, the compatibility of Google Slides with PowerPoint files is one of the best you can find.  

Integration of Google-Based Apps

Google Slides is integrated with other Google products, including Gmail, Google Drive, Google Meet, Google Forms, and Google Photos. You will find Google Slides quite convenient if you’re used to these products. 

Third-Party App Integration

Google Slides integrates with a number of third-party apps such as Adobe Spark, Canva, Lucidchart, Asana, etc. You can access Google Slides add-ons via the Extensions menu. The add-ons available for Google Slides are mainly for online platforms that integrate with Google Slides.

Cons of Using Google Slides

While Google Slides has been a great free alternative to PowerPoint, it does have various limitations.

Limited Features

When it comes to Google Slides vs. PowerPoint, the latter clearly offers more enhanced features that Google Slides has yet to match. Whether it’s the use of advanced transitions and animations, AI, design features, or basic editing and presentation options, PowerPoint wins by a mile.

Weak Offline Support

Google Slides is primarily an online app with weak offline support. Unlike PowerPoint, it is very hard, if not impossible, to create, edit, and present a presentation entirely offline using Google Slides.

Use by the US Military

There have been many instances where PowerPoint stood out as a presentation software and times when it took flak for the phenomenon called death by PowerPoint. The use of PowerPoint by the American military is well documented. The concept came to light amidst criticism of how bad the presentations were. This led to an article in The New York Times titled, ‘We Have Met the Enemy, and He Is PowerPoint’. Eventually, Microsoft intervened and sent in executive communications manager Dave Karle to rectify the problem. However, the case of death by PowerPoint in the US military is attributed not to the presentation software but to how it is inaccurately used to create presentations. 

Google Slides has many examples of case studies and events where it has been a regular feature. Google’s annual developer conference, called Google I/O, is famous for featuring presentations on Google Slides. In 2018, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and other senior officials used Google Slides during Google I/O as a part of the major event highlights. Google Slides has often been used in Google I/O events as a presentation platform by Google’s top management and remains the central app for keynote presentations.

While the US military might have a lot to learn about using PowerPoint, presenters at TED Talks often use it with quite some dexterity. PowerPoint and Google Slides have been regular features of TED Talks and are used by different types of presenters to express their ideas and explain various concepts.

Google Slides is often better than PowerPoint due to its cost-effectiveness, cloud-based accessibility, and superior real-time collaboration features. It is free with a Google account and offers seamless integration with other Google services like Google Drive and Google Meet. This enables users to work from any device with internet access without the need for software installation. Additionally, Google Slides’ automatic saving feature, cross-platform compatibility, and ease of sharing and publishing presentations make it a highly efficient and user-friendly choice for individuals, educators, and businesses.

Google Slides is a free, cloud-based presentation tool with robust collaboration features and cross-platform compatibility. PowerPoint is feature-rich presentation software available both online and offline. It is integrated deeply with Microsoft Office and offers advanced design, animation, and media embedding capabilities.

Yes, both Google Slides and PowerPoint offer cross-platform compatibility. Google Slides can be accessed via web browsers and has Android, iOS, Chrome OS, and Wear OS apps. PowerPoint has desktop applications for Windows and Mac and mobile apps for Android and iOS.

Google Slides is free for basic use with a Google account and offers 15GB of free cloud storage. Google Workspace, which includes advanced features, starts at $6 per user per month. PowerPoint is available with Microsoft 365 subscriptions, starting at $69.99 annually for personal use or $6 per user per month, with a free but limited online version.

PowerPoint offers many templates through Office.com and third-party developers like SlideModel. Google Slides has fewer templates, but you can find some through Google or use compatible PowerPoint templates in Google Slides.

PowerPoint supports embedding from your device, stock photos, online sources, and even creating screencasts within the app. Google Slides allows embedding images, audio, and videos from your device, Google Drive, and YouTube but relies more on third-party add-ons for advanced media embedding features.

Google Slides excels in online collaboration, allowing real-time editing and sharing through links. PowerPoint also supports online collaboration via OneDrive and Teams, with features integrated into the Microsoft 365 environment for seamless teamwork.

PowerPoint offers advanced animations and transitions, including complex features like Morph transitions and Motion Paths. Google Slides provides basic animations and transitions, which are more limited than PowerPoint’s capabilities.

PowerPoint supports full offline functionality, allowing you to create, edit, and present slides without an internet connection. Google Slides has limited offline support and requires enabling offline access through the Google Docs Offline Chrome extension.

PowerPoint is preferred for feature-rich presentations, complex animations, and integration with other Microsoft products. Google Slides is ideal for collaborative work and easy sharing, especially for those who prefer a cloud-based solution with basic features.

To insert an offline video in PowerPoint, go to the Insert tab, select Media -> Video -> Video on my PC, browse to the location of the video file, select it, and click Insert. The video will be added to your slide; you can resize and position it as needed.

While Google Slide provides an economical and easy-to-access alternative to PowerPoint, the latter remains an industry leader with features that Google Slides has yet to catch up to. While Google Slides had an edge in the past regarding online collaboration and sharing features, once PowerPoint became available online, Google struggled to match the features offered by PowerPoint and lacked the support of operating systems and other apps used by businesses that come integrated with PowerPoint. 

Windows-based operating systems, including client OS and servers, come integrated in an environment where the Office suite provides powerful support to PowerPoint users in an integrated environment. On the contrary, Google has failed to leverage Android or Chrome OS as a powerful operating system that can do the heavy lifting regarding enterprise-level software integration. Microsoft-based products are an obvious choice, even if some of the organization’s base infrastructure uses other operating systems, such as CentOS or Red Hat, to maintain its servers. This is because Windows is still a famous client operating system and Android and Chrome OS cannot match when running heavy applications for design, development, research, etc.

In conclusion, Google Slides serves as an economical alternative to PowerPoint. The latter is still the industry leader in presentation software and has yet to be dethroned.

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Google Slides, Microsoft PowerPoint Filed under Google Slides Tutorials , PowerPoint Tutorials

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.css-1qrtm5m{display:block;margin-bottom:8px;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:14px;line-height:1.5714285714285714;-webkit-letter-spacing:-0.35px;-moz-letter-spacing:-0.35px;-ms-letter-spacing:-0.35px;letter-spacing:-0.35px;font-weight:300;color:#606F7B;}@media (min-width:600px){.css-1qrtm5m{font-size:16px;line-height:1.625;-webkit-letter-spacing:-0.5px;-moz-letter-spacing:-0.5px;-ms-letter-spacing:-0.5px;letter-spacing:-0.5px;}} Best Practices The #1 rule for improving your presentation slides

by Tom Rielly • May 12, 2020

When giving presentations, either on a video conference call or in person, your slides, videos and graphics (or lack of them) can be an important element in helping you tell your story or express your idea. This is the first of a series of blog posts that will give you tips and tricks on how to perfect your visual presentations.

Your job as a presenter is to build your idea -- step-by-step -- in the minds of your audience members. One tool to do that is presentation graphics, such as slides and videos.

Why graphics for your presentation?

A common mistake is using slides or videos as a crutch, even if they don’t actually add anything to your presentation. Not all presentations need graphics. Lots of presentations work wonderfully with just one person standing on a stage telling a story, as demonstrated by many TED Talks.

You should only use slides if they serve a purpose: conveying scientific information, art, and things that are hard to explain without pictures. Once you have decided on using slides, you will have a number of decisions to make. We’ll help you with the basics of making a presentation that is, above all, clear and easy to understand. The most important thing to remember here is: less is more.

Less is so much more

You want to aim for the fewest number of slides, the fewest number of photos, the fewest words per slide, the least cluttered slides and the most white space on your slides. This is the most violated slide rule, but it is the secret to success. Take a look at these examples.

As you can see in the above example, you don’t need fancy backgrounds or extra words to convey a simple concept. If you take “Everything you need to know about Turtles”, and delete “everything you need to know about” leaving just “turtles”, the slide has become much easier for your audience to read, and tells the story with economy.

The above example demonstrates that a single image that fills the entire screen is far more powerful than a slide cluttered with images. A slide with too many images may be detrimental to your presentation. The audience will spend more mental energy trying to sort through the clutter than listening to your presentation. If you need multiple images, then put each one on its own slide. Make each image high-resolution and have it fill the entire screen. If the photos are not the same dimensions as the screen, put them on a black background. Don’t use other colors, especially white.

Your slides will be much more effective if you use the fewest words, characters, and pictures needed to tell your story. Long paragraphs make the audience strain to read them, which means they are not paying attention to you. Your audience may even get stressed if you move on to your next slide before they’ve finished reading your paragraph. The best way to make sure the attention stays on you is to limit word count to no more than 10 words per slide. As presentation expert Nancy Duarte says “any slide with more than 10 words is a document.” If you really do need a longer explanation of something, handouts or follow-up emails are the way to go.

Following a “less is more” approach is one of the simplest things you can do to improve your presentation visuals and the impact of your presentation overall. Make sure your visuals add to your presentation rather than distract from it and get your message across.

Ready to learn more about how to make your presentation even better? Get TED Masterclass and develop your ideas into TED-style talks.

© 2024 TED Conferences, LLC. All rights reserved. Please note that the TED Talks Usage policy does not apply to this content and is not subject to our creative commons license.

PPT vs. PPTX

What's the difference.

PPT and PPTX are both file formats used for creating and presenting slideshows in Microsoft PowerPoint. PPT is the older file format, used in earlier versions of PowerPoint, while PPTX is the newer and more advanced format introduced in PowerPoint 2007. One key difference between the two is that PPT files have a smaller file size compared to PPTX files, making them easier to share and transfer. PPTX, on the other hand, offers more features and compatibility with newer versions of PowerPoint, including enhanced graphics, animations, and multimedia capabilities. Additionally, PPTX files are XML-based, which allows for easier integration with other software applications. Overall, while PPT is still widely used, PPTX is the recommended format for creating modern and feature-rich presentations.

Further Detail

Introduction.

When it comes to creating and sharing presentations, Microsoft PowerPoint has been the go-to software for professionals, educators, and students alike. Over the years, PowerPoint has evolved, and with it, the file formats it supports. The two most commonly used formats are PPT and PPTX. In this article, we will compare the attributes of PPT and PPTX, exploring their differences and similarities, and helping you understand which format might be more suitable for your needs.

File Structure

One of the key differences between PPT and PPTX lies in their file structures. PPT is the older format, used by earlier versions of PowerPoint. It stores all the presentation data in a binary format, making it less flexible and harder to manipulate. On the other hand, PPTX is the newer XML-based format introduced with PowerPoint 2007. It uses a compressed file structure, making it more efficient and allowing for easier customization and integration with other software.

Compatibility

Another important aspect to consider when choosing between PPT and PPTX is compatibility. PPT files are compatible with older versions of PowerPoint, ensuring that your presentation can be opened and edited by users who may not have the latest software. However, PPTX files are not backward compatible, meaning they cannot be opened by older versions of PowerPoint without first converting them. This can be a limitation if you need to share your presentation with individuals who are using outdated software.

On the other hand, PPTX offers better compatibility with other software applications. Since it is based on XML, PPTX files can be easily opened and edited by other programs, such as Apple Keynote or Google Slides, with minimal formatting issues. This can be particularly useful if you collaborate with colleagues or clients who prefer using different presentation software.

When it comes to file size, PPTX has a clear advantage over PPT. The XML-based structure of PPTX allows for better compression, resulting in smaller file sizes compared to the binary format of PPT. This can be particularly beneficial when sharing presentations via email or uploading them to cloud storage platforms. Smaller file sizes also mean faster loading times, making it easier to present your slides without any delays.

Features and Functionality

Both PPT and PPTX support a wide range of features and functionality, allowing you to create engaging and interactive presentations. However, PPTX offers some additional capabilities that are not available in PPT.

PPTX supports advanced formatting options, such as shape and picture effects, shadows, and reflections, which can enhance the visual appeal of your slides. It also provides better support for multimedia elements, including audio and video files, allowing you to embed and play media directly within your presentation. Additionally, PPTX supports the use of SmartArt graphics, which enable you to create professional-looking diagrams and flowcharts with ease.

On the other hand, PPT has a simpler feature set, which can be advantageous if you prefer a more streamlined and straightforward approach to presentation design. It may be a better choice for basic presentations or situations where compatibility with older versions of PowerPoint is crucial.

When it comes to protecting your presentation from unauthorized access or modifications, both PPT and PPTX offer security features. However, PPTX provides more robust security options compared to PPT.

PPTX allows you to apply password protection to your presentation, preventing unauthorized users from opening or modifying the file without the correct password. It also supports digital signatures, which can be used to verify the authenticity and integrity of the presentation. These security features can be particularly important when sharing sensitive or confidential information.

While PPT also offers password protection, it lacks the additional security measures provided by PPTX. If security is a top priority for your presentations, opting for the newer PPTX format is recommended.

In conclusion, both PPT and PPTX have their own strengths and weaknesses, and the choice between the two formats depends on your specific requirements and preferences. PPT offers better compatibility with older versions of PowerPoint, while PPTX provides enhanced features, better compatibility with other software, smaller file sizes, and improved security options.

If you frequently collaborate with others or require advanced formatting and multimedia capabilities, PPTX is likely the better choice. On the other hand, if compatibility with older versions of PowerPoint is crucial or you prefer a simpler feature set, PPT may be more suitable.

Ultimately, understanding the attributes of PPT and PPTX will help you make an informed decision and ensure that your presentations are accessible, visually appealing, and secure.

Comparisons may contain inaccurate information about people, places, or facts. Please report any issues.

Canva vs PowerPoint — Which is Better?

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In this Canva vs Powerpoint shootout, we compare an established presentation app (PowerPoint) with a cloud-based app that promises to make graphic design in general easy for everyone (Canva). Which solution comes out on top? And which one is best for your business?

Well read on, because we’re going to do a deep dive into both tools, and help you answer these important questions.

But first…

What’s the main difference between Canva and Microsoft Powerpoint?

Although Canva and PowerPoint can both be used to create attractive presentations, the two tools are quite different in nature.

While PowerPoint is a tool that has been specifically designed to let users create presentations , Canva is a multi-purpose tool that lets you design a huge range of visual assets — social media graphics, simple videos, presentations, slides, posters and even websites.

Another key difference to note between the two tools is that Canva only works if you are online .

This is because all your designs are saved in the cloud, as are all the templates, images and other visual elements the platform uses. Although a desktop app and a mobile app are available for Canva, these only work if an Internet connection is present, and in truth the best way to use Canva is probably via a web browser.

By contrast, PowerPoint can be used offline, via the desktop and mobile versions of the app.

Now, given that this is a Canva vs PowerPoint comparison, I’m going to largely focus on how good both tools are for creating presentations.

So, let’s move on and do that, starting with a look at the templates available for both Canva and PowerPoint.

Templates are the starting points for presentations — you pick one, tweak some colors, add your content and then present the results.

So what’s the template offering from Canva and PowerPoint like?

Well, in terms of quantity , it’s a clear win for Canva . Out of the box, Microsoft PowerPoint gives you just 70 or so templates to design with; and although you can download an additional 300+ free and premium templates from the Microsoft site, this total pales by comparison to Canva’s offering of 29,000+ ready-made presentation templates.

The quality of templates in Canva is better too; the templates are more varied in nature and are often bundled with more individual slide types.

In terms of aesthetics, I feel that Canva’s templates definitely have the edge. Many of the PowerPoint templates look quite dated (having in my view quite a 1990s look to them), employ very corporate fonts and scream ‘Microsoft’ at you.

By contrast, the Canva templates look really contemporary, make use of a wide range of interesting typefaces and are simply more ‘fun.’

Templates are just the starting point for a design of course — they can be brought to life and made much more appealing when customized.

So how easy is it to customize designs in Canva and PowerPoint?

Customizing presentations

Once you’ve picked a template in either PowerPoint or Canva, the next step is to customize it and make it your own.

Canva and PowerPoint let you do this by adding a variety of elements to a template and then positioning and resizing them. Let’s look at both processes — and how they differ — in turn.

Adding elements to a template

In Canva, you add elements to a template using a vertical menu on the left hand side of the screen (see screenshot below).

As you can see, this lets you add the following to your template:

• graphic elements (icons, photos, images, clip art, graphs)
• content you’ve uploaded to Canva
• backgrounds

If you’re on a ‘Canva Pro’ plan, this menu also lets you apply brand styles (more on using your own branding in Canva and PowerPoint shortly).

The best thing about the process of adding elements to a presentation in Canva is the simplicity: you simply pick the item you’d like to add and drag it onto your design. This makes for a really quick and smooth workflow.

Adding elements in PowerPoint involves a clunkier process. First, you need to click the ‘Insert’ option in the main menu.

You’ll then see a ‘ribbon’ menu that gives you the option to add items into your template (some of these are shown in the screenshot below).

Unlike in Canva though, there’s no drag-and-drop facility — you’ll need to click on the item type, browse the available elements, and then click an ‘insert’ button to add it to your presentation. And doing so will place it in the middle of your presentation, rather than the position you might have envisaged for it (not the end of the world, however as you can reposition it easily — more on doing this in a moment).

The assets you can add in PowerPoint are similar to those available in Canva, but there are two extra elements available from PowerPoint that are worth dwelling on for a moment.

3D models, as their name suggests, are 3D images that you can rotate to meet your requirements. Quite a lot of them are available, and they can help bring a presentation to life, or illustrate a point (see screenshot below for an example of a PowerPoint 3D model being manipulated).

Although there are a variety of 3D graphics available in Canva, you can’t rotate and customize them to meet your needs the same way as you can in PowerPoint.

(It’s also harder to find them, because there’s no dedicated option for displaying them — you’ll just have browse Canva’s image library and try to spot them).

As for equations, PowerPoint gives you the option to insert and edit them easily into presentations, thanks to its aptly named ‘Equation’ feature.

While at first glance this might strike you as a bit of a ‘niche’ feature, it’s actually quite an important one — there are a lot of math and science teachers out there who will find it extremely useful.

Positioning and resizing elements

Once you’ve added an element to a Canva or PowerPoint presentation, you’ll usually need to move or resize it.

The process of moving elements around a presentation in Canva and PowerPoint is very similar — a drag-and-drop process, where you simply click on the the item and move it where you want it to go, applies in both tools (see screenshot below).

Similarly, both tools let you specify which element should go in front or behind others via ‘bring forward’ and ‘send to back’ tools.

Resizing things involves a fairly similar process in both tools too — you click on an element, a container box appears around it, and you extend or reduce the edges of that container to resize the item (see screenshot below for a demonstration of this).

However, when it comes to resizing text, Canva takes a different approach to PowerPoint. Resizing text in Canva works exactly the same way as resizing an image — you extend or shrink the text’s container box to adjust its size, as demonstrated below.

But with PowerPoint, this automatic resizing of text doesn’t always happen; it depends on how much text you’ve got in a container.

If you’ve got a large block of text (i.e., several bullet points or paragraphs), PowerPoint will resize it as you adjust the container edges.

But for small blocks — single words, short sentences etc. — you’ll nearly always have to use a font dropdown menu to manually specify the font size (much as you’d do when formatting text in Microsoft Word). This makes for a more inconsistent and clunkier workflow.

It’s worth pointing out that Canva gives you fine grain control over font size too, if you want it — you can adjust font size manually in a similar way via a dropdown menu. This gives you the best of both worlds when it comes to formatting text.

Overall, the processes involved in adding, positioning and resizing elements in Canva and PowerPoint are fairly similar, but I find Canva’s approach a bit slicker and one that leads to a more efficient workflow.

Background removal

Both PowerPoint and Canva give you easy-to-use background removal tools: you just hit a suitably named ‘remove background’ (PowerPoint) or ‘Background remover’ (Canva) button to extract the image of a person from a busy background.

This is useful for creating headshots for your presentation, as the example below demonstrates, or placing different background colors behind a photograph of a person.

However, in my tests I found that the Canva background tool was the better one, especially when dealing with images where it was hard to distinguish the background from the person in the photograph. While Canva consistently managed to remove backgrounds from photographs in a way that left the person in the image ‘intact,’ PowerPoint consistently struggled to do this.

Here’s an example of the same image being used to test both tools’ background removal tools. In the case of Canva, I encountered no problems at all when separating the person from the background.

But look at what happened when I use the same image to test the background removal feature in Powerpoint:

As you can see, the subject’s hat and feet were removed by PowerPoint!

Now, PowerPoint does give you some tools to improve the results — you can use a ‘mark area’ tool to highlight bits of the image that you don’t want removed. But this is a bit fiddly to use; and ultimately, while Canva’s background removal tool just works out of the box, you’ll usually end up doing more manual tidying up with the PowerPoint one.

Ensuring brand consistency in Canva and PowerPoint

A key part of designing presentations for use in a corporate context involves branding — you usually need to stick to strict brand guidelines.

You can do this easily enough in Canva and PowerPoint, but the process differs for both products.

In Canva, you work with ‘brand kits’ that let you specify your brand colors, define your brand font, upload a brand logo and add other brand assets such as photos, graphics and icons. These can then be applied to anything you design using the platform.

In PowerPoint, you don’t get a similar brand kit tool — it’s a case of creating a template that adheres to your brand guidelines and re-using it.

You can also take the latter approach in Canva if you like, creating a branded template that serves as the starting point for your design.

So overall on the branding front, it’s a win for Canva , simply because it gives you two ways to create on-brand presentations, while PowerPoint only offers you one.

Royalty free images, videos and audio

Earlier I looked at how you can add elements to PowerPoint or Canva — but didn’t discuss what you can add.

On this front, both tools give you access to libraries of royalty free images and video; Canva goes one better and gives you free audio clips as well.

In terms of the quantity of multimedia files available, Canva is more generous: while Microsoft states that ‘thousands’ of royalty free images and videos are available for PowerPoint (so long as you are a Microsoft 365 subscriber), Canva gives you millions .

You might not think that this disparity would necessarily have a huge impact on presentation design or content — surely access to thousands of images is enough? — but it does, as a little test I ran showed quite quickly.

As part of our work in ecommerce, we create a lot of content about ecommerce companies such as eBay ; occasionally we need to create presentations about these platforms too.

Now, if I enter the phrase ‘eBay’ into PowerPoint’s image search, here’s what I get:

But look at the results offered by Canva for the same query:

So in this example, Canva gives me immediate access to the images I might need for my eBay presentation, while PowerPoint forces me to look elsewhere.

To be fair, it’s easy to grab images from royalty-free media sites (for example Unsplash or Pexels) or a Google image search. But this involves using other tools or add-ons, saving files locally, and then inserting them manually into your presentation — all of which can end up being a time-consuming process.

PowerPoint does try to make things a bit easier on this front, by giving you a facility to search for images online. However, you won’t necessarily have the rights to use the images you identify with it.

By contrast — and this is a key selling point of Canva in general — you are licensed to use all the images it gives you access to.

It’s a similar situation with videos in Canva and PowerPoint: although some stock videos are provided by PowerPoint, the range on offer is nowhere near as wide as Canva’s.

So, all in all, when it comes to providing access to royalty free videos, images and audio, it’s a clear win for Canva .

Apps and integrations

So far in this comparison we’ve looked at what PowerPoint and Canva can do ‘out of the box.’ But what about integrating them with other tools, or adding functionality?

Well, both Canva and PowerPoint give you access to a library of apps that let you do this.

Canva gives you around 343 apps and integrations to play with in its ‘app directory’; this can be accessed on the left-hand side of the Canva dashboard via an ‘Apps’ link.

The apps on offer include integrations with well-known social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest etc.) and marketing tools (like Mailchimp, LinkedIn and Hubspot); you’ll also find apps in the directory that add bits of functionality to Canva — for example image enhancement tools; frame tools; mockup tools and more.

As for PowerPoint, a slightly smaller range of add-ons is available — around 280 of them. A ‘get add-ins’ button in the PowerPoint ribbon menu lets you browse these.

However, while the Canva apps are quite broad in terms of their features and purposes, the ‘add-ins’ available for PowerPoint are essentially to do with presentation-related functionality.

(This is fair enough really, given that PowerPoint is a tool that has been designed for creating presentations and Canva is a multi-purpose graphic design app.)

You’ll find lots of PowerPoint add-ins to help you embed content from other services into your presentation; there’s also quite a few apps for sourcing stock images and icons for them. But you won’t find any official integrations between PowerPoint and social media apps, and there’s no add-ons for integrating PowerPoint with popular marketing tools either.

Accessing free trials of Canva and PowerPoint

If you’re interested in trying out all the features of Canva and PowerPoint, free trials are available for both. For a limited time only, you can avail of a 30-day free trial of Canva by clicking here .

👉 You can avail of a 30-day free trial of Canva by clicking here .

As for PowerPoint, you can use it for free for 30 days as part of the Microsoft 365 free trial .

👉 You can try Powerpoint for free here .

Creating charts

Both Canva and PowerPoint give you access to tools that let you create graphs and charts and add them to your presentations.

PowerPoint is the more generous tool in terms of the range of chart types that you can add to your presentations, letting you choose from around 60 chart designs — each of which come in a number of variants — to Canva’s 20 or so.

The process for creating these graphs is much easier in Canva, however — while PowerPoint forces you to link an Excel spreadsheet to your graph, Canva just lets you enter the relevant data for the graph directly within the tool. This makes for a much easier workflow.

(And if you do want to use Excel as a source of data, this is possible too, via CSV file upload; you can also use Google Sheets as a source of data for your graphs).

But overall, PowerPoint is the more powerful tool when it comes to charts — while the customization options in Canva are fairly limited, you can edit just about any aspect of a chart created in PowerPoint.

There is one catch with the PowerPoint chart creation functionality however: it can only be used in the desktop version of PowerPoint — the online version doesn’t let you create charts.

Working with video

Both Canva and PowerPoint let you add video content to your presentations easily.

However — and in keeping with the fact that Canva is a ‘multi-purpose’ tool and PowerPoint is a ‘presentation-only’ one, the options for manipulating your video content in Canva are much more extensive.

This is because Canva includes a video editor in its feature set. While it’s not going to compete with the likes of Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro any time soon, it’s nonetheless very usable and very handy for creating simple videos that you can drop into your presentations. You can split, trim and create transitions between clips with ease; you can also remove backgrounds from them really easily too.

With PowerPoint, you can trim video content — so theoretically you can do some basic editing, by trimming a clip into different versions and inserting those into different slides.

But realistically, if you want to edit video for use in a PowerPoint presentation, you’re probably better off using a separate tool. So a win for Canva here .

Presenting tools

Creating a presentation is one thing; giving it is another! So how do Canva and PowerPoint shape up when it comes to the ‘presenting’ part of the equation?

Well, it’s fair to say that PowerPoint wins here, by giving you a host of tools for presenting your content exactly the way you want to.

Not only does PowerPoint give you lots of ways to present your slides, it gives you different ways to rehearse your presentation too. These even include an option to rehearse with a virtual ‘coach’ that assesses your performance — after you’ve given your presentation, your coach will give you a report containing information about your pace, length of presentation and suggestions on how to improve your performance.

The presentation options in Canva, by contrast, are pretty basic: you get just three ways to present — via a ‘standard’ presentation, a ‘present with notes’ option and an option to record your presentation.

On the subject of recording presentations, this works in a similar way in both tools: you can record your presentation with audio and video (i.e., your webcam). When finished, this can be exported as a video file.

Exporting and sharing your presentation

Once you’ve finished creating your presentation, you’ll want to share it with others. So what exporting and sharing options do Canva and PowerPoint offer?

Exporting presentations to different file types

When it comes to outputting presentations into different file formats, both tools let you export your content into a wide range of file types, although the options available differ.

Canva lets you export your presentation (either the whole thing, or individual slides) into the following file types:

• SVG (vector graphics file)
• PPTX (PowerPoint)

To export your Canva presentation into most of these formats, you simply click the share button above it, followed by the ‘download’ option.

Exporting to PPTX in Canva involves a slightly odd process however — this format isn’t included in the platform’s default export options. To save a file in PPTX format you have to install a dedicated app for doing so, then click the ‘Share’ button followed by ‘More…’ to access the PowerPoint export option. This is a bit convoluted.

As for PowerPoint, some of the formats it lets you export to includes:

If you’re unfamiliar with these file types the basic point I’d make is this: if you need your presentation in super high quality photographic or video format, then PowerPoint takes the win (thanks to the option to let you export your files in TIFF and MOV format).

However, if you want to export your presentation as vector graphic files (SVG), then Canva has the edge.

Sharing your presentations

When it comes to sharing your presentations with others, an easy sharing option is just to download your presentation as files which you then send to colleagues or clients.

However, both Canva and PowerPoint let you share your presentations in more sophisticated ways.

Canva is particularly flexible here, giving you a multitude of ways to share your presentation. For example, you can share it as a URL; embed it on a website; or create a QR code to share it to mobile phones.

There’s also the option of sharing presentations with colleagues for collaboration purposes. You’ll need to be on a Canva for Teams plan to do this; this allows you to create and share folders and files that can be accessed by multiple users.

(More on Canva plans and pricing shortly).

As for PowerPoint, the sharing options aren’t quite as extensive — you can share a link to a presentation, or enable multi-user access on the file. These options are probably fine for most applications, however.

(It’s important to note that if you are an existing Microsoft 365 user, PowerPoint slots much more neatly into that environment. You can pull in data from other 365 document types; make use of Microsoft 365 team collaboration features; and share your presentations on OneDrive easily.)

What about importing PowerPoint files in to Canva?

Canva recently released an import feature that lets you import PowerPoint files into Canva. However, depending on the fonts and layouts used in the original presentation, imported presentations may not always be faithful to the PowerPoint original.

Plans, pricing and value for money

It’s a bit tricky to compare the fees for Canva and PowerPoint, as two different pricing models are involved. But let’s do our best!

Let’s start with Canva .

Canva pricing

There are three main versions of Canva available:

• Canva for Teams

As its name suggests, Canva Free is an entirely free plan. It doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles of the paid-for version of Canva — key omissions include the option to create more than one brand kit, use the background removal tool and access to premium content (i.e., the full library of stock photos, audio and images).

Despite this, it is still a highly functional tool that lets you create attractive designs and presentations easily.

Moving onto the premium plans, Canva Pro costs $15 per month and gives you access to the full range of Canva features and image/video libraries. However it can only be used by one user.

Canva Teams costs $10 per user per month (or $100 per user per year if paying annually), with a minimum of three team members required to start a plan. For this, team members get access to all the Canva features and libraries, plus a range of collaboration features (including the ability to set user permissions and lock custom templates).

Note : for a limited time only, Canva has made a 30-day free trial available. This gives you access to the full suite of premium Canva features and assets for several weeks.

👉 You can access the trial of Canva Pro here .

As for PowerPoint pricing, as mentioned above, the app comes as part of a wider package of Microsoft tools. There are a multitude of pricing options available, which range from $6.99 per user per month to $54.75 per user per month, depending on whether you need a basic business package or an enterprise one. A 30-day trial of Microsoft 365 is also available.

(For full details of the main pricing options for Microsoft 365, please read our Microsoft 365 versus Google Workspace comparison ).

In all cases, the key thing to remember about buying PowerPoint is this: you won’t just get PowerPoint, you’ll have access to a host of other Microsoft apps too — like Word, Excel and Outlook.

In a sense however, this is also the case with Canva: when you subscribe to it, you’re not just getting a presentation-making tool but a video editor, image editor, stock photography library, social media scheduler, basic website builder and more besides.

So in truth, both tools give you a lot of bang for your buck — and it will boil down to how much you value getting your hands on a range of Microsoft products as part of a subscription, or the simple ‘all-in-one’ approach taken by Canva.

Canva vs PowerPoint conclusion

So which is better for your project, Canva or PowerPoint?

For me, there are three main arguments for using Canva over PowerPoint. Most importantly, ease of use — Canva is an absolute breeze to use, and considerably better than PowerPoint in the user-friendliness stakes. Second, Canva’s library of stock images and videos is huge — for the price of a single iStock or Getty picture, you get access to millions of multimedia items per month with Canva. Although PowerPoint does give you access to some stock photography and videos, the choice available on both fronts is much more limited. And finally, there’s the fact that unlike PowerPoint, Canva does so much more than presentations — it’s a video editor, poster designer, website builder and much more besides.

PowerPoint is a better choice for some users, however — particularly those who have invested heavily in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, or need to work with other businesses who routinely use Microsoft products. And buying PowerPoint means you end up getting a host of other useful industry-standard apps, like Word, Excel, Outlook and Publisher.

Below you’ll find a summary of the relative pros and cons of Canva and PowerPoint. Do leave any questions on Canva or Powerpoint in the comments section below — we read all comments and do our best to answer all visitor queries.

Reasons to use Canva instead of PowerPoint

• It’s a much easier-to-use product.
• It gives you access to a much bigger range of images, graphics and videos than PowerPoint.
• The bundled range of templates is much larger than PowerPoint’s.
• Its background removal tool is significantly better than PowerPoint’s.
• Working with video is significantly easier in Canva.
• Canva is not just a presentation-creating tool: it’s is a photo editor, an image enhancer, a screen recorder, a website builder and much else besides.
• There are more ways to share Canva creations than PowerPoint ones, particularly where social media is concerned.

👉 You can try Canva for free here .

Reasons to use PowerPoint instead of Canva

• When you buy PowerPoint, you’re actually subscribing to Microsoft 365 — and getting access to a host of really useful Microsoft products in the process.
• PowerPoint integrates much better with other Microsoft apps and services than Canva does.
• A significantly wider range of add-ons is available for PowerPoint.
• There are dedicated tools for working with 3D models and equations in PowerPoint — this is not the case with Canva.
• PowerPoint lets you output your presentations to a wider range of formats than Canva, including higher-res image and video formats.
• You can create more sophisticated graph types with PowerPoint.
• PowerPoint gives you more ways to rehearse your presentation.

Key alternatives to Canva and PowerPoint

Canva and PowerPoint are by no means the only tools for creating presentations.

When it comes to ‘all-in-one’ design apps like Canva, Visme, VistaCreate (formerly Crello) and Adobe Express are probably the main competitors. You can learn more about these products in our Canva vs Visme comparison , our VistaCreate (Crello) vs Canva comparison and our Adobe Express vs Canva shootout .

As for direct alternatives to PowerPoint, Google and Apple provide the main competition, in the form Google Slides (part of the Google Workspace suite) and Keynote (an iWorks product) respectively. We have yet to review Keynote or iWorks, but we do have a Microsoft 365 vs Workspace comparison available.

In certain contexts, Adobe Photoshop can be used as an alternative to Canva, but it’s not really a direct competitor to PowerPoint. Check out our Canva vs Photoshop comparison for more details on the key differences between this app and Canva.

Canva vs PowerPoint — FAQ

Can i use canva and powerpoint for free.

In the case of Canva, a free version is available, or alternatively, you can make use of a 30-day trial of Canva Pro . PowerPoint can be tried for free for 30 days as part of a Microsoft 365 trial .

Is Canva better than PowerPoint?

It’s better in some ways — it’s easier to use, gives you more stock photography to play with, and gives you built-in video editing tools that are not present in PowerPoint. However, PowerPoint beats Canva when it comes to integrating with Microsoft 365 apps, giving you ‘niche’ tools for working with 3D models and equations, and being more flexible when it comes to creating graphs.

Can you create professional presentations in Canva?

Yes — you can create extremely professional presentations in Canva that make sophisticated use of audio, images and video; you can also export them to a wide range of formats.

Can I import PowerPoint presentations into Canva?

Yes. Canva recently released an import feature that lets you import PowerPoint files into Canva. However, depending on the fonts and presentation layouts involved, imported files may not always be faithful to the PowerPoint original.

About the author

Chris Singleton

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Chris Singleton is the Editor of Style Factory.

Originally from Dublin, Ireland, he is now London-based.

Since graduating from Trinity College Dublin in 1999, Chris has advised many businesses on how to grow their operations via a strong online presence, and now he shares his experience and expertise through his articles on the Style Factory website.

Chris started his career as a data analyst for Irish marketing company Precision Marketing Information; since then he has worked on digital projects for a wide range of well-known organizations including Cancer Research UK, Hackney Council, Data Ireland and Prescription PR. He founded Style Factory in 2009 as a way to share his expertise with a wider audience.

He is also the author of a book on SEO for beginners, “Super Simple SEO.”

You can connect personally with Chris via Twitter (X) or LinkedIn .

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We are an AV company and one of our clients wants to start using Canva instead of PowerPoint (which is what they’ve always used in the past).

They have some pointed requirements like needing presenter view on a remote confidence monitor at the stage and also at our laptops at video front-of-house. The also need the presentation remote for advancing slides. Can / will Canva handle these appropriately and reliably?

Our biggest concern is the internet availability requirement. We have had issues from time to time with larger conferences ‘ganging up’ on the available wireless connections at the facility and online links not working (they will embed links instead of the downloaded video or audio) even though we try to counsel them against doing so. When it doesn’t work everyone in the room assumes it’s ‘the AV guys’ fault’ because it worked fine when we tested it before (without the extra 300+ cellphones in the same room with the same access point). You see what our concerns are.

I’m very interested in your opinion on this as your review seems quite concise and to the point. TIA!

Hey John, thanks for the feedback on the post and the queries. In terms of the presenter options, I’d probably point you in the direction of this resource , which explains the presentation modes available to users. And there’s more detail on the remote control options on this page.

As for the internet availability question, this is a tricky one — your best bet to avoid issues would be to download the presentation in one of the available formats catered for by Canva, but this would remove the option to use its presentation / remote control features. You could theoretically download your Canva presentation as a PowerPoint file, but that doesn’t seem like the best workaround for your needs. In truth Canva really is best used online, which may not be the answer you’re hoping for! I hope this helped a little, though.

When I download my canva video presentation that i made it turns a little bit pixeled. Do you know why that happens?

The main culprit might be if your video involves footage that has been blown up too much — but it could theoretically be a Canva bug too. If you suspect the latter is at the root of the problem, I’d suggest trying a re-export, and having a word with the Canva support team if the issue persists.

You cannot print in Canva from the web — Canva files have to be always downloaded in some format, then printed. This is a bad process. There is no offline access either.

Canva is great, yes.

However, I find MS PowerPoint to be much more effective than Canva in producing graphical artwork from the bottom up for the following reasons:

(1) MS PowerPoint gradients are simply better. (2) Canva lacks indispensable vector-type tools like ‘Freeform’, ‘Curve’ and ‘Scribble’ that are present in MS PowerPoint and other Microsoft programs. (3) MS PowerPoint ‘Autoshapes’ and ‘Merge Shapes’ feature sets are lacking in Canva and are also quite indispensable for more complex graphical artwork/design from ‘scratch.’

Very thoughtful and helpful review. I am an advanced PPT user, and I started looking into Canva based on some recommendations. My first question was, hey, how does this compare to Powerpoint. Your review was excellent. Thank you!

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The ultimate guide to contrast: What your presentation is missing

Phoebe Perelman

Got a big presentation coming up ? If you’ve ever taken Nancy Duarte’s highly-rated workshop Resonate ®, you’ll discover that the secret to a standout presentation or speech is creating tension in your content. She coined this as contrast , and officially, the structure to model your presentations is called a Presentation Sparkline™.

Contrast is your secret weapon for an unforgettable presentation. By weaving contrast into your:

• Slide design
• Narrative structure
• And vocal delivery

You can give presentations that grab attention and resonate deeply with your audience. Depending on your call to action , it can also make your presentation persuasive, getting your audience to do whatever it is you’re hoping they do. Let’s dive into why contrast is so powerful and how to use it effectively.

What is contrast?

Contrast is when you create an intentional rhythm in your presentation content. Largely unveiled in Nancy’s TED Talk , she goes into the secret structure that makes the best speeches great, and she identifies it as employing contrast in a speech or presentation.

It can be represented as ebbs and flows, highs and lows, arguments and counterarguments, solutions and problems. In a nutshell, contrast places opposing elements together to highlight their differences, making it a versatile tool beyond aesthetics alone.

A review of common presentations

Let’s talk about common presentations, and how they often don’t use contrast. You’ve seen these in the corporate world or a timeshare presentation. You’ll learn why they are unsuccessful at moving audiences to action or keeping them engaged.

The report presentation

Every presentation follows a “shape.” Let’s look at a report. Its presentation shape looks something like this:

The bottom line represents “what is,” and the top line represents “what could be.” In a typical report, you spend the majority of your time talking about the current status of things. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Then you might suggest a recommendation at the end that could change what the future looks like.

The problem with a report is that it’s boring, and usually, it takes time to “get to the point.” It doesn’t keep your audience engaged, and if you’re presenting to the C-suite , they are annoyed, unengaged, and ready to move on to their next meeting.

The sales pitch presentation

Now let’s look at a pitch. It could be a sales pitch or an investor pitch . Its presentation shape looks something like this:

In a typical pitch, you open with the status of things, then spend most of your time talking about how amazing the future will be once you adopt this new idea, product, or service.

The problem with a pitch  is that it sounds too good to be true. You spend the whole presentation talking about how your idea is the best thing since sliced bread. Your audience’s guard is up, they’re trying to find the loopholes or the problems (because you didn’t provide any) and they’re trying to figure out “your angle.”

Why should you use contrast?

Both types of these common presentations have failed at employing contrast. There’s not enough to keep your audience engaged or to build trust.

That’s why the best presentations employ contrast, and their shape looks something like this:

Here’s why contrast works:

1. Contrast captures attention

Our brains are wired to notice differences. In an over-stimulating world, we’re constantly filtering information and determining what’s meaningful and what’s not. Naturally, anything that stands out from — or contrasts — the status quo grabs our attention.

2. Contrast clarifies messages and guides the audience

Your presentation is taking your audience on a journey. You’re the storyteller, and your audience is the hero . When used strategically, contrast helps guide your audience through your presentation, clarifying the most important points, emphasizing your message, and making it easier to grasp.

3. Contrast engages emotions

Contrasting content (like addressing challenges and rewards or a personal story illustrating what’s possible despite hardship) can evoke strong emotions , making your presentation more engaging, authentic, and relatable.

Now that you know a bit about why contrast works, let’s cover how it works. Visual contrast is up first.

Visual contrast: Techniques and examples

Visual contrast entails using colors, sizes, shapes, and fonts to make specific elements and pieces of information stand out. Here are some ways to integrate contrast visually into your presentation slides:

1. Visual contrast technique: Color

High contrast colors.

Use colors that stand out against each other to highlight key points. Think black-and-white schemes or complementary colors.

Accent colors

Use a distinct color to emphasize critical elements like call-to-action buttons or important data points.

2. Visual contrast technique: Size and scale

Varying sizes.

Play with different sizes for text and images to create a visual hierarchy. Larger elements naturally draw the eye in first.

Proportional emphasis

Highlight significant data or quotes by enlarging them compared to other content.

3. Visual contrast technique: Font styles

Combine different fonts and styles (like bold and italics) to differentiate headings from body text or to emphasize key phrases/terms.

Disclaimer: While using a few different colors, sizes, and fonts is an effective use of contrast, it’s important to maintain a sense of overall consistency to avoid a chaotic or busy look. Something that you can learn more thoroughly in a slide design workshop like Slide:ology ® or Slide Design .

4. Visual contrast technique: Images and text

Alternating elements.

Balance text with impactful images, icons, or graphics. This adds visual interest and makes it easier for the audience to digest (compared to crowded, text-only slides). For example, infographics can help audience members process complex content.

Industry leaders like Apple are no strangers to using contrast in presentations. Apple’s product launches often consist of bold text on clean backgrounds and the strategic use of color to help emphasize their messages.

Example slide from an Apple product presentation displaying contrast.

Many TED Talk speakers also nail visual contrast. The speakers who use simple, clear slides with bold visuals and minimal text keep the focus on their spoken words and create a powerful visual and auditory experience.

Narrative contrast: Techniques and examples

Like visual contrast, narrative contrast involves juxtaposing dissimilar elements, but instead of visual elements, these include ideas, emotions, or scenarios. Let’s explore how you can integrate contrast into your presentation content.

• Current vs. future state : Contrast the current situation with the potential future state. This fluctuation between “what is” and “what could be” illustrates the existing gaps and the potential of your proposal (and it’s the crux of Nancy Duarte’s world-renowned Duarte Method™).
• Problem vs. solution : Oscillate back and forth between a problem or challenge the audience faces, and how your solution addresses each of their concerns.
• Stories vs. data : Balance qualitative content (stories, examples, and anecdotes) with quantitative content (hard data and metrics). This way, you’ll appeal to the audience’s minds and hearts.

Have you ever watched Dreamforce keynotes ? (We make their presentation visuals by the way.) They’re great examples of how corporate presenters can infuse narrative contrast. Salesforce speakers always address the current business landscape before conveying how their innovative products and solutions meet the moment, using a mix of customer testimonials, bold visuals, and clear data points to motivate the audience to listen and act.

Narrative contrast comes in many forms. Whatever type you choose, leverage it to build and release tension, ebbing and flowing back and forth between two opposing states.

Vocal contrast: Enhancing delivery

Now it’s time to cover how contrast impacts your presentation delivery . Here are some tips on how to incorporate vocal contrast to ensure your message is received effectively:

Contrast your pitch to keep the audience engaged

No one wants to listen to a robot: A monotonous voice will lose the audience’s attention. Fluctuating your vocal pitch keeps the audience engaged. Use a higher pitch to convey curiosity or to add some humor. Then use a lower your pitch during more serious moments or declarative statements. This is called vocal variety .

Contrast your pacing to help the audience grasp the message

In addition to changing your pitch to emphasize a point, you can also adjust your pace . Slow down to highlight an important point and give the audience time to absorb the information. Increase your pace to convey excitement, urgency, or overwhelm. In other words, use the speed of your speech to convey the emotion you want your audience to feel.

Contrast your volume to convey the tone

Use varying levels of volume to complement your message. Speaking louder can help you command the room, conveying confidence, authority, and energy. Lowering your volume, on the other hand, can create a sense of intimacy or warmth, drawing the audience in during more reflective or emotional moments. What type of tone (or tones) do you need to set, and when? Once identified, use your voice accordingly.

Pause to give the audience time to process:

White space is to slide design as pausing is to presentation delivery: Necessary for breathing room and audience comprehension. Pause after a significant point so the audience has a moment to process. There is no need to fill every second of space with your voice — embrace the pause so your message can sink in.

When I think about skilled speakers , Steve Jobs comes to mind. Jobs was an expert at using vocal contrast. He varied his pitch, tone, and pace to emphasize key points and take the audience on a journey, often using dramatic pauses to build anticipation before revealing new products .

Final tips for incorporating contrast

Here are a few final tidbits to keep in mind during your contrast-infusing endeavors.

1. Know your audience

Before you start thinking about contrast, analyze your audience . Consider their dreams, fears, and objections. Then, you’ll be in the right state of mind to identify the content that they need to hear.

For example, analytical audiences may prefer more data, while emotionally driven audiences may respond better to stories. Although it’s important to strike a balance, it’s also important to lean into what the audience needs most. Download our Audience Needs Map ™to help you get started!

2. Organize your narrative

Start with a clear understanding of your key messages and build around them. Then, identify all the potential forms of contrast in your story — the problems and solutions, the before’s and after’s, the metrics and the stories. Use the Presentation Sparkline ™ structure to fluctuate between what is and what could be throughout your entire presentation to maintain engagement.

3. Design with accessibility in mind

Although you may want to introduce high-contrast colors to highlight important elements, use a consistent color scheme and don’t go overboard with the color wheel. Ensure text is legible against backgrounds by choosing colors with sufficient contrast and utilizing a color contrast checker to be safe. It’s always a good idea to brush up on accessibility best practices to ensure you’re using contrast accessibly.

4. Practice delivering

Like any skill, developing public speaking prowess and dynamic stage presence takes practice . Practice varying your pitch, pace, tone, and volume by reading children’s books, newspaper headlines, or using previous presentations. Find the most important word in a sentence and practice verbally punching it. Record yourself and listen back. Do it again. The more you practice, the more awareness you’ll build, and the more naturally vocal contrast will come.

If you really want to nail your delivery, hire a speaker coach or take our public speaking workshop, Captivate ™. Both are great resources to get you stage-ready if you have a high-stakes moment coming up!

Master contrast with Duarte

Incorporating visual, narrative, and vocal contrast into your business presentations can significantly enhance their impact.

Remember, a great presentation is not just about sharing information; it’s about creating an experience that resonates with your audience. With the power of contrast, you can turn even the most complex topic into a captivating story, ensuring your message is not only heard but also remembered.

If you want to learn how to master contrast in your next presentation, train yourself and your team with our Resonate® workshop . You’ll get to work hands-on on a presentation or speech you’d like to deliver and come out with a well-structured presentation full of contrast.

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Create a presentation

Create a presentation in PowerPoint

Create presentations from scratch or start with a professionally designed, fully customizable template from Microsoft Create .

Tip:  If you have Microsoft Copilot it can help you create a presentation, add slides or images, and more. To learn more see  Create a new presentation with Copilot in PowerPoint.

Open PowerPoint.

In the left pane, select New .

Select an option:

To create a presentation from scratch, select Blank Presentation .

To use a prepared design, select one of the templates.

To see tips for using PowerPoint, select Take a Tour , and then select Create , .

Add a slide

In the thumbnails on the left pane, select the slide you want your new slide to follow.

In the  Home tab, in the  Slides  section, select  New Slide .

In the Slides section, select Layout , and then select the layout you want from the menu.

Add and format text

Place the cursor inside a text box, and then type something.

Select the text, and then select one or more options from the Font section of the Home tab, such as  Font , Increase Font Size , Decrease Font Size ,  Bold , Italic , Underline , etc.

To create bulleted or numbered lists, select the text, and then select Bullets or Numbering .

Add a picture, shape, and more

Go to the  Insert  tab.

To add a picture:

In the Images section, select Pictures .

In the Insert Picture From menu, select the source you want.

Browse for the picture you want, select it, and then select Insert .

To add illustrations:

In the Illustrations section, select Shapes , Icons , 3D Models ,  SmartArt , or Chart .

In the dialog box that opens when you click one of the illustration types, select the item you want and follow the prompts to insert it.

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PowerPoint vs. Other Presentation Software: Which Is Better for Creating, Presenting, and Sending Sales Pitches?

Gunjan Gupta

Time sure flies in a blink of an eye. It's been 32 years since PowerPoint came into existence after being acquired by Microsoft, and since then, it is known as the ultimate transformation tool. Before the original and the most loved Microsoft Office suite introduced this magnificent presentation tool to what is now the ‘de facto’ of the billions of presenters, curating presentations was expensive and hands down the most tedious task one can get himself into. 

In the late ’80s, PowerPoint remodeled itself. For the first time, anyone having a personal computer could get a hold of this software: crafting and curating everything under the sun! Since then, its ability to bring in captivating presentations is a life-altering skill possessed by 70% and probably more American employees. 

By the time 2000s rolled around- a promising era had begun with new kids on the presentation block, ready to dethrone the ye olde campion; PowerPoint. In response to immense opportunity and exploding market demand, Apple’s Keynote (2003) and Google Slides (2007) entered the online realm, proving themselves to be true competitors. 

Despite the new kids trying to catch on, the number of loyal customers of PowerPoint has been impressive since time immemorial. Even after thirty years of its launch, PowerPoint is still embraced and cherished, designing as many as 30 million presentations per day.

So, which one to go for? Which one to choose: old or new for creating, presenting, and sharing the best sales pitches? This is an age-old decision that every presenter, no matter his skill level, should make. To assess, let us dismantle and study each industry leader: PowerPoint vs. Google Slides vs. Keynote , piece by piece, brick by brick.

A quick overview: PowerPoint 

PowerPoint is such a ubiquitous tool that almost everybody has heard of it. From business to academics to the corporate world, it has conquered every arena, becoming the de facto leader of presentation software for decades. In fact, for many people, PowerPoint and word presentations are synonymous with each other. Its interface is so familiar that it remains a cult favorite to date. 

Additionally, PowerPoint is a part of every office product available on both IOS and Android, making it even harder to avoid it. It can be included in every other office pursuit and does everything that you would expect a presentation software to do; add text, media, add any number of slides to accompany a talk or other presentations. You name it, and PowerPoint has it! Even a novice can work with PowerPoint without any essential training as it is easy to work with. 

Overall it is hard to go wrong with and not become a firm member of the ever so popular PowerPoint clan!

A quick overview: Keynote 

Keynote is essentially the Apple version of PowerPoint, native to Apple products and users only. It is part of the iWord productivity suite enabling you to design sleek and streamlined presentations. 

Jam-packed with powerful features- such as creating top-notch charts, reflections, and picture frames-  Keynote makes it to the most amazing software to add cinematic-like transitions to your presentations. 

A quick overview: Google Slides  

Google surely has an impeccable fan following owing to the fact that a majority of its efforts are directed towards the well-being of its users. From its powerful algorithms that can search anything under the sun to competitive office products built with cloud-based productivity at fore, it surely is the most responsive and intuitive suite. 

Google Slides is an essential part of Google’s software office suite. It is a free tool that can be used by any Google Drive user for both personal and professional needs. Though it is a fairly new software, it delivers awe-inspiring presentation features to its users. 

Now that the three presentation software have been demystified, let us explore a few parameters to help you decide which software should you choose:

1. OFFLINE & ONLINE ACCESSIBILITY

This is a tricky parameter to base one’s judgment. When it comes to online and offline accessibility, every software has its perks. There are so many ways to access all these software, making it confusing for the average user. 

Online Access- Google Slides, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Keynotes all the software perform well on various online platforms. Having said that, they have their own integration services to carry on the process.

Offline Access- There is no denying the fact that PowerPoint with its robust offline apps is the best software out there. Its UI is specially prepared to meet the offline requirements of the user, hence it is a go-to tool when it comes to preparing an offline presentation. While Google Slides and Keynotes are trying to catch up with this offline beast, it is very safe to say that none of them have succeeded as of now. 

Verdict- It is hard to imagine any other presentation app that is far more equipped than PowerPoint. While it may not necessarily be mobile-friendly, there is no denying that it provides a seamless experience to its users online and offline. As for the Google Slides and Keynotes, they are still grooming themselves and have a lot of catching up to do. Google Slides still lags behind in providing a reliable desktop app without getting too jittery. 

2. SPECIAL EFFECTS 

Google Slides offer pretty basic and beginner-friendly animation options which are quite less when compared to its rival PowerPoint with its cutting edge features. If creativity is what you preach then nothing can be more enchanting than the PowerPoint interface. With hundreds of options to choose from an advanced software like PowerPoint will certainly never prove to be a disappointment. Although its graphic creation is nothing in comparison to Photoshop, PowerPoint can handle basic graphic creation with aplomb. 

Additionally, one can use PowerPoint to remove the background image, crop, and reshape and even create great social media graphic content that is loved by many. 

Verdict-  PowerPoint is essentially the jack of all trades in the presentation block. It can perform some impossible actions which might seem somewhat extra, but according to us, they are liable in making your presentation noteworthy. 

3. CROSS-PLATFORM COMPATIBILITY

Compatibility is one of the major reasons why a lot of software don’t make it to the final cut. Prime examples of these are Prezi and as far as Keynote goes, it should not be even considered as Apple seems to be obsessed with the bliss of its one hardware and OS. Let see who wins this one! 

PowerPoint has apps on Windows, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, and many online accessibility options via the standard Browser. Google Slides essentially relies on internet browsers, with its handy plugins. While Google Slides have a lot of apps to offer, it is still lacking when it comes to providing cross-platform accessibility. 

Verdict- Yet again PowerPoint beats every other kid in the market, despite of its half-baked mobile apps. But, I am sure Microsoft will find a solution to that too. 

4. PRICE & AFFORDABILITY

I know it is not a very intelligent point to include here, but let us admit that we all are concerned about how much or how little we have to spend in order to gain access to these three presentation industry pioneers. 

PowerPoint arguably has the worst reputation when it comes to pricing whereas Keynote and Google Slides are absolutely free of cost, making the verdict pretty straightforward. 

Final Closure- Without dwelling into the convoluted Office pricing mechanism we declare Google Slides and Keynote as winners here. However, when we look at the extensive professional gallery PowerPoint has to offer, who cares about shelling a few extra from one’s pocket right? If you disagree with us then Google Slides and Keynote are present to help you out in this journey! 

And the Winner is…...

So which presentation software makes it to your list of favorites; PowerPoint, Keynote, or Google Slides? Which one should you go for creating, presenting, and delivering sales pitches? Obviously, all three of them have their own share of pros and cons, but PowerPoint definitely outshines every other software in the list, owing to its easy adaptability and resourcefulness. Therefore against all the odds, in order to become a seasoned presentation designer, PowerPoint is hands down the best and most professional option to go for! 

That being said, if you are not yet a firm believer in PowerPoint clan and are looking for some additional validation, here are a few sales pitch examples that prove that the reign of this powerful tool will continue for ages long. Also, no matter how many attempts are made to dethrone this champion, it will hold its position of being the ultimate resort, the de facto, and the master of presentation design software with its era never coming to an end! 

A few Sales Pitch Templates to help you make the right choice 

Deliver effortless sales pitches with these stunning pre-designed templates designed using the PowerPoint software. Upload logos, brand quotes, and more to present one-of-a-kind sales presentations with real-time collaboration and PDF export qualities features. 

Template 1 

Writing a persuading sales pitch is at the top of the sales managers’ priority list as it is the ultimate resort to close a deal. Our meticulously crafted sales pitch proposal template design follows some of the industry’s best practices, thus helping you deliver great pitches. This template can be implemented to showcase the sales process. Also, it is a proven way to stand out from the competitors due to its insightful content and awe-inspiring design. Therefore, download it now to establish great relations with your clients and subordinates. 

Download Sale Offer Pitch Proposal PowerPoint Presentation Slides

Convince your prospects to purchase your products and services with this astounding sales pitch design. Convince investors, partners, or any other individual to opt for your product rather than your competitors by using this template design. Experts design such a template hence it initiates an immediate call to action to make a purchase decision by the prospects. This template is fully customizable, so feel free to portray any insightful details using it. The elements like color, design, shapes, etc. everything can be altered.   

Download Sales Proposal PowerPoint Presentation Slides

Nail your next sales presentation by using this pre-designed proposal template design, which is equipped with valuable content and high-quality images. This template is ideal for any sales rep looking to meet his targets and outperform every other team member. It is also a great design to create ever-lasting relationships between you and your prospects. Since, this is a professionally designed template, depicting valuable insights is what this design promises and stands by. Therefore, do give it a try to empower your clients and their actions. 

Download Product Sale Proposal PowerPoint Presentation Slides

Boost your sales ratio with this ready-to-use template design. Target new prospects, and impress all your views with this visually attractive layout that can be adapted to your needs and requirements. Valuable information regarding the value proposition, product traction, key offerings, action plan, and several others can be presented here to convince and persuade. Thus, helping you close more deals and increase the selling point of your company. 

Download Sales Strategy Secrets And Tips PowerPoint Presentation Slides

Acquaint your customers with the best possible sales pitch by making use of this template. Present this layout in front of senior management to portray valuable information regarding the facets of the major sale like business overview, highlights, quarter track record sales performance, etc. Showcase the records to products sold and highlight your organization’s sales volume by adapting this template to your business needs and requirements. 

Download Sales Reports PowerPoint Presentation Slides

Still not convinced? Our advice; try your hands on all three, and decide for yourself who the clear winner is! (wink) PowerPoint it is………………...

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• [Updated 2023] 50 Best Company Presentation Templates To Ace The Corporate Ladder
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Home » Language » English Language » Words and Meanings » What is the Difference Between Presentation and Representation

What is the Difference Between Presentation and Representation

The main difference between presentation and representation is that presentation involves an original idea, whereas representation involves using one thing to signify another thing.

Although the two nouns look similar, there is a distinct difference between presentation and representation. Both these words have several meanings. But the most common meaning of presentation is a speech or lecture conveying information to an audience, whereas representation is the manner of depicting something, typically using something else.

Key Areas Covered

1.  What is Presentation         – Definition, Features, Examples 2.  What is Representation      – Definition, Features, Examples 3.  Difference Between Presentation and Representation     – Comparison of Key Differences

What is Presentation

The noun presentation has several meanings. It can refer to the proffering of something to someone, especially in a formal ceremony (presentation of medals, certificates, etc.), formal introduction of someone, a theoretical performance or an exhibition, or a demonstration or display of a new idea or product. Most of us are familiar with this latter meaning – speech involving a new idea, product, project. Furthermore, this type of presentation conveys information from a speaker to an audience. They can be typically lectures, demonstrations, or speeches with the intention to inform, motivate, build good trust, etc.

Figure 01: Presentation

Moreover, presentations typically require preparation, researching, planning, organization, writing, using visual aids, etc. In addition, the main elements of presentations include the audience, presenter, message, method of delivery, and the reaction of the audience.

Example Sentences

• He gave an interesting presentation on the effects of global warming.
• The presentation of certificates took place in the main hall, but she went to the garden.
• The board had a number of questions after the sales presentation.
• Presentation is important if you want to make sales.

What is Representation

The noun representation can mainly have two meanings. The first meaning refers to acting or speaking on behalf of something. For example, a foreign delegate can represent a country. Moreover, the second meaning refers to the portrayal or depiction of something or someone in a particular way. For example, the portrayal of a character in a novel or a drama. In addition, representation can also refer to a sign, model, or picture that shows a likeness of someone or something. For instance, red roses can represent love, and pigeons are a representation of peace.

Figure 02: Schematic Representation of Types of Energy

• The statue is a representation of an ancient Roman goddess.
• She gave a talk on the representation of women in Shakespearean tragedies.
• Women’s groups demanded greater representation in the parliament.
• Employers have legal representation to protect themselves against workplace harassment.

Difference Between Presentation and Representation

Presentation refers to the proffering of something to someone, especially in a formal ceremony (presentation of medals, certificates, etc.), a formal introduction of someone, a theoretical performance or an exhibition, or a demonstration or display of a new idea or product. Representation, on the other hand, refers to acting or speaking on behalf of something, or portrayal or depiction of something or someone in a particular way

The presentation involves an original idea, whereas representation involves using one thing to signify another thing.

Presentation refers to the proffering of something to someone, especially in a formal ceremony (presentation of medals, certificates, etc.), a formal introduction of someone, a theoretical performance or an exhibition, or a demonstration or display of a new idea or product. Representation, on the other hand, refers to acting or speaking on behalf of something or the portrayal or depiction of something or someone in a particular way. The main difference between presentation and representation is that presentation involves an original idea, whereas representation involves using one thing to signify another thing.

1. “ Presentation .” Wikipedia , Wikimedia Foundation, 12 July 2021.

Image Courtesy:

1. “ Presentation-data-office-networking-1559937 ” (CC0) via Pixabay 2. “ Schematic representation different types of energy ” By Diwakar Karuppiah – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia

About the Author: Hasa

Hasanthi is a seasoned content writer and editor with over 8 years of experience. Armed with a BA degree in English and a knack for digital marketing, she explores her passions for literature, history, culture, and food through her engaging and informative writing.

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Is There a Difference Between Presentation and a Lecture?

By: Author Shrot Katewa

The differences between a presentation and a lecture can be subtle. However, there are a number of important factors to consider in how to approach one or the other, which will impact how you formulate your given talk.

The key difference between a presentation and a lecture is that a lecture is mostly given by authority and is typically formal in nature. It is mostly one-way communication. Whereas, a presentation can have an element of demonstration. It allows for collaboration and usually follows a story arc.

While these slight nuances might be hard to grasp, there are important distinctions you will need to make when it comes to preparing for a public speaking engagement. Let’s understand these in detail.

1. Event Format – Series vs Standalone

One of the most important differences between a lecture and a presentation is the context in which it is given. A lecture will generally form part of a larger body of work. This might, for example, be part of a broader series of lectures of which this talk is just one – given by the same speaker or otherwise.

A lecture may also form a particular means of presenting the findings of a book or research paper to an audience.

In contrast, a presentation is generally more likely to be a standalone piece of work. That is not to say that it cannot serve as the culmination of research for a project, but a presentation is typically a one-off event.

Presentations will normally encapsulate the entirety of a concept, idea or theory; relating to a single event, which will make it possible to listen to and understand in isolation.

2. Authority vs Peer-to-Peer

To this end, the purpose of either a presentation or a lecture is an essential element in differentiating between the two. Lectures tend to have an educative purpose. They will often be part of a university module, or a conference.

A lecture is intended to help the audience understand the material. After all, the etymology of the word is one which stems from the Latin word ‘ Lectura ’ or ‘ Legere ’ – meaning to read. As such, a lecture is intended to come from a position of authority, whereby the speaker is telling the listeners about a topic which they are particularly knowledgeable on.

In contrast, a presentation is typically considered to be more peer to peer. Therefore, it is intended for a more specific audience who might have a more vested interest in the content of the discussed material.

Presentations tend to be given in a professional setting, as opposed to an educative one. You might be pitching a new idea, presenting your quarterly reports, or speaking to your department about the company’s plans for the future.

In a university setting you may find that the difference between lectures and presentations lies in the simple matter of who is giving the talk. If it is a Professor, then it will be labelled as a lecture.

Meanwhile, if students are presenting their work or contributing to a seminar then this will be deemed a presentation.

3. In-depth Learning vs Introduction to a Subject

The intended purpose of the presentation will therefore have an impact on the audience who will be listening. This will also affect what they want to gain from listening to your talk and it may also be a reason to change the structure and content of your talk in order to retain their attention.

A lecture, being given in an educative situation, will be intended to teach the listeners about a given topic. Therefore, a lecture will typically develop a layered understanding of the content contained within it. The audience will typically be there to learn, and the lecturer will be aiming to convey their knowledge to the students in as much detail as possible.

It is likely that those listening will be taking notes , which will have an impact on what you include in your script (if you have one), your slides, and how you deliver them. In particular, you don’t want to speak too quickly, and you want to make it as easy as possible for people to take the notes they need throughout your lecture.

In both cases, it is important that you consider who your audience is when you are giving either a lecture or a presentation. But remember, whichever you are giving, you need to tailor its content to suit their needs and wants, in order to maximise your impact on them.

In both lectures and presentations, you ought to consider the fact that the audience may need to participate. In a lecture, this might be more freeform, with listeners interjecting to ask questions. Although, if you do not want this to happen you should address this when you begin and ask for them to restrain until you have finished speaking.

A presentation will typically not allow for interjections, as it is much more of a demonstration than a lesson. You should allow time for questions at the end so that listeners are able to clarify any issues. After all, there may not be a follow up session and either you or they may have to go elsewhere immediately afterwards.

4. Length of a Lecture vs Presentation

The first thing to consider when formulating any presentation is how long will you take to deliver it. Lectures will generally be slightly longer than a presentation – usually lasting somewhere around an hour in length.

Meanwhile, a presentation is typically shorter because the content contained within it requires less depth and provides more on an overview or insight into a topic, rather than an explanation.

In this regard, it is also again important to consider the role of your audience in the formation of your presentation. After all, if you are expecting your audience to take notes which they will go over at a later date, then you should consider how you help them in their note taking.

If you are using slides to support your lecture, you should make sure to include sources and associated reading, so that those who are listening are able to note this down, in order to pursue any further research themselves.

This may also be important if your audience wish to cite your lecture in their research, because if your lecture isn’t also properly cited then they may have issues in doing so.

You should also highlight the most important points throughout and do your best to signpost your audience through every element of your lecture to make it as easy as possible to digest the content you are giving them.

In a presentation, on the other hand, it helps to me more direct with the content you are giving to the audience. They generally only need to know the main points of what you are saying to them and will not often have the need or ability to go and read around the given subject.

To this end, you should also make sure that your presentation is visually appealing and engaging. While a lecture can go without slides, as the content of the spoken argument and information is more important; a presentation requires you to put across what you are saying in the easiest to comprehend fashion.

5. Tonality – Formal vs Informal

A lecture, typically being part of a wider series of work, will have a very different structure to a presentation. It might start by going over the content discussed in the previous lecture, before going on to outline how the next lecture will follow on from this and fit into the wider series.

In this sense, lectures often take a much more academic approach, whereby they are heavily structured, referenced and researched. Particularly in a University context, this is important as students might be being taught about cutting edge research.

Therefore, lecturers need to be able to demonstrate to their students where the information they are giving is from, so that they too can investigate it further.

In contrast, presentations are generally less formal in this regard. The reason for a presentation is much more immediate than you would associate with a lecture.

That is to say, the presentation does not necessarily need to relate to anything that has gone before it or will come after it. It is needed in order to convey information to the audience for the duration of the time in which they are listening to it.

Therefore, while a lecture might follow the Aristotelian method of ‘say what you are going to say, say it, and then say what you said’, a presentation can generally take a more freeform approach – choosing to settle on the significant pieces of information and arriving at a very specific conclusion.

This is not to say a presentation needs to be any less thorough. In a corporate setting in particular, you will need to make sure it is fully supported by the right data and is well structured and argued. However, it doesn’t necessarily need the same academic rigour as a lecture might in a University setting.

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presentation of or on

• Thread starter magdalena
• Start date May 11, 2007
• Views : 99,929
• May 11, 2007

When do we say: presentation on sth and presentation of sth?  

Buddhaheart

• May 12, 2007

I think both are used: the presentation of a play; the presentation on child abuse; the presentation of scientific evidence.  

Junior Member

• Jun 20, 2007

magdalena said: When do we say: presentation on sth and presentation of sth? Click to expand...

No Longer With Us (RIP)

magdalena said: When do we say: presentation on something and presentation of something ? Click to expand...

• Jun 21, 2007

Anglika said: "presentation on" = "presentation about" He gave a presentation on the subject of child abuse = He gave a prepared lecture about the topic [probably with slides/PowerPoint] Yesterday there was a presentation at the Civic Hall on the problems of traffic control. "presentation of" = something is being presented to someone. There was a presentation of prizes after the competition The new ambassador was presented to the Queen at Buckingham Palace Click to expand...

Thank you for clearing this point.  

• Jun 25, 2007

Anglika said: Thank you for clearing this point. Click to expand...

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How to Create a Successful Project Presentation

Written by: Unenabasi Ekeruke

You’ve spent time working on a project that could be a potential game-changer for your company or client. Now you’re buzzing to present it to your team, investors and other key stakeholders.

Creating and delivering project presentations can be nerve-racking and you probably have one question running through your mind.

How do you get the decision-makers to understand your project or secure their buy-in?

Considering that some companies have had about 12% of failed projects in the past year, you want to create presentations that are not only convincing but memorable.

With the right project presentation deck, you can win and keep your audience’s attention long enough to explain project details and why it’s sure to succeed.

Not sure how to create successful project presentations? We’ve got you covered.

This article will show you how to set project goals and create winning presentations that take your project to the next level.

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

Let's get to it.

1 Set Goals for Your Project

Before you dive into the main details of your project presentation, you want to answer these questions:

• What is your project set out to achieve?
• Why is it important for you and your team to achieve your set goals?
• How do you plan to communicate your goals to your audience?

If you have to make long guesses before answering these questions, you’ve got a lot of work to do.  

Here’s what you should know. Beautiful or well-articulated project presentations aren’t a substitute for project planning. Without clear goals, your project is already set up to fail. And your investors might think, “why bother listening?” 

Many project managers tend to rush through the goal-setting phase, but we don't recommend this. That’s because you could be setting yourself up for failure.  

Once you clearly define your project goals, you can get stakeholders to buy into them. 

Now the question is, how do you set goals for your project and achieve them? One way to do that is by using the SMART goal setting method. 

Setting SMART Project Goals

SMART is an acronym that stands for S pecific, M easurable, A chievable, R elevant and T ime-Bound.  

SMART goals are a staple for planning and executing successful projects. It takes a deeper look into the finer details your audience care about, such as:

• Project plan and schedule,
• Project timelines,
• Milestones, 
• Potential roadblocks and more

For example, let's say your project aims to improve customer experience on web and mobile devices. Notice this example describes the end goal. But it doesn’t specify how you’ll work to enhance customer experience. 

Here’s how using SMART goals provides direction for your planned project. 

When setting your goals, be clear and specific about what you want to achieve in the end. 

A specific goal could be: “We want to build a responsive website and mobile app for our company to improve customer experience. This project will require inputs from our product design, software and marketing department”.

Measurable  

During your presentation, you'd have to answer questions like:

• What metrics will you use to determine if you meet the goal? 
• How will you know you’re on the right track? 

Having metrics in place will help you evaluate your project. Plus, you’d be able to monitor progress and optimize your project to achieve better results.

It doesn’t matter if you’re planning a short-term or long-term project. Ensure you set metrics and milestones that count towards your goal.

From our earlier example, a measurable goal could be to have: 

• Over 100,000 mobile app downloads on Google Playstore and Apple App Store. 
• A 20% bounce rate on your website and a 15% conversion rate on mobile and web. 

Attainable  

One of the most critical questions you want to ask during goal-setting is, “Can we achieve our set goal?” Do we have the resources to accomplish the goal within the available time frame? 

If the answer is no, then you’d have to consider what it would take to achieve those goals. This may require adjusting your goals or the resources needed to achieve your goal. 

Although it’s okay to be ambitious, you should also be realistic.  For example, getting 200,000 app downloads in one week could be overly ambitious if you’ve just launched your app. However, if you set out to achieve that goal in three months, that could make your project practicable. 

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Your project goals need to align with your broader business goals. Are your goals relevant to the growth and success of the company?  Are they worth allocating resources for?

For instance, if your company is B2B and doesn’t plan to expand to the B2C market, launching an e-commerce website would be an irrelevant goal. 

Time-Bound  

Regardless of your project type and size, you should set time frames. Setting target dates for deliverables creates a sense of urgency and motivates you to hit your goals. 

From our example above, a time-bound goal could be “We aim to achieve 100,000 mobile app downloads and a 15% conversion rate by the end of the fiscal year. Our company will launch the mobile app by Q3 with a robust marketing campaign that will run through the end of next fiscal year.”

Setting SMART goals doesn’t have to be a challenging task. Use the template below to set project goals that position your business for success. 

Communicate Project Goals to Your Team Members 

After you've set your goals, your team will play a key role in helping you achieve them. So you ensure they understand these things: 

• Why the project goals are in place
• What it's supposed to deliver for your business and customers
• How their role, team and department contributes to the success of the project

Unless you’re clear on this, the project can derail and move in all sorts of unwanted directions. 

Rather than slam the goals you’ve set on your team, make it a collaborative effort.  Spend time talking to your team and stakeholders about the project goals. 

Don't limit your communication to people within your department. You can reach out to people in other departments like sales, operations, finance, etc., to see how well your goals align with theirs. 

To give your team a better understanding, you can communicate your project goals in a variety of ways, including:  

• Visuals (videos, images, charts, infographics, etc.)
• Verbal presentation
• Documentations

By doing that, you’re sure to get their valuable feedback, buy-in and commitment to the project. Plus, getting your team on board with your project plan will up your chances of successful execution.

2 Lay Out Your Project Plan  

Once you’ve set your goals, the next big step is to outline how you'll achieve them. An excellent place to start is by organizing your project into an actionable plan and steps for execution. 

You might wonder why this step is important for creating a successful project presentation. 

Whether you’re planning a small or big project, writing a detailed plan, structure and layout puts everything into perspective. It eliminates vagueness and helps your audience grasp the project roadmap without missing the points.

Your project plan should contain the technical and non-technical project details. Therefore, you want to give yourself an edge by using a project presentation template that clearly explains all the activities and steps. 

Not only that, your presentation structure should be simple and easy to follow.

Depending on the project type, your plan could include key details such as:

• The goals and objectives you've outlined earlier
• Your project scope, methodology and framework
• Project milestones, deliverable and acceptance criteria
• Project schedule and timelines 
• Resources and budget estimates, etc. 

There's no hard and fast rule for laying out your project plan. However, if you want to create a memorable plan that will keep your audience engaged, you could break it down into three parts, including:

Introduction

• Conclusion and key takeaways

Your introduction should provide a brief overview of what you’re going to talk about and why it’s relevant to your audience. You could start by writing down the project name and the executive summary. 

Think of your executive summary as an abridged version of the project plan. 

If your audience read only your executive summary, would they have all the information they need about your project? If the answer is yes, your executive summary has served its purpose. 

The length of your executive summary will depend on what you intend to cover in your project plan.  However, we recommend keeping your executive summary one or two pages long.

You can include key information such as:

• Objectives of the project
• Key points of the project plan 
• Results, conclusions and project recommendations

Keep in mind that not everyone will have the time to dive into the details of your project plan.  

Having a snapshot of your project brings clarity to key stakeholders and collaborators. It also enables people who aren't actively involved in the project to understand it at a glance. 

Ready to create your own presentation in minutes?

• Add your own text, images and more
• Customize colors, fonts and everything else
• Choose from hundreds of slide designs and templates
• Add interactive buttons and animations

The body of your project plan is where you have the full project details and everything relevant to its success.

Here you can break your project into deliverables, tasks, milestones and schedules (start and end dates). 

Ensure you precisely define the resources you need to complete the project, including finances, team, time, technology, physical resources and more.

This is the part where you sum up your project plan with key takeaways. Your conclusion should include what you expect from your audience, including key action points and next steps.

Writing your intro, body and conclusion may sound like a lot of information. But instead of writing multiple pages of text, incorporating visuals can make your project presentations more effective.

By using images, videos, infographics and charts , you can capture all the vital information and help your audience understand your message better. 

Visme presentation templates are effective for visualizing different sections of your project plan. They are professionally designed and easy for anyone to craft high-quality project plans that keep their team on track. 

Use the project plan templates below to kickstart your project planning process.

3 Outline the Problem and Solution

You've just spent time crafting your project action plan. Now it’s time to communicate your project plan and goals with your audience.  

Project presentations are a lot like sales pitches. Whether you’re presenting your project plan to clients or creating a pitch deck for investors, your job is to keep your audience hooked right from the start till the end.

One of the most potent ways of grabbing your audience's attention is by highlighting their pain points. 

It’s not enough to have beautiful slides that showcase your amazing product features and project activities. 

Make sure you set up your project presentation to:

• Outline your audience pain points
• Emphasize how your project, product or service works to address their pain points
• Explain how they’ll benefit from using your product or investing in your project

In a nutshell, your audience should have a clear insight into how your project makes their life better. When they’re clear on this, they’ll most likely listen to the solutions you bring to the table and take the desired action.

Don’t make sweeping assumptions about your audience. 

If you’re looking to get them on board, dedicate a slide to discuss their problems and solutions. Make them understand how your project benefits them.

Not sure what your audience's pain points are? Go ahead and do these things:

• Run a persona survey or interview existing customers. This will help you build a data-driven user persona that you can use for all types of business and marketing decisions.
• Talk to your customer support and success team. They have close relationships with your customers, so they know their challenges and what they want. If they don’t know these things, do them a favor and create a customer success program . 
• Interact with your community, ask for feedback and involvement. The more you engage with your consumers, the more you understand their challenges, work toward solving and get them invested in your brand.
• Keeping an eye on relevant social media trends,  Twitter hashtags, Facebook trends 
• Join relevant online forums like Quora, Reddit, Stack Exchange, etc. 

RELATED: How to Write an Effective Presentation Outline

4 Keep Your Presentation Slides Short

When creating project presentations, prioritize quality over quantity. Be sure to keep your slides short and simple. When you do this, your audience will be glad you value their time. 

Remember, this isn’t the time to slam your audience with lengthy and irrelevant jargon. Instead, keep your slides on topics and hit the main points without the boring and unnecessary details.

Here’s why you need to keep your presentation brief:

• Concise presentation slides are not only powerful, but they are also memorable.
• Studies have shown that during project or business presentations, attention levels drop sharply after 30 minutes . By creating lengthy presentations, you risk losing your audience's attention halfway. 
• Nobody wants to sit and watch you flip tons of slides for hours. With shorter slides, you can capture your audience's attention and get them to focus on the message.
• Most people might have limited time or have short attention spans. So they’d want to quickly digest information and move on to the next best thing. 

How do you keep your project presentations short? 

• If your slide doesn’t add value to your presentation, it shouldn’t earn a spot on your deck.
• Supercharge your slide deck with captivating visuals that capture more information 
• Adopt proven methods for preparing your slide

For example, the 10/20/30 rule by Guy Kawasaki is one of the most popular methods used by experts. The rule recommends using ten slides for 20 minutes presentations (about two minutes per slide). It also specifies using a font size of at least 30 for text.

This will enable your audience to digest the messages on your screen while you’re talking. 

Keep in mind that this isn’t an iron-clad rule for presentation. There are other rules such as Pecha Kucha method , Takahashi method, Lessig method, etc. You can adapt any of these rules to suit your project presentation needs.

5 Use Less Text and More Visuals 

Another great way to keep your slides brief yet interesting is using less text and more visuals. 

Remember, your slide should aid your verbal presentation and not replace it. So you want to avoid crowding too much information on one slide. 

Cluttering your presentation with too much text could: 

• Overwhelm your audiences and bore them
• Shift your audience's attention to the text, making your presentation less effective.

Instead, use one slide to present each idea. Marketing guru Seth Godin recommends no more than six words per slide .

People retain more information when it’s presented in bite-size chunks and visuals. This applies to B2B, B2C audiences, project managers and corporate executives.

About 59% of business executives say they’d rather watch a video about a topic than read about it. Hence the need to supercharge your project presentation with compelling visuals that capture and bring your audience’s attention right where you want it. 

Steve Jobs’ MacWorld Keynote presentation in 2007 is an excellent example of how to enhance your presentation with compelling visuals. 

During the presentation, Steve Jobs used live and interactive visuals to show how the iPhone 1 works. 

Read on to learn more tips on creating engaging presentations that will wow your audience. 

With Visme's presentation maker , you can make stunning project presentations with a rich blend of text and compelling visuals. Hook your audience and inspire action with stellar project presentation templates like the one below. 

6 Use Quality Visuals, Diagrams and Presentation Aids

Visuals are important for making successful project presentations. Beyond grabbing the audience’s attention and keeping them engaged, viewers recall 95% of a message when presented in visual form. But when shared via text, they retain only about 10%. 

There are many types of visual aids you can use in your presentations, including:

• Graphs and charts
• Heat and choropleth maps
• Scatter plots 
• Screenshots and more

Using images and videos will up your chances of getting audience engagements and positive responses to your call-to-action (CTA).  

Gantt charts , whiteboard drawings and mind maps are ideal for visualizing early-stage project designs. You can use charts, diagrams, maps and trees to present the project architecture for technology-related projects. 

If you’re working on product development projects, consider adding sketches, flowcharts , models and prototypes to your slide. 

Pie charts are excellent for showing percentages. Vertical bar charts indicate changes over time, while horizontal bar charts help you compare quantities. 

Infographics are perfect for visualizing data and explaining complex information like market trends.

Here’s the interesting part. Visme has the tools you need for every job. The software allows you to add different visuals, infographics, charts and graphs to your deck and customize them to suit your needs. 

You can change design, text and background colors, add or remove legends, animate charts, etc. 

You can also use maps to represent geographic information. Or, use progress bars, thermometers, radials and widgets to visualize stats and figures as shown in the template below.

When adding visuals to your slide, don’t go overboard. Stick to a minimum of two images per slide. In addition, make sure your visuals are relevant to your project presentation.

While designing your presentation slides , always stick to high-quality visuals.  Blurry or low-resolution images or videos can be a major turn-off for viewers. 

With high-quality visuals, your presentations will be crisp and clear, even on large screens. 

The slide below is an excellent example of how to power your presentations with compelling visuals.

7 Pay Attention to Design 

Want to create impressive presentations that pop? If the answer is yes, you need to pay attention to your design details. Your design can make or break your project presentation. 

Whether you are an experienced designer or a novice, design tools like Visme give you an edge. You can create compelling presentation designs for your business in a few minutes.

The beautiful thing is that you don’t have to break the bank to make stunning project presentations. You'll find beautiful ready-made templates and millions of stunning royalty-free images for your slides. 

Here are tips you should consider while designing your slides.

Use the Right Color Combination 

If you want to make your presentations appealing, use color moderately. 

We get it; everyone loves color. But using too many colors can make your presentations look chaotic and unpleasant.

Your color choice can influence how your audience grasps and responds to your presentation. A general rule of thumb is to pick colors that evoke positive emotions in your audience. 

For example, warm colors like yellow, orange and red convey feelings of excitement and positivity. On the other hand, cool colors (blue, green and violet) reflect an aura of calmness. 

When combining colors, aim for a balanced color scheme. For example, if your slide or image background is dark, your text and design elements should have bright colors. This contrast will make your project presentation legible and visually appealing.

You can learn about color psychology and how to use it in your next presentation design by watching the video below. 

Use Clear and Consistent Typography 

Optimizing your typography can make a difference in how people perceive your message. So you want to make sure your slide looks organized, professional and sends the right message. 

Here’s how you can make this happen:

• Use fonts that embody the spirit of your brand
• Keep your text styles consistent throughout your presentation. We recommend you stick to a maximum of three fonts.
• Avoid fancy fonts and tiny text that strain the reader's eyes. Rather use fonts like Arial, Time News Roman, Calibri and other legible fonts suited for small and large screens. 
• Use a font size of at least 30 for the body text and 36 for titles.

In addition, remember to present your text using the color scheme we mentioned earlier. This will keep your text visible over your background. 

Take a look at this slide from one of our presentation templates. Notice how the design, fonts and color combination blends in to make the visuals pop. 

8 Start With a Presentation Template

Whether you’re a newbie or pro, creating project presentations that pack a punch can be time-consuming.

Let’s say you’ve got a deadline looming. You’d have to deal with writing your project outline, preparing your slide notes, designing your slides, sourcing and incorporating visuals and more. 

Handling these things from scratch could slow you down or make your presentations untidy. 

Using presentation templates could save you from all the stress. They help you make professional-looking project presentations fast and easy.

Since the slides are pre-designed, you’ll find a place to insert every possible piece of content you need. Be it a progress bar, chart, graph, table, video or image, the design is right there. 

All you need to do is type your content, input data or insert the image. And boom, your presentation is ready to go. 

In addition, using presentation templates offers brand consistency in terms of font, style, layout, colors and overall design. You can customize and share templates with your project team to keep your presentations uniform. 

The title and main body slide, image and chart layout and fonts are set in the template. Therefore formatting your slide becomes a breeze—no more messy or cluttered project presentations. 

Visme has a wide selection of templates designed to make your presentations shine. You’ll find millions of pixel-perfect graphics, icons, design elements and professionally designed templates for any purpose, industry and project type. 

Regardless of your skill level, you can customize your templates like the one below. Just add your content and your project presentations will be ready in a few minutes. 

9 Present Your Project Like a Pro

If you follow all the tips we shared above, you’ve probably got the perfect project presentation on paper.  Great stuff, but your job isn’t done yet. 

Your delivery is the final piece of the puzzle, and you’ve got to make it count. 

Here’s the thing. Your presentation could flop if the delivery isn’t convincing. Hence the need to plan your delivery and drive your message across with passion and enthusiasm. 

Here's how to deliver project presentations that leave an impact.

Practice Makes Perfect 

Did you know that Steve Jobs used to spend two days prepping for presentations? Yes, you read that right. 

Practice is one of the key steps to nailing your delivery. 

You can practice by reading out loud in your quiet space. While you’re at it, make audio and video recordings and watch them repeatedly.

Ask your friends and colleagues to serve as a test audience and give feedback on your presentation.

This run-through will help ensure your presentation captures the main points within the allotted time. It will also help you maintain the correct body posture during your project presentation. 

Make time to check if the equipment is working and get familiar with the settings and operations. This is especially important if you plan to use video or audio in your slides.

Start With a Strong Opening 

Your audiences could have short attention spans, so make those first moments count. With solid openings, you can hook your audience and set the mood for a successful presentation. 

Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford commencement speech at Stanford is an excellent example of having a solid opening. With over 4 million views on YouTube, it’s one of the most memorable and watched speeches in history.

Notice how he hooks the audience with powerful anecdotes about his life, beginning from dropping out of college. And then, he goes on to share the lessons he learned in his early days at Apple, losing his job in 1985 and reflections on death. 

Here’s how to make an excellent opening speech that grabs the audience’s attention and convinces them you’re worth listening to:

• Ask a question
• Tell a compelling story
• Share mind-blowing facts and statistics
• Show captivating video and visuals that spark curiosity 
• Open your presentation with humor 

Be sure to tailor your opening hook to your audience. To make this effective, it’d help to know about your audiences, including their likes, dislikes, cultural and ethical dispositions, etc.

If you want to learn more about making captivating presentation openings and more, read our guide on starting a presentation .

While presenting your project, focus on your audience’s needs. By doing this, you’ll build an emotional connection and drive action. 

However, don’t go overboard. Be genuine and focus on getting the points across to them. This way, you’ll gain their trust and build excitement about your project. 

Keep in mind that everything may not go as planned. It’s best to have backup materials and be flexible enough to make necessary adjustments. Preparing for unexpected events will give you more control over them.

End Your Presentation on a High Note

After you've delivered a fantastic presentation, make sure you wrap it up in a memorable way. Doing this will leave a lasting impression and nudge your audiences to take action. 

One way to end your project presentation is to use a powerful call to action. 

You can also tell memorable stories, summarize the main points and highlight compelling figures about the project. 

For example you can mention some really intriguing figures like: 

• Expected growth rate, return on investment and profit margin
• Potential company valuation in the next five to ten years. 
• Projected earnings and market position etc. 

The goal is to hype your audiences and stimulate them to take action.  

You can check out our other article to learn more about ending your presentation on a great note. 

Get To Work: Create Powerful Project Presentations With Visme

Creating a successful project presentation starts with setting your goals and having a clear plan to achieve them. It also requires crafting compelling content, paying attention to design and excellent delivery.  

If you’re going to close those deals, you need a solid pitch deck to explain your project details and why it will succeed. We recommend using an intuitive project presentation software like Visme . 

Visme is the perfect design tool for creating stunning and engaging project presentations .  With Visme, you’ll have access to a wide range of features and tools to help bring your project ideas to life.  

The tool has hundreds of presentation templates, design elements, font styles, built-in stock images and videos, data visualization tools and more to make your project presentation a hit.  You can download your design in different formats and share it across multiple social media channels. 

Now you have all the tips and tools for nailing your next project presentations. Go ahead and make it memorable with Visme's project presentation software.

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About the Author

Unenabasi is a content expert with many years of experience in digital marketing, business development, and strategy. He loves to help brands tell stories that drive engagement, growth, and competitive advantage. He’s adept at creating compelling content on lifestyle, marketing, business, e-commerce, and technology. When he’s not taking the content world by storm, Unenabasi enjoys playing or watching soccer.

• Open access
• Published: 12 August 2024

Micropapillary breast carcinoma in comparison with invasive duct carcinoma. Does it have an aggressive clinical presentation and an unfavorable prognosis?

• Yasmine Hany Abdel Moamen Elzohery 1 , 5 ,
• Amira H. Radwan 2 , 5 ,
• Sherihan W. Y. Gareer 2 , 5 ,
• Mona M. Mamdouh 3 , 5 ,
• Inas Moaz 4 , 5 ,
• Abdelrahman Mohammad Khalifa 5 ,
• Osama Abdel Mohen 5 ,
• Mohamed Fathy Abdelfattah Abdelrahman Elithy 5   nAff6 &
• Mahmoud Hassaan 5   nAff7  

BMC Cancer volume  24 , Article number:  992 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

288 Accesses

Metrics details

Invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPC) was first proposed as an entity by Fisher et al. In the 2003 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for histologic classification of the breast tumors. IMPC was recognized as a distinct, rare histological subtype of breast cancer.

IMPC is emerging as a surgical and oncological challenge due to its tendency to manifest as a palpable mass, larger in size and higher in grade than IDC with more rate of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and lymph node (LN) involvement, which changes the surgical and adjuvant management plans to more aggressive, with comparative prognosis still being a point of ongoing debate.

Aim of the study

In this study, we compared the clinicopathological characteristics, survival and surgical management of breast cancer patients having invasive micropapillary carcinoma pathological subtype in comparison to those having invasive duct carcinoma.

This is a comparative study on female patients presented to Baheya center for early detection and treatment of breast cancer, in the period from 2015 to 2022 diagnosed with breast cancer of IMPC subtype in one group compared with another group of invasive duct carcinoma. we analyzed 138 cases of IMPC and 500 cases of IDC.

The incidence of LVI in the IMPC group was 88.3% in comparison to 47.0% in the IDC group (p < 0.001). IMPC had a higher incidence of lymph node involvement than the IDC group (68.8% and 56% respectively). IMPC had a lower rate of breast conserving surgery (26% vs.37.8%) compared with IDC.

The survival analysis indicated that IMPC patients had no significant difference in overall survival compared with IDC patients and no differences were noted in locoregional recurrence rate and distant metastasis rate comparing IMPCs with IDCs.

The results from our PSM analysis suggested that there was no statistically significant difference in prognosis between IMPC and IDC patients after matching them with similar clinical characteristics. However, IMPC was found to be more aggressive, had larger tumor size, greater lymph node metastasis rate and an advanced tumor stage.

Peer Review reports

Introduction

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. In the 2012 World Health Organization (WHO) classification of breast cancer. Breast Cancer is classified into up to 21 different histological types depending on cell growth, morphology and architecture patterns [ 1 ]. The invasive carcinoma of no special type (IBC-NST), which is known as invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), is the most frequently occurring histological type, which constitutes around 75% of invasive breast carcinoma [ 2 ].

Invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPC) was first proposed as an entity by Fisher et al. in 1980 [ 3 ] and first described as the term “invasive micropapillary carcinoma” by Siriaunkgul et al. [ 4 ] in 1993.

In the 2003 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for histologic classification of the breast tumors [ 5 ]. IMPC was recognized as a distinct, rare histological subtype of breast cancer. While micropapillary histological architecture is present in 2–8% of breast carcinomas, pure micropapillary carcinoma is uncommon and accounts for 0.9–2% of all breast cancers [ 6 ].

IMPC exhibits more distinct morphologic architecture than the IDC, characterized by pseudopapillary and tubuloalveolar arrangements of tumor cell clusters in clear empty sponge-like spaces that resemble extensive lymphatic invasion [ 7 ]. The neoplastic cell exhibits an “inside-out” pattern, known as the reverse polarity pattern [ 2 ].

Most studies demonstrate that the radiological findings of IMPC are irregular-shaped masses with an angular or spiculated margin on ultrasound, mammography and MRI with heterogeneous enhancement and washout kinetics on MRI [ 8 ].

IMPC had tendency to manifest as a palpable mass, larger in size and higher in grade than IDC with more rate of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and lymph node (LN) involvement, which changes the surgical and adjuvant management plans to more aggressive, with comparative prognosis still being a point of ongoing debate [ 9 ].

In this study, we compared the clinicopathological characteristics, survival and surgical management of breast cancer patients having invasive micropapillary carcinoma pathological subtype in comparison to those having invasive ductal carcinoma.

Patient and method

This is a comparative study on female patients presented to Baheya center for early detection and treatment of breast cancer, in the period from 2015 to 2022 diagnosed with breast cancer of IMPC subtype in one group compared with another group of invasive duct carcinoma.

This retrospective study analyzed 138 cases of IMPC and 500 cases of IDC. Informed consent was obtained from all patients. Ethical approval is obtained from Baheya center for early detection and treatment of breast cancer and National research center ethics committee. Baheya IRB protocol number:202305150022.

The following clinical-pathological features were analyzed for each case: patient age at diagnosis, clinical presentation, laterality, imaging findings, histopathological examination, treatment plan with either primary surgical intervention or other treatment protocol according to tumor stage and biological subtypes.

A breast pathologist evaluated the tumor size, type, grade, lymphovascular invasion, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) receptor and the axillary lymph node involvement.

According to the ASCO/CAP guideline update, 2019: Samples with 1% to 100% of tumor nuclei positive for ER or progesterone receptor (PgR) are interpreted as positive. If ER (not PgR), 1% to 10% of tumor cell nuclei are immunoreactive, the sample are reported as ER Low Positive. There are limited data on the overall benefit of endocrine therapies for patients with low level (1%-10%) ER expression, but they currently suggest possible benefit, so patients are considered eligible for endocrine treatment. A sample is considered negative for ER or PgR if < 1% or 0% of tumor cell nuclei are immunoreactive [ 10 ]. An Allred score between 0 and 8. This scoring system looks at what percentage of cells test positive for hormone receptors, along with how well the receptors show up after staining, called intensity: proportion of cells staining (0, no staining; 1, < 1%; 2, between 1 and 10%; 3, between 11 and 33%; 4, between 34 and 66% and 5, between 67%–100% of the cells staining). Intensity of positive tumor cells (0, none; 1, weak, 2, intermediate; and 3, strong) [ 11 ].

HER2 Test Guideline IHC Recommendations, 2018. IHC 0: as defined by no staining observed or membrane staining that is incomplete and is faint/barely perceptible and within <  = 10% of the invasive tumor cells. IHC 1 + : as defined by incomplete membrane staining that is faint/barely perceptible and within > 10% of the invasive tumor cells. IHC 2 + : The revised definition of IHC 2 + (equivocal) is weak to moderate complete membrane staining observed in > 10% of tumor cells. IHC 3 + : based on circumferential membrane staining that is complete, intense in > 10% of tumor cells. [ 12 ].

ASCO–CAP HER2 SISH Test Guideline Recommendations,2018 Twenty nuclei (each containing red (Chr17) and black (HER2) signals) should be enumerated. The final results for the HER2 status are reported based on the ratio formed by dividing the sum of HER2 signals for all 20 nuclei divided by the sum of Chromosome 17 signals for all 20 nuclei. The amplification status is defined as Amplified if the HER2/Chromosome 17 ratio > / = 2.0 and the average Her2 gene copy number is > / = 4.0. It is non-Amplified if the HER2/Chromosome 17 ratio < 2.0 with the Her2 gene copy number is < 4.0. If the HER2/Chr17 ratio is < 2 and the Her2 gene copy number is between 4.0 and 6.0, or, HER2/Chr17 ratio is > / = 2 and the Her2 gene copy number is < 4, or HER2/Chr17 ratio is < 2 and the Her2 gene copy number is > / = 6.0, an additional work should be done. [ 12 ].

Follow-up duration was calculated from the date of diagnosis to the date of the last follow-up. Patients still alive at the last follow-up censored or to the date of occurrence of any event or death.

Disease-free survival was defined as the duration (months) from the initial diagnosis of breast cancer to first any type of recurrence (invasive ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence, local invasive recurrence, regional invasive recurrence, invasive contra lateral breast cancer, distant metastasis.

Overall survival (OS) is defined as the time from diagnosis of breast cancer to death from any cause.

Data were statistically analyzed using an IBM-compatible personal computer with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. Quantitative data were expressed as mean, standard deviation (SD) and range (minimum–maximum). Qualitative data were expressed as Number (N) and percentage (%), while A P value of < 0.05 was statistically significant. For comparison of unmatched data, chi-square tests were used for categorical variables and t-tests or Mann–Whitney tests for continuous variables.

In this study, we analyzed 138 cases of IMPC which presented to our center in the period from 2015 to 2022.We included a total number of 500 cases of IDC as controls with a ratio of controls to cases 4:1.

Propensity score matching (PSM) is a method for filtrating experimental and control cases of similar characteristics, which are called the matching variables, from existing data to make them comparable in a retrospective analysis. PSM reduce the effect of selection bias. So, the comparison of outcomes between two groups can be fair.

The variables for propensity score matching were selected as follows: age (years), tumour size (cm), nodal status, HR status and HER2 status.

To diminish the effects of baseline differences and potential confounds in clinical characteristics and patients across histology subtypes for outcome differences (disease-free survival and overall survival), PSM method was applied with each micropapillary patient matched to one IDC patient who showed similar baseline characteristics in terms of: menopausal status, comorbidities, multiplicity, histologic grade, tumor size, stage, nodal status, ER /PR status. Differences in prognosis were assessed by Kaplan–Meier analysis.

Most of the patients were postmenopausal, the mean age of patients in IMPC group was 57.36 ± 11.321 years while the mean age of the IDC group was 56.63 ± 9.719 years ( p  = 0.45) (Table 1 ).

The most common presentation of IMPC on breast mammography was an irregular shaped mass with a non-circumscribed spiculated margin. while, the most common sonographic finding of IMPC was hypoechoic mass with irregular shapes and spiculated margins. Associated microcalcifications were found in 49 patients (35.5%) of IMPC group. Figs. ( 1 , 2 ): Radiological characteristics of IMPC.

A , B 37-years-old female patient presented with Left breast UOQ extensive fine pleomorphic and amorphous calcifications of segmental distribution, with UOQ multiple indistinct irregular masses. C ultrasound showed left breast UOQ multiple irregular hypoechoic masses with calcific echogenic foci, the largest is seen at 1 o’clock measuring 13 × 15mm. Intraductal echogenic lesions are noted

A , B , C 40-years-old female patient presented with left UOQ extensive pleomorphic microcalcifications of segmental distribution reaching the areola, with multiple well-circumscribed small obscured masses. D , E complementary Ultrasound showed left 2 o’clock multiple ill-defined and well-defined hypoechoic masses (BIRADS 5)

All patients underwent axillary sonography where 77 patients (55.8%) of the IMPC group exhibited pathological lymph nodes and 18 patients (13%) had indeterminate lymph nodes demonstrating preserved hila and associated with either a symmetrical increase of their cortical thickness reaching 3mm or with a focal increase in the cortical thickness.

Multiple lesions were detected in 30% of IMPC patients in comparison to 7% of IDC patients. Intra-ductal extension with nipple involvement was found in 44 patients (31.9%) of the IMPC group (Table 2 ).

MRI was done for 5 cases (3.6%), while CESM was performed for 18 cases (13%) of the IMPC group, the commonest presentation of IMPC in contrast study was irregular shaped enhanced mass in 21 patients and non-mass enhancement was found in 5 patients. Figs. ( 3 , 4 ).

Further imaging modalities. A , B , C 60-years-old female patient had right breast irregular hypoechoic solid mass by ultrasound (BIRADS 5). D , E CESM showed a right breast irregular heterogeneously enhancing solid mass

Role of CESM in diagnosis of IMPC patients. A , B 42-years-old patient presented with a left LIQ irregular spiculated mass with suspicious microcalcifications, other similar lesions were seen anterior and posterior at the same line. C Ultrasound showed a heterogeneously hypoechoic irregular mass with a spiculated outline with multiple similar satellite lesions were seen anterior and posterior to the main lesions

The average tumor size in the IMPC and IDC groups was 3.37 ± 2.04 cm and 2.72 ± 1.39 cm, respectively ( P  < 0.001).

The percentage of tumors larger than 5cm, was reported 9.5% in IMPC and 7.4% in IDC.

The pure form of IMPC was the most common type and found in 90 cases (65%) and 47 cases (34%) were mixed type where IDC was the commonest associated type.

There are 6 cases in the IMPC group diagnosed as invasive mucinous carcinoma on biopsy, then in the specimen was mixed invasive micropapillary, IBC-NST and invasive mucinous carcinoma.

On core biopsy, 28 cases were diagnosed as IMPC with focal IDC component, but in corresponding specimens 10 cases were only approved to be mixed invasive micropapillary and invasive duct carcinoma, while others diagnosed as pure invasive micropapillary carcinoma without IDC component.

On the other hand, 48 of our cases were diagnosed as IDC on core biopsy, but in the final specimen examination, 17 of these cases were diagnosed as pure invasive micropapillary carcinoma without invasive ductal component.

The explanation of controversy in proper histologic subtyping of carcinoma on core biopsy and the definite subtype on the corresponding specimen was that the ductal component which only represented in the biopsy is a very minor component of the tumor or the limited sampling, tissue fragmentation and architecture distortion in core biopsy may cause diagnostic pitfalls as regard precise subtyping of the tumor.

The incidence of LVI in the IMPC group was 88.3% in comparison to 47.0% in the IDC group ( p  < 0.001).

IMPC had a higher incidence of lymph node involvement than the IDC group (68.8% and 56% respectively) with N3 stage reported in 12.4% of IMPC patients.

IMPC had a higher nuclear grade than the IDC group (25.1% and 15.2% respectively).

The percentage of ER-positive patients was 97.8% in the IMPC group and 87.6% in the IDC group ( p  < 0.001), while PR-positive cases were 98.6% in the IMPC group and 88.8% in the IDC group ( p  < 0.001). HER2 status was positive in 4.3% of IMPCs and 8% of IDCs ( p  = 0.23) (Table 3 ) (Figs. 5 ,  6 ).

A case of invasive micropapillary carcinoma. A case of invasive micropapillary carcinoma, grade II. A Tissue core biopsy, × 100, B MRM specimen × 100 with Positive metastatic L. nodes 2/15, C ER is positive in > 90% of tumor cells, × 100, D PR is positive in > 90% of tumor cells, × 400, E HER2/neu is negative, × 400 and F) Ki-67 labelling index is high, × 200. This case was considered as luminal type pure invasive micropapillary carcinoma. (100 micron 20__ 50 micron 40)

A case of invasive duct carcinoma. A case of invasive duct carcinoma, grade II. A Tissue core biopsy, × 100, B MRM specimen, × 200 with negative L. nodes 0/16, C ER is positive in > 90% of tumor cells, × 200, D PR is positive in > 90% of tumor cells, × 100, E HER2/neu is negative, × 400. This case was considered as luminal type pure invasive duct carcinoma

Regarding definitive surgical management, IMPC had a lower rate of breast conserving surgery (26% vs.37.8%) compared with IDC. While, 49.3% of IMPC patients underwent modified radical mastectomy in comparison to 46% of the IDC patients. Such high incidence of mastectomy was due to the advanced stage at presentation, presence of multiple lesions and presence of intra-ductal extension with nipple involvement.

The incidence of re-surgery in the IMPC group was only in 3 cases, two of them underwent completion mastectomy after the initial conservative breast surgery and axillary clearance. While one patient underwent wider margin excision as positive margin for an invasive residual disease was found.

Two patients in the IMPC group had distant metastasis at the initial diagnosis, they had multiple metastatic lesions and received systemic treatment but one of them underwent palliative mastectomy.

Systemic chemotherapy was administered to 107 patients (77.5%) in the IMPC group and to 207 patients (41%) in the IDC group. Hormonal therapy was administered to all IMPC patients and 76% patients in the IDC group (Table 4 ).

The overall median follow-up duration was 21 months (range 6 – 88 months) with mean follow up duration = 29.8months.

Among the 138 IMPC patients, local recurrence developed in 3 cases, they developed a recurrence at 6,18 and 48 months postoperative. Distant metastasis developed in 5 patients in the form of bone, lung, hepatic and mediastinal lymph node metastasis.

The survival analysis indicated that IMPC patients had no significant difference in overall survival compared with IDC patients and no differences were noted in locoregional recurrence rate comparing IMPCs with IDCs (2.2% and 0.4% respectively). P value for local recurrence = 0.12 (yates corrected chi square).

Distant metastasis rate comparing IMPCs with IDCs was (3.7% and 5.4% respectively). P value for distant metastasis = 0.53 (Table 5 ).

Comparison of OS between IDC and micropapillary cases (Matched by propensity score matching -PSM).

Case Processing Summary

Overall Comparisons

• Test of equality of survival distributions for the different levels type

Disease free survival

• Test of equality of survival distributions for the different levels of type

IMPC is a highly invasive type of breast cancer. Hashmi A.A. et al. [ 13 ] found that the incidence of IMPC is very low accounting for 0.76–3.8% of breast carcinomas.

Shi WB et al.; [ 7 ] in a study comparing 188 IMPC cases and 1,289 invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) cases from China showed that IMPC can occur either alone or mixed with other histological types, such as ductal carcinoma in situ, mucinous carcinoma and IDC. Furthermore, the majority of patients had mixed IMPC.

Fakhry et al. [ 14 ] reported that 64.7% of IMPC patients were pure type. In our study, we found that the pure form of IMPC was the commonest type and presented in 90 patients (65%) and 47 cases (34%) were mixed type which was similar to that reported by Nassar et al. [ 15 ], and Guo et al. [ 16 ] in their studies.

In our study, the commonest finding of IMPC on breast mammography was an irregular shaped mass with a non-circumscribed spiculated margin. While, the commonest sonographic finding of IMPC was hypoechoic mass with irregular shapes and spiculated margins.

These findings were similar to the results demonstrated by Jones et al., [ 17 ] which found that the commonest morphologic finding of IMPC was an irregular high-density lesion (50% of patients) with spiculated margin (42% of patients). However, Günhan-Bilgen et al. [ 18 ] reported that an ovoid or round lesion was found in 53.8% of patients.

Alsharif et al., [ 19 ] reported that the commonest sonographic finding of IMPC was hypoechoic masse (39/41, 95%) with irregular shape (30/41, 73.2%) and angular or spiculated margin (26/41, 63.4%).

In our study, MRI was done for 5 cases (3.6%), while CESM was performed for 18 cases (13%) of the IMPC group, the commonest presentation of IMPC in contrast study was irregular shaped enhanced lesion in 21 cases and non-mass enhancement was presented in 5 cases.

Nangogn et al. [ 20 ] and yoon et al. [ 8 ] recorded that the commonest finding of IMPCs in MRI was spiculated irregular mass with early rapid initial heterogenous enhancement, indicating that the MRI findings correlated with the invasiveness of IMPC.

Fakhry et al. [ 14 ] conducted a study on 68 cases, out of which 17 cases underwent CEM. In all of these cases, the masses showed pathological enhancement, which was either in the form of mass enhancement (12/17 patients, 70.6%) or non-mass enhancement (4/17 patients, 23.5%). The majority of the enhanced masses were irregular in shape (11/12 patients, 91.7%).

All patients underwent axillary sonography and 77 patients (55.8%) of the IMPC group exhibited pathological lymph nodes; this percentage was similar to that recorded by Nangong et al. [ 20 ] which was 54.8% and lower than that recorded by Jones et al. [ 17 ] but higher than that of Günhan et al. [ 18 ] which were 67% and 38% respectively.

Günhan et al. [ 18 ] reported microcalcification in about 66.7% of the cases. In our study, associated microcalcifications were found in 49 patients (35.5%) of the IMPC group. Yun et al. [ 21 ] and Adrada et al. [ 22 ] showed a fine pleomorphic appearance (66.7% and 68%).

Hao et al. [ 23 ] compared the rate of tumors larger than 5cm, reporting 3% in IDC and 4.3% in IMPC. In our study, the rate of tumors larger than 5cm, was reported 7.4% in the IDC patients and 9.5% in the IMPC patients.

Yu et al., et al. [ 24 ] documented in a study comparing 72 cases of IMPC and 144 cases of IDC of the breast that IMPC had a higher nuclear grade than IDC (52.8% vs. 37.5% respectively). In our study, IMPC had a higher nuclear grade than the IDC group (25.1% and 15.2% respectively).

Verras GI et al.; [ 9 ] demonstrated that IMPC was an aggressive breast cancer subtype with a great tendency to lymphovascular invasion and lymph node metastasis. In our study, the incidence of LVI in the IMPC patients was 88.3% in comparison to 47.0% in the IDC patients ( p  < 0.001). Tang et al., [ 25 ] also reported that lymphovascular involvement was more common among the IIMPC group than IDC group, with a percentage of 14.7% compared to only 0.1% in the IDC group.

Also, Shi et al. [ 7 ] reported that LVI was detected in 74.5% of cases. Furthermore, the frequency of LVI was found to be greater in IMPC cases when compared to IDC cases. Jones et al., [ 17 ] recorded angiolymphatic invasion in 69% of cases.

Hashmi et al. [ 13 ] reported in his comparative study that nodal involvement was present in 49.5% of IDC patients and N3 stage was only 15.6% in IDC patients compared to 33% in IMPC patients. In our study, the percentage of lymph node involvement of IMPC and IDC patients were 68.8% and 56% respectively with N3 stage reported in 12.4% of IMPC patients.

Guan et al. [ 26 ], Lewis et al., [ 27 ], Pettinato et al., [ 28 ] and De La Cruz et al., [ 29 ] recorded a higher percentage of lymph node metastasis in IMPC patients, reaching 90%, 92.9%,55.2% and 60.9% respectively.

The management of IMPC remains controversial, particularly among breast surgeons. Modified radical mastectomy was the preferred surgical procedure for the majority of IMPC case reports, as found in a study conducted by Yu et al., [ 24 ] where 99% of IMPC cases underwent modified radical mastectomy. Fakhry et al. [ 14 ] reported that 76.5% of the patients underwent modified radical mastectomy. In our study, 49.3% of IMPC patients received modified radical mastectomy.

IMPC patients were also prone to accept BCS rather than mastectomy in the previous series conducted by Lewis GD,et al. [ 27 ] and Vingiani, A. et al. [ 30 ]. However, the precise prognosis value of BCS for patients with IMPC remained unknowable. In our study, IMPC had a lower rate of breast conserving surgery (26% vs.37.8%) compared with IDC.

IMPC was characterized by a high incidence of ER and PR positivity. Our study recorded a high percentage of ER (97.8%) and PR (98.6%) expression. Our findings are similar to those found by Walsh et al., [ 31 ] who reported ER and PR expression of 90% and 70%, respectively. Zekioglu et al. [ 32 ] demonstrated a rate of ER and PR expression of 68% and 61%respectively.

In this study, we reported a relatively lower percentage of HER-2 positivity (4.3%). Also, Nangong et al. [ 20 ] showed HER 2 overexpression in 26.4% of cases.

However, Cui et al. [ 33 ] reported a much higher incidence of HER 2 positivity and Perron et al., [ 34 ] reported that 65% of IMPCs were HER-2 positive.

Chen, A et al. [ 35 ] reported that that the percentage of radiation therapy for IMPC patients was similar to those seen in IDC patients and demonstrates a similar benefit of radiation treatment in both groups. In our study,77.5% patients received radiotherapy in IMPC group in compared to 59.4% patients in IDC group.

Shi et al. [ 7 ] found that patients with IMPC had worse recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) rates as compared to those with IDC. However, because IMPC is relatively rare, most studies had reported on small sample sizes with limited follow-ups.

Yu et al., [ 24 ] conducted a comparison between IMPC and IDC patients, and the results showed that the IMPC group had a greater tendency for LRR compared to the IDC group ( P  = 0.03), but the distant metastasis rate ( P  = 0.52) and OS rate ( P  = 0.67) of the IMPC showed no statistical differences from the IDC group.

Nevertheless, several recent studies documented that IMPC had better or similar prognosis in comparison to IDC.

Hao et al. [ 23 ] and Vingiani et al. [ 30 ] documented that there was no statistically significant difference in OS and disease-free survival between IMPC patients and IDC patients which was similar to our results. locoregional recurrence rate comparing IMPCs with IDCs was (2.2% and 0.4% respectively). P value for local recurrence = 0.12 (yates corrected chi square). Distant metastasis rate comparing IMPCs with IDCs was (3.7% and 5.4% respectively). P value for distant metastasis = 0.53.

Chen H et al. [ 36 ], compared the overall survival in patient groups with similar nodal involvement and found that IMPC group had better breast cancer–specific survival and overall survival than IDC group.

Availability of data and materials

No datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

Abbreviations

Invasive micropapillary carcinoma

Invasive duct carcinoma

Modified radical mastectomy

Conserving breast surgery

Estrogen receptor

Progesterone receptor

Lymphovascular invasion

Contrast enhanced spectral mammography

Overall survival

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Mohamed Fathy Abdelfattah Abdelrahman Elithy

Present address: Department of Surgical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Al Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt

Mahmoud Hassaan

Present address: Departement of Surgical Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

Authors and Affiliations

Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

Yasmine Hany Abdel Moamen Elzohery

Department of Radiodiagnosis, NCI, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

Amira H. Radwan & Sherihan W. Y. Gareer

Department of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

Mona M. Mamdouh

Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, National Liver Institute, Menoufia, Egypt

Baheya Center for Early Detection and Treatment of Breast Cancer, Giza, Egypt

Yasmine Hany Abdel Moamen Elzohery, Amira H. Radwan, Sherihan W. Y. Gareer, Mona M. Mamdouh, Inas Moaz, Abdelrahman Mohammad Khalifa, Osama Abdel Mohen, Mohamed Fathy Abdelfattah Abdelrahman Elithy & Mahmoud Hassaan

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Mohamed fathy participated in the sequence alignment and Yasmine hany drafted the manuscript. Mahmoud Hassan participated in the design of the study. Inas Moaz and Abdelrahman Mohammad performed the statistical analysis. Amira H. Radwan and Sherihan WY Gareer conceived the study. Mona M Mamdouh and Osama abdel Mohen participated in its design and coordination and helped to draft the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Elzohery, Y.H.A.M., Radwan, A.H., Gareer, S.W.Y. et al. Micropapillary breast carcinoma in comparison with invasive duct carcinoma. Does it have an aggressive clinical presentation and an unfavorable prognosis?. BMC Cancer 24 , 992 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-024-12673-0

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Received : 05 April 2024

Accepted : 23 July 2024

Published : 12 August 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-024-12673-0

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Japan grappled an astonishing eight golds in wrestling at the 2024 Paris Olympics — and 11 total medals — out of the 18 events and weight classes contested this past fortnight. It was the country's best performance at a single Olympics, surpassing its five golds from Tokyo 1964 and Tokyo 2020, and the highest wrestling gold haul of any NOC since the Soviet Union at Seoul 1988. 

In France, Team USA earned two wrestling golds — one less than Tokyo — while its total medal total dropped from nine to seven. Paris 2024 marked the first time the U.S. left a Games without a men's freestyle gold in 56 years, dating back to Mexico City 1968. 

But the pair of American golds, won by 20-year-old Amit Elor in 68kg and 30-year-old Sarah Hildebrandt in 50kg, represent perhaps the country's most compelling Olympic wrestling storyline: The U.S. women's wrestling team continues to fire on all cylinders.

FULL REPLAYS: WRESTLING RESULTS: WRESTLING

Japan earns eight of the 18 contested golds

In the overall medal count, Japan placed third at these Games with 20 gold medals overall. A whopping eight of those came from wrestling.

To put that into perspective: Japanese athletes topped 44.44% of all contested wrestling events in Paris.

From Blades to Hildebrandt, Team USA's women shine

There were 18 wrestling events at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Of those, 12 involved men competing against other men. Yet half of Japan's wrestling golds resulted from women topping the podium. 

The United States reached four wrestling finals at these Games: women's 50kg, 68kg, 76kg, and men's 57kg.

California's Amir Elot won 68kg gold, the first contested final against Kyrgyzstan's Meerim Zhumanazarova , on Aug. 6. The following evening, Indiana's Sarah Hildebrandt defeated Cuba's Yusneylys Guzman to make the U.S. 2-for-2.

No two American women had won wrestling gold at a single Olympics before Paris. 

Twenty-year-old Kennedy Blades of Illinois had the opportunity to extend that record to three golds — but lost a tight gold medal match, 3-1, for silver. 

The fourth American woman to earn a wrestling medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics was none other than Helen Maroulis , who became the first-ever American to win a gold medal in women's freestyle wrestling at the Olympics at the Rio 2016 Games. She earned bronze in Paris competing in the 57kg weight class.

U.S. men leave Paris without freestyle or Greco-Roman gold

On the flip side of the coin, U.S. men failed to win an Olympic freestyle wrestling for the first time in more than half a century.

The closest to a gold run: Pennsylvania's 25-year-old Spencer Lee , who — like Blades — fell to a powerhouse Japanese wrestler, 28-year-old Rei Higuchi . 

Legendary Lopez wins fifth gold, leaves shoes on the mat

Cuba's Mijain Lopez won his first Olympic gold in men's super heavyweight wrestling at Beijing 2008. 

Mijain won the event at each Games since: London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024. 

He's the only athlete to win five-straight golds in a single individual event. 

After securing his latest Olympic medal, Mijain removed his shoes and left them on the Parisian mat, signifying retirement. They'll be impossible shoes to fill.

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