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Why No One Is Paying Attention To Your PowerPoint Templates

April 25, 2016 By Nadya Khoja 44 Comments

Have you ever been giving a presentation to a room full of people, only to look up midway and notice that nobody is paying attention to you? Perhaps the reason is that your public speaking skills aren’t at an all-time high, but the reason could also be that the PowerPoint template you are using in your presentation is nowhere near captivating.

Why No One Is Paying Attention To Your PowerPoint Templates

Before you panic and fall into a state of depression because your PowerPoint templates are simply not up to par, rest assured that there is a way to remedy the issue! The first step, of course, is to understand why no one is paying attention to your PowerPoint templates.

Table of Contents

  • Are You Using the Right Colors?
  • Have You Included Images or Data Visualizations?
  • Are You Using a Respectable Amount of Text?
  • Preparing PowerPoint Templates
    • Nadya Khoja
    • Latest posts by Nadya Khoja (see all)

Are You Using the Right Colors?

If you’re in a rush it’s natural to stick with the basic “blank” PowerPoint template offered by Microsoft Office. But did you know that certain colors and tones can affect your audience psychologically?

Take a look at the infographic below that highlights various colors and their relative emotions:

color psychology

In a study called Impact of Color in Marketing, researchers found that up to 90% of snap judgments made about products can be based on color alone, depending what your product is. That’s a powerful statement! So naturally, the choice of color used in a presentation you are giving to a room full of people can hugely determine whether or not they continue to pay attention to what you have to say.

Have You Included Images or Data Visualizations?

The use of images in your PowerPoint templates is crucial to holding on to someone’s attention. In fact, blog posts, emails, and presentations that contain visual content are retained by the brain 60,000x faster than text.

On top of that, the brain can register images that are displayed for only 13 milliseconds. By complementing the text in your presentation with an image, the chances that your audience will remember the context increase substantially.

If the thought of having to find visual content online to add to your presentations is freaking you out, there exist plenty of free and paid services online that offer PowerPoint templates for download. You can also use a tool like an online infographic maker to produce captivating images and icons clusters.

Another point to keep in mind is that data visualizations make understanding complex data, or big numbers much easier. Again, you can use a tool like Beam which is a chart maker to produce visuals in a matter of seconds making the process of creating a visually appealing chart easier to do than a using a post-it note.

chart maker

Are You Using a Respectable Amount of Text?

It’s very common for presenters to include paragraphs of text in their PowerPoint templates. Unfortunately, no one really wants to read during a presentation, and individuals tend to lose interest very quickly.

So what is a respectable amount of text? There is a rule called the rule of 33, which refers to the fact that a single slide should contain no more than 33 words, and no more than 4 to 5 bullet points.

Think of it this way: your presentation is meant to act as a summary of the subject you are trying to relate. Too little text won’t provide the proper amount of information to your audience for them to learn anything of importance. Too much text will simply make it too difficult to keep up, and their focus will be on trying to see all of the words, rather than listening to your instruction.

Unless the words included are incredibly crucial to understanding the topic at hand, they aren’t necessary. Try to stick to 1 or 2 important sentences per slide.

Preparing PowerPoint Templates

When I was in school, I always considered PowerPoint templates a final step in the presentation process. I would plan and write out my speech, make notes on all the important elements to mention, and then the night before the presentation, copy and paste all of the information into a slide. The result would often be a boring slideshow and a monotonous presentation.

What I later realized is that I should have been preparing the template along with my speech the entire time. The reason: to ensure that the presentation flows smoothly and cohesively, rather than as two separate entities.

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Nadya Khoja

Director of Marketing at Venngage Infographics
Nadya Khoja is a Visual Content and Digital Marketing Specialist. She is the DIrector of Marketing at Venngage, an online infographic maker. Nadya has a B.A. with Specialized Honours in Devised Theatre and a Master's Degree in Digital Media with a focus on Audience Engagement and Immersive Experiences.
My Twitter profileMy LinkedIn profileMy Instagram profileMy Pinterest profileMy Tumblr blog

Latest posts by Nadya Khoja (see all)

  • Why No One Is Paying Attention To Your PowerPoint Templates - April 25, 2016
  • 46 Experts Secret Tips For Creating Addictive Content [INFOGRAPHIC] - February 3, 2016
  • What Star Wars Can Teach Marketers About Design [Infographic] - December 11, 2015
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Filed Under: Content & Copywriting Tagged With: powerpoint

Comments

  1. Mike Jones says

    January 5, 2019 at 12:32 pm

    Hi Nadya,
    Yes, you are absolutely right. Sometimes we are ignoring the color combination of the powerpoint presentation.

    Reply
  2. Laura says

    May 29, 2018 at 11:35 pm

    Found an Impressive post to Grab users attention over power point presentation. Even after using high quality images and good data, there is no improvement. Whereas after using some charts, Graphs and some attractive templates the presentation had gone to next level and looks quite informative and awesome. Thanks for the great tips.

    Reply
  3. John says

    April 24, 2018 at 3:01 am

    We provide some free PPT templates and vectors, photos, cms, and web templates. Please visit our link for free downloading of free templates.
    John would love you to read ..Floral Water Colour VectorsMy Profile

    Reply
  4. syakira arima says

    February 2, 2018 at 11:53 am

    i just want to share 2 tips based on my experiences. Keep one sentence per slide and always choose contrast color between text,background and images. This is because human mind can only focus on for about 30 minutes. If we are to give presentation,it is our job to capture audiences attention by giving them the best and simplest slides.

    Reply
  5. Kuman says

    December 5, 2017 at 8:54 pm

    Great article summarizing everything pretty well. You could also mention some more websites where you can get free website templates – like http://bestpowerpointtemplates.com/ or https://templates.office.com

    Other than that, the article was great.

    Reply
  6. rhea says

    February 1, 2017 at 12:39 am

    I couldn’t agree more with you, right choice of colours ,pictures, charts and venn diagrams are easier and interesting ways to communicate.Thanks for sharing these really useful tips dear
    rhea would love you to read ..Best Paper Shredder 2017 – Do Not Buy Before Reading This!My Profile

    Reply
  7. Sachin says

    January 24, 2017 at 9:47 am

    I am concentrating on power point slides on my blog. I never use this think but now working on this. Thanks for this helpful info.

    Regards,
    Sachin Alam,
    India
    Sachin would love you to read ..Google Adsense Account Approve Kaise Kare [Guide For Newbies]My Profile

    Reply
  8. Christina says

    October 18, 2016 at 1:29 pm

    Color choice and presentation templates can be important, as you shared. The statistic claiming that up to 90% of snap judgments in product choice are determined by color really emphasizes that point.

    Reply
  9. Mark says

    September 8, 2016 at 9:13 pm

    Thank you for sharing some incredibly helpful information Nadya!

    I only wish, I was aware of your extremely valuable information, long
    before I started using Power Point graphics and templates in my youtube videos!LOL!

    I could have probably increased their overall effectiveness, by leaps
    & bounds!
    Mark would love you to read ..Entrepreneur Whenever You’re Emotionally Exhausted Please Consider This!My Profile

    Reply
  10. Alphonse Couturier says

    July 4, 2016 at 11:29 am

    Hey Nadya,

    Really Nice blog!!

    From business pitches to board meetings, there are many reasons to put together a PowerPoint presentation. Regardless of the purpose of the PowerPoint presentation, there are guidelines that one should follow to make sure you get your point across correctly, clearly and professionally.Thanks a lot for sharing these tips. I will surely consider them in my next presentation.

    Cheers!!

    Reply
  11. Siddique Khan says

    May 17, 2016 at 7:36 pm

    You have done a great job . you share a very good information . you describe the word in a unique way. you give nice information about powerpoint Template .
    Thanks for sharing such a beautiful article with us.

    User can check beautiful and responsive all business type template here . http://scriptsbundle.com/

    Reply
  12. Clark Pacis says

    May 17, 2016 at 10:16 am

    Great post! Very informative. I realize that I have to really work on my presentations in the office. I’ll forward this post to my office mates . Cheers!

    Reply
  13. Calvin says

    May 17, 2016 at 9:38 am

    In my recent showcasing work in the present, I have had an analysis that if you have too many slides without a proper graphics and entertainment factor then chances to lost the connection from the audience.

    I suggest, to have only a few slides along with full on useful details that can increase the engagement.

    Cheers

    Reply
  14. Miranda says

    May 16, 2016 at 5:40 pm

    The type of colors, content and pictures all contribute to creating an attention grabbing powerpoint display. Putting too much information on the slides of your power point display can cause people to become disinterested in what you have to say.
    Miranda would love you to read ..WelcomeMy Profile

    Reply
  15. Anil says

    May 12, 2016 at 8:48 am

    this is a very important blog for me thankyou very much…and also Thanks for sharing different and new templates – PowerPoint templates. Good Job Work….

    Reply
  16. PRABHAT KUMAR SINGH says

    May 11, 2016 at 11:31 am

    Fantastic post. Office 2010 is a fantastic software to create PPT.
    Thanks for sharing your knowledge on Power point.

    Reply
  17. Sakshi says

    May 11, 2016 at 6:40 am

    Very informative blog post. Everything makes sense though. Keep up the good work ahead too. Really appreciate the effort.Thanks..!!
    Sakshi would love you to read ..Top 10 Best Cash Back websites list 2016My Profile

    Reply
  18. Santanu says

    May 9, 2016 at 5:25 pm

    Preparing an attractive power point presentation is one of the on demand marketing need. There are plenty of websites which accept such presentation and rank them better in search engines.
    Santanu would love you to read ..Studiopress Pro Plus All-Theme Pack – Save More Than $1200!My Profile

    Reply
  19. Iram Khan says

    May 6, 2016 at 11:38 am

    It is very informative article. Great strategies. I am new to the scene. I will be implementing these tomorrow. Thanks!

    Reply
  20. alina says

    May 6, 2016 at 5:48 am

    Great design of power point templates. The information that you provide is very useful and informative. I really appreciate it. Thanks for sharing the post.
    alina would love you to read ..Hello world!My Profile

    Reply
  21. Patrick says

    May 5, 2016 at 11:32 am

    Khoja,Above are all valid points regarding ppt.And it also conveys how a good ppt should be.Very imporatntThanks and useful information on presentation.Best of luck:)

    Reply
  22. Bharat says

    May 5, 2016 at 10:32 am

    Interesting post. Using Office 2010 and it is a fantastic software to create PPT.
    Thanks for sharing your views on Presentation.

    Reply
    • Gail Gardner says

      May 6, 2016 at 6:56 pm

      Hi Bharat,

      Some are surprised to discover that most freelancers are using Microsoft Office 2010 running on Windows 7. Those who automatically upgrade to whatever the latest version is are always shocked by this. We prefer 2010 for usability and Win 7 for stability and less invasion of privacy.
      Gail Gardner would love you to read ..The Secrets of Growth – How WB21 Engineered a Huge Increase in Customer AcquisitionMy Profile

      Reply
  23. Precheq says

    May 4, 2016 at 12:33 pm

    slides.com is a great free tool to make fast, simple, and modern presentations. I used them for client pitches all the time! Though I still use PowerPoint for my longer and more detailed reports/presentations.

    Reply
  24. Remsun Dbbrma says

    May 4, 2016 at 6:40 am

    Very informative article regarding powerpoint presentations, the overall designs and looks are very much important for an effective powerpoint presentation, choosing the appropriate template is the key!

    Reply
  25. To Nadya says

    May 4, 2016 at 1:50 am

    Hi Nadya,

    This is a very helpful article, Thank you! I really enjoyed reading this piece. It is true that visualization is a factor for making an interesting presentation . It will be easier for the audience to understand when you add illustrations that will catch the viewers or audience attention .

    Thank you for sharing your ideas. I really appreciate your work Nadya! Great job and Keep it up! 🙂

    Reply
  26. razu says

    May 3, 2016 at 11:17 am

    Nice article what i had seen here for templates whcih will really help in a lot of desig with different types of templates and many new idea from it what i got here
    razu would love you to read ..আইপিএলে ধোনির সতীর্থ হতে যাচ্ছেন মাহমুদউল্লাহ ?My Profile

    Reply
  27. Hemant Kumar Arya says

    May 3, 2016 at 12:51 pm

    Hey,
    Thank you a big big time ! 
    I was looking for something like this for so long. How came I have not seen this post yet?? You are in my bookmark now. Thank a million zillion trillion times!!
    Thanks for the valuable
    input about powerpoint presentation. I totally agree that presentation theme makes the first impression on viewers. I will follow these tips.
    Your expertise always helps me tremendously.
    Thank You.. 🙂
    Hemant Kumar Arya would love you to read ..Top 5 Ways to Create Quality Backlinks For Your Blog.My Profile

    Reply
  28. osama gohar says

    May 3, 2016 at 10:22 am

    Using correct colours and appealing typography are a must for powerpoint presentations,blogs and articles.Using only text is a wrong way of portraying your thoughts,
    osama gohar would love you to read ..Chemistry Mcqs No 6My Profile

    Reply
  29. Tim philander says

    May 3, 2016 at 7:04 am

    In my opinion ! Color selection is the most decisive factor during the selection of your PowerPoint templates. Love the way you have explained all this. Important tips i will always use in my future pp projects. Thanks
    Tim philander would love you to read ..Top Software Testing Companies in the WorldMy Profile

    Reply
  30. Chris Hope says

    April 30, 2016 at 8:37 am

    The design more important than text in power point. Choosing the right PowerPoint can make a huge difference in your presentation.

    Reply
  31. Robin Khokhar says

    April 29, 2016 at 1:13 pm

    HI Nadya,
    The designing portion is more important as well as information. I liked the post.
    Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  32. Adriana Refaeli says

    April 29, 2016 at 12:39 pm

    This is a very helpful article and I really enjoyed reading this piece. Clip art is usually a big no-no in PP because it is basic. You can put a little twist on your clipart. I’ve included an article showing you how to make your presentation pop with remixed art.

    Reply
  33. Varun Kumar says

    April 29, 2016 at 10:03 am

    You are right around 2006 or 07 is was very popular even i used to use it in my school days. But now there are so many people who even don’t who why power point use ?. I still believe that you can create a very dynamic and strong presentation.

    Reply
    • Gail Gardner says

      April 29, 2016 at 4:34 pm

      Hello Varun,

      PowerPoint is still used for presentations and also to create SlideShares.
      Gail Gardner would love you to read ..WANTED: Bloggers Interested in Collaborating to Increase Their IncomesMy Profile

      Reply
  34. Haris says

    April 29, 2016 at 4:44 am

    Nice article,and useful tips for preparing presentations.The content inside slide is more important.
    Thanks for sharing this article.

    Reply
  35. lh. louis says

    April 28, 2016 at 9:38 am

    Well the design defintiely so important in ppt, espcially if uni have good design ppt, students would be more productive.
    lh. louis would love you to read ..Genesis Framework, the Blog DesignMy Profile

    Reply
  36. ruchi singh says

    April 28, 2016 at 12:57 pm

    All these points are critical for ppt. Your Article is impressive and very informative. I will now regular visitor of your website and bookmarked it.

    Reply
  37. harpreet kaur says

    April 28, 2016 at 5:11 am

    These article ideas are superb to present the presentation in any company or organization. Texting the color, showing the graphical images to express the views.
    harpreet kaur would love you to read ..The balance between Skills, God-given Gifting and AttitudeMy Profile

    Reply
  38. George says

    April 27, 2016 at 6:34 pm

    Choosing the right PowerPoint can make a huge difference in your presentation. It also makes the data or content easier to read and understand.
    George would love you to read ..TIME MANAGEMENT IN BPO COMPANIESMy Profile

    Reply
  39. Alice Wright says

    April 27, 2016 at 5:40 am

    Wonderful information! It’s not work for only powerpoint templetes but also for any kind of presentation. Thanks for sharing it.
    Alice Wright would love you to read ..MYOB Hosting Solutions by SageNextMy Profile

    Reply
  40. Rahulkapoor says

    April 26, 2016 at 9:39 am

    Pretty Good Article !! Clean and Clear view about an Presentation will use tips advised here in my next Presentation

    Reply
  41. Paula Kaur says

    April 26, 2016 at 8:10 am

    yeah, in preparing power point presentation very important not only the content but how it looks. It must be entertaining to the audience like having neat but colorful and informative. whenever the content is informative if there is no creativity then the audience might get bored.
    Paula Kaur would love you to read ..Hello world!My Profile

    Reply
  42. Thabang Silas Nkoana says

    April 26, 2016 at 2:30 am

    I would push it so far as to say that one should keep their slides to a sentence a slide just as key points to the point which you should be able to talk about from the top of your head in that way you can keep eye contact with the audience.

    Reply

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