Look around. Have you noticed anything about the way we’re consuming content as a society lately? In journalism, we’re witnessing a pivot to video in which media companies allot an increasing amount of resources to creating video where there used to be text. Infographics are rising in prominence as an efficient way to grab internet users’ attention and convey data in a compelling manner. And it makes sense. According to one oft-cited study, approximately 65 percent of the general population are visual learners.
Most presenters know they should avoid inundating their audience with a wall of text, endless bullet points and a string of unremarkable slides. But it’s always worthwhile to consider how to make your presentation more visual in an attempt to connect with your audience on an even deeper level.
Mix Up Slide Formatting
A good rule of thumb is that your content should shine more than your formatting. But repetitive slides lull audience members into thinking they know exactly what comes next. A dash of creative formatting goes a long way in adding interest to your presentation.
Let’s say you want to present a series of facts about the topic you’re presenting. Putting them in a bulleted list can be overwhelming for your audience as they try to read and listen to what you’re saying. Elements like layout, colors, supplementary visuals, borders and more give audience members cues on what’s noteworthy. Take some time to design your presentation for maximum visual impact. A white background with plain black text is unlikely to captivate your audience for more than a few slides.
Incorporate a Word Cloud
The best word cloud generator will combine visual interest with enhanced audience participation. Asking people to contribute to a collaborative visual makes them naturally more inclined to feel engaged with its results. Nowadays, all it takes is a mobile device to contribute to word cloud that updates in real time to reflect participants’ input.
Word clouds create visual interest precisely because of their dynamic, transitory nature. Popular answers take up more space on the screen, gaining prominence as responses roll in. Rarer answers pepper the slide in a smaller font, creating an interesting artistic contrast. All in all, it’s an effective way to crowd source insights while simultaneously ramping up the overall visual interest within your presentation.
Use Color Pops Where Applicable
Speaking of contrast, it’s important to treat color as more than just a default palette for your presentation deck. In nature, vibrant colors stand out “as a warning to potential predators.” This just goes to show that beings with color vision can’t help but notice bright hues when they see them.
So, if you want something to pop within your presentation, utilize contrasting colors. This will draw people’s eyes exactly where you want them—lending whatever point you’re making additional punchiness. This principle is especially applicable when it comes to formatting graphs and charts. When you have limited time to make an impression on an audience, it’s wise to do everything you can to help them glean significance at a glance.
Supplement Your Outline with Multimedia
Multimedia—including images, video and audio—”brings variety to your slides and helps visual learners understand your content better.” Well-placed multimedia elements help make a presentation easier on the eyes while also reinforcing your underlying messaging.The key is ensuring your multimedia is properly embedded and functional before the big day or you risk technical issues.
Next time you’re creating a presentation, take some time to think about how to make it more visual. Smart aesthetic choices make your material seem more professional and engage your audience, especially visual learners.
