In today’s digital age, multimedia has become a necessary tool for sharing information. Whereas our parents once started their day reading the newspaper, we now start our days watching videos, listening to podcasts, or scrolling through social media. Even in the office, we continuously share information using visuals, animations, charts, graphs, and videos. While presentations were once enhanced with physical props and charts, multimedia is now a must in order to enhance your presentation and engage audiences. Here we will explore some tips for making the most of multimedia in your presentation.
Choose Wisely
First and foremost, it is important to carefully consider the purpose of the multimedia elements that are being added to your presentation. Whether it is videos, animations, GIFs, or images, ask yourself, “What does this add to my presentation?” Each element should serve a specific purpose and help enhance your overall message. If the multimedia element you choose does that, then add it to your presentation. Otherwise, leave it out.
Be Consistent
You want to try and remain consistent with your multimedia choices. For example, if your presentation is colorful, add pops of color. If it is more minimalist, keep it that way. In addition, try to use similar types of multimedia elements instead of multiple different forms, as this can be distracting.
Be Mindful of Quality
Formatting is crucial when it comes to incorporating multimedia into your presentation. Even the best visuals will miss the mark if they are fuzzy or poorly edited. Make sure all multimedia is high resolution and high quality. Low resolution videos and images can actually detract from your presentation and appear less professional. Conversely, high quality multimedia elements can enhance the overall look and impact of your presentation.
Placement is Important
You also want to strategically plan the placement of multimedia in your presentation. Multimedia should be intentionally placed throughout the presentation where it will make the most impact. For example, it can be used to break up text-heavy slides to keep the audience engaged. It can also be used at the beginning of a presentation to capture audience attention.
Keep it Simple
Lastly, it is important to remember that multimedia should be used as a means for supporting information and engaging the audience. It is intended to enhance the presentation, not detract from it. Therefore, there needs to be a healthy balance between text and multimedia to ensure the presentation remains informative and professional. Using too much could make your presentation appear overcrowded, confusing, and unprofessional.