The ability to animate text and images is a standard feature in many of today’s presentation software tools – one that most speakers love to use. When used properly, animation can add significant visual appeal to your slides, making the static information they contain more exciting and more interesting. But, if you overdo it, the results can be disastrous.
Your presentation is an opportunity to share information and knowledge with your audience, not a chance for you to show off your awesome presentation design skills. In other words, there is no need to incorporate every type of build into your presentation – your delivery will actually be more effective if you don’t.
Use animation only in places where you feel it is truly needed to enhance your content. For example, builds are a great way to help explain the various pieces of a complex diagram. By bringing the components onto the screen, one at a time, you’ll enable your audience members to better absorb what the function of each is, and how they all work together.
When used in moderation, builds and other motion-oriented effects can help illustrate important topics and draw attention to key points. But, too much animation can have the opposite effect, distracting or confusing your audience, and hindering their ability to absorb the content you’re presenting. As a rule, aim for no more than one or two animations per slide.
Use Automatic Slide Transitions Wisely
No matter how many times you practice the timing of your presentation, there is simply no way to get it right, each and every time. For example, an audience member may interrupt with a question, or you may decide, on-the-fly, that a certain point requires further explanation, which can take longer than you originally planned. So, use automatic slide transitions only when you’re sure your timing is 100% precise.
Animation should be fast and short, not continuous. Constant movement on the screen as you’re speaking will only serve as a distraction to your audience. Instead of focusing on what you’re saying, they’ll be watching what’s happening on your slide.