Slide is not the star of the show. People will be more focused on the words being presented rather than the background
The best slides have no text at all. Slides are supposed to support the narration of the speaker
Some animation and transitions are a good thing but don’t include transitions for every bullet point. Listeners will get bored if all they hear is animation after animation.
Avoid using power point clip art because viewers do not want to see the same pictures they have seen in a million other slideshows before. Don’t degrade resolution.
Most templates in powerpoint your audience has seen in many other powerpoints. Pick a theme that is unique and something refreshing. You can make and design your presentation to fit your needs.
Don’t give the readers too much detail. Think about the minimum of what they need to know and make it clear and concise.
The right color can help persuade and motivate. Cool colors work best in backgrounds and warm colors work best in foregrounds.
Fonts communicate messages in and of themselves. Use the same font throughout your presentation or no more than two complementary fonts.
Use audio and video when appropriate. Using audio and video promotes cognitive learning which is how people naturally learn. Using audio and video may also help you increase the interest level of your audience in your presentation.
People comprehend information better when it is sorted out into small chunks or segements.