[MUSIC PLAYING]
Hi.
I'm James from HubSpot.
And today I'm going to discuss the basics
of using Microsoft PowerPoint.
If you enjoy this video, don't forget
to like it and subscribe to our channel.
Post any questions or suggestions
you have in the comments below.
Let's get started.
Before we fully dive in, it's important to note
that these instructions will vary slightly
depending on the version of PowerPoint you're using
and whether you're on a Mac or a PC.
First things first, this is what you'll
see when you open up PowerPoint on your computer.
From here, you have a few options to get started.
Click Blank Presentation to create a presentation
from scratch.
This will create a completely blank slate.
So if you go this route, you'll have
to put more time and effort into designing your slides.
If you're a beginner and want to create a polished presentation
without needing to fuss about the design,
I recommend selecting one of the templates
available on the screen to get started.
Once you have a template you're satisfied with,
it's time to start adding your content.
The first function we'll look at is arguably the most important,
adding text.
If you're using a template, you'll
have premade text boxes already added to your slides
that make inserting text easy.
Just click within an existing text box and start typing.
To add effects to your text, change the color,
or alter the size, select the text
you want to change and then select
an option on the Home tab--
Font, Font Size, Bold, Italic, Underline, Color.
To create bulleted or numbered lists, select the text box
you want to add to your list, and then
select Bullets or Numbering.
Remember, if you'll be speaking throughout this presentation,
you don't need to add everything you plan to say in your slides.
Keep your text to a minimum and focus
on only representing the most important and impactful points
in your slides.
Another vital thing to keep in mind as you add your text
is legibility.
As you change your fonts and colors,
make sure the text of your presentation
can be read clearly.
Ask yourself, could someone in the back row of the room
read the text on the slide?
If the answer is probably not, make your text size larger
or consider choosing a color that
contrasts more with the background
color of your slides.
If you're using a premade template,
the text sizes and colors should already be legible.
Now let's take a look at adding pictures or charts
to your slides.
To add a picture, first select Insert.
From the menu that appears, select Picture.
Browse for the picture you want and then select Insert.
You can drag your picture at the edges to change the size
and click and drag the center of the picture
to move it around your slide.
To insert a chart or a shape, select Insert.
Then select Shapes, Smart Art, or Chart
from the menu that appears.
Now that you have the basics down
for adding content to your slides,
let's take a look at how to build out
the flow of your presentation.
To add a new slide on the Home tab,
click the arrow next to New Slide.
Next, click the layout you want to use for your new slide.
The layout is different than the template you selected earlier.
Layout refers to the way text and headlines
are arranged on the slide.
And template refers to the design elements of your slide,
like the background color and fonts.
Once your new slide is inserted, you
can simply click inside a placeholder
to begin adding content.
As you build your presentation, you
will probably need to rearrange or remove slides at some point.
Luckily, it's a pretty intuitive process,
to rearrange the order of slides,
in the area on the left where all your slides are displayed,
click the thumbnail of the slide that you want to move
and then drag it to the new location.
To remove a slide, in the pane on the left, control click
or right click the slide thumbnail
that you want to delete, and then click Delete Slide.
You can also duplicate a slide if you
plan to use a similar format for multiple slides.
In the pane on the left, control click or right click
the slide thumbnail that you want to duplicate and then
click Duplicate Slide.
As your presentation starts to come together,
it's time to think about adding in slide transitions.
Slide transitions are animations that
occur between your slides that help make your presentation
look professional and cohesive.
First, select the slide you want to add a transition to.
Next, select the Transitions tab.
And choose from the list of transition animations
that shows up.
Click Transitions then Effect Options to change
how the transition will look.
Each transition will present you with different options,
like which side of the slide a transition should begin on.
Enter a time at duration to set the speed of the transition.
To make the transition go faster, enter a shorter time.
To slow it down, enter a longer time.
Once you've decided on your options and speed,
click Preview to see what the transition looks like.
If you plan to use the same transition between all
your slides, click Apply To All in the options area.
And there you have it.
Those are the basic elements of a PowerPoint presentation.
Looking for even more help with your visual content strategy?
Click the link above to learn more.
Thanks for watching.
If you enjoyed this video, be sure to like it and subscribe.
Let me know how you're doing in the comments below.