TEDx Presentation Design Tips

If you’re designing a TEDx presentation, first of all, congrats! You’re joining an elite group of some of the world’s very best presenters.

However, joining such an elite group also means you need to be on par with the quality standards expected of TEDx presentations. That means saying goodbye to templates, bullet points, and other generic tools and inviting more customization, enthusiasm, and innovation into your presentation arsenal.

If you’re ready to create a killer TEDx presentation that stands out from the pack, then be sure to incorporate the following tips into your presentation prep.

Say It in a Sentence
If you’re passionate about a particular topic, it’s easy to want to say everything you know about it, but if you try to say too much, it’ll result in a confusing and convoluted talk.

One of the reasons TEDx talks are so great is that they’re clear and concise, never making the audience guess what the main message is. If you’re struggling to hone in on your primary message, then work to say it in one single sentence. If you can’t do that, it’s a surefire sign that you’re trying to say too much, so edit down your content until you can.

Support Your Message With Graphs and Charts
According to a study from Cornell University, 97% of people believe a claim if it’s backed by a graph or chart compared to only 68% who believe it if it’s not.

In other words, if you want people to believe in your idea, then be sure to back it up with facts and figures using compelling graphs, charts, and other data visualizations. But remember: the operative word here is compelling. Don’t let these images be an afterthought; to be most effective, they need to be thoughtful and beautifully designed.

Keep it So Simple
With technology being more powerful than ever, it’s all too tempting to include a wide range of animations, beautifully-detailed photos, and complicated charts in your presentation. In a word, don’t.

These detailed images and complex charts might look great up close, but from the perspective of your audience, they’ll look blurry and confusing. Instead, focus on clean lines, simple images, and just a few colors throughout your presentation to ensure it looks cohesive, polished, and professional.

One Idea Per Slide
In addition to keeping your imagery simple, you should keep your slides simple as well. That means taking care not to include too much information on any single slide.

As a general rule, you should stick to one idea per slide. If you worry that this will result in too many slides, don’t. Your audience doesn’t care how many slides you have; they just care that your talk is compelling. If you’re breezing through each slide, then your talk will be much more engaging than if you only have a handful of slides but it takes forever to get from slide to slide.

Add Images Wherever Possible
The human brain processes information from visuals faster than text alone. Therefore, do you and your message a favor by incorporating them wherever you can.

Nearly all ideas and statements can be converted to visuals in some way. For example, rather discuss a study about bike riding, show someone riding a bike. And instead of talking about watching a movie, display an image of someone enjoying popcorn at a movie theater. Not only does this make it easier for your audience to process your information, but it also makes your overall presentation more interesting and entertaining.

Looking for more hands-on help with presentation design? Then check out Ethos3’s presentation design services.

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