Creating Captivating Slideshows: 6 PDF To PowerPoint Tips
Using PDFs for Presentations: 6 Tips for a Captivating Slideshow
Are you an experienced PowerPoint user? Or are you a student trying to develop a course project? Well, that doesn't matter. With this article, you will learn how to improve a presentation with something you wouldn’t expect — PDF files. Converting PDF to PowerPoint is just one of the ways you can engage more readers, emphasize necessary points, and increase the credibility of your work.
Although PDF has been around for a while, it remains a widely used and versatile format. Moreover, it evolves and acquires new features. Compatibility with various devices and the ability to be incorporated into presentations make it indispensable for solving business and educational tasks.
So, let's discuss the art of creating captivating slideshows with PDFs. Below, you'll find out why you should insert PDF into PowerPoint for better results. Moreover, there will be clear and straightforward tips to make your slides shine.
Why use PDFs in presentations
For most people, creating a decent presentation implies selecting an appropriate PowerPoint template and pasting the text. This approach may work if you are a high school student. But if you want to generate leads, sell the company's products, or pitch your startup, you need to think twice.
Here, the "good enough" principle is not relevant. Modern presentations should look excellent and be unique. At the same time, they must be consistent in terms of content and formatting. PDFs can help you add both meanings and visuals. How? Let’s see.
Tip 1. Reference your source
The purpose of the presentation is to convey the message briefly but informatively. No one is going to read a wall of text on your slide. But you cannot put some funny quotes or facts without explanations either. The audience needs to know that every word is backed by research, scientific data, credible statistics, etc.
This is where PDFs can come in handy. You may add either links to sources or paste the entire fragments of PDF files. While it’s true that not every audience member may read these details thoroughly, including these authoritative references will still enhance the perceived value and reliability of your content.
Tip 2. Provide additional information
There are two types of PowerPoint presentations: the ones used to accompany a speech, and the ones intended for reading. The latter are often used for internal communication within a company or sharing some concepts with a large group of people. The recipients will not just skim your file but study it properly.
In this case, you can add PDF to PowerPoint in sections or in full to give readers the necessary context. The Portable Document Format files can be added as screenshots or converted directly to PPT or PPTX.
Tip 3. Add stats and infographics
A huge amount of world statistics is stored in PDF files. Most reports of international organizations are generated in this format. For impactful data visualizations and readily formatted statistics, leveraging charts, graphs, and diagrams from PDFs can be a very convenient choice.
Although PowerPoint allows you to build diagrams from scratch, it will take much longer. Moreover, even experienced PowerPoint users find it difficult to create a state-of-the-art infographic using the program's core features.
Tips on how to make your slides better with PDFs
In the previous section, we focused on how to make the content of your slides better with PDFs. Now, let's look at the visual part of your presentation.
People often ask how to convert PDF to PPT, especially when integrating existing PDF content into their presentations. If you're fortunate enough to find a PDF that aligns well with the style you’re going for, this task becomes significantly easier. However, more often than not, you may find yourself needing to extract specific details from various files or even start your presentation from the ground up. Here are some key aspects to consider in these situations:
Tip 4. Watch your style
Fonts and indents are part of your presentation design. They should be considered as carefully as other visual objects. Thanks to advanced modern tools, you can convert PDF to PowerPoint while preserving the formatting. But to make sure all fonts are displayed properly on your device, make sure you have them installed.
Most probably, you'll have to adjust text fragments and subheadings in the PPT file. When doing this, give enough room for your words and lines, and don’t overcrowd your slides with text. The original PDF can be a great source of style inspiration.
Tip 5. Add images
You can find more enticing pictures in PDF sources than in a regular Google Photos search. To add them to your presentation, you can cut them from an original file or convert them to the format you need.
Images have two purposes. First, they serve as visual breaks between text chunks, meaning pictures and photos should be distributed evenly throughout your work. Secondly, images support your meanings and amplify the emotional part of your words. So, only add them when they are truly essential and consistent.
Tip 6. Make it interactive
Modern PDFs offer plenty of features. They can contain audio, video, links, buttons, and many other elements, which can be easily transferred to your presentation with an online or installed converter. Make sure that the interactivity doesn’t replace the message you want to convey. Every object should add value to the entire document and create a synergy with each other.
Conclusion
The Portable Document Format is still fresh and handy despite its 30-year history. No doubt, you may benefit from PDFs when creating your slideshow. Great slides should clearly express a certain message and be easy for the audience to digest. PDF files are a great source of credible references, additional information, and statistics. They can also enhance the design of your PowerPoint file. So, as you already know how to insert PDF into PowerPoint, follow our tips and make your presentation enticing and effective!
