interactive presentation ppt

How to Make an Interactive PowerPoint Presentation: An Expert Guide (Free Downloadable Playbook)

Zhun Yee Chew

Are your PowerPoint presentations lacking impact and failing to engage your audience? You’re not alone. I experienced that before. I used to spend hours carefully crafting the perfect PowerPoint presentations only to be met with disinterested faces.

In a world where attention spans are getting shorter, traditional PowerPoint presentations often struggle to hold the interest of the audience. So here’s the hard truth: unless you adapt and embrace interactivity in your PowerPoint presentations, your valuable hard work and content run the risk of getting lost in presentations.

Fret not, as in this comprehensive guide, we will share with you expert tips on how to make an interactive PowerPoint presentation through interactive animations, transitions, hyperlinks, quizzes, games, and many more.

And perhaps the sweetest part of the deal is that you will also have access to a downloadable playbook of 60+ pages with a wealth of tutorials, templates, cheat sheets, resources and tools to elevate your PowerPoint skills from average to extraordinary through interactive PowerPoint presentations.

Are you prepared to impress those who once found your presentation dull? If your answer is a resounding ‘yes,’ then let’s begin.

What is an Interactive Presentation?

What is an interactive powerpoint presentation.

Interactive PowerPoint presentations are simply PowerPoint presentations that are made interactive to convey information in a more dynamic and engaging manner.

Creating an interactive PowerPoint presentation involves deciding if you want to make your slide content interactive or if you want your audience to interact with your slides. 

Interactive PowerPoint presentations can generally be divided into two main dimensions: interaction with slide content through interactive elements and fostering interaction with the audience.

Interaction with Slide Content:

In the first dimension, PowerPoint presentations are made interactive through enhancing the slides content with interactive elements, usually native to PowerPoint. 

We will cover interactive elements including:

• Transitions
• Interactive data visualization
• Annotations. 

They function to enhance slide interactivity through adding movement to static objects, enabling non-linear slides navigation, as well as adding a dynamic touch to data and information presentation. 

Audience Interaction:

In the second dimension, PowerPoint presentations are made interactive through interaction between the presenter and the audience, usually with the help of PowerPoint add-in tools. We will cover: 

• Assessments
• Brainstorming
• Collaborative multimedia uploading

Once you have decided which strategy you would like to use, you can then follow  these step-by-step guide  and the following expert tips to turn your PowerPoint slides into an interactive experience!

Benefits of an Interactive Presentation

The fact that you are still reading this suggests that you don’t need further convincing on the benefits of interactive PowerPoint presentations. 

However, if you do, here are some quick statistics:

68% of individuals hold the belief that interactive presentations have a greater potential for being remembered. Webinar Care

This means that a simple action of making your PowerPoint slides interactive has a profound impact on how your presentation is received by the audience. From our years of experience creating interactive PowerPoint presentations, they generally: 

• Increases  engagement , motivation and knowledge  retention . 
• Result in better  impression  and more impactful messaging being conveyed.
• Allow presenters to better tailor their content or offerings to the audience or clients because they can gather  real-time feedback .
• Open up room for  creative   storytelling  and showcases.

Interactive Puzzle PowerPoint Templates

Master the tricks to turn your PowerPoint into an interactive experience today!

Expert Tips on How to Make an Interactive PowerPoint Presentation – Before Presenting

1. add animations, but use them judiciously.

The first and most straightforward way of making your PowerPoint presentations interactive is through adding animations to your slides. However, so many people use PowerPoint animations the wrong way. PowerPoint animations are more than just making bullet points or images appear or fly in during your presentation.

Remember, using animations excessively in your PowerPoint presentation will only reduce the appeal and professionalism of your slides. The key is to use them judiciously and purposefully. Before you hit the “Animations” tab, ask yourself, “Does this animation enhance the message I want to convey to my audience?”  

2. Add 3D PowerPoint Animations Using PowerPoint Native 3D Stock Elements

Did you know that PowerPoint has free animated 3D elements you can use? We recommend you to try them up to instantly upgrade your presentation from ordinary to extraordinary. 

❓ How?  Simply go to Insert > 3D models > stock 3D models > animated models. And you will find a wide range of free 3D models ranging from food and animals to plants and characters, and many more. You can also select different animation scenes by heading to the Animations tab.

3. Add Animations With Triggers for Visual Excitement

You can take your PowerPoint animations up a notch by incorporating combining animations with triggers to create interactive pop-ups with extra information . These on-click pop-ups are valuable when presenting a map or when you want to explore specific aspects of an object or topic in more detail. You can also use these pop-ups as markers to alert the audience to exciting elements within different parts of the slide, as such: 

❓How? To create on-click pop-ups in your PowerPoint slides, first add shapes that will become clickable buttons, one to “open” the pop-up and the other to “close” the pop-up. Then, add text boxes with extra information you want to show, as well as entrance and exit animations. Combine the animations with “triggers” to activate the animations when the open or close buttons are clicked on. 

For a more detailed tutorial on this pop-up animation, download our Interactive PowerPoint Playbook  below. 👇

4. add non-linear slide transition.

A quick way to add interactivity to your PowerPoint slides is by using PowerPoint transitions. The first we want to discuss is PowerPoint Zoom. PowerPoint Zoom enables you to zoom in and out of and navigate to specific sections or slides on click, anytime during your presentation.

To  access the PowerPoint Zoom feature : click on Insert in the  PowerPoint ribbon  >  Zoom  > then choose  Slide ,  Section , or  Summary   Zoom . Each of these PowerPoint Zoom option serves slightly different functions:

• Slide Zoom: zooms into specific slides
• Section zoom: zooms into specific sections
• Summary Zoom: creates a summary slide for the different slides or sections in your PowerPoint presentation for easy navigation.

❓ How? To  set up PowerPoint slide zoom , select the starting slide where you wish to implement the Zoom effect. Next, click  Insert  >  Zoom  >  Slide Zoom . Here, you can pick the specific slide or slides you want to zoom in on. Click the Insert button, and thumbnails of the chosen slides will be added to your current slide.

Alternatively, for a more manual setup process, you can also set up a navigation menu at the beginning of your presentation that allows the audience to jump to different sections or slides using hyperlinks.  Read more in the Hyperlinks section below. 

5. Add PowerPoint Morph

Like PowerPoint Zoom, PowerPoint Morph empowers presenters to create dynamic transitions that elevate the visual storytelling in their presentations. But PowerPoint Morph brings storytelling to a whole new level and adds a layer of intrigue to your slides by simulating object transitions or evolution across slides. It functions similarly to animations but offers a smoother and more organic visual experience, without the need for complex setup steps. 

Personally, we think the outcomes generated by PowerPoint Morph are more professional and polished-looking as compared to traditional animations. And if you are looking for a more advanced-looking presentation, try this 3D morph animation In PowerPoint .

We’d also like to share with you the numerous applications of PowerPoint Morph contributed by our colleagues and PowerPoint professionals at ClassPoint:

• Moving background
• Rotating wheel
• Rotating cogs
• Photo gallery
• Slide Zoom with Morph
• Creative reveal
• Parallax effect
• Continuous slide transition
• Phone frame
• Movie frame

Gain access to free templates for all these PowerPoint Morph applications and effects by downloading our Interactive PowerPoint Playbook. 👇

6. add hyperlinks – they can link to so many more places than just websites.

Much like PowerPoint Zoom, hyperlinks enable presenters to create interactive menus and navigation structures, allowing audiences to jump to specific slides or sections effortlessly. However, while PowerPoint Zoom primarily focuses on creating a visual and interactive overview of content within a single presentation, hyperlinks extend this capability to connect with external resources, web content, or even additional PowerPoint files. 

There are a few ways you could add hyperlinks to your PowerPoint presentation to transform  it into an interactive experience effortlessly: 

4 Ways You Can Add Hyperlinks to PowerPoint: 

• Slide Transition : You can navigate to specific slides in a non-linear manner by simply inserting a hyperlink into your current slide. Head over to Insert > Link > This Document and select the slide you want to link to. You can apply hyperlinks to text, shapes, or pictures. 

• Interactive Navigation Menu : Adding an interactive navigation menu at the beginning of your presentation allows clear navigation between different slides and sections in your presentation. Head over to Insert > Link > This Document and select the slides you want to link to.

• Action Buttons : With hyperlinks, you can also create Action Buttons in your PowerPoint presentations to make your PowerPoint slides behave like interactive web pages, allowing users to navigate, explore, and engage with the content in a dynamic and user-friendly manner. Head over to Insert > Action Buttons and choose from the selection.

• Embedded Content : You can also hyperlink your PowerPoint slides to embedded content like PDFs, spreadsheets, and even web pages. Simply click Insert > Object and select the file you would like to embed in your PowerPoint slides. This way, you can remove the hassle of toggling between various files or windows during your presentation.

Expert Tips on How to Make an Interactive PowerPoint Presentation – When Presenting

1. turn your powerpoint slides into interactive quizzes.

The traditional way to add interactive quizzes to PowerPoint is through an unfavorable process of combining complex animations with triggers and hyperlinks. Let’s be honest, it takes an eternity! Even though PowerPoint offers an extensive range of presentation tools, it does not have audience interactivity built at its core. 

The good news is, audience interactivity can actually be effortlessly achieved with the various PowerPoint add-ins as listed below: 

We will get to polls and games in a bit. For now, let’s show you how you can turn your PowerPoint slides into an interactive quiz in a just a few clicks with PowerPoint add-ins like  ClassPoint , which offers a wide range of interactive quizzes from  Short Answer  and  Word Cloud , to Multiple Choice questions.

How to Create An Interactive Quiz in PowerPoint In A Few Clicks

Once you have downloaded ClassPoint, you will have a suite of additional interactive quiz features added to your PowerPoint ribbon. 

To turn  your PowerPoint slide  content into interactive  quizzes, simply  click on any of the interactive quiz features and add them to your slide. Enter PowerPoint Slideshow mode and you can start the quiz immediately. 

2. Run Gradable Assessments inside PowerPoint

With the versatile PowerPoint add-in,  ClassPoint , you can also create assessments and collect real-time responses right inside PowerPoint. This is wonderful news for teachers! All you have to do is set up  interactive Multiple Choice questions  and enable  Quiz Mode . 

ClassPoint’s Quiz Mode introduces an  automatic grading  feature to your Multiple Choice questions within PowerPoint presentations created with ClassPoint. This feature not only automates the grading process but also includes automatic star ratings, the option to select difficulty levels, and provides a quiz summary along with an exportable quiz report, making it the perfect tool for classroom formative assessments in PowerPoint!

3. Incorporate Annotations During Slideshow

Another unique way to interact with your PowerPoint slides is through the use of annotations. With annotations, you as the presenter can interact with your slides to draw your audience’s attention to specific details, highlight key points, and tell a more coherent story. 

There are 3 ways you could use annotations in PowerPoint: 

• PowerPoint Draw Tab:  To utilize the PowerPoint Draw Tab, click on the “Draw” tab in your PowerPoint ribbon and begin annotating anywhere on your slides using built-in features like the pen, highlighter, and Ink to Shape. However, please note that PowerPoint Draw only allows annotation in Edit mode.

• PowerPoint Pen Tools:  Another option for native PowerPoint annotation tools that permit annotation during slideshow mode can be found by clicking the pencil icon located in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen during a presentation. You can use the pen, highlighter, or laser tools to annotate any part of your slides during the presentation.

• ClassPoint  Toolbar:  The ClassPoint toolbar serves as an enhanced, free alternative to PowerPoint’s existing pen tools. It offers a broader range of additional annotation features, including text boxes, shapes, spotlight effects, fully customizable pens and highlighters, and more. This enables you to transform your PowerPoint slides into a creative canvas that will captivate your audience throughout your presentation.

4. Run Ice Breakers and Brainstorming Sessions in PowerPoint

The uses of interactive PowerPoint add-ins like  ClassPoint  are not only limited to teaching and learning. Give your PowerPoint meetings and presentations a strong start with a collaborative and dynamic brainstorming experience.

You can enhance your PowerPoint presentations and turn them into an interactive brainstorming experience by incorporating  Word Cloud  in PowerPoint, inviting participants to instantly contribute ideas, keywords, or concepts. This allows everyone to dynamically visualize emerging trends and interesting ideas.

❓ How? To start a brainstorming session in PowerPoint, click on the “Word Cloud”  button in your PowerPoint ribbon once you have downloaded ClassPoint to add the “Word Cloud” feature in your PowerPoint slides. Then enter PowerPoint slideshow mode to start brainstorming! 

5. Add Draggable Slide Objects (And Why It’s Better than Animations!)

Similar to animations, draggable objects allow you to interact with your slide objects freely during slideshow mode, except than you can do so with full control of where you want the slide elements to go!

This dynamic presentation feature adds an element of visual interest that captures your audience’s attention and can be a valuable tool for explaining complex ideas. Moreover, it has the potential to serve various purposes, such as revealing hidden information or acting as a movable marker to indicate your position on the slide content. You can also use it for group drag-and-drop activities, such as matching, categorizing, sorting, and more. You can either perform these actions yourself to provide a visual explanation or engage your audience by letting them instruct the movement of images and text on the slide.

❓ How? Draggable objects is a unique tool that is possible inside PowerPoint with the use of the add-in ClassPoint. Download ClassPoint, free PowerPoint add-in, the select any shape, image, illustration, or text on your slide to become draggable by clicking on “Draggable Objects” in your PowerPoint ribbon, and toggling “Drag enabled” on the side panel.

In slideshow mode, click on the draggable objects hand from the ClassPoint toolbar at the bottom of your screen to start dragging your slide objects around!

6. Create Playable Games In PowerPoint (Without Animations or Hyperlinks)

Much like interactive quizzes, PowerPoint games add a layer of interactivity and fun to PowerPoint presentations. However, what sets PowerPoint games apart is their ability to introduce competition through gamification. 

Here are  3 ways  you can instantly gamify your PowerPoint slides with  gamification elements :

• Set Up a Point and Reward System : Define how your participants can earn stars and points, and  award stars  to them when they have accomplished a goal during your presentation. 
• Add  Levels and Badges  to PowerPoint : Every game benefits from having levels and badges, and your PowerPoint game is no exception. You can create a simple game within PowerPoint by incorporating  questions  into your slides and defining the points and scores needed to progress to higher levels. When it comes to badges, you have the creative freedom to tailor them to your audience. For example, in an educational setting, badges can be skill-focused, while in a social gathering, they can take the form of fantasy characters that participants aspire to collect
• Add a  Leaderboard  to PowerPoint : Leaderboards are essential to keep track of scores or points during a PowerPoint game. You can of course create a manual leaderboard using PowerPoint’s tables and hyperlinks, but an easier and more straightforward way of implementing a leaderboard in your PowerPoint is using add-ins like  ClassPoint  and  Vevox .

With these fundamentals of gamification in place, you are now ready to create fun and exhilarating games in PowerPoint. 

Here is a full walk-through on  how you can create a PowerPoint game  in a few simple steps. 

If you are an educator, this  free trivia PowerPoint template and these 5 interactive PowerPoint game templates tailored for the classroom will be useful for you.

Expert Tips on How to Make an Interactive PowerPoint Presentation – After Presenting

1. run real-time polls in powerpoint.

Think of a memorable presentation you have attended? Did it use live polls? We bet it did! Live polling are especially helpful after a PowerPoint presentation to gather feedback for future improvement.

Traditional poll tools require presenters to switch between tabs during presentation. Thanks to PowerPoint add-ins such as  ClassPoint ,  Mentimeter  and  Poll Everywhere , this is no longer the case. And by eliminating the need to switch between different applications or tabs, the presentation experience becomes more fluid and engaging.

2. From Static to Interactive Data Visualisation

Incorporating interactivity through data visualization after a presentation concludes is a potent strategy for enhancing audience engagement and comprehension. Once the primary content delivery is complete, you can transition into a dynamic display of data or feedback you have gathered from your audience using interactive charts, graphs, or infographics.

This approach empowers your audience to explore the information at their own pace, dig deeper into specific data points, and ensure a two-way communication between the presenter and the audience. Whether it’s zooming in on specific trends, toggling between different data sets, or going through feedback, interactive data visualization encourages active participation and a deeper connection with the presented information. 

We recommend the following 2 ways to display data into your presentation:

• Insert tables, charts and graphs, and add a touch of interactivity through animations.

Below is a list of 10 PowerPoint animations most suitable for different kinds of graphs and charts: 

• Embed a website with data you want to go over. I’m not talking about a link that leaves PowerPoint for your default browser, but an actual embedded browser that loads your websites without leaving PowerPoint! Plus you can insert the page as a picture into your slide and start annotating on it!

Now that you have a collection of strategies and tips at your disposal, you are better prepared to leave your old and dusty PowerPoint toolkit behind and embrace these refreshing ideas. Whether your ultimate aim is to create a captivating classroom experience, deliver a memorable business pitch, or simply wow your friends and peers during  PowerPoint nights , don’t forget to: 

• Add animations, but use them sparingly.
• Make use of non-linear transitions and storytelling. 
• Turn simple transitions into stunning visual experience with PowerPoint Morph.
• Make creative use of polls, quizzes and games. 
• Make your presentation human with Bitmoji.
• Build anticipation with interactive presentation tools like annotations and drag and drop.
• Try out these 160 fun PowerPoint ideas for your next presentation!

To read more about Interactive PowerPoint Presentations, you can download our Interactive PowerPoint Playbook, which includes comprehensive guides, tutorials on various interactive PowerPoint presentation methods, cheat sheets, and a wide range of resources for mastering the art of creating interactive PowerPoint presentations.

About Zhun Yee Chew

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The benefits of interactive slides

🗣️ Active participation An interactive slide deck gives your audience cool things to click on and discover, boosting learning and engagement.

👂 Multi-sensory experience Audio, video, animations, and mouse interactions make your content immersive, entertaining and accessible.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 People-friendly format Pop-ups and embeds condense more material into fewer slides so you can break information down into digestible chunks.


🎮 Gamification Games, quizzes and puzzles make information more memorable and enable you to gather feedback and check understanding.

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How do I make a presentation interactive and how does Genially work? Find the answers to all of your slide-related questions here!

What’s an interactive presentation?

Interactive slides contain clickable hotspots, links, buttons, and animations that are activated at the touch of a button. Instead of reading or watching passively, your audience can actively interact with the content.  

Genially’s interaction presentation software allows you to combine text, photos, video clips, audio and other content in one deck. It’s a great way to condense more information into fewer slides. 

If you’re a teacher, you can share multiple materials in one single learning resource. Students can create their own projects using digital media and online maps. For business or training, try embedding spreadsheet data, PDFs, and online content directly in your slides. 

An interactive slide deck is more user-friendly than a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation or Google Slides document. That’s because you can break information down into chunks with pop-ups, labels, voiceovers and annotated infographics.  

The other benefit of interactive content is increased engagement. It’s easier to keep your audience’s attention when they’re actively participating. Try Genially’s presentation software and free slideshow maker to see how it’s better than other presentation websites. You won’t go back to standard presentation apps!

How do you make a clickable slide?

The best way to make slides clickable is to use Genially’s free interactive presentation program. Design your slide then apply an interaction. In a couple of clicks, you can add popup windows, hyperlinks, close-up images, games, animations, multimedia and other content. 

Choose from the library of hotspot buttons and icons to show people what to click on. Go to Presenter View to get a preview and see how your content will appear to your audience.

How do I create presentations that look professional?

You’ve got a deadline looming and you’re staring at the screen with a blank presentation. We’ve all been there! Starting a presentation design from scratch is tricky, especially if you’re short on time. 

Genially’s free online presentation maker has over 2000 ready-to-use templates for professional slide presentations, photos slideshows, and more. Each slide design has been created by our team of top graphic designers. No need to worry about fonts, centering images, or designing a matching color scheme. It’s all done for you. 

Start by browsing our layouts and themes for education, business and then customize with your own text and images.

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Because Genially is a cloud based presentation software, you can simply share the link to your slides. Like other online presentation tools, there are no files to download or store on your computer. Everything is saved online.  

When you publish your slide deck, it gets its own unique url, just like a website. Share the link with others to let them explore the content in their own time. If you’re presenting live, just click the Present button. 

You can also embed your presentation on your website, company wiki, or social media. Genially is compatible with WordPress, Moodle, Google Classroom, and other platforms. If you use an LMS, you can also download your interactive design slides in SCORM format.

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How-To Geek

6 ways to create more interactive powerpoint presentations.

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Quick Links

• Add a QR code
• Embed Microsoft Forms (Education or Business Only)
• Embed a Live Web Page
• Add Links and Menus
• Add Clickable Images to Give More Info
• Add a Countdown Timer

We've all been to a presentation where the speaker bores you to death with a mundane PowerPoint presentation. Actually, the speaker could have kept you much more engaged by adding some interactive features to their slideshow. Let's look into some of these options.

1. Add a QR code

Adding a QR code can be particularly useful if you want to direct your audience to an online form, website, or video.

Some websites have in-built ways to create a QR code. For example, on Microsoft Forms , when you click "Collect Responses," you'll see the QR code option via the icon highlighted in the screenshot below. You can either right-click the QR code to copy and paste it into your presentation, or click "Download" to add it to your device gallery to insert the QR code as a picture.

In fact, you can easily add a QR code to take your viewer to any website. On Microsoft Edge, right-click anywhere on a web page where there isn't already a link, and left-click "Create QR Code For This Page."

You can also create QR codes in other browsers, such as Chrome.

You can then copy or download the QR code to use wherever you like in your presentation.

2. Embed Microsoft Forms (Education or Business Only)

If you plan to send your PPT presentation to others—for example, if you're a trainer sending step-by-step instruction presentation, a teacher sending an independent learning task to your students, or a campaigner for your local councilor sending a persuasive PPT to constituents—you might want to embed a quiz, questionnaire, pole, or feedback survey in your presentation.

In PowerPoint, open the "Insert" tab on the ribbon, and in the Forms group, click "Forms". If you cannot see this option, you can add new buttons to the ribbon .

As at April 2024, this feature is only available for those using their work or school account. We're using a Microsoft 365 Personal account in the screenshot below, which is why the Forms icon is grayed out.

Then, a sidebar will appear on the right-hand side of your screen, where you can either choose a form you have already created or opt to craft a new form.

Now, you can share your PPT presentation with others , who can click the fields and submit their responses when they view the presentation.

3. Embed a Live Web Page

You could always screenshot a web page and paste that into your PPT, but that's not a very interactive addition to your presentation. Instead, you can embed a live web page into your PPT so that people with access to your presentation can interact actively with its contents.

To do this, we will need to add an add-in to our PPT account .

Add-ins are not always reliable or secure. Before installing an add-in to your Microsoft account, check that the author is a reputable company, and type the add-in's name into a search engine to read reviews and other users' experiences.

To embed a web page, add the Web Viewer add-in ( this is an add-in created by Microsoft ).

Go to the relevant slide and open the Web Viewer add-in. Then, copy and paste the secure URL into the field box, and remove https:// from the start of the address. In our example, we will add a selector wheel to our slide. Click "Preview" to see a sample of the web page's appearance in your presentation.

This is how ours will look.

When you or someone with access to your presentation views the slideshow, this web page will be live and interactive.

4. Add Links and Menus

As well as moving from one slide to the next through a keyboard action or mouse click, you can create links within your presentation to direct the audience to specific locations.

To create a link, right-click the outline of the clickable object, and click "Link."

In the Insert Hyperlink dialog box, click "Place In This Document," choose the landing destination, and click "OK."

What's more, to make it clear that an object is clickable, you can use action buttons. Open the "Insert" tab on the ribbon, click "Shape," and then choose an appropriate action button. Usefully, PPT will automatically prompt you to add a link to these shapes.

You might also want a menu that displays on every slide. Once you have created the menu, add the links using the method outlined above. Then, select all the items, press Ctrl+C (copy), and then use Ctrl+V to paste them in your other slides.

5. Add Clickable Images to Give More Info

Through PowerPoint's animations, you can give your viewer the power to choose what they see and when they see it. This works nicely whether you're planning to send your presentation to others to run through independently or whether you're presenting in front of a group and want your audience to decide which action they want to take.

Start by creating the objects that will be clickable (trigger) and the items that will appear (pop-up).

Then, select all the pop-ups together. When you click "Animations" on the ribbon and choose an appropriate animation for the effect you want to achieve, this will be applied to all objects you have selected.

The next step is to rename the triggers in your presentation. To do this, open the "Home" tab, and in the Editing group, click "Select", and then "Selection Pane."

With the Selection Pane open, select each trigger on your slide individually, and rename them in the Selection Pane, so that they can be easily linked to in the next step.

Finally, go back to the first pop-up. Open the "Animations" tab, and in the Advanced Animation group, click the "Trigger" drop-down arrow. Then, you can set the item to appear when a trigger is clicked in your presentation.

If you want your item to disappear when the trigger is clicked again, select the pop-up, click "Add Animation" in the Advanced Animation group, choose an Exit animation, and follow the same step to link that animation to the trigger button.

6. Add a Countdown Timer

A great way to get your audience to engage with your PPT presentation is to keep them on edge by adding a countdown timer. Whether you're leading a presentation and want to let your audience stop to discuss a topic, or running an online quiz with time-limit questions, having a countdown timer means your audience will keep their eye on your slide throughout.

To do this, you need to animate text boxes or shapes containing your countdown numbers. Choose and format a shape and type the highest number that your countdown clock will need. In our case, we're creating a 10-second timer.

Now, with your shape selected, open the "Animations" tab on the ribbon and click the animation drop-down arrow. Then, in the Exit menu, click "Disappear."

Open the Animation Pane, and click the drop-down arrow next to the animation you've just added. From there, choose "Timing."

Make sure "On Click" is selected in the Start menu, and change the Delay option to "1 second," before clicking "OK."

Then, with this shape still selected, press Ctrl+C (copy), and then Ctrl+V (paste). In the second box, type 9 . With the Animation Pane still open and this second shape selected, click the drop-down arrow and choose "Timing" again. Change the Start option to "After Previous," and make sure the Delay option is 1 second. Then, click "OK."

We can now use this second shape as our template, as when we copy and paste it again, the animations will also duplicate. With this second shape selected, press Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V, type 8 into the box, and continue to do the same until you get to 0 .

Next, remove the animations from the "0" box, as you don't want this to disappear. To do this, click the shape, and in the Animation Pane drop-down, click "Remove."

You now need to layer them in order. Right-click the box containing number 1, and click "Bring To Front." You will now see that box on the top. Do the same with the other numbers in ascending order.

Finally, you need to align the objects together. Click anywhere on your slide and press Ctrl+A. Then, in the Home tab on the ribbon, click "Arrange." First click "Align Center," and then bring the menu up again, so that you can click "Align Middle."

Press Ctrl+A again to select your timer, and you can then move your timer or copy and paste it elsewhere.

Press F5 to see the presentation in action, and when you get to the slide containing the timer, click anywhere on the slide to see your countdown timer in action!

Now that your PPT presentation is more interactive, make sure you've avoided these eight common presentational mistakes before you present your slides.

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30+ Animated PowerPoint Templates (With Cool Interactive Slides for 2024)

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Your interactive PowerPoint PPT must carry your points to the audience. Whether it's to a small group or a large crowd at a conference, engagement is the key. Try adding cool PowerPoint animations for even more impact.

Each presentation section needs to capture your audience's attention. It helps to add a touch of motion, so your text and graphics come across to your viewers.

Use the right animated PowerPoint template , such as those from Envato Elements. You'll make an amazing animated PowerPoint presentation PPT . It will feel interactive and stylish—without overdoing it.

Let's look at some animated presentation examples! 

30 Top Animated PowerPoint Slideshow Templates (New From Envato Elements for 2024)

We made a selection of some of the best animated PowerPoint slideshow templates. All available on Envato Elements: 

1. Business Animate PowerPoint Presentation

This is an exciting animated PPT template for your next office presentation. Build flat animations that look like infographic videos with no extra apps required. Build all your cool PowerPoint animations with this template.

It's one of the top animated PowerPoint templates!

2. Dark Animated PowerPoint Template

Check out this dynamic PPT animation presentation. It's a sample PowerPoint animation example for multipurpose professional presentations. All elements included are animated smoothly.

This PowerPoint animation template features: 

• 60 animated slides
• unlimited color change
• 16:9 full HD widescreen
• all graphic are resizable and editable
• free fonts used

3. Animatic Creative Agency Moving PowerPoint

Looking for dynamic PowerPoint templates? Animatic is a cool and interactive PPT. All 36 moving slides are brought to life with cool PowerPoint animations.

It's easy to create animated slides template in PowerPoint. You won't need Photoshop or other image editors to customize this template. 

4. Realism Animated PowerPoint Template With Infographics

Want to create animated presentations with infographics? This dynamic PowerPoint template comes with a set of vector illustrations. You'll get 36 slides to add your dynamic content and impress your audience.

Animated PowerPoint templates for free won't offer this much quality.

5. Matrid Business - Animated PowerPoint Template

Matrid is one of the best animated presentation templates. This animated slides template can be used for many types of businesses.

Most dynamic PowerPoint presentations feature animations. Use this animated PPT template to animate your content in no time! Start working with a premium animated slides template like this one. 

6. Experience - Animated Slides Template

Looking for animated PPT template slides? This interactive PowerPoint slideshow template has a lot of pro benefits. It's got over 50+ cool slide designs, handmade infographics, and design layouts.

Use the interactive slide features to add cool, custom PowerPoint animations. This template beats any PowerPoint animations for free download you might find.

7. UNIGRAPH Animated PowerPoint Slides

UNIGRAPH is a template with cool PowerPoint animations. This animated slides template comes with vector elements and creative infographics. Drag and drop images to this interactive PowerPoint presentation template.

You'll also get a full user guide and video tutorial for support. It's one of the best animated PPT templates you'll find online.

8. Animated PowerPoint Infographics

Check out this animated PowerPoint presentation template. You can create animated presentations using a set of abstract infographic elements. Turn your content into timelines and cycle diagrams.

This animated PowerPoint presentation PPT comes with 12 fully animated slides. Choose between light or dark version. Animated PowerPoint templates for free can't beat this one.

9. Spooz - Creative Agency PowerPoint Animated Template

Spooz is a colorful animated PowerPoint template. It's a good choice for a creative agency. All elements in this PowerPoint animation template are editable.

You won't need another software to edit this animated PPT. This interactive PowerPoint template features 30 animated slides. Also choose between dark or light presentation slide background. 

10. Visiko - Animated PowerPoint Template

Visiko is a modern interactive PPT. It comes with five premade color variations. It's one of those interactive PowerPoint templates made for multipurpose presentations.

All elements in hre are editable. The interactive PowerPoint presentation template features:

• 150+ slides with cool PowerPoint transitions
• 5 premade colors
• section break animated slides
• handcrafted infographics
• pixel-perfect illustrations
• picture placeholders
• 5 interactive PPT files

An animated PowerPoint templates for free won't offer this much quality. 

11. Organic Life Animated PowerPoint Slides

Trying to create an organic life interactive PPT? Check out this template with green animated PowerPoint backgrounds. Animated PowerPoint templates like this one are ideal for ecological and organic presentations.

This download features 50 unique animated slides and five color schemes. Animated PowerPoint templates for free can be tempting. But nothing beats customization options this download offers. 

12. Vibes - Art Gallery Dynamic PowerPoint Presentation

Find cool transitions for PowerPoint with this download. Interactive PowerPoint templates like this one offer plenty of customization options. All elements are editable, from shapes to colors.

This animated PowerPoint features 30 animated slides. Choose from three premade color themes to design fun animated presentations. Start creating an interactive PPT.

13. Orange Animated PowerPoint Template

Looking for interactive slides templates? Check out this orange animated business presentation. All elements in animated slideshow templates are easy to edit.

You'll get 100 animated PowerPoint slides to add your content. Create the best animated presentation with this download! This dynamic PowerPoint presentation features:

• all graphics resizable and editable
• documentation PDF

You won't find this in most animated PPT templates for free download!

14. Night Animated PowerPoint Templates

An animated PowerPoint presentation offers multipurpose designs. Work with PowerPoint templates interactive to create dynamic PowerPoint slides.

You'll get 100 animated slides to add your content and images. Plus, all graphics featured are resizable and editable. Work with cool PowerPoint transitions to create the best animated presentation. 

15. Creative Project - Interactive PowerPoint Presentation Template

The best interactive PowerPoint presentations are easy to edit. Creative Project is one of the interactive PowerPoint templates worth checking out.

This template has plenty of professional presentation features like cool PowerPoint animations. It comes with handcrafted infographics and over 70+ unique animated slides. All to help you make a great interactive PowerPoint presentation with ease.

16. Kupat - Cool Animation PowerPoint PPT Template

Make a great interactive PowerPoint presentation with this download. Use this multipurpose set of motion slide designs. Make an animated business presentation in no time.

This animated PPT works in the creative industry, technology, or finance. All the animated slides include cool animations for PowerPoint.

17. Minimal Animated PowerPoint Slides

These dynamic PowerPoint slides include infographics to present your content. These PowerPoint animated slides come with thin line cycle elements for infographics.

You'll get 18 animated slides with this interactive PowerPoint template. All slides come with an animated presentation slide background available in 50 XML colors themes.

18. Strategic Roadmap Animated PowerPoint Templates

Create an animated PowerPoint presentation to present your strategic roadmap. Interactive PowerPoint templates like this are a great way to get started. The download includes 30 animated slides that you can edit and fill out with your content.

All vectors objects included are fully editable. Create a dynamic PowerPoint presentation with this easy to edit template. You won't get as many great features with animated PowerPoint templates for free.

19. Neuomorphic Animated PowerPoint Presentation

Looking for minimal animated PowerPoint backgrounds? Check out these neuomorphic interactive presentation templates.

These animated PowerPoint slides come with modern infographics. You'll get 18 animated slides to create the best interactive PowerPoint presentations. Get creative with these PowerPoint animated slides! 

20. Poly Animated PowerPoint Slides

Poly is one of the best animated presentation examples. It's an easy to edit animated business presentation template. All elements in this template are smoothly animated.

You'll get 60 animated slides to work with. Insert your content into this interactive PowerPoint template. Work with cool transitions for PowerPoint to create the best animated presentation! 

21. Artifex Animated PowerPoint Presentation Template

Work with one of the dynamic PowerPoint templates. This download helps you create a cool animated presentations . It also works if you're looking for PowerPoint video templates.

This download includes 50 animated slides. You'll also find isometric illustrations and maps. You're one step away from creating the best interactive PowerPoint presentations. 

22. Marketing Plan 2.0 Interactive PowerPoint Template

Present your next marketing plan with interactive PowerPoint templates like Marketing Plan 2.0. It comes with 30+ animated PowerPoint slides. Also includes 10 premade color themes for you to choose from.

Most premium interactive slides templates offer light or dark presentation slide background options. This one is no exception. Make the best PowerPoint animated slides for an animated business presentation.

23. SOKA - Dynamic PowerPoint Presentation

SOKA is one of the best interactive PowerPoint templates available. You'll get 65+ animated slides to add your content. These moving PowerPoint animated slides are created with a fresh and modern look.

Also included 100+ vectors and device mockups. It's a better choice than most animated PPT templates available for free download. Start working with these dynamic PowerPoint slides! 

24. BAZZ Interactive PowerPoint Presentation Template

BAZZ is one of the best animated presentation examples you'll find online. It comes with cool transitions for PowerPoint to present your content. You'll get over 100 animated slides with infographics and cool photo layouts.

Upgrade from animated PowerPoint templates for free. BAZZ is easy to edit and ready to create the best interactive PowerPoint presentations.

25. Zappier - Multipurpose Interactive PowerPoint Template

Get started with interactive presentation templates like this one. Add your content into these modern PowerPoint animated slides. It's an interactive PPT suitable for finance, pitch decks or business plans.

All elements are editable, from shapes to colors. This download features 30 unique animated PowerPoint slides. Choose from three premade color themes and add images into placeholders. 

26. Flowcharts Animated PowerPoint Presentation

Create a business interactive PPT with cool transitions for PowerPoint. This template is a great way to get started. You'll get a moving PowerPoint with 20 animated slides.

Work with one of the best interactive PowerPoint templates. Show your process with illustrations and PowerPoint moving slides. Plus, all objects are PowerPoint vector shapes you can edit. 

27. Arrow Diagrams Animated PowerPoint Presentation

What's better than PowerPoint templates interactive arrow diagrams? Make the best animated presentation with this template. You'll get impressive charts and visuals to present marketing concepts.

Work with 50 PowerPoint animated slides designed by professionals. All objects are vectors and are fully editable. Plus, you'll get an icon pack with 3000+ icons!

28. Epic Animated Business Presentation Template

Epic is one of the coolest interactive PowerPoint templates. It's perfect for an animated business presentation. Animated slideshow templates like this one are easy to edit.

This download includes 100 animated PowerPoint slides for you to choose from. Create modern, simple and clean PowerPoint animated slides! This is hard to find in creative animated PowerPoint templates for free. 

29. Animated PowerPoint Infographics Set 01

Looking for infographic animated slideshow templates? Check out these animated PowerPoint slides. It includes cycle, timelines, pyramid and other abstract elements.

Add your content into 18 animated slides to create the best animated presentation. Choose between light and dark themes. Edit all vector shapes to match your style. 

You won't regret choosing this over animated PowerPoint PPT templates for free download.

30. Studio Minimal Presentation PowerPoint Template

Searching for creative animated PowerPoint templates for free? Premium PowerPoint animation templates are a better investment. For example, check out these minimal PowerPoint animated slides.

This download features:

• 120 animated PowerPoint slides
• +4000 line and simple vector icons
• easy to change the color themes
• picture placeholders ready

 You'll love the premium design that animated PPT templates free download lack.

31. Animated Text Section PowerPoint Template

Here's one of the top options! This animated PPT has a fun and dynamic design. It's eye-catching and refreshing, featuring:

• 20 modern slide designs
• unique motion slide
• handmade infographics
• easy to edit elements
• a help guide

32. Boxy Animated PowerPoint Template

If you're looking for a modern and clean PPT, look no further! All the 60 unique moving slides feature beautiful animations. There are high-quality graphics that you can fully edit!

Moreover, you can change the colors as you please. The template uses free fonts and comes with a product manual. Animated PowerPoint templates for free can't compete!

33. Lines Animated PowerPoint Infographics

As one of the best PowerPoint templates with animation, this one keeps it simple. It comes with several diagrams, charts, and graphs. Because of that, it's ideal for presenting data in an interesting way.

Featuring 18 animated slides, 50 color themes, and a dark presentation slide background version. It's super easy to edit, since all the objects are grouped vector shapes.

The Best Animated PowerPoint Templates on Envato Elements (With Unlimited Use)

Free animated PowerPoint templates might be tempting. But remember, you get what you pay for . Premium PowerPoint animation templates offer more than any PowerPoint animation free download.

Find thousands of the best premium animated PowerPoint presentation templates on Envato Elements. Each has hundreds of creative options. Plus, it's a great offer: download as many as you want for one low price !

Animated PPT Templates

How to Quickly Customize Interactive PowerPoint PPT Slide Animations

We've explored some of the best animated PowerPoint templates from Envato. These powerful PPT animation designs help you look your best. But you may be wondering why you should use them.

Why not use free PowerPoint templates with animation? The answer: style and time . Sure, you can build your own interactive PowerPoint from scratch.

But it takes a long time. And it won't look as good as interactive PowerPoint presentations made by experts.

Follow along! Download and open the Animated PowerPoint Template  from Envato Elements.

Let's get started:

1. The Intro Slide

Why not start at the beginning? Impress your audience with stunning PowerPoint animation examples.

Start by selecting a slide with an eye-catching design. Then type your text into the placeholders.

As you can see, the intro slide has a variety of text placeholders. The first step is to add in your own text. Do that by highlighting any block of existing text, and then typing over it.

With the text highlighted, find the Font section on the  Home  tab. There, you can add effects like bold and italics, while changing font sizes and styles too.

To build a PPT animation deck, check out your animation options. Find those on the Animations  tab. Keep in mind, templates like this are pre-animated.

You don't have to add these effects from scratch! That's a powerful feature not found in a PowerPoint animation free download.

To view the pre-built animations, click on the  Animation Pane  button. A sidebar will open, listing the effects on the slide. In this case, you'll see a list of seven effects. 

The 0 beside each indicates that all effects exist as a group. With one highlighted, you'll see the start trigger set to  After Previous . These two indicators say that all seven effects will automatically play in sequence.

Click Preview and watch the slide animate. 

2. The Infographic Slide

These are illustrations that help explain ideas. Animation brings them to life.

Infographics help explain your ideas. You won't find the best ones in animated PPT templates free download options.

Consider a slide like this. Notice the individual ideas shown in the nodes on each side of the slide. Chances are you might want to talk through these in sequence.

Having them all appear on the slide at once might not be the best option. Like the intro slide, this one is pre-animated.

But remember, you don't have to use every animation exactly as included! With PPT and premium templates, you still have ultimate creative control.

Back on the  Animation Pane , look at the list of animations. One (Picture 4) is the illustration in the center of the slides. The  Group  sections are the individual nodes. 

Suppose you want to have the illustration appear. Then you want to trigger each node manually. To do that, click on Group 5, then on the Start dropdown.

Change the setting from  After Previous to On Click . You'll see the 0 turn into a 1, indicating your new sequence. Repeat this for the other groups. 

When you're finished, go to the  Slide Show  tab and click  Play from Current Slide . The illustration will appear first, and from there you can click once to advance to each node in sequence. This is the perfect way to control the speed and pace of your narrative.

3. The Image Slide

Last but not least is the image slide. As you can see, it's got some text, along with an image. 

Again, let's return to the  Animation pane. Click on the photo animation, Picture 3, and notice the effect the template uses. It's a simple  Fly In , one of the most common animations in the world.

For your purposes, you might want something with a little more pizazz. On the left side of the  Animations tab, click the dropdown right below. You'll see a menu featuring dozens of cool, flashy options.

Browse through them, clicking each thumbnail to apply the effect. Notice that PowerPoint previews each animation on the image. This instant-preview capability helps you dial in on the perfect choice for you.

Premium animated PowerPoint templates offer the best of both worlds. You save precious time and energy by avoiding building slides from scratch. Make every slide work perfectly for you!

Looking for more interactive PowerPoint ideas? Check our full PPT animation tutorial:

Why Use Animations in Your PowerPoint Presentations?

Use animation to pace your delivery and enhance your presentations. You do this by adding transitions between slides or revealing elements.

Use animation to power the momentum of your delivery. It adds excitement as your ideas are revealed.

See this basic example of PowerPoint templates with animation. It was created using the Epic Animated PowerPoint Template :

Always keep this question in mind: will your use of animation interest your audience? Animations must feel seamlessly intertwined with your presentation. 

You should use PowerPoint animations when:

• Dynamic Style Fit . Animations should fit the style of your presentation. Make your presentation to feel modern with smooth transitions between slides.
• Bullet Points in Motion . You've got a set of bullet points or data graphics to pace the reveal of. Keep the audience focused on one concept at a time.
• Interactive PPT File . Distribute your presentation as a file the viewer can interact with. Export your PowerPoint as an interactive presentation.

Then share it via email, Dropbox, or online. Animations are easy to overdo and can take some time to work with. But they're a great differentiator to make your dynamic PowerPoint presentation stand out.

Let’s look at a few tips for using animations well. You'll also find some PowerPoint animation examples.

5 Quick Tips on Using Animations Well in PowerPoint

Want to learn more on how to make interactive PowerPoints? Go over these tips:

1. Keep Your Animations Simple

Animations needed be complex. Apply your animations consistently throughout your dynamic PowerPoint presentation.

It’s not a good idea to add a whole lot of different animation to your presentation. That's more likely to distract your audience and come off as unprofessional.

The Experience Animation template features simple animations and few key elements.

PowerPoint offers a ton of animation effect options. It’s best to stick with simple ones, like Appear or Fade. Even subtle animations can have a noticeable effect.

2. Apply Animations to Your Main Points

You don’t need to animate every element in your interactive PowerPoint presentation. It’s often best to apply animation to just a few limited elements in your presentation. That way they stand out.

Cull through your presentation and look for the top points you’re aiming to make. These are the best place to start adding cool PowerPoint animations.

This animated PPT template features slides with animations on key points.

3. Control Your Timing of Delivery

Animation is a great tool to pace the timing of your presentation with. Use slide transitions or animations on individual elements in your PowerPoint presentation.

Use quick transitions and fast effects at less than a half-second duration. Use a template like the Creative Project template . It comes with snappy slide transitions and easy animations on elements. It's designed to make quick presentations with.

Creative Project template uses effects to deliver key points. It's an animated PPT template.

Discover more helpful PowerPoint animation tips:

4.  Include Your PowerPoint Branding

No matter which animated PPT template you choose, don't miss this tip.  Branding matters . That might mean updating it to include your logo, brand colors, and more.

5. Focus on Animation Sequencing

Interactive PowerPoint presentations make strong use of animation. When you use PowerPoint animation templates, motion is just the start.  Sequencing  is just as important.

Setting the order of cool PowerPoint transitions helps you tell your story. Learn to put your PPT animations in order with the help of this tutorial:

5 Cool Animation PowerPoint Presentation Trends for 2024

Animated presentation templates puts you ahead of the pack in 2024. Discover the top trends for an interactive PowerPoint this year:

1. Make Data Move

Animated PowerPoint templates are about more than just transitions. This trend is about applying this dynamic movement to your charts and graphs. Moving infographics and pie charts can highlight the numbers even more.

2. Color Gradients

Use text, numbers, or custom shapes as image masks for a distinct visual flair. It's one of the best ways to make your PPT animation stand out. PowerPoint ideas for extra points here.

3. Unique Image Masks

The design world as a whole is obsessed with gradients this year. So why not apply them to your PowerPoint animation examples in 2024? Choose colors that complement your brand and the tone of your interactive PowerPoint.

4. Relevant Icons

This is a subtle trend, but a helpful one to know. Add icons that relate to your content. It makes your PowerPoint animation examples stand out even more.

It also shows your audience that you pay attention to the smallest of details.

5. Minimal Design

Modern animated presentation templates in 2024 will follow minimal design rules. Make sure you use them yourself. Limit the number of elements on each slide.

Keep space between images and text boxes, and apply your animations wisely.

More Top Options for Premium PowerPoint Templates

PowerPoint templates are the secret sauce loved by pro presenters. Building an interactive PowerPoint presentation is easier than you think. Save time and work with better PPT animations.

Check out even more options for the best PowerPoint templates. You might even find more PowerPoint animation examples!

Common PowerPoint Template Questions Answered (FAQ)

As you learn how to create interactive PowerPoint presentations, you might have questions. It's OK to get stuck while working with animated PowerPoint templates.

Let's answer five key questions in this section:

1. What Are the Right Dimensions for PowerPoint?

The worst-case scenario is leaving black bars on the edge of the screen. This happens when you don't size your presentation to the presentation screen.

Learn how to set your PowerPoint presentation with this tutorial:

2. What's the Best Way to Show Data in PowerPoint?

Whatever you do, don't overwhelm an audience with data-heavy tables on slides!

Instead, turn to PowerPoint charts and graphs. Combine the animated PowerPoint templates you saw with data to create great presentations. Learn more in our tutorial below:

3. Can You Use Custom Fonts in PowerPoint?

Graphic design has evolved ever since we moved beyond the built-in system fonts. Now, custom fonts give you unlimited options to create advanced presentations.

Learn more in this tutorial. Many of our favorite interactive PowerPoint templates include custom font options. Read more below.

4. Can You Work With Other Presentation Formats?

Maybe you're coming from another platform as you start using PowerPoint. You might be switching from macOS and using Keynote presentations. But don't worry, you can migrate your favorite presentations easily!

Learn to convert Keynote, another leading presentation software, to PowerPoint:

5. Is PowerPoint Free to Use?

The answer is that PowerPoint  can be  free to use. Microsoft continues to beef up its online options, making PowerPoint an affordable alternative.

Learn more about the browser-based version of PowerPoint in this tutorial:

Learn More About How to Use Animations in PowerPoint

Check out these helpful Envato Tuts+ PowerPoint tutorials . Learn how to how to create animation in PowerPoint. Learn how to add animations to create interactive PowerPoint slideshows and more:

Learn How to Make Great Presentations (Free eBook Download)

Grab our eBook:  The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations . Download for free with a subscription to the Tuts+ Business Newsletter.

It'll help walk you through the complete presentation process. Learn how to write your presentation, design it like a pro, and prepare it to deliver a powerful pitch.

Grab a Great Animated PPT Template Now!

You need a dynamic PowerPoint presentation design for your next presentation. Craft it with attention to detail. Include modern design elements like animated slides and interactive graphics.

Top animated PowerPoint templates have the right amount of dynamic motion. That helps you capture your audience’s attention.

Don't fall into the trap with animated PowerPoint templates for free. Most of these don't offer many features. 

Try out the all-inclusive option on Envato Elements for PPT animation presentation templates. Get unlimited creative template downloads for one low price.

Editorial Note: This post has  been updated with contributions from Brenda Barron , Andrew Childress , Maria Villanueva , Nathan Umoh , Janila Castañeda , and Renata Martin Intriago . Brenda, Andrew, and Nathan are freelance instructors for Envato Tuts+. Maria is Associate Editor of the Tuts+ Design channel. Janila is Associate Editor of the Tuts+ Business channel. Renata is a staff writer with Envato Tuts+.

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Blog Marketing 15 Interactive Presentation Ideas to Elevate Engagement

15 Interactive Presentation Ideas to Elevate Engagement

Written by: Krystle Wong Aug 04, 2023

As attention spans continue to shrink, the challenge of engaging audiences in a short timeframe has never been more significant. Let’s face it — grabbing and keeping your audience’s attention can be quite the challenge, especially when time is ticking away. But fear not, I’ve got the perfect solution: interactive presentations!

Believe it or not, creating an interactive presentation is easier than you might think. In this guide, I’ll show you how to effortlessly turn ordinary slides into captivating experiences with 15 interactive presentation ideas that will leave your audience begging for more. From quirky polls and fun games to storytelling adventures and multimedia magic, these ideas will take your presentation game to the next level.

Venngage is a game-changer when it comes to empowering interactive presentations. With just a few clicks, users can customize their favorite presentation templates , add multimedia content and create immersive experiences that leave a lasting impact. Whether you’re a seasoned presenter or a newcomer, get started with Venngage to elevate your presentation game to new heights of engagement and creativity.

Click to jump ahead:

What is an interactive presentation?

15 ways to make a presentation interactive, 7 best interactive presentation software, what are some common mistakes to avoid when creating interactive presentations, interactive presentation faqs, how to create an interactive presentation with venngage.

An interactive presentation is a dynamic and engaging communication format that involves active participation and collaboration between the presenter and the audience. Unlike traditional presentations where information is delivered in a one-way manner, interactive presentations invite the audience to interact, respond and contribute throughout the session.

Think of it as a two-way street where you and your audience have a friendly chat. It’s like playing a fun game where you ask questions, get live feedback and encourage people to share their thoughts. 

To make a good presentation , you can utilize various tools and techniques such as clickable buttons, polls, quizzes, discussions and multimedia elements to transform your slides into an interactive presentation. Whether you’re presenting in-person or giving a virtual presentation — when people are actively participating, they’re more likely to remember the stuff you’re talking about.

Interactive presentations leave a lasting impression on the audience. By encouraging active participation and feedback, interactive presentations facilitate better understanding and knowledge retention. Here are 15 innovative 5-minute interactive presentation ideas to captivate your audience from start to finish:

1. Ice-breaker questions

Start your presentation with intriguing and thought-provoking questions or a fun icebreaker game. These questions should be designed to pique the audience’s curiosity and encourage them to think about the topic you’ll be covering. By doing so, you create an immediate connection with your audience and set the stage for a more engaged and attentive audience.

For example, if you’re giving a business presentation about management and leadership training, you could ask audience questions such as “What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received, and how has it impacted your career?”

2. Live polling

Incorporate live polls during your presentation using audience response systems or polling apps . This allows you to collect real-time feedback, opinions and insights from active participants. Live polling encourages active participation and involvement, making your presentation feel like a collaborative and interactive experience.

3. Q&A sessions

Encourage the audience to ask questions throughout your presentation, especially for pitch deck presentations . Address these questions in real-time, which fosters a more interactive and dynamic atmosphere. This approach shows that you value the audience’s input and promotes a two-way communication flow.

4. Clickable buttons

Add clickable buttons to your slides, allowing the audience to navigate to specific sections or external resources at their own pace. For example, you could include links to your social media accounts or extra reading materials in your education presentation to give further information about the topic and get your students engaged.

By providing this autonomy, you empower the audience to explore areas of particular interest, creating a more personalized and engaging experience through your interactive slideshow.

5. Storytelling

Incorporate anecdotes or personal stories related to your topic. Storytelling is a powerful way to emotionally connect with your audience, making your presentation more relatable and memorable. A little storytelling along with a set of creative slides draws the audience in and keeps them engaged as they follow the narrative.

6. Interactive charts and graphs

Use interactive charts and graphs that respond to user input to make your presentation interactive. For instance, allow the audience to click on data points to view more detailed information or to change the displayed data series. Creating charts with interactive visuals help the audience interact with the data, fostering better understanding and engagement.

7. Animated infographics

Add animations to your infographics, making them visually dynamic and progressive. Animated infographics reveal information gradually, keeping the audience curious and attentive. This transforms complex data into an easily digestible and engaging format.

Venngage’s extensive library of infographic templates is a powerful tool to visualize data and elevate the interactivity of your presentations. Personalizing the visuals ensures a cohesive and professional look throughout your interactive presentation. The templates are highly customizable, allowing you to adjust colors, fonts, and styles to match your presentation’s theme and branding. 

8. Gamification

Introduce an interactive quiz, puzzles, or challenges related to your presentation content. Gamification adds an element of fun and competition, motivating the audience to participate actively and boosting their learning experience. Here are some gaming presentation templates you could use. 

9. Virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR)

If applicable, leverage VR or AR technologies to provide immersive experiences. These interactive presentation tools transport the audience into a virtual or augmented environment, making your presentation more captivating and memorable.

10. Collaborative whiteboarding

Get your audience involved in your presentation by utilizing digital whiteboards or collaborative tools to brainstorm ideas collectively. This fosters teamwork and creativity, enabling the audience to actively contribute and feel a sense of involvement in the presentation.

11. Hyperlinked text

Keep the information in your slides minimal with a simple presentation and incorporate hyperlinks to direct viewers to relevant websites or blogs , resources, or additional information. This encourages self-exploration and gives the audience the opportunity to delve deeper into topics of interest.

12. Role-playing

Engage the audience in role-playing scenarios to explore different perspectives. Role-playing promotes active learning and helps the audience relate the content to real-life situations, enhancing their understanding and retention.

13. Embedded videos

Include video clips in your slides to provide visual explanations, demonstrations, or interviews. Videos add a dynamic element to your presentation, enriching the content and keeping the audience engaged.

14. Audience-generated content

Encourage the audience to contribute ideas, stories or examples related to your professional presentation . Audience-generated content fosters a sense of ownership and involvement, making the presentation more interactive and personalized.

15. Slide transitions

Use slide transitions to create smooth animations between slides. Well-planned transitions maintain the audience’s interest and keep the presentation slides flowing seamlessly.

Interactive elements aside, enhance your presentation with these guides on how to summarize information for a captivating presentation and how to make a persuasive presentation to captivate your audience. 

If you’re looking to create engaging and interactive presentation slides that captivate your audience, these presentation software options are sure to elevate your game:

Prezi is renowned for its dynamic and non-linear presentation style, enabling users to craft visually stunning and interactive presentations. With an array of templates and animation effects, Prezi enhances audience engagement, making your presentations more captivating and memorable.

2. Mentimeter

Mentimeter serves as an audience response system, empowering real-time interaction during presentations. Users can create interactive polls, quizzes, word clouds and more, allowing the audience to respond using their smartphones or other devices. This fosters active participation and provides valuable feedback instantly.

3. Google Slides

Google Slides is a free cloud-based presentation software that not only offers collaboration features but also enables real-time interactions. It includes add-ons and third-party integrations to further enhance interactivity, making it an excellent choice for collaborative and engaging presentations.

4. Microsoft PowerPoint

PowerPoint, a classic presentation software, has evolved to incorporate more interactive features like live captions, real-time collaboration and interactive elements such as quizzes and forms. With its familiar interface and versatile functionalities, PowerPoint remains a reliable choice for interactive presentations.

5. Prezentor

Prezentor caters to sales-oriented presentations focusing on interactive storytelling and data-driven content. It offers analytics to track audience engagement and behavior during presentations, allowing you to fine-tune your approach and keep your audience hooked.

6. Opinion Stage

Opinion Stage is a visual and interactive data collection tool designed to engage and excite audiences whether sitting in a lecture hall, participating in a live Zoom, or watching an on-demand webinar. The Opinion Stage tools are simple and intuitive, making it easy to create attention-grabbing quizzes, surveys, and polls in minutes. A great way to spice up any presentation, encourage audience participation, and collect authentic feedback.

7 . Venngage

Venngage stands out as a versatile design tool that facilitates the creation of interactive infographics, data visualizations and presentations with ease. Offering various interactive elements and animations, Venngage empowers you to craft visually appealing and engaging presentations effortlessly.

With these interactive presentation software options at your disposal, you can unleash your creativity and deliver presentations that leave a lasting impact on your audience. So, go ahead and make your presentations interactive, captivating and memorable!

For more presentation software options, check out this blog on the 12 best presentation software for 2023.

Creating interactive presentations can be a game-changer for engaging your audience and enhancing your presentation skills, but steering clear of common pitfalls is essential. Here are some key mistakes to avoid when crafting your interactive presentations:

1. Overloading with interactivity

While interactivity is fantastic, bombarding your audience with too many interactive elements can backfire. Strive for a balanced approach that enhances engagement without overwhelming your listeners.

2. Ignoring audience relevance

Failing to tailor interactive elements to your audience’s interests and preferences can lead to disconnection. Make sure your interactions resonate with your specific audience for a more meaningful experience.

3. Not testing interactive elements

Skipping thorough testing of interactive features before showtime can spell disaster. Avoid technical glitches by diligently testing all interactive components in advance.

4. Poor timing and pace

Timing is everything, especially with interactive activities. Ensure seamless integration by planning your key points and the timing of your interactive elements carefully.

5. Lack of clear purpose

Every interactive element should serve a purpose and contribute to your presentation’s objectives. Don’t add interactions just for the sake of it — ensure they add value and align with your message.

6. Failing to engage beyond interactivity

While interactive elements are powerful tools, remember that content is king. Combine your interactive features with compelling storytelling and valuable insights to create an immersive and impactful presentation.

Incorporating animated slides into your interactive presentations enhances the overall appeal and interaction, turning an ordinary presentation into an engaging experience. Try it out with one of our animated presentation templates to get started. 

How do you start an interactive presentation?

Begin by grabbing the audience’s attention with an intriguing question or a surprising fact, setting the tone for a dynamic and engaging session.

Which type of presentation is the most interactive?

Workshops and seminars are often the most interactive types of presentations as they encourage active participation, discussions and hands-on activities.

How can interactive presentations enhance audience engagement?

Interactive presentations foster a two-way communication flow, involving the audience through polls, quizzes, discussions and multimedia elements, leading to increased interest, attentiveness and better retention of information.

What are some common interactive elements to include in a presentation?

Common interactive elements include clickable buttons, hyperlinked text, polls, quizzes, interactive charts, multimedia content and audience participation activities.

Can interactive presentations be used for educational purposes?

Absolutely! Interactive presentations are highly effective for educational purposes as they promote active learning, encourage critical thinking, and provide real-time feedback and knowledge exchange opportunities.

Need inspiration on how to give an engaging presentation ? Here are 120+ presentation ideas you could use. 

Venngage makes it easy for anyone to infuse interactivity into their presentations. From clickable buttons and hyperlinked text to interactive infographics and dynamic charts, Venngage offers a diverse range of interactive elements to captivate and engage the audience. Here’s how you can make your presentation more fun and interesting with Venngage:

• Sign up or log in to Venngage to access the platform.
• Choose a presentation template or start with a blank canvas to begin designing your interactive presentation.
• Add and edit slides in the Venngage editor to structure your presentation content effectively.
• Customize the design by selecting themes, fonts, colors and backgrounds to match your style and branding.
• Use interactive elements like buttons, links, pop-ups and hover effects to engage the audience during the presentation.
• Enhance engagement by incorporating interactive media such as videos and audio clips.
• Preview and test your entire presentation to ensure everything works smoothly before presenting it to your audience.
• Save your interactive presentation on Venngage and share it online or download it in various formats for presenting purposes.

Well, I hope these 15 5-minute interactive presentation examples can help unlock a new level of audience engagement for your next presentation. From fun quizzes and interactive storytelling to multimedia magic and gamified challenges, the possibilities are endless. So, don’t be afraid to experiment, tailor the ideas to suit your audience members and let your creativity shine.  

That said, remember to strike a balance and keep the interactivity purposeful and relevant. Some common mistakes to avoid when creating interactive slides include overloading the presentation with too many interactive elements and failing to align the interactive elements with the overall presentation goals and content. 

Got it? Great. Now let’s turn that boring presentation around!

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20 Ways to Create an Interactive Presentation That Stands Out

Written by: Chloe West

When you’re putting together a presentation, you want it to be engaging. Whether you’re presenting it live or embedding it on your website, you want to keep your audience entertained.

The best way to do that is by creating an interactive presentation that holds audience's attention and even allows them to participate.

Sitting in a boring presentation where the speaker simply talks at their audience can make eyes glaze over and cause the speaker to lose their listener.

Adding interactivity to your presentation is the best way to spice up your speech, engage your audience and stand out from other presenters. The best part is, it doesn't have to be more work!

With these 17 ways to create an interactive presentation, you’ll be sure to grab your audience’s attention and keep them entertained throughout the entire presentation.

Here’s a short selection of 10 easy-to-edit job presentation templates you can edit, share and download with Visme. View more templates below:

• An interactive presentation is a dynamic type of presentation that supports increased engagement and interactions with the audience.
• Try integrating media techniques like video clips, audio narratives, music, and interactive quizzes.
• Involve your audience by polling them, encouraging movement, getting them to ask questions, letting them lead the direction, and asking them to share with a hashtag for social interactions.
• Play with non-linear and other creative transitions, animations, and even props.
• Include animated data visualizations and stories to enrich the interactivity in your presentation.

Before we jump right in, let’s explain what an interactive presentation is

What is an Interactive Presentation

An interactive presentation is a dynamic type of presentation that supports increased engagement and interactions with the audience. It involves using interactive elements to create a more personal and engaging experience with your audience.

Whether you’re doing a live or pre-recorded presentation, there are various interactive tools for presentations and interactive ways to present information. It could be as simple as embedding audio and video in your presentation. Or, it could take the form of using charts, surveys, navigation, transitions, hyperlinks, hotspots and other elements in your presentation.

If you ever wondered how to make a presentation interactive, this is your opportunity to try out a variety of techniques. Implement one or two ideas first and see how it fits with your brand guidelines.

Remember that any interactivity you add to your presentations must make sense with the rest of the content, otherwise, it could be distracting instead of engaging.

If using Monday.com , create and share your presentation and collaborate easily inside your workspace using our account integration. Also, take advantage of our wide range of integrations to boost productivity.

Here’s how to make an interactive presentation

1 Start your interactive presentation with an icebreaker.

The first step is creating a rapport with your audience. You can do this by helping them to get to know you a little better and get to know each other as well.

The way you go about this will depend on the size of your audience. If you’re presenting in a small group setting or workshop, you can easily go around the room and have everyone share a bit about themselves.

However, if you’re speaking with a crowd or at a conference with a larger audience, it would make more sense to simply have your audience introduce themselves to a neighbor or two before you dive in.

You could ask the audience to answer a question out loud or to their neighbor, ask them to prepare a few questions about your topic or a list of things they'd like to learn or put together a fun icebreaker game.

Visualize the icebreaker question on a slide using text animations. Your Visme editor offers a variety of eye-catching movements for your textual content. Choose from options like typewriter, rise up, ease in and more.

Here are just a few icebreaker games you can choose from for your next interactive presentation. Also, read this article on how to start your presentation and 12 ways to keep your audience hooked.

2 Use video clips in a slide or two.

You don’t have to be the only one talking during your presentation. Videos are one of the most effective interactive learning tools for presentations.

Embed a video into one of your slides to switch up your audience’s focus. With Visme's animated presentation software , you can easily embed a YouTube or Vimeo video into your slide for your audience to view on their own or for you to feature during your interactive slideshow. Here's how you can do that.

Simply go to the Media tab in the left sidebar of your Visme editor and click on Insert Video.

Add a video from anywhere, your computer or your phone. Download the Visme iOS app and add videos to your presentations in minutes. Edit your presentation effectively by resizing, placing into shapes, trimming with the timeline editor and selecting playback settings.

Sharing video clips can be a great way to further emphasize your argument by bringing in other opinions or even to just add a break for your audience during longer presentations. You can also share a video of yourself demonstrating how to do something.

If you’re embedding the slideshow on your website, adding a video to a slide or two allows your audience to take a break from reading and jump into a different way of consuming your content.

There are so many other types of content you can embed into your presentation with Visme as well, like quizzes, surveys and more!

3 Add Animated Icons

Create interactive slides with unique touches like animated icons. Using vibrant design elements like beautiful icons that move your audience’s attention to the areas you want them to notice. Also, using icons instead of text offers white space for the viewer to feel a sense of balance on the slide.

Here’s how to do it:

Choose a slide where you’d like to add an animated icon. In terms of options, you have two; use the native, animated icons or animate static icons with the animation tools.

On the left toolbar, click on graphics and select the icons you want. The animated ones are at the bottom next to the animated illustrations, customizable characters, avatars and 3D arrows.

Place the icon and click on the Animate button on the top right. Select the style of animation and duration for each icon and ensure everything is balanced and not overdone. You might not need more than one or two repetitions for each icon.

4 Add Pop-Ups with Extra Info

A great way to inspire your audience to interact with your presentation is to add popups with extra info using hotspots. This is how you can do it.

Click on a text, shape or object you’d like to add a popup and hotspot to and click on the Actions button on the top right. Add an action and choose the function; it can be another slide, or a popup that you can design from scratch.

Add visual hotspots as markers for the audience to know there is something special going on.

Watch this video to learn how to create interactive pop up effects in Visme

Make your popups more interesting by using AI-generated graphics prompted by your visual brand guidelines.

5 Make your interactive presentation non-linear.

Not every slideshow you create needs to simply flow from slide to slide. Get creative with it and see if it makes sense to add in a non-linear flow. So, what exactly is a non-linear presentation?

When you create links between slides so you can click around different areas of your presentation, you’re putting together a non-linear presentation.

You’re not going from slide one to slide two to slide three, and so on. Instead, you’re creating an interactive way for you and your audience to jump around your presentation.

You can create a table of contents page and link it to the slides that start each section. If your presentation is embedded, this allows your audience to navigate in their own preferred order.

It also gives your presentation a different edge from the regular flow, and can keep readers intrigued about what’s coming next.

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6 Have a Q&A session.

Want to get the audience involved? Ask them questions! This is a must-have interactive tool for presentations.

It’s also one of the most popular ideas for interactive presentations.

While many presenters always plan to host a Q&A at the end of their presentation for the audience to ask questions , it can go both ways.

You can easily put together a few slides where you’re asking your audience questions throughout your presentation. Before you move onto the next section, ask your listeners what they think first.

Don’t make it intimidating, like a pop quiz. A simple “What do you think about..?” can work wonders.

You can also take several breaks throughout your presentation to give the audience a chance to ask you questions. If you had them write down a few things they want to make sure they learn from you at the beginning of the presentation, this is a great time to ask.

7 Create an interactive quiz.

Take it a step further and actually create a quiz in your interactive presentation. This engaging presentation idea works well for both live and embedded presentations.

In Visme, you can link elements in your slide together so that one element appears when another element is clicked. So ask your audience a question, gather their answers and then click to expose the correct answer.

If you’re embedding the presentation, make sure you include a button that says something like “Click to see if you’re right!” so that your viewer knows they’re able to interact with the slide.

While you don’t necessarily want to use this as a way to sneakily check if your audience has been paying attention, it can be a fun way to gauge expertise in your audience and understand how much information you should cover.

Struggling to generate content for your quiz? Use Visme’s AI writer to generate high-quality content for your presentation, quiz or other aspects of your presentation.

8 Add a Flipbook Effect

Add another dose of interactivity for the audience’s viewing experience by using Visme’s flipbook effect . Mixing a physical “flipping” action with a digital document or presentation makes it easy for the audience to swipe from slide to slide. It’ll also create an emotional association with magazines and books, these are generally positive associations.

All presentations made with Visme, when shared via a live Visme link, will be viewable as a flipbook. You can turn the option and off in the sharing settings.

Flipbook isn’t just available for presentations, any document and even whiteboard can be shared as a digital flipbook. All your audience has to do is swipe and the slides/pages will flip like a magazine.

Like Kimberly Barrett, Wellbeing Consultant at Ameritas says, “You can do everything within Visme, you don’t have to use multiple tools to get something completed and delivered. Everything is just in one place, and it’s all-encompassing.”

9 Bring props along to your interactive presentation.

Want to really grab your audience’s attention? Want to really grab your audience’s attention? Props are also useful interactive tools for presentations.

Bringing props along with you to help you demonstrate and visually tell your story can be a great way to keep people watching and listening.

The first thing to keep in mind when deciding which props to help convey your story is that they need to be relevant. Don’t bring random props that are interesting but are a huge stretch to fit in with your content.

Instead, bring props that intrigue your audience but still make sense with the information you’re sharing.

Here’s a great example of a prop that definitely secured the audience’s full attention. Bill Gates released a swarm of live mosquitos into the audience during his TED Talk on Mosquitos, Malaria and Education.

Sanitary? Maybe not. Attention getting? You bet.

10 Tell your audience a story.

One of the most interactive ways to present information is storytelling. It’s an undeniable strategy for drawing your audience into your presentation. Even if your topic covers a lot of data, facts and statistics, your speech doesn’t have to be dry.

There are many different ways to incorporate stories into your presentation effectively.

A good story helps to create an immersive effect , bringing your audience in and making them feel like they’re a part of your presentation. It taps into their emotions, causing them to hang onto your words, making your presentation much more memorable in the long run.

Here's a great example of a presentation filled with data that still hooks the audience in with great storytelling.

11 Add an audio narrative.

You don’t have to speak the entire time. Much like videos, audio and sounds are helpful interactive tools for presentations.

In fact, sometimes, it can be nice to give yourself a break and pre-record some of your slides. This is also a great strategy to include for embedded presentations.

With Visme’s presentation maker , you are able to upload audio files that play in your slideshow. You can also record your own audio directly inside the Visme editor.

Some Visme users even create pre-recorded webinars using the software.

Adding audio into an embedded slideshow can be a great way to create an interactive presentation experience. You can add music or sound effects to slides to make them stand out. Or you can add an audio narrative that talks about your slide content in even more depth than your slide design allows.

12 Poll your audience.

Looking for other activities for presentations to keep your audience engaged?  Get your audience involved in your presentation by polling them. Give them multiple choice options to see which one is the most popular. Ask them to raise hands.

You can even use a polling software and have your audience input their answers via their smartphone and watch the results come in live on your screen.

Have fun with it. Ask your audience about their favorite football team, which ice cream flavor they’d choose between vanilla and chocolate and more. This is a great way to do icebreakers, as well as break up your presentation with some mindless fun.

Of course, you can also have polls relevant to your presentation topic . Consider all of the ways you can use a poll in your next interactive presentation.

13  Include discussion questions.

If you’re still searching for how to make a PowerPoint presentation interactive , consider adding discussion questions in. You can break your audience into small groups to discuss your questions or simply have them discuss it briefly with their neighbor.

Seminar presentations are the perfect setting for discussion questions, and this can also work well if you’re putting on a presentation to a group of people that are sitting at tables.

All you need to do is put a discussion question up on the board and ask your audience to go around their table with their answers. This creates an interactive environment with very little effort on your part.

14  Encourage movement in your audience.

Another way to create an interactive environment is by encouraging movement within your audience.

This can be as simple as taking an intermission during a longer presentation or giving your audience a few minutes to get up and stretch their legs.

Other methods include asking your audience yes or no questions and having them answer by raising their hands or standing up, having your audience move to different seats and introduce themselves to new neighbors, or calling people up on stage to participate.

15  Get your audience asking questions.

As I mentioned earlier in this post, having your audience take time at the beginning of your presentation to list out their questions on your topic is a great idea.

It’s a proven technique to make your PowerPoint presentation interactive.  

Several times throughout your presentation, take a pause to ask for audience questions. Allow your listeners to ask questions about the slides you’ve already covered and the ones that may be coming up.

Getting your audience to ask questions, and letting them know that there will be several opportunities to do so, is a great way to ensure they continue to pay attention, take notes and write down potential questions throughout. Make sure you set some time aside at the end of your presentation for the rest of their questions.

Worried that people won’t speak up? Have a few allies in your audience that start the question asking.

No, this is not sneaky or shady. Sometimes people need a bit of encouragement, and asking a friend that you know will be attending to start off the questions can help.

16  Let your audience decide the direction.

Again, your presentation doesn’t have to be linear. You can have a slide setup with your four (or however many you have) main points and ask your audience which one they want to hear first, second and so on.

This makes it fun for the audience because they actually get to participate in the order of your presentation.

While this means you need to be extra prepared for whatever route your presentation may take, it creates a fun, interactive setting that your audience will remember for years to come.

Try a unique presentation structure like this, or one of these seven that your audience is sure to love.

17  Share a hashtag for social interaction.

If you’re speaking at an event that already has a branded hashtag, encourage your audience to tweet about your presentation using that hashtag. If you’re hosting a standalone presentation, come up with your own hashtag for your audience to use.

Your viewers can then share tidbits from your presentation as well as use the hashtag to ask questions for you to monitor and answer throughout.

Not only does this help to get your audience engaged, but it even helps to get their audiences engaged, learning about who you are, and interested in your content and presentation.

18  Add music to your interactive presentation slides.

Create a different ambiance by adding background music to your slides. Or get your audience pumped for new and exciting information with a pop song transition.

With Visme, you can easily upload audio files, including music clips, so that you can create an interactive experience for your audience. Your entire presentation doesn’t have to be centered around the sound of your voice. Adding in a music clip is a great way to refocus your audience on your content.

Plus, it can be a nice added touch in an embedded presentation.

19  Play with transitions and animations.

There are so many different ways to animate your slides , each more exciting than the next. You can animate different elements in your slides, like in the animated slideshow below.

You can also create seamless transitions between your slides by having each one of your elements slide in on its own, like in the presentation example below. To see the effect in action, click on the arrow buttons to transition to the next slide.

You can even add animated graphs and charts to your presentation slides . Animation should be fun, and toying with different ideas can make for great interactivity.

This is actually a big mistake that most people make while creating a presentation. If you're using a software like PowerPoint, you might go overboard with all the different options you have. Use a tool like Visme so you can access handpicked, proven animation and transition styles, like in the examples shown above.

Just remember to be consistent with your animations and transitions. Keep the same look and feel throughout your entire presentation rather than a million different animation types.

20  Use data visualization in your interactive presentation.

Last, but certainly not least, use data visualization to showcase your information in an engaging and easy-to-understand format.

Whether you’re a data expert, business leader, or trainer, interactive data visualization is a staple. It’s one of the most interactive ways to present information, especially when detailing with figures and statistics.

Data visualization can be anything from a chart or graph that visually represent actual statistics and numbers to an icon or graphic that represents words.

Visualizing your points can be a great way to argue your point, and creating charts, graphs and other figures helps your audience digest your content that much quicker and more easily.

Plus, Visme offers tons of ways to visualize data within your presentation slides.

Choose from one of our many data visualization tools, such as animated charts , graphs and data widgets, to start visualizing your facts and figures in a more interactive format.

Once you’re satisfied with how your presentation looks, you can share it online using a live link or download it in multiple formats, such as PPTX, PDF, PNG, JPG, MP4 and more. Also you track the performance (views, unique visits, average time spent and completion) of your presentation using Visme analytics .

Interactive Presentation FAQs

Q. why is interactive content better.

Interactive content is more effective because it grabs attention and provides an engaging and immersive experience that keeps users hooked on your content. This attribute makes it a brilliant strategy for educating your audience, increasing audience participation, boosting engagement, and improving their overall learning experience.

According to a DemandGen report , up to 90% of marketers admit interactive is effective in educating buyers but other marketers use it for lead generation (58%), brand awareness (57%) and conversion (49%).

Q. What Is the Best Interactive Presentation Tool?

There are many interactive presentation tools out there. Visme is the best, primarily because it offers a user-friendly interface, a full suite of animation and interactive tools, multiple customization options, an extensive library of templates and much more.

You can access animated 2D and 3D graphics, icons, illustrations and special effects that level up your visual content, as well as, animated enter and exit effects for your text and other design elements.

In addition, you can create a clickable menu or interactive table of contents, ink slides, pages or content blocks to objects on your canvas, and create hover effects or clickable pop-ups that reveal information when users take action.

The best part? Visme offers a variety of interactive templates and ready-to-use graphics that help users save time and create high-quality presentations quickly.

Q. Which Type of Presentation Is the Most Interactive?

When it comes to interactive presentations, there are several types that can be quite effective.

However, one of the most interactive types of presentations is one that involves the audience directly in the discussion and allows for active participation.

This can be achieved by using interactive presentation examples and tools such as videos, live polls, quizzes, Q&A sessions, interactive games, and hands-on activities. By engaging with the audience in this way, presenters can create a memorable experience that not only educates but also entertains.

Q. How Do I Make My Presentation Stand Out?

There are a few things you can do to make your presentation more memorable.

First, make sure you have a clear and concise message you want to convey to your audience. This will help you stay focused and avoid getting sidetracked during your presentation.

Next, use visuals like images, graphs, and charts to help illustrate your points and break up the text on your slides. Don't be afraid to use humor or storytelling as well, as these can help engage your audience and make your presentation more entertaining.

You can also consider adding animations and interactive elements to your presentation to make it more engaging. Interactive elements, such as quizzes, polls, or games, can also help to engage your audience and keep them interested in what you're saying.

Animations can be used to bring your content to life and keep your audience's attention focused on the screen. For example, you can use animations to highlight key points or to add a bit of visual interest to your slides.

Finally, practice your delivery and try to be confident and enthusiastic when you present. This will help you connect with your audience and leave a lasting impression.

Q. Are Interactive Presentations More Effective?

Interactive presentations can be more effective than traditional, static presentations because they engage the audience and keep them interested throughout the presentation.

When the audience is hooked, they become active learners and are more likely to retain the information.

Interactive presentations can also be customized to meet the specific needs and interests of the audience, making them more relevant and impactful.

Overall, incorporating interactive elements into a presentation can help to create a more dynamic and memorable experience for the audience.

Q. Is an Interactive Presentation Different From Interactive Content?

Yes, an interactive presentation and interactive content are two different things.

An interactive presentation is a type of content that conveys engaging information using multimedia elements such as videos, animations, and interactive graphics.

Interactive content, on the other hand, refers to any type of content—such as quizzes, polls, and games— that requires your audience to participate actively rather than consume the information passively.

Visme: The Best Interactive Presentation Software

Before now, you were probably thinking of which option you would use for your presentation to engage your audience. Before now, you were probably thinking of which option you will use for your presentation to engage your audience or how to make presentations interactive.

So now you see? Your next presentation doesn’t have to be boring and predictable. By incorporating these interactive presentation ideas , your audience will be engaged and their phones will be put away.

Visme offers tons of interactivity features right within our presentation software . Sign up and create a free account today to start trying them out. And if you’re running out of time, you can use AI Presentation Maker to create your presentation in minutes.

Beyond presentations, Visme offers an all-in-one visual content platform. You can use our infinite online whiteboard to brainstorm and build projects collaboratively, create marketing material, schedule and share it on social media right from the editor and access tons of design elements and tools to create powerful content.

Try Visme today and make your presentations interactive, entertaining and successful.

Did you find this article helpful? Which interactive presentation feature is your favorite? Let us know your thoughts and questions in the comments below!

Put together beautiful interactive presentations with Visme

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About the Author

Chloe West is the content marketing manager at Visme. Her experience in digital marketing includes everything from social media, blogging, email marketing to graphic design, strategy creation and implementation, and more. During her spare time, she enjoys exploring her home city of Charleston with her son.

How to Make an Interactive PowerPoint: Comprehensive Guide

In today's digital age, presentations have evolved beyond static slides. Interactivity is the name of the game, ensuring engagement, retention, and a memorable experience for the audience. Whether you're an educator, a business professional, or a student, making your PowerPoint presentation interactive can elevate it to the next level. In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to create an interactive PowerPoint presentation and introduce you to a game-changing tool: the AI PowerPoint generator by Smallppt.

1. Understanding the Importance of Interactivity

Engagement: Interactive elements keep the audience engaged, ensuring they pay attention throughout the presentation.

Retention: Interactive presentations can enhance memory retention, making your content more memorable.

Flexibility: Interactivity allows for non-linear presentations, letting the presenter jump to different sections based on the audience's responses.

2. Basic Steps to Make Your PowerPoint Interactive

Hyperlinks: One of the simplest ways to add interactivity. Link text or images to other slides, documents, or even websites.

Action Buttons: These are built-in buttons that can take you to the next slide, the previous slide, the last slide viewed, and more.

Trigger Animations: Set animations to play when a specific object on your slide is clicked.

Interactive Charts and Tables: Use these to display data in an engaging manner, allowing viewers to interact with the information.

3. Advanced Techniques for Enhanced Interactivity

Embedding Multimedia: Incorporate videos, audio clips, and even interactive quizzes to make your presentation stand out.

Zoom for PowerPoint: This feature lets you easily jump to and from specific slides, sections, and portions of your presentation in any order.

Morph Transition: This can smoothly animate objects across slides, giving a sophisticated look to your presentation.

4. The Power of AI in Enhancing Interactivity

Smallppt's AI PowerPoint Generator: This tool can analyze your content and suggest areas where interactivity can be added, saving you time and ensuring optimal engagement.

Customization: The AI tool allows for customization based on the audience's preferences and needs.

Continuous Learning: The more you use the AI generator, the better it gets at understanding your style and preferences, making suggestions even more tailored over time.

5. Tips for a Successful Interactive Presentation

Test Your Presentation: Before presenting, always test the interactive elements to ensure they work as intended.

Keep It Relevant: While interactivity is great, ensure that every interactive element you add serves a purpose and enhances the presentation's message.

Seek Feedback: After your presentation, gather feedback to understand which interactive elements were most effective and which ones might need tweaking.

Making your PowerPoint presentation interactive is not just a trend; it's a powerful tool to make your content more engaging and memorable. With the basic and advanced techniques outlined above, coupled with the power of Smallppt's AI PowerPoint Generator, you're well on your way to creating presentations that captivate your audience from start to finish. Remember, in the world of presentations, interactivity is the key to engagement. Embrace it, and watch your content come to life!

Making an Interactive Presentation in PowerPoint

This article is an ultimate guide on how to make an interactive online presentation using MS PowerPoint. Here you will find detailed step-by-step instructions to creating interface elements make the presentation truly interactive.

In a previous post we looked at the interface elements the BBC website uses to sketch workable interface outline for an interactive online presentation . Now we’ll give you step-by-step instructions on how to make an interactive online presentation in MS PowerPoint we developed using this sketch.

• Navigation tools properties
• Navigation tools layout

How to Create an Interactive Presentation Tab Bar Using MS PowerPoint

How to create an interactive presentation navigation bar.

• Highlight an Interactive Presentation Active Topic

How to Create an Interactive Presentation Pagination Bar

• Highlight an Active Slide on the Pagination Bar

Do I Need an Interactive Presentation Homepage in PowerPoint

How to create an interactive presentation buttons, how to disable powerpoint default slide advancing, quizzes in an interactive presentation excellent.

Below we will only talk about the technical aspects of implementing an interactive presentation interface using MS PowerPoint. And we deliberately do not talk about design.

Everything about colors saturation and compatibility, images transparency, frames styles, rounded corners, etc. we left for you. You can handle it, we are sure!

Navigation Tools Properties

If you think about what properties an interactive presentation navigation tools should have, then you will quickly come to the following conclusions:

• They must not distract the viewer from the subject of the presentation.
• switch between topics,
• move from the current slide to the next or previous,
• understand which topic is active and
• understand which slide of the current topic is active.

Understanding these properties will help us to develop the layout of the presentation slide.

Navigation Tools Layout

We will divide presentation slide into three parts: upper, lower and central, to use as follows:

• The tab bar will be located at the upper part. Using it the viewer will be able to switch from topic to topic.
• from the active presentation slide to the next or previous presentation slide and
• from the active slide of current topic to the next or previous slide of current topic
• We’ll reserve the central part for the presentation content and will no longer mention it in this article.

Now we can start designing the interface elements: tab bar and navigation buttons 2-a . They should be located on each slide. This is absolutely obvious. This means our interactive presentation can not do without PowerPoint Slide Master.

So, let’s go! Launch your MS PowerPoint program and start by creating a blank document. This blank sheet will turn into an outstanding interactive online presentation soon, don’t doubt!

Go to the View tab and click the Slide Master icon in Master View group to access the Slide Master. In the left-hand pane, scroll up to the top, larger thumbnail and click it. Whatever you place on this master will appear on every slide of your interactive presentation, no matter which layout it uses. This is exactly what we need, isn’t it?

Now is the time to choose a color scheme for your presentation. Subsequently, it can be easily changed if you deem necessary. We chose the Grayscale scheme.

To create a tab bar, you need to thoroughly design the first tab.

• Go to Insert tab and click the Shapes button in Illustrations group. The drop down menu will appear. Select Rectangle shape in the Rectangles option.
• Draw the tab. Then select the fill color White, Background 2 and remove the line around the tab using the Shape Format pane. Select the tab and write any title, for example “Title 01”. You will change it later.
• Copy your tab and then paste it as many times as it is planned to be in the tab bar plus two additional ones.
• Move the two additional tabs to the bottom of the slide. We use them to make navigation buttons later.
• Align the remaining tabs vertically and distribute them horizontally end-to-end with each other without gaps.

All of this tabs will become a full-fledged tab bar when we attach hyperlinks. In the meantime, just move them to the top of the slide.

The navigation bar should contain buttons for moving from the active presentation slide to the next or previous slide as described in 2-a .

• the first align to the left and write on it “Previous”
• and the second align to the right edge and write on it “Next”.
• select both shapes simultaneously and on the Format Shape pane select the Offset Diagonal Bottom Right shadow or any other.

• press Ctrl+K or go to the Insert menu and click Hyperlink button in the Links group;
• in the Link To pane of the Insert Hyperlink dialog box, choose Place in This Document ;
• in the Select a place in this document pane, choose the Previous Slide .
• Click OK to create the hyperlink
• and repeat the steps above for the Next button.

As a result the navigation bar will look like two buttons aligned on the slide edges and an empty space between them in which we’ll place the pagination bar of the active topic later.

How to Highlight an Interactive Presentation Active Topic

Go to the View tab and click the Normal button in the Presentation View group to return to the normal view and create all your slides.

People like to know where they are in the presentation, so it’s a good idea to highlight the active topic to help them to relate it with the presentation wholeness. You just need to change the background color and add a border around the tab. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do this:

• Go to Slide Master and select the current topic tab.
• Link the topic tab to the current topic first slide.
• Copy the current topic tab.
• Return to Normal View and paste the tab you copied above the current tab.
• Change the fill color to Solid fill White Background 1 and line from No line to Solid line using the Format Shape pane.
• Copy the tab you made and paste it into each slide of the current topic.

The pagination bar is a useful interactive presentation interface element for themes consisting a lot of slides. Use it! It will help viewers more understand where they are relative to the start or finish of the topic.

The pagination bar should contain buttons for moving from the active slide of current topic to the next or previous slide as described in 2-b . Below we will give step-by-step instructions on how to make a pagination bar with image thumbnails. We assume you have prepared thumbnail images of the same size in advance.

How to Create the Pagination Bar Step-by-Step

• Select the first slide of the current topic.
• Draw two rectangular shapes proportional to your thumbnails: the first should be slightly smaller than the second.
• Open the Selection pane and name the smaller shape as Image and the larger one as Link.
• Fill as Solid fill , Transparency as 100%, Line as No Line for shape named Link;
• Fill as No fill , Line as No Line for shape named Image;

• Press the Ctrl key, select both shapes, merge them and name as NavButton.
• Copy the NavButton button using Ctrl-C and paste as many times as the number of slides in the topic using Ctrl-V.
• Distribute horizontally the buttons you made and align them vertically as the Previous and Next buttons.
• Number the NavButton buttons as NavButton01, NavButton02, etc.

• select the shape named Image;
• set the Fill option as Picture or texture fill using the Format Shape pane and then paste the prepared picture using the File… button;
• select the shape named Link, press Ctrl-K and link it by a hyperlink to the corresponding topic slide as described here .
• Copy the pagination bar you made and paste it on each slide of the current topic.

That’s all! If you study the pagination bar layout with thumbnails then you can easily do something else, for example the simple slides numbering, as shown in the picture below.

How to Highlight an Active Slide on the Pagination Bar

It is very simple! To highlight the active slide button on the Pagination Bar you need:

• Select the slide on which you want to highlight the active slide button.
• Then select the NavButton button of the active slide on the Pagination Bar.
• Then find and select the shape named Link of the NavButton button on the Selection pane.
• And finaly set the Line option value of this shape as Solid line .

As a result, the frame will appear around the active button. This is enough to highlight it among the other buttons, is not it?

A homepage is a useful but optional element of an interactive presentation. If you are going to talk about how you feed a puppy, then most likely you can do without a homepage.

In other cases, using the homepage will allow you to show the general structure of the interactive presentation and provide short explanations for its topics. Thus, you will help the viewer to get a general idea of presentation essence and understand what path it will have to go through its contents even before the start of the presentation.

This post on how to make an interactive presentation using MS PowerPoint will be incomplete if do not say anything about buttons.

A button is such a magical contraption which we’re click and suddenly find ourselves in some other place. (Wow, what an excellent definition, right?) This “teleportation” is caused by the hyperlink hidden inside the button.

Simple buttons, like these, look familiar, right?

We call them simple because they consist of a single shape. Using the shape properties a simple button can be assigned text, image, shadow and much more. We already wrote above how to create a simple button , how to add an image to it and how to attach a hyperlink to it.

Below we gave an example of the more complex button. It consists of several shapes which listed on Selection pane.

The hyperlink is attached to a transparent shape located on top of the other shapes. That is the small trick.

Not a rocket science, isn’t it?

We need the interactive presentation always responds correctly to the viewer’s clicks, ish’t it?

In PowerPoint defaults a left mouse click queues the next slide. This means that if the viewer clicks past a button or a hyperlink accidentally, PowerPoint will change the slide to the next. For an interactive presentation this actions is not acceptable, right?

To avoid this problem, go to the Transitions tab and disable the On Mouse Click checkbox in the Timing group. This will make the presentation respond to clicks of buttons or links and not respond to any other clicks.

Concluding this article it is worth mentioning the capabilities of MS PowerPoint to organizing interactive quizzes.

Quizzes are a convenient tool allows you to change the direction of your interactive presentation depending on the your viewers awareness. Using quizzes you get the opportunity to create an interactive online presentation with an individual approach for each viewer. What could be better?

Read our PowerPoint Triggers: Making Interactive Presentation article to learn how to design a personalized interactive online presentation for your audience.

Home Blog Presentation Ideas How To Make a Presentation Interactive

How To Make a Presentation Interactive

This article provides a short list of proven techniques for adding interactivity to your presentations. Based on our experience and available research, we know applying them will enhance your presentation experience.

Table of Contents

Definition of Interactive Presentation

Benefits of interactive presentation, interactive presentation techniques, recommended templates for interactive presentations.

An interactive presentation actively engages the audience, transforming them from passive listeners into active participants. It incorporates various elements that invite audience interaction, encourage learning and discussion.

• Interactive presentations generate connection, bringing audiences and presenters closer. 
• They enhance comprehension, simplifying complex concepts. 
• They boost engagement, keeping audiences active and interested. 
• They encourage cooperation, promoting collaborative learning and problem-solving.

The following list is a suggestion of audience interaction techniques that, in our experience, helped presenters make their presentations interactive. They all present an actionable example that can be easily implemented in your next PowerPoint presentation .

Use of Icebreakers

In recent years, researchers have theorized that Icebreakers help establish a conducive communication environment, favoring participation. Effective icebreakers can range from simple questions to fun activities to break down barriers and encourage interaction. The key is to choose an icebreaker that aligns with the audience and the topic of the presentation.

Icebreaker examples

We present two examples of the same technique based on the context of the presentation delivery method.

Scenario 1 – Physical Audience (in the Context of a Summit)

In summits, the audience is gathered for a shared interest. So, the hypothesis is that the people in the room, ready to listen to the presentation, have some interests in common. The presenter can break the ice with a simple “know the people around you.” Each participant should present themselves to the person at the right and the left and ask them the purpose of their assistance.

The presenter will then share the 3 “possible answers,” introducing how the presentation will cover those interests. If time is well measured, it can even do a “rise the hands” round to roughly estimate the answers.

This technique requires good control of the room, so it is important to constantly gauge the possible distraction generated vs the communication effect that wants to be reached. We suggest our subscribers present quickly, clear the icebreaker exercise, and invest time in the wrap-up (post-exercise) activity.

Scenario 2 – Virtual Audience (in the context of a course)

During virtual presentations (like in Google Meet or Zoom ), the interaction between participants requires separate meeting rooms or moderated chat, which incurs complexity and additional effort. So, our experience in virtual presentations shows that a single round of attendee introductions is a good icebreaker for the audience-presenter pair. 

The main task the presenter needs to prepare is to define beforehand the number of people that will introduce themselves and the 3 questions they should answer about them.

For example:

• What’s your name? (or any demographic that might fit the audience)
• What do you expect from the presentation?
• Do you have a specific question or topic you would like the presenter to address?

This technique of micro-interactions increases the audience’s affinity with its remote peers and triggers curiosity. For the presenter, it sets a standard of expectations to focus on during the speech. [3]

Incorporation of Multimedia Elements & Other Interactive Presentation Ideas

According to audience studies , incorporating multimedia elements into presentations significantly enhances audience engagement . This technique uses videos, reels, TikTok, audio clips, animations, memes, and images to convey information more effectively. These elements can simplify complex concepts, stimulate discussion, and maintain audience interest. They also cater to different learning styles, ensuring a more comprehensive understanding of the presented material.

Use of Non-linear Flow

Non-linear flow in interactive presentations allows for a flexible, audience-driven progression. It consists of allowing the listener to decide the path of the presentation. This technique enhances engagement by adapting to audience responses. Two studies ([1],[2]) conclude that the use of a non-linear presentation reinforces learning and improves understanding of concepts and results.

Storytelling Approach

The storytelling approach involves weaving a narrative around your topic, connecting facts and figures with characters and plots. This method engages the audience emotionally, stimulating their imagination, making it more relatable and memorable, and enhancing their understanding of the subject matter. The interaction materializes between the message and the emotions of the receiver. 

Do not misunderstand the usage of storytelling presentations as merely fictional creative plots. The presenter needs to create a story that delivers the message and also, is backed up with arguments or data.

Storytelling Example

For instance, imagine a mid-manager working on customer trends and behavior analysis in a retail company. In the previous quarter, numbers show a decrease in the sales of brewed coffee. The trends and survey analysis show that consumers prefer to brew at home.

So, instead of just showcasing numbers, the presenter elaborates on a customer persona (“Emily”) and creates a story about Emily’s regular day and decision-making process.

“Emily is a hard-working mom of 2 boys. She has a white-collar job, 9 to 5, in a big city. She is a conscious mom about their children’s nutrition and makes her grocery every morning in our stores. She values our quality and freshness. As part of her daily routine, she picks a fresh coffee from our store barista and quickly covers her shopping list., ready to deliver the goods at home and run to her job.

Her morning routine has recently been affected since Emily’s budget has seen an increase in groceries, and a detailed analysis of cost benefits has replaced the almost automatic process of selecting top-of-the-line healthy products. Prices have seen alterations due to inflation and have hit the shelves. Emily’s routine has changed so that she does not even take her “to go coffee”; she decided to brew at home.”

This story is more relatable and can trigger the audience’s experience about the topic. This is no bidirectional communication but generates an internal action in the audience.

Use of Q&A and Discussion Sessions

Question and Answer (Q&A) sessions and discussions complement interactive presentations. They provide a platform for the audience to drill down into concepts and exchange ideas. This methodology promotes dynamic involvement, inviting passive spectators to become active participants. Moreover, the presenter can extract invaluable insights from these sessions, transforming the presentation into a reciprocal learning experience. For further reading and techniques of Q&A sessions, please check our post on how to moderate questions and answers .

Quizzes and Polls

In interactive presentations, quizzes and polls are frequently employed to receive input from the audience at scale. Using technology, you can get quick answers to a grid of questions predefined or even built during the presentation itself. The audience input is received and quickly processed to share in a summary. Results can then be discussed during the presentation. 

Quizzes and Polls Examples

As technology for this technique, we suggest using Microsoft Forms or Google Forms. Booths are proven technologies that can be accessed from almost every network and guarantee you will not fail during your presentation. This tool reduces the risk of having a glitch failure.

If you have an Office 365 subscription, you can use Microsoft Forms, which integrates with PowerPoint to show the results of a poll or quiz.

If you use Google Forms, even though you do not have direct interaction, you can use the web viewer add-in of PowerPoint and, after some time, edit the presentation, refresh the preview, and show the examples.

Here is a list of interactive presentation ideas & templates that you can use in PowerPoint or Google Slides.

1. Interactive Jeopardy Game Template for PowerPoint & Google Slides

Welcome to Jeopardy! If you intend to make a memorable presentation and evaluate your attendees’ knowledge of the topics you disclose, this is the ideal resource to make a presentation interactive.

Use This Template

2. Quiz Maker for Interactive Presentations Template

When looking for how to make presentations interactive, this slide deck with a quiz theme can bring light to training sessions or even inspirational presentations. Easy to edit, you can build expectation with multiple-choice format, or work with true/false statements.

3. Six Thinking Hats PowerPoint Template for Interactive Presentations

Induce interactive activities for presentations by implementing this creative thinking template featuring the Six Thinking Hats model. It is ideal for teams to discuss a problem from different points of view.

4. Futuristic Concept Roadmap for Interactive Presentation Ideas

When looking for how to create an interactive PowerPoint presentation, this roadmap template stands out by its highly detailed graphic aesthetic, which makes facts easier to remember. Participants can add their insights to collectively build a roadmap for the organization, highlighting 3 key milestones.

We presented several methods to make your presentation interactive. You can navigate our presentations gallery and choose professional PowerPoint templates to apply these new techniques.

• Das, Anup & Dutta, Bidyarthi. (2002). Presentation of Results of Research: Linear and Non-Linear Forms.
• Rumpa, Lantana & Sampelawang, Petrus & Lolang, Enos & Tangkeallo, Daud & Rubianus,. (2018). NON-LINEAR PRESENTATION ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE: APPLYING PREZI ON ENGINEERING EDUCATION.
• In-person vs. virtual conferences: Lessons learned and how to take advantage of the best of both worlds

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How to Give an Interactive PowerPoint Presentation in 2023

Presenting online is tough, yes. You can’t really connect with your audience. You often don’t even know whether those mute faces listen to you at all.

That’s why it’s important to go the extra mile and make your presentation interactive. 

But that’s easier said than done, right?

Being for 7 years in the game of interactive presenting, I’d like to share some of my tips on how to activate your audience , create meaningful interaction, and facilitate it during your talk.

Get inspired by these (or some of these) tips for delivering a  truly interactive PowerPoint presentation.

• Play music or do some chit-chat while waiting
• Welcome people and properly introduce the topic
• Explain how people can interact with you
• Involve the audience from the very start
• Re-engage your audience every 5-7 minutes
• Use polls to trigger a discussion
• Take advantage of Zoom’s interactive features
• Simplify your slides: One idea/visual per slide
• Play around with virtual backgrounds
• Use breakout sessions for peer-to-peer learning
• Turn tedious numbers into a quiz
• Invite a sidekick
• Run mid-way Q&A sessions
• Give your audience something tangible to leave with
• Run a short feedback survey at the end

1. Play music or do some chit-chat while waiting

Often it takes a couple of minutes before everybody jumps on a call. While you’re waiting for the rest of the crew to join, you can play some music in the background to set the mood and talk to the people who have already tuned in. “Has anyone discovered a good recipe lately?” or, “Did you do anything cool this weekend?”

You can share music during your Zoom call easily by clicking the ‘ Share computer sound ‘ checkbox.

As people are joining, you can also prompt them to turn on their cameras and unmute themselves for the time being, so that you can all see and talk to each other.

💡 Use icebreaker polls to strike up conversations while you’re waiting for others.

2. Welcome people and properly introduce the topic

Once everybody’s aboard, welcome your participants warmly, thank them for joining you, and tell everyone what you will be talking about today. You can even add an agenda slide to your presentation so you map out the whole session to your audience in advance. In the virtual environment, it’s even more important to navigate people through the talk.

3. Explain how people can interact with you

Always check that everyone understands the technical side of things – otherwise, people may not know how to interact with you. Tell them what tools you’re going to use during the presentation and explain how they can use them.

It’s all about setting the right expectations: Do you want your participants to share comments via Zoom or Webex chat? Sure, tell them that. Explain how Webex or Zoom reactions work in case not everyone is familiar with them. If you expect verbal input from your participants, ask them to use the ‘Raise hand’ feature, so you can call on them if they want to contribute.

Are you going to use live polls throughout your presentation? Explain how people can vote in a poll or contribute with their ideas.

4. Involve the audience from the very start

Now that you’ve made it clear to your audience that you want and expect them to actively participate in the upcoming session, it’s time to give it a trial run.

Start a conversation with them right off the bat. For instance, I was recently a guest at an online fireside chat series called ‘Living Online’, run by our former Head of Education and a great moderator, Zuzana.

Before she dived into the topic, she collected insights from the audience. She ran a series of polls, asking people, “How much has the online world changed your life?” or, “What helps you find a balance between the real and the online world?”

This way, she made the talk more about the audience, as opposed to just streaming information one way (while making sure people are familiar with the tech).

5. Re-engage your audience every 5-7 minutes

Keep the momentum and motivate your audience to “talk” to you throughout your presentation. Even if it is just in a non-verbal way.

We recommend using live polls or other forms of interaction every 5-7 minutes to pull people back in and involve them in a conversation.

Prepare several poll questions for your audience beforehand, and spread them out throughout your talk.

Is there a content-heavy part of your presentation that might be tough for your audience to process? At the end of it, use a rating poll to ask your audience how well they understood.

Are you about to propose an argument? Before you do, ask your audience what their viewpoint on the topic is first. (You can use live polls here too.)

Take inspiration from our Head of Internal Comms, Silvia, who – before giving a word to our CEO Peter who’d walk us through September highlights – began by using a word cloud to source highlights from the team.

6. Use polls to trigger a discussion

Live polls are invaluable for collecting real-time input from your audience. You can use that input effectively for starting a discussion.

For example, during our latest strategy meeting with our Brand team, I really needed to know whether the strategy points I presented to my team made sense, and I wanted to build up a discussion around them.

After each of the three presented areas, I ran a rating poll: “On a scale of 1-6, how important is this area in order to achieve our goals?”

When votes came in, I commented on the results and whenever there were votes lower than 6, I asked: “Okay, who put 5/4? Can you please share your thoughts with us?”

This really changed the game for me, because I collected some invaluable insights from my colleagues that would otherwise have remained uncovered. Very often, people don’t share until you nudge them a little.

Read also: 7 Interactive Poll Ideas for Your PowerPoint Presentation

7. Take advantage of interactive features

Encourage your participants to ‘Raise hand’, use emoji reactions, or chat. Your meeting participants are probably not going to use them heavily unless you encourage them to do so.

I often use emoji reactions for fast feedback: I ask people to press thumbs up as an indication that they understand or agree, or to express that they like something with a clapping emoji or the heart symbol.

8. Simplify your slides: One idea/visual per slide

Make sure your slides are visually appealing. When listening to someone speak online, the last thing you want is to read huge bodies of text on slides. So don’t copy-paste the whole script of your speech. Use just one idea, one sentence, one topic, or one number per slide.

Where appropriate, support what you’re saying with an image, a graph, a gif, or even a meme. Do you want to show a video during your presentation? Make sure it’s really short because a video, no matter how entertaining, is yet another piece of content your audience consumes passively.

9. Play around with virtual backgrounds

Using a virtual background when presenting online can save the day if you need to quickly hide a messy kitchen or any trespassing relatives.

But, there’s more to it. You can tie it to the topic of your presentation and thus strengthen the message you’re trying to convey. For example, ever since our CEO Peter used climbing El Capitan as a metaphor for our company strategy, he uses an El Cap photo as his virtual background as a reminder for all of us that we still have a mountain to climb.

Need another great use of a virtual background? Pick a funny picture and use it as an icebreaker. For example, in several meetings, I put up a picture of a naked man chasing a wild boar, and believe me, there’s no better icebreaker !

People usually laugh and ask me why I picked this very image – it’s priceless to start a meeting with a smile on people’s faces!

Read also: 18 Best Virtual Icebreakers For Your Zoom Meetings

10. Use breakout sessions for peer-to-peer learning

This tactic is magic, especially with longer presentation types such as during all-company meetings, workshops, or training.

Propose a discussion topic or a challenge. Give your audience 1-2 minutes to think about it, before splitting them into smaller groups so that they can share their thoughts together and brainstorm solutions.

This is a great interactive exercise that helps you break the monotonous flow of one-way content broadcast and allow for some peer-to-peer learning.

You can also collect the learnings of your audience to include them in the presentation. For example, you can run an open text poll where you collect everybody’s key learnings and then display them on the screen. Let’s say you have asked your audience to discuss your company priorities. Try a word cloud such as: “Submit which priorities you discussed in your group.”

11. Turn tedious numbers into a quiz

Presenting company updates or business results can get quite tedious and your audience may easily start zoning out.

Turn it around and present your numbers in a form of a quiz .

For instance, before you reveal the number, say something like: “Before we look at the numbers, why don’t you guys have a guess at how well we did?” Then run a poll with multiple options and wait for your participants to cast their votes.

You can use this technique on multiple occasions. Our CEO, Peter, usually does this at our end-of-year all-hands meetings when he presents our business results such as revenue, sales, or a number of Slido events.

12. Invite a sidekick

Virtual presenters are superheroes that need to juggle multiple tools. And every Batman needs Robin. Consider inviting another speaker to deliver the presentation with you.

It will freshen up your talk and break the stereotype of only one speaker talking. On top of that, she/he can also help you with technicalities such as keeping an eye on the chat or troubleshooting any technical issues.

You can take turns in presenting the content or even give your presentation in the form of a conversation between the two of you. This way, it’ll be even easier for you to involve your audience in the talk, as they’ll be joining what already feels like an ongoing discussion.

Having a sidekick is invaluable if you’re running a Q&A round at the end of your presentation – they can help you manage questions from the audience.

13. Run mid-way Q&A sessions

Always make sure to leave space for Q&A – answering questions from the audience is one of the most important engagement points. Your participants will have a chance to dive deeper into the topic of your talk, and eventually, learn much more from your presentation.

Don’t wait until the end, but review the questions as they come in and take the most relevant ones continuously throughout your presentation (e.g. after each content block). If there are any outstanding questions, address them in the Q&A round at the end.

For example, during our recent product event , our Project Managers, Juraj Pal, Martin Srna, and Mario Ceselka, ran several Q&A rounds after each product announcement that they made. (Almost 350 questions came in! This is why it’s priceless to have a sidekick.)

They also encouraged people to use upvotes, so the most popular questions can jump to the top and be answered with priority.

14. Give your audience something tangible to leave with

As you move towards the end of your talk, it’s good practice to reiterate the main message of your presentation to give your participants one concrete takeaway to remember.

You can make the ending interactive as well: Ask your audience to think about what they’ve just heard, then run a poll asking your audience: “What are you taking away from this presentation?” or, “What one thing resonated with you the most during this presentation?”

15. Run a short feedback survey at the end

Don’t forget to ask your audience for feedback. We’re always ready to rate our Uber drives or meal deliveries in order to help improve the experience. Why should presentations be any different?

Feedback is the best way for you to learn and find out what you can do better next time. Combine classic star rating with an open text poll so your participants can write more elaborate comments as well.

Two to three questions will suffice – you don’t want to wear your audience down with too long a survey (plus, you’ll boost the response rate!). Here’s an example that you can use:

• How would you rate today’s presentation? (Rating)
• What did you like most about this presentation? (Open text)
• Is there anything that could be improved? (Open text)

Over to you

Actively involving your audience in your content is key if you want to make your online presentation more interactive and engaging.

Using polls, quizzes, and collecting questions from your audience is one of the easiest ways to create more interaction during your talk.

With Slido for PowerPoint , you can add polls to your presentation and present seamlessly – all from one place. Watch this video to see how Slido for PowerPoint works. Click below to try it.

Add live polls directly to your PowerPoint presentation.

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Turn your presentation into a conversation and involve your audience. Prezi Present’s one-of-a-kind open canvas lets you navigate freely between topics and dive into details on anything your audience wants. Reveal key data and findings by hovering your mouse over interactive graphs, tables, and infographics, all of which can be made with Prezi Design and easily incorporated into any presentation.

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There’s no need to start from scratch. Prezi provides hundreds of templates to help you create interactive presentations. Get started with one of our professionally designed presentation templates, then customize it with your own content, plus your branding if you’re a Teams customer.

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Some of the most interactive presentations out there are available on Prezi. Look through our gallery of presentation examples, curated by Prezi’s editors, for some of our favorites. You can take notes, get inspired, and you can even re-use an existing presentation for your own purposes. Just look for the green symbol, then customize the presentation with your own content.

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Frequently asked questions

What is an interactive presentation.

An interactive presentation is precisely what you might guess – a presentation you can interact with. They often use features like clicks and movement, and weave in activities like questions, polls, and games throughout the presentation to get the audience involved. An interactive presentation is fundamentally different than a traditional presentation in that the audience is an essential part of the content. Their involvement creates more conversational, authentic experiences that benefit everyone involved.

Can I create an interactive presentation on Prezi for free?

Yes. You can sign up for Prezi for free and start creating an interactive presentation immediately, and explore even more features and team options when you try one of our premium plans with a free trial.

How can I make a virtual presentation interactive?

With cameras off and microphones muted, it can be difficult to make an interactive presentation online, but not impossible. The trap that many virtual presenters fall into is sharing their screen and delivering their presentation more like a lecture. The audience recognizes the one-way nature of it and goes into passive mode. Use Prezi Present to create a presentation that feels more like conversation rather than a rehearsed deck of slides, and take it on screen with you with Prezi Video . This allows more face-to-face interaction with your audience and makes your presentation much more engaging.

Can I use an existing Powerpoint or Google Slides deck to make an interactive presentation on Prezi?

Yes, you can convert Powerpoint and Google Slides decks by importing them into Prezi. You can also take these presentations with you on screen to any virtual meeting, making for more immersive and interactive presentations than before.

Does Prezi’s interactive presentation software work with tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams?

It sure does. Connect an interactive presentation to any video meeting with Prezi Video. Just make sure to select “Prezi Camera” from the camera list to see your content.

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30+ Best Interactive PowerPoint Templates (How to Make an Interactive PPT) 2024

PowerPoint presentations now play a key role in many different aspects of business and educational projects. With schools switching to online learning and businesses adopting remote work, PPTs have become a very useful medium of communication.

One of the best uses of PowerPoint is its ability to create interactive presentations. They allow you to create more engaging and user-friendly slideshows that are easier to consume.

Designing interactive presentations, however, takes a lot of work. But, with the help of a great PowerPoint template, you can make that process much simpler.

We’ve found the perfect set of interactive PowerPoint templates for you to download. Grab a template from the list and jump to the end of the post to find a quick tutorial on how to create interactive PPTs.

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What is an interactive powerpoint.

Before we get to the templates, we wanted to clarify a few things about interactive presentations. Interactive presentations are not just about adding animations or links to your slideshows. They are mainly about creating an experience for the users.

For example, if you want to create a slideshow about global warming for your students, you can create an interactive PPT that explores multiple subtopics under this subject. You can create a main menu with links that starts the slides for each subtopic. And create a streamlined learning experience.

The same strategy can be applied to business-related presentations like sales meetings, product timelines, portfolio presentations, and more. You can also use interactive slideshows to create activity-based presentations like quizzes, games, and infographics.

See the interactive PowerPoint templates below for inspiration.

BLOOM – Brand Media Kit PowerPoint Template

Bloom is a unique PowerPoint template you can use to create presentations for brands and businesses that acts as a media kit. It will allow you to showcase your brand or business with an interactive slideshow. There are 60 modern and beautiful slides included in this template.

Wohnhaus – Clean Business Presentation PPT

If you prefer minimal and clean slide layouts, this PowerPoint template is perfect for you. It features a set of slides with a stylish design for making animated and interactive presentations for business projects. The template includes 30 unique slides.

Bizniz – Vertical Business PowerPoint Template

This PowerPoint template comes with slides made in a vertical layout. They are ideal for making interactive presentations that look and feel like browsing a document. This template features 30 unique slides in A4 size. You can use it to create printable documents too.

GEMBA – Bold Interactive PowerPoint Template

Gemba is a stylish PowerPoint template with a bold and creative design. This template includes lots of charts, graphs, and infographics you can use to design interactive slideshows. There are more than 70 unique slides included in this template.

Free Interactive PowerPoint Template for Corporate Business

This free PowerPoint template features a clean and professional design for making interactive interfaces for corporate business presentations. The template includes 13 unique slides and it comes in Google Slides format too.

Black White Project – Interactive PowerPoint Template

This PowerPoint template will allow you to design minimal slideshows for business and professional presentations. Of course, you can use its many diagrams, graphs, charts, and other slides to create an interactive presentation as well. There are 90 unique slides in this template.

KEPO – Multipurpose Interactive PowerPoint Template

Kepo is an interactive PowerPoint template that’s ideal for making educational presentations. There are 65 different slide layouts with many useful interactive maps, graphs, and elements to choose from.

Doodle Animated PowerPoint Infographics

Doodle-themed slides are also perfect for making explainer-style presentations, especially for showcasing products and services. The template includes 18 unique slides with creative doodle drawings, charts, and graphics.

Modern Animated PowerPoint Infographic Templates

Another PowerPoint template full of animated infographic slides. You can easily add interactive elements to these slides to create presentations for various businesses and companies. There are 18 infographic slides in this template.

Digital Notebook – Free Interactive PowerPoint Template

You can use this free PowerPoint template to create a cool digital notebook-style interactive presentation. It features 28 unique slides with editable graphics, charts, and timelines.

Eliot – Education Interactive PowerPoint Template

Whether you’re preparing a presentation to showcase your educational establishment to students or potential investors, this template will allow you to create an interactive experience that wins them over. It includes 30 unique slide layouts that you can customize to add hyperlinks and interactive elements.

Annual Plan Animated PowerPoint Template

Explaining your business plans during meetings can be a tough process. But, with this interactive PowerPoint template, it’ll be much easier. You can use this PPT to divide different parts of your annual plan, sales goals, financial projections into categories and design an interactive presentation that your team can easily understand.

Digital Marketing Strategy – Interactive PowerPoint Template

Streamline the entire digital marketing strategy for your brand and business using this PowerPoint template. It includes 40 unique slide layouts and you can easily design an interactive presentation with animations using this template to offer a more engaging experience.

Business Model Canvas PowerPoint Template

This is the perfect PowerPoint template you can use to present your business model. It features fully interactive slides that can be easily customized to add your own details. The slides are also print-ready and include lots of infographics, charts, and vector graphics as well.

MIDTEST – Education Quiz PowerPoint Presentation

Planning quiz or a test for your students? Then download this PowerPoint template to create an entertaining and interactive quiz. It features 30 different slides with very clean and modern designs. You can use them to easily create interactive lessons and quizzes.

Simple Business Plan – Free PowerPoint Template

This is a free PowerPoint template featuring a simple and clean set of slides. You can use it to design various business-related presentations while adding interactive elements. The template includes a total of 34 slide designs.

Virtual Campaign – Free Interactive PowerPoint Template

You can create presentations for your virtual product and marketing campaigns using this colorful PowerPoint template. It comes with 30 unique slides in 5 different color schemes to choose from.

Business Sales Interactive PowerPoint Template

Turn your online sales meetings into an interactive experience with this PowerPoint template. It features a set of modern and creative slide layouts you can use to add interactive elements. There are more than 50 unique slides with fully editable layouts in this template.

Kidia – Interactive Education PowerPoint Template

With this PowerPoint template, you can create engaging interactive lessons for kids and classes. The template comes with 30 unique slides with beautiful and colorful designs. You can add interactive elements to the slides and create attractive experiences for children.

Scofe – Pitch Deck Interactive PPT

This is a pitch deck template you can use to pitch and present your business ideas, startups, and projects to clients. It includes 45 unique slides in 3 different color schemes. You can easily edit the slides to add interactive components to this presentation.

Annual Report Presentation PowerPoint Template

Use this PowerPoint template to design effective annual report presentations with interactive elements. This template lets you choose from 40 unique slides and it features very clean layouts as well.

Education – Interactive PowerPoint Presentation

If you’re planning a quiz or an interactive lesson for kids, this PowerPoint template will make your job much easier. It features a very colorful and creative slide layout that will instantly attract the attention of children. There are 30 unique slides in this template.

Diagrams PowerPoint Infographic Templates

Charts and diagrams are an important part of almost every presentation. They are a great way of visualizing data in an attractive way. With this PowerPoint template, you get access to 30 various styles of diagram slides. You can add interactive elements and create unique presentations with them.

Alphabet – Free Infographic PowerPoint Template

This is a unique PowerPoint template you can use to create business and marketing presentations. It includes 30 slides featuring infographics designs in the style of all the letters in the alphabet.

Sequence – Free Multipurpose PowerPoint Template

Download this PowerPoint template for free to create all kinds of business and creative presentations. The template has 27 unique slide layouts with animations. You can add your own interactive elements as well.

DUFOLIO – Personal Portfolio PowerPoint Template

With this PowerPoint template, you can create a beautiful portfolio presentation to showcase your best work to clients. Not only that, you can even add interactive elements to create a simpler way to learn more about your skills and experience.

Bracket – Interactive Business Presentation Template

This is a multipurpose PowerPoint template you can use to design different types of business presentations. It comes with 30 unique slides with fully editable layouts that you can take advantage of to create engaging presentations.

SWOT Analysis – Interactive Business PPT

The SWOT analysis is a popular concept used in analyzing businesses. With this PPT, you can design an effective presentation analyzing businesses and competitors based on the SWOT concepts. It includes more than 100 slides.

Interactive PowerPoint Portfolio Presentation Template

Another creative portfolio presentation template for PowerPoint. This template can be easily customized to create portfolio slideshows for both agencies and freelancers. There are over 50 unique slides included in the template.

Monthly & Annual Report PowerPoint template

You can use this PowerPoint template to create monthly and annual reports for your business meetings. With just a bit of extra work, you can even turn them into interactive experiences. The template comes with 57 slides with fully editable layouts.

Retato Slideshow – Free Interactive PowerPoint Template

Grab this free and creative PowerPoint template to design modern and stylish presentations for business and educational purposes. The template includes 33 unique slides with editable charts and graphics.

Online Notebook – Free Interactive PowerPoint Template

This free PowerPoint template is perfect for creating interactive lessons for your online classes. It lets you choose from 30 different slides and you can customize them however you like. The template is available in Google Slides version as well.

How to Make an Interactive PowerPoint

Creating an interactive PowerPoint presentation is all about planning the structure and the flow of your content. Once you have that sorted, follow these steps to add the interactive elements into your PPT.

Step 1: Use a Great Template

Finding a great PowerPoint template that comes with beautiful slides is an important step in this process. It will help you save a lot of time that goes into designing each slide and adding components one by one.

So make sure to download a great template and customize the design to fit your brand and the topic you’re discussing.

Step 2: Add Hyperlinks

The next step is to add hyperlinks to your interactive elements. For example, you can add a button to your slides to let users quickly go back to the main menu or the beginning of the slideshow.

You can do this by adding a hyperlink to an existing element on the slide. Or you can create a simple shape and adding a link to it.

To add the hyperlink to the selected object, go to the Insert Menu and select Action .

From here, you can select Slide.. from the Hyperlink To menu and pick any slide in your presentation to link to it.

Now, when a user clicks on the object, it will send them to the linked slide.

Additionally, you can also add animations to the object. If you’re using a PowerPoint template that comes with animations, you won’t have to manually add the animations.

If you prefer a visual tutorial, check out this YouTube video on how to create interactive PowerPoints.

• Alternatives 🔥

How to Make a Presentation Interactive | 7 Great Ways

Lakshmi Puthanveedu • 04 September, 2024 • 11 min read

Are your presentations putting people to sleep faster than a bedtime story? It’s time to shock some life back into your lessons with interactivity🚀

Let's defibrillate “Death by PowerPoint” and show you lightning-quick ways how to make a presentation interactive .

With these tips, you'll be able to activate that dopamine drip and get butts in seats leaning in - not delving deep into the chairs!

Table of Contents

What is an interactive presentation.

• Why Use an Interactive Presentation?

#1. Create icebreaker games🧊

• #2. Make use of props 📝

#3. Create interactive presentation games and quizzes 🎲

#4. tell a compelling story, #5. organise a brainstorming session, #6. make a word cloud for the topic, #7. bring out the poll express, easy interactive activities for presentations, more presentation examples you could learn from.

Keeping your audience engaged is the most critical and challenging part, regardless of the topic or how casual or formal the presentation is. 

An interactive presentation is a presentation that works two ways. The presenter asks questions during the production, and the audience responds directly to those questions.

Let's take an example of an interactive poll .

The presenter displays a poll question on the screen. The audience can then submit their answers live through their mobile phones, and the results are immediately displayed on the screen, as shown in the image below. Yay, it's an interactive slide presentation .

Making an interactive presentation does not have to be complex or stressful. It’s all about letting go of the static, linear presentation format and using some tools and techniques to create a personal, more involved experience for the audience.

With software like AhaSlides , you can easily create interactive presentations with tons of interactive quizzes, polls, and live Q&A sessions for your audience. Keep reading to find out fired tips on how to make a presentation interactive 👇

Why Interactive Presentation?

Presentations are still one of the commonly used methods to pass on information. Still, no one likes to sit through long, monotonous presentations where the host doesn’t stop talking.

Interactive presentations can help. They...

• Increase audience engagement , allowing them to connect with you and the purpose of the presentation. 64% of people believe a flexible presentation with two-way interaction is more engaging than a linear one.
• Improve retention capacity . 68% say that it’s easier to remember the information when the presentation is interactive.
• Tips: Use a rating scale to gather feedback !
• Act as a break from the routine and allow participants to have an enjoyable experience.

How to Make a Presentation Interactive

Whether you are hosting a virtual or offline presentation, there are many ways to make presentations interactive, exciting and two-way for your audience.

Starting a presentation is always one of the most challenging parts. You are nervous; the audience might still be settling, there might be people not familiar with the topic - the list could go on. Get to know your audience, ask them questions about how they are feeling and how their day was, or maybe share a funny story to get them hooked and excited.

🎊 Here are 180 Fun General Knowledge Quiz Questions and Answers to gain better engagement.

#2. Make use of Props 📝

Making a presentation interactive does not mean you have to let go of traditional tricks of engaging the audience. You could bring a lighting stick or a ball to pass around to the audience when they want to ask a question or share something.

Games and quizzes will always remain the star of the show, no matter how complex the presentation is. You don’t necessarily have to create them related to the topic; these could also be introduced into the presentation as fillers or as a fun activity.

💡 Want more? Get 10 interactive presentation techniques here!

Stories work like a charm in any situation. Introducing a complex physics topic? You could tell a story about Nicola Tesla or Albert Einstein. Want to beat the Monday blues in the classroom? Tell a story! Want to break the ice ? 

Well, you know… ask the audience to tell a story! 

There are many ways you could use storytelling in a presentation. In a marketing presentation , for instance, you can create empathy with your audience by telling an engaging story or asking them if they have any interesting marketing stories or situations to share. If you're a teacher, you could pitch an outline to the students and ask them to build the rest of the story. 

Or, you could tell a story till just before the ending and ask the audience how they think the story ended.

You’ve created a stellar presentation. You’ve introduced the topic and are mid-way through the exhibition. Wouldn’t it be nice to sit back, take a break and see how your students put some effort into taking the presentation forward?

Brainstorming helps get the students excited about the topic and allows them to think creatively and critically.

💡 Get an engaged class with 6 more interactive presentation ideas

Want to make sure your audience gets the concept or topic of the presentation without making it feel like an interrogation? 

Live word clouds are fun and interactive and ensure the main topic is not lost in the presentation. Using a word cloud free , you can ask the audience what they think is the main topic for the production.

How do you feel about using visual aids in your presentation? It's not anything new, right? 

But what if you can merge funny pictures with an interactive poll? That's got to be interesting! 

“How do you feel right now?” 

This simple question could be turned into an interactive fun activity with the help of images and GIFs describing your mood. Present it to the audience in a poll, and you could display the results on the screen for everyone to see.

This is a great, super simple icebreaker activity that can help revitalise team meetings, especially when some folks are working remotely.

💡 We've got more - 10 interactive presentation ideas for work .

Whether you’re hosting something for your colleagues, students or friends, retaining their attention for a while can be a daunting task.

Games such as What Would You Do? and 4 Corners are easy interactive activities to help the audience get back on track with your presentation …

What Would You Do?

Isn’t it interesting to know what someone would do in a particular situation or how they would handle it? In this game, you give the audience a scenario and ask how they would deal with it.

Say, for example, you are having a fun night with your friends and family. You could ask questions like, “What would you do if you could be invisible to the human eye?” and see how they handle the given situation.

If you've got remote players, this is a great interactive Zoom game .

This is a perfect game for anyone with an opinion. It’s a great way to start a conversation on your presentation's topic before diving into the meat of it.

You announce a statement and see how everyone feels about it. Each participant shows how they think by moving to one corner of the room. The corners are labelled ‘strongly agree’, ‘agree’, ‘strongly disagree’, and ‘disagree’. 

Once everyone has taken their place in the corners, you could have a debate or discussion between the teams.

🎲 Looking for more? Check out 11 interactive presentation games !

The 5 Best Interactive Presentation Software

Making a presentation interactive is so much easier with the right tool.

Among various presentation software , interactive presentation websites let your audience respond directly to the content of your presentation and see the results on the big screen. You ask them a question in the form of a poll, word cloud, brainstorming or even a live quiz, and they respond with their phones.

#1 - AhaSlides

AhaSlides presentation platform will let you host fun, interactive presentations for all your needs, with quizzes, live Q&As, word clouds, brainstorming slides, and such.

The audience can join the presentation from their phones and interact with it live. Whether you are presenting to your students, a businessman who wants to hold team-building activities, or someone who wants to have a fun quiz game for your friends and family, this is a great tool you can use, with a ton of fun interactive options.

If you are looking for ways to boost your team’s creativity at your workplace, then Prezi is an excellent tool.

It is a bit similar to how a standard linear presentation would be but more imaginative and creative. With a huge template library and many animated elements, Prezi lets you create a cool, interactive display in no time.

Although the free version does not come with many features, spending a little on the tool is worth it to create content for any occasion.

🎊 Learn more: Top 5+ Prezi Alternatives | 2024 Reveal From AhaSlides

NearPod is a good tool that most educators would get a kick out of. It is specifically designed to cater to educational needs, and the free basic version lets you host a presentation for up to 40 students.

Teachers can build lessons, share them with students and monitor their results. One of the best features of NearPod is the Zoom integration, where you can merge your ongoing Zoom lesson with the interactive presentation.

The tool also has various interactive features such as memory tests, polls, quizzes and video embedding features.

Canva is an easy-to-use kit that even a person with no design experience could master in a few minutes.

With the drag-and-drop feature of Canva, you can create your slides in no time and that too with copyright-free images and a ton of design templates to choose from.

🎉 Learn more: Canva Alternatives | 2024 Reveal | Updated 12 Free and Paid Plans

Keynote for Mac

Keynote is one of the most popular bits of presentation software for Mac . It comes pre-installed and can be easily synced to iCloud, making it accessible across all Apple devices. Along with creating engaging presentations, you can also add a little bit of creativity by adding doodles and illustrations to your presentation.

Keynote presentations can also be exported to PowerPoint, allowing flexibility for the presenter.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i make my presentation more interactive.

You can make a presentation more interactive with these 7 simple strategies: 1. Create icebreaker games 2. Make use of props 3. Create interactive presentation games and quizzes 4. Tell a compelling story 5. Organise a session using a brainstorming tool 6. Make a word cloud for the topic 7. Bring out the Poll Express

Can I make my PowerPoint interactive?

Yes, you can use PowerPoint's AhaSlides add-in to save time and effort while still being able to create interactive activities like polls, Q&A or quizzes.

How can you make presentations interactive to get students involved?

Here are some effective ways to make presentations more interactive and get students involved: 1. Use polls/surveys 2. Use quizzes, leaderboards, and points to make the content feel more game-like and fun. 3. Pose questions and cold call on students to answer and discuss their thinking. 4. Insert relevant videos and have students analyse or reflect on what they saw.

• Presentation outfit
• TED talks presentation
• Body language during a presentation
• How to get over Stage Fright
• Personality in a presentation
• Benefits of presentation software
• Zoom presentation tips
• Easy topic for presentation

To help you craft an impactful presentation, let's explore some common pitfalls and how to overcome them

• Bad speeches
• Bad presentation at work
• Death by PowerPoint

Lakshmi Puthanveedu

A small-town girl enthralled by culture, languages, and sunsets. Casual artist and musician looking to make memories every step of the way. Now changing the way humans live and have virtual interactions with AhaSlides.

Tips to Engage with Polls & Trivia

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How to Create an Interactive PowerPoint Presentation

content creator

Helen Colman See full bio →

PowerPoint presentations are one of the most popular educational resources nowadays. Having been so for quite some time, they might look a bit old-fashioned and not as engaging as we would like. However, there’s a surefire way to make them much more dynamic – create interactive slides.

In this article, you’ll learn what interactive elements you can add to your PPT presentation, how to do this in PowerPoint step by step, and how to keep the audience’s attention by making the learning experience even more exciting and interactive with iSpring Suite. Let’s get started.

What Makes a PowerPoint Presentation Interactive?

3 Ideas for Interactive PowerPoint Presentations

An Easier Way to Create Interactive Learning Materials

There are many ways to make your presentation interactive. Some require only PowerPoint functionalities, while others require a different tool or a PPT add-in. Here are some of the most common ways to add interactivity to your PPT slides:

• PowerPoint triggers and animations
• Multimedia: visual content, audio files, web pages, and videos
• Interactive software simulations
• Mini games  
• eLearning interactions
• Interactive quizzes
• Interactive role-play simulations

3 Ideas for Making Presentations Interactive with PowerPoint

PowerPoint lets you create lots of learning content that will keep your audience engaged, by using functionalities like on-click interactions, pop-up menus, and tests with branching scenarios. Here we’ll show you how to do that and ways to make this process even easier and more effective.

Check out a demo that includes some of these content types:

Follow our step-by-step guides to create one of these content types for your interactive presentation.

Idea #1: PowerPoint triggers for on-click interactions

One of the ways to make your slide interactive is to add a clickable button (trigger) that activates something. For example, it can launch one or more animations simultaneously. See how it works below:

To build such on-click interaction, you’ll need to add animations. Follow these steps:

1. Pick a background image, insert it into your PPT slide, and stretch it so that it fills the slide completely.

2. Add an object that will become the clickable button. This can be an image or a simple shape.

3. Select this object on the slide and click on Format → Selection Pane . Double-click the highlighted object and rename it to Open button .

4. Create two new slide objects (and rename them): a text box and another button. This button will close the pop-up.

5. Open the Selection Pane and select the Open and Close buttons, along with the textbox . Simply hold down the Left Ctrl key and click each of the needed items:

Now go to Animations → Add Animation → Entrance: Fade and then Add Animation → Exit: Fade .

7. To see the entire list of animations on this slide, click on Animation Pane . Here’s how it should look:

8. Now it’s time to set up triggers. Select the Entrance animations for the Close button and the textbox, then click on  Trigger → On Click of and select the Open button shape. What this will do: when the Open button is clicked, the textbox and the Close button will appear.

9. Now repeat the previous step but trigger the exit animations of the same objects by clicking on Close button . Once this has been done, you should see the following in the Animation Pane :

10. There’s one minor thing left to do: when you click the Open button, it should disappear, and when you hit the Close button, it should appear again. How do you make this happen? Simply move the Open button animations under corresponding triggers like this:

And that’s it, your interaction is ready. If you want to enhance the pop-up with visuals, like an image or another textbox, follow the same process and add their animations to the existing triggers.

Idea #2: Single-slide interaction with pop-ups

This second idea expands on the previous one: you can add several slide buttons that will activate pop-ups on the screen. Here’s what it looks like:

To design this type of interaction, you’ll need to create the interaction from the previous idea (or build a new one by following our guide) and then follow the steps below:

1. Create a set of objects for the second pop-up. If you need the same buttons, simply select an object you created earlier, then hold down Left Ctrl and drag it to a different position on the slide – and you’ll get an identical copy. You can also repeat this step with other objects.

2. Then, open Selection Pane and rename the new objects.

3. Now, animate the second pop-up. Press and hold Left Ctrl , then select objects in Selection Pane and add two sets of Fade animations:

4. Trigger the new animations using the same logic from the previous idea. Once finished, Animation Pane should look like this:

5. Your interaction is almost ready. All you still need to do is fix this issue:

As you can see, two pop-ups can now be opened at the same time and it doesn’t look good. To fix this, you need to set your animations so that when you click on “Open button 1,” the second pop-up button disappears, and vice versa. And make them appear again when either of the “Close buttons” is clicked. Here’s what your animation pane should look like:

Now, your interaction should work like this:

And that’s it, your interaction with several pop-up menus is ready!

Idea #3: A quiz with branching scenarios

Another way to make your slides interactive is to add a quiz with clickable answer options. You can also make the test progress differently for each student, depending on the option they select: if the answer is correct, they proceed to the next question; if not, they go to the info slide to dive deeper into the topic. Or you can make it so that a learner receives feedback after each answered question.

Below, you’ll learn the basics of building quizzes and branching scenarios in PowerPoint, which you can further use for creating all sorts of tests – the essentials are the same.

1. Create the title page of the quiz. Add a background image, then type the title of your quiz and its description.

2. Move on to the next slide to add a question and answer options. For the answer options, you can simply use text blocks ( Insert → Text Box ) or shapes ( Insert → Shapes ). You can also add an image if you wish.

Add other question and answer slides for your test in the same way.

3. Create the correct answer slide after your first question. Add a congratulatory message, such as: “Well done!” or “That’s correct!” or “Correct!” Below the message, add a button that will take the learner to the next question.

4. Create the incorrect answer slide. Repeat the same process as in the previous step but add a different text (and an image, if you use them).

If you want to make knowledge checks even more insightful for learners, you can provide them with feedback on each incorrect answer.

Add correct and incorrect answer slides after each question slide.

5. Set navigation for your quiz. Link the correct and incorrect answer options to the relevant feedback slides. Click on the answer text box, then go to the Insert tab and select Hyperlink . In the opened window, select Place in This Document and select the necessary slide.

Then add a hyperlink to the button on the feedback slides. You’ll need to do the same for each slide because feedback slides should lead to a new question every time.

Once you’ve finished setting up navigation, your quiz is ready. If you want to learn more about this topic, read our article on how to make a quiz in PowerPoint .

PowerPoint isn’t designed for creating interactive slides. Yes, it’s possible to do this, but it requires a great deal of time and effort. So if you’re planning to develop such educational content regularly, consider using one of the 23 best PowerPoint add-ins . Some of them, like iSpring Suite , are built for this sort of task and empower you to create better content in less time.

iSpring Suite works as a PowerPoint add-in and provides you with templates and smart functions for designing advanced learning content quickly and easily. You can design interactions, quizzes, educational simulations, and many other content types. Then, you can upload them to your learning management system (LMS) or your online storage (iSpring Cloud) and share them with your learners.

Let’s see how to make your slides interactive using iSpring Suite. Download a 14-day free iSpring Suite trial and follow the steps below to put theory into practice.

Interactions

Open the iSpring Suite tab and go to Interactions. There are 14 interaction templates, such as an FAQ, a timeline, and a diagram. Select one of them, fill it with texts and multimedia, and that’s it – your interaction is ready!

Watch this video to see the interaction development process from A-Z.

And here’s an example of an interaction created in iSpring Suite. It took us only 2 minutes to design it, while a similar interaction in PowerPoint took us at least an hour to create because we had to set up all of the triggers, animations, etc.

Just as with interactions, iSpring Suite has 14 ready-made question templates that you only need to fill with text and multimedia.

Here’s how. Open iSpring Suite, then go to Quizzes and click on Graded Quiz . Then, select a question type and fill it with information. If you wish, you can also add advanced settings, like time limits, the number of attempts allowed, and others.

See the entire routine in our tutorial video:

There’s no need to add separate feedback slides because feedback is already built into each question slide. You can customize it and add reinforcement information.

By the way, even if you don’t have an LMS, you can still share the test with your learners and track their progress – iSpring Suite has a special online storage space for that and the tool will email you the quiz results of your learners.

Here’s an example of a quiz created with iSpring Suite:

Role-play simulations

Role-plays scenarios or educational simulations are one of the most engaging educational activities in online learning. While most interactive tools require programming to create this content type, iSpring Suite enables you to create educational sims easily – even if you have no IT background.

Simply go to Role-Play and click on New Role-Play . Select New Scene . Pick a character and a background image from the library of ready-made content. Add texts. Then repeat the process with other scenes, connect them by dragging an arrow from one scene to another, and that’s it! Your sim is ready.

If you want to dive deeper into this topic, read our in-depth article on role-plays , their types with examples, and a guide and tips on creating them. It’s written by Clark Aldrich, the world’s most experienced designer of educational simulations.

And here’s an example of a role-play that Clark Aldrich created with iSpring Suite:

Now, let’s recap some highlights from this article. Here are the key takeaways.

Can you make a PowerPoint presentation interactive?

Yes, you can add interactive elements to your PPT presentation either by using PowerPoint alone or with additional tools, like iSpring Suite.

What are the interactive features of PowerPoint?

PowerPoint lets you create triggers and animations that make your presentation more interactive.

How do I make my PowerPoint presentation more engaging?

Consider adding interactions, quizzes, triggers, and animations to your presentation to make it more dynamic, engaging, and participatory.

So, these are several ways you can create engaging presentations with PowerPoint only and with other tools (check out this list of the 12 best interactive presentation software tools ). If you want to save time and effort while creating much more engaging and interactive presentations, courses, and assessments, check out iSpring Suite .

Get started with iSpring Suite for free during a 14-day trial period.

Also read:   How to Convert PowerPoint to MP4 Video on Windows & macOS

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Helen Colman

She enjoys combining in-depth research with expert knowledge of the industry. If you have eLearning insights that you’d like to share, please get in touch .

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Top 10 Interactive Presentation PowerPoint Presentation Templates in 2024

An interactive presentation is a dynamic and engaging way to deliver information to an audience using multimedia elements and interactive features. These presentations are fully editable and customizable in PowerPoint, allowing users to incorporate animations, videos, hyperlinks, and interactive elements such as quizzes, polls, and clickable buttons. Interactive presentations are ideal for a variety of use cases, including business meetings, sales pitches, educational seminars, and training sessions. By incorporating interactive elements, presenters can capture and maintain the audience's attention, encourage active participation, and enhance comprehension and retention of key information. These presentations also provide a more immersive and memorable experience for viewers, making the content more engaging and impactful. Overall, interactive presentations offer a modern and innovative approach to delivering information effectively and engagingly.

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• Customers Employees Interact

Digital interaction ppt diagram presentation slides

Presenting digital interaction ppt diagram presentation slides. This is a digital interaction ppt diagram presentation slides. This is a eight stage process. The stages in this process are objects, tables, drawings, schnabel text, photograph, models.

Folks acknowledge your attempt to improve conditions with our Digital Interaction Ppt Diagram Presentation Slides. They appreciate your interference.

• Schnabel Text

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• Interactive Strategy

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Presenting this set of slides with name - Interactive Shopping Ppt Powerpoint Presentation Portfolio Gallery Cpb. This is an editable four stages graphic that deals with topics like Interactive Shopping to help convey your message better graphically. This product is a premium product available for immediate download, and is 100 percent editable in Powerpoint. Download this now and use it in your presentations to impress your audience.

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• Interactive Shopping

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• Interactive Communications

Revolutionizing Workplace Collaboration Through Interactive Technology Powerpoint Presentation Slides

Enthrall your audience with this Revolutionizing Workplace Collaboration Through Interactive Technology Powerpoint Presentation Slides. Increase your presentation threshold by deploying this well-crafted template. It acts as a great communication tool due to its well-researched content. It also contains stylized icons, graphics, visuals etc, which make it an immediate attention-grabber. Comprising fourty seven slides, this complete deck is all you need to get noticed. All the slides and their content can be altered to suit your unique business setting. Not only that, other components and graphics can also be modified to add personal touches to this prefabricated set.

If your firm is looking to enhance its performance via technological improvements in the areas namely workplace productivity, customer service, risk management, and workplace safety, then this Revolutionizing Workplace Collaboration through Interactive Technology PowerPoint presentation is the right choice for you. It covers major challenges faced by the organization along with its performance in FY20. The deck describes in detail the key trends that drive the industry, an analysis of current workplace productivity, and areas to focus on to improve the firms overall performance. Also, it shows an assessment of the CRM framework and introduction of AI in Customer Service, covering factors such as AI tools, benefits of using AI in CRM, areas where AI is improving Customer Experience, etc. Additionally, this Workplace Innovation and Technological Change PPT helps determine and mitigate the impact of risk events on business performance and build a safe workplace environment. It also shows the training schedule for existing and new employees describing tool name, training type, mode, and duration. Furthermore, the module provides information about different hurdles the organization faces while implementing new technology, such as digitalization-driven culture change, data management, interoperability challenges, etc, along with their solutions. At last, our presentation highlights dashboards to evaluate business performance, including customer service management KPI dashboard and KPI dashboard to track risk events. Get access to this powerful template now.

• Performance Improvement
• Workplace Transformation
• Workplace Innovation
• Technology Implementation

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Presenting our Cell Cycle Interactive Ppt Powerpoint Presentation Icon Gallery Cpb PowerPoint template design. This PowerPoint slide showcases six stages. It is useful to share insightful information on Cell Cycle Interactive This PPT slide can be easily accessed in standard screen and widescreen aspect ratios. It is also available in various formats like PDF, PNG, and JPG. Not only this, the PowerPoint slideshow is completely editable and you can effortlessly modify the font size, font type, and shapes according to your wish. Our PPT layout is compatible with Google Slides as well, so download and edit it as per your knowledge.

Our Cell Cycle Interactive Ppt Powerpoint Presentation Icon Gallery Cpb are topically designed to provide an attractive backdrop to any subject. Use them to look like a presentation pro.

• Cell Cycle Interactive

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• Market Segmentation
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Interactive templates

The best free interactive google slides and powerpoint templates.

All links are set and shapes ready to drag and drop! So you can just add your content and start interacting with these awesome free templates!

Unleash the wild fun in your classroom with this FREE PowerPoint Template and Google Slides Theme. Liven up your classroom with a touch of the jungle!  This free downloadable theme features adorable monkeys swinging through lush green backgrounds and bright banana trees.   It’s more than just cute though – this theme is […]

Cute Monkeys, mini theme and subtraction drag and drop activity.

Get ready for some St. Patrick’s Day cheer with a free memory game template for Google Slides and PowerPoint! This festive template features charming clovers and lucky golden coins. It also includes a handy agenda slide and three different layouts specifically designed for creating memory games. Personalizing the game is […]

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a Fun Memory Game!

Free syllabus template for Google Slides and PowerPoint to inject personality into your class introduction. Forget about boring old paper syllabus, this free template is the perfect way to communicate the overview of your class, define expectations and responsibilities in an appealing way. It features a notebook with linked tabs […]

Interactive Notebook free syllabus template.

Free syllabus template for Google Slides and PowerPoint to inject personality into your course introduction. Forget about boring old paper syllabus, this free template is the perfect way to communicate the overview of your class, define expectations and responsibilities in a stylish way. It features file folders with linked tabs […]

20XX Syllabus template, free for Google Slides and PowerPoint.

Empower Your Productivity with this free teacher dashboard, for Google Slides and PowerPoint. The planner is all set up and ready to use. Simply click on the slides to start adding your notes and plans. You can easily add more slides by duplicating or copying and pasting existing ones. To personalize your […]

Teacher Dashboard. August 2024 – July 2025 FREE digital planner for teachers.

Free PowerPoint template and Google Slides theme. Customizable yearly planner template for teachers. I enjoyed so much creating the first two planners (Katie and the School Planner) that I decided to create a new one. By popular demand, this time, I started the week view on Monday, and even though […]

Teacher Digital Planner – July 2024 to July 2025 version.

Free animated and interactive traffic lights template for Google Slides and PowerPoint. Engage your students and set clear expectations with this fun and free animated traffic light template! Whether you’re using Google Slides or PowerPoint, you can use this template to establish guidelines for different activities in your classroom. For […]

Make Your Classroom Flow Smooth with this Interactive Traffic Light Template!

Organize Your Digital Life with This Pastel-Colored Ring Binder, free for PowerPoint and Google Slides. This free digital ring binder, available in editable formats for PowerPoint and Google Slides, is the perfect tool for streamlining your digital life. With its eight customizable tabs and easy navigation, you can keep your […]

Free Digital ring binder with pastel colors editable in PowerPoint and Google Slides.

Empower Your Productivity with My Personal Dashboard, free for Google Slides and PowerPoint. The planner is all set up and ready to use. Simply click on the slides to start adding your notes and plans. You can easily add more slides by duplicating or copying and pasting existing ones. To personalize your […]

My personal Dashboard, free 2024 digital planner.

Kickstart your year with this brand-new digital planner, free for Google Slides and PowerPoint. All links are set, and text boxes are ready for your notes and plans. To add more slides, simply duplicate (or copy and paste) existing slides, ensuring you retain the embedded links. Personalize your planner: Click Slide > Edit theme […]

Free 2024 digital planner for Google Slides and PowerPoint.

Free PowerPoint template and Google Slides theme. Customizable yearly planner template for teachers. I adapted the Edu Planner (July to July) for one of my virtual friends, so in case someone wanted to use it from January to December, or for those in the southern hemisphere, here it is. To […]

Teacher Digital Planner – 2024 January to December version.

Bring Family Histories to Life! Free Interactive Family Tree Template for Google Slides & PowerPoint. This long-awaited interactive family tree template is here to make learning about ancestry engaging and fun for your students. Easy to use, engaging to explore: Benefits for students: Tips: No more static family trees! This […]

Free interactive Family Tree template for Google Slides and PowerPoint.

Celebrate the holiday season with this free Gingerbread Christmas template for PowerPoint and Google Slides! This festive template features a gingerbread-themed design, complete with houses, cookies, candy, and a little bit of frosting. It also includes an agenda slide, a certificate, and a “Decorate the Gingerbread Man Cookie” activity. Ideal for: Features: Download Now […]

Gingerbread Christmas: A Free Template for the Holidays.

Interactive Choice Board free template for differentiated learning for PowerPoint and Google Slides Students have different ways of learning and also showing what they know. With this choice board you can add different activities and levels tailored to your students’ needs. You can add up to 3 choices with different […]

Interactive Choice Board template for differentiated learning.

Free interactive choice board template and agenda for Google Slides and PowerPoint. A simple and interactive choice board for any subject plus an agenda slide. The board was inspired by an Instagram puzzle feed and I chose a colorful scheme that can be modified by editing the theme and changing […]

Free Interactive Choice Board template and agenda.

Tools, tips, and guides for interactive map creation

How to create engaging interactive map presentations.

by Philippe | Learn how to

Interactive maps can be a powerful addition to various business presentations, from sales decks and marketing collateral to company reports. By bringing geographic data to life, interactive maps can capture your audience’s attention, enhance data visualization, and tell a compelling visual story. With user-friendly map software like Mapme, building an interactive map is as easy as creating a PowerPoint presentation.

Why Use Interactive Maps in Presentations?

• Engagement : Interactive elements like maps help maintain audience interest and attention better than static visuals alone.
• Data Visualization : Maps can display complex geographical data in an intuitive, easy-to-understand format.
• Customization : Presenters can focus on the specific regions or data points most relevant to their topic.
• Storytelling : An interactive map allows for a narrative journey through different locations or periods.
• Real-time Updates : Interactive maps can display live data, keeping your presentations current and dynamic.

Use Case Examples

• Sales Decks : A construction company can showcase its portfolio of projects on an interactive map, allowing the presenter to highlight the most relevant projects during the presentation and Q&A. Map Example.
• Marketing Collateral : A non-profit organization can boost fundraising by integrating an interactive impact map in their presentations, visually demonstrating the reach and effect of their work. Map Example.
• Company Reports : An interactive map embedded in an annual report can provide an engaging, visual representation of a company’s global reach and performance. Map Example.

How to Integrate Interactive Maps in Presentations

Embedded maps.

Embed the interactive map directly into the presentation, similar to embedding a map on a website. This approach offers the full impact of the map, allowing users to engage and interact with it immediately.

Image with Link

If embedding the map isn’t possible, you can insert a static screenshot of the map and link it to the interactive version. This ensures your audience can still access the interactive map, even if they can’t view it directly within the presentation.

Map URL and Screenshot

For most presentation platforms, you’ll need both a map screenshot and a map URL. Here’s how to get them with Mapme:

• Map URL : Publish the map and click on “Embed” in the sidebar. Use the copy button to get the map URL.
• Screenshot : Mapme automatically generates a social sharing image, which is also great for use in presentations. Update the image with your latest changes, click on the orange arrows, and then click “View Image File and Save” to open the image in a new tab. You can then copy the image URL from the browser bar or save the image to your computer.

Step-by-Step Guide for Adding Interactive Maps to Presentations

Check out our step-by-step guides for integrating interactive maps in popular presentation platforms like PowerPoint , Google Slides , StoryDoc and Canva .

PowerPoint (PPT)

Option 1 – Use the Web Viewer Add-In (Office 365)

• Install Add-In : Home tab > Add-ins > Search “Web Viewer” > Insert.
• Enter Map URL : Paste the map URL into the Add-In’s panel.
• Resize and Position : Adjust the embedded map as needed.

Option 2 – Insert a Map Screenshot (All Versions)

• Insert Screenshot : Insert > Pictures > This Device > Choose your screenshot image file
• Link the Image : Right-click image > Link > Paste map URL.

Google Slides

Since Google Slides does not support embedded content, you’ll need to insert a screenshot with a link to the map.

• Insert Screenshot : Insert > Image > By URL > Paste screenshot URL.
• Add Link : Insert > Link > Paste map URL.
• Add an Embed Block : Add an “Embed” or “Custom Embed” block to the desired section.
• Get the Embed Code : Copy the interactive map embed code
• Paste the Code : Insert the embed code into the embed block in Storydoc.
• Adjust and Save : Adjust settings if needed, then save and preview your presentation.
• Publish : Once satisfied, publish or share your presentation.

Canva has a feature to embed Web content in the presentation design.

• Embed Map : Click “Embed” from the menu > Paste map URL > Add to design.
• Adjust Size : Resize the embedded map on the page as needed.

Get Started Today

Ready to bring your presentations to life with interactive maps? Sign up for a free 7-day trial of Mapme and let our customer success team guide you through the process.

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