Presentation visuals are one of the most compelling parts of a presentation. Some presenters underestimate the importance of a visual presentation and decide to only speak, or use text slides to back up what they’re saying.
This is a huge mistake – effective visual presentations can have a massive positive impact on your viewers. Almost all information transmitted to the brain is visual (see below), which underlines the effectiveness of visuals in a good presentation.
Here, we will go over the top 10 benefits of using visual content to help you deliver an engaging and memorable presentation.
1. Visuals save you time in preparing your presentation
We understand that creating a great presentation is a demanding and time-consuming process! Why spend hours transcribing your notes onto a PowerPoint presentation when you could use effective visuals that communicate your message better and save you a lot of preparation time? Besides, it’s unlikely audience members will be trying to read a lot of text as they will be focussing on what you are saying. And if they are reading large text slides, they will your speaking. Visuals make it easy for your listeners to follow along and hear you at the same time.
2. Visuals make your presentation more interesting
Everyone has had a bad presentation experience, and it might be said that we’re all suffering from PowerPoint presentation fatigue, to an extent. To avoid casting your audience’s mind back to the experience of fighting to stay awake in a particularly dry university lecture, use photography and video content to keep them hooked. Visuals used correctly can make your presentation a lively and engaging affair.
3. Visuals grab the audience’s attention
The bottom line is, visuals are more likely to grab your audience’s attention. Presentations can be difficult to follow, especially when the information being presented is unfamiliar or challenging. According to the Visual Teaching Alliance, visuals transmit information faster than spoken or written words; we can get the sense of a visual scene in less than 1/10 of a second, and visuals are processed 60,000 times faster in the brain than text. With people processing images at lightning speed, it is a mistake to miss out on visuals in your presentation.
4. Visuals help the audience to understand your presentation
Not only is visual content attention-grabbing, but it is a powerful tool for helping your audience to understand your content. The majority of us are visual learners. According to Forbes, 65% of us are visual learners. Considering that much of public speaking is conjuring an image in the audience’s mind by painting a picture with your words – why not cut out the middle man, and use a literal image? Visuals are much more likely to be effective in communicating your message, given that 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual.
5. The audience is more likely to remember the content with visuals
The average person only remembers about a fifth of what they hear, and visual aids can improve learning by 400%. Furthermore, a study conducted by Georgia State University found that imagery is an effective way to enhance memory. If you want your audience to remember your presentation once it’s finished, use visual content to embed the information in their mind.
6. Visuals make you an effective communicator
Not everyone is skilled in the art of oratory and that’s okay. You don’t need to have elocution lessons to deliver the perfect presentation. Public speaking is just one element of presentations. as we have already seen, visual content is incredibly important in helping you deliver your speech. If public speaking isn’t your best asset, we have some good news for you. Photographs, infographics, and videos can all be used to help deliver your message and make an engaging and informative presentation.
7. Visuals can be emotive
Sometimes you can describe an emotive scene to someone, and they can acknowledge the emotions but they don’t feel them. Seeing an image is much more evocative than hearing someone describe it. Sometimes, the emotions just don’t register until you can see them with your own eyes. If you want to get your audience to feel something, use photos and videos to make your audience members feel happy, excited, amused, empathetic, sad, or inspired.
8. Visual presentations are more inclusive
Many presenters fall into the trap of assuming everyone in the audience thinks in the same way. When we assume everyone thinks the same way as us, we are discounting the fact that audiences are linguistically diverse, culturally diverse, and neuro-diverse. Because not everyone operates at the same level of comprehension, some of your speech is likely to go over the heads of members of your audience. To help deliver a useful and engaging presentation for everyone, use effective visuals which are more likely to get through to them.
9. Impressive visuals increase your credibility
Using polished, well-constructed photos, videos and infographics is a sure-fire way to increase your credibility. Linking to someone else’s YouTube video or using a generic stock photo doesn’t rouse the same admiration and respect as using your custom-made visual content. Professionally made visuals upgrade the overall look and feel of your presentation as well as sending a message of professionalism and trustworthiness in you and your brand.
10. Unique visuals make your presentation stand out
If you want to deliver a truly memorable and unique presentation you cannot use the same tired formula. One of the best ways to enhance your presentation to an outstanding quality is to use unique visuals. Custom photography and videography allow you complete creative control over your presentation, which means it will be unique to you and your cause. For maximum personalisation, create your visual content the way you see fit.
We hope you enjoyed our top 10 reasons why you need good presentation visuals!
Splento has experienced experts in visual content; get in touch today if you require any visual content creation, or even if you just have a query.
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I've spent years immersed in the world of visual content creation, particularly in presentations and communication. My expertise stems from a blend of practical experience, backed by studies and research in cognitive psychology, communication theories, and design principles.
The importance of visuals in presentations is firmly grounded in cognitive science. Visuals indeed play a pivotal role in communication effectiveness and memory retention. Let's break down the concepts and evidence presented in the article:
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Visual Dominance in Information Processing: The article rightly points out that the brain processes visual information faster and more efficiently than text or spoken words. This is supported by studies indicating that a significant portion of the brain is devoted to visual processing.
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Engagement and Interest: Visuals, such as photography and video content, are essential for maintaining audience interest and engagement. Research supports the idea that varied, well-crafted visuals can keep an audience attentive and interested in the presentation.
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Attention-Capturing Nature of Visuals: Visuals are more likely to capture and hold the audience's attention compared to text-heavy slides. The speed at which the brain processes visuals contributes significantly to their attention-grabbing nature.
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Visual Learning and Comprehension: For most people, visual content aids in comprehension and retention. The article accurately points out that a majority of individuals are visual learners, aligning with studies emphasizing the effectiveness of visuals in conveying messages and aiding understanding.
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Memory Enhancement through Visuals: Visual aids substantially improve memory retention. Research, including studies from Georgia State University, supports this claim, indicating that visual stimuli enhance memory recall compared to purely auditory or textual information.
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Visuals as Tools for Effective Communication: Visuals serve as powerful communication tools, especially for individuals who might not excel in traditional verbal communication. They complement spoken words and enable more comprehensive message delivery.
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Emotional Impact of Visuals: Images and videos evoke emotions more powerfully than descriptions or words alone. They create a more emotive connection with the audience, influencing their feelings and responses.
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Inclusivity through Visual Presentations: Visuals bridge communication gaps, making presentations more accessible and understandable for diverse audiences, including those with different linguistic, cultural, or neurocognitive backgrounds.
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Credibility and Professionalism: Well-crafted, original visuals enhance a presenter's credibility and professionalism. Custom-made visuals signify effort and authenticity, contributing to a presenter's trustworthiness and brand image.
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Uniqueness for Memorability: Unique visuals contribute significantly to a presentation's memorability and distinctiveness. Custom visual content helps in standing out and personalizing the presentation experience.
The article clearly highlights the multifaceted advantages of incorporating visual elements into presentations, aligning seamlessly with empirical evidence from cognitive psychology, educational theories, and communication studies.
