powerpoint presentation for 10

Your current User-Agent string appears to be from an automated process, if this is incorrect, please click this link:

Home Blog Presentation Ideas 10+ Outstanding PowerPoint Presentation Examples and Templates

10+ Outstanding PowerPoint Presentation Examples and Templates

Nobody said it’s easy to make a PowerPoint presentation . There are multiple design decisions to consider, like which layout is appropriate for the content you have to present, font pairing, color schemes, and whether to use animated elements or not. 

Making these choices when working under the clock is overwhelming for most people, especially if you only intend to make a report more visually appealing. For this very reason, we curated a selection of 11 good PowerPoint presentation examples categories in different niches to give you insights into what’s valued and how to take your presentations to a professional quality. All the templates used on each case will be linked for easy access.

Table of Contents

General Guidelines for Professional-Quality PowerPoint Presentations

Business pitch powerpoint presentation examples, marketing plan powerpoint presentation examples, company profile powerpoint presentation examples, quarterly/annual results presentation examples, project proposal presentation examples, training presentation examples, change management presentation examples, industry analysis presentation examples, financial planning examples, inspirational presentation examples, academic presentation examples, final words.

Before introducing our presentation slide examples, we need to discuss a list of factors that transform an average slide into a professional-quality one. 

Design Principles

For any professional-level slide deck, a consistent layout, color scheme, and font pairing are required throughout the presentation. The slides should remain uncluttered, with proper care of white balance across their composition, and stick to the 10-20-30 rule of presentations ’s concept of one concept per slide. 

Contrast between text and background color must comply with web design accessibility standards , meaning to work with a 4.5:1 contrast ratio for normal text, with exceptions for larger text. You can find more information in our article on accessibility for presentations .

A general rule in any graphic design project is to stick with fonts with ample legibility, like Arial, Helvetica, or Calibri. These are known as sans-serif fonts, and they work better than serif ones (i.e., Times New Roman) for larger text blocks.

Avoid using more than two different font families in your presentation; otherwise, the overall design will lose cohesion. Since you ought to ensure readability, the minimum size for body text should be 18pt, opting for larger variations and/or bold text for titles.

Using a combination of font pairing and font sizing helps create a hierarchy in your slides’ written content. For more insights on this topic, browse our article on fonts for presentations .

Color Scheme

Sticking to a color palette selection is one of the first design decisions to make when creating a custom slide deck . Colors have their own psychological impact on presentations, as explained in our article on color theory , so presenters must stick to 3-4 colors to avoid mixing up content in the slides. That being said, the colors have to be carefully selected according to the typical color scheme configurations, and using contrast to highlight key points on presentation slides.

Slide Layout

We can apply multiple graphic design guidelines to create professional-quality presentation slides, but in order to simplify the process, here are the key points to take into account:

• Grids and Guides: Divide your slide into sections using guides in PowerPoint or Google Slides. Then, you can build a grid that helps place elements and catch the viewer’s interest as they follow a logical flow while looking at the slide.
• Whitespace : Empty space is not your enemy. Slides shouldn’t be dense or feel hard on the eyes to read; therefore, work with a minimum of 30% whitespace.

Multimedia Elements

According to our expertise, video presentations and animation effects certainly increase the retention rate of the content you present. This is because they reduce the tiresome 2D presentation layout and add dynamism to the slides. Testing their functionality across different devices is a must to incorporate these elements into your presentation, especially if we consider that not all PowerPoint animation effects are compatible with Google Slides animations . 

Sound can be distracting in many scenarios unless you opt for an interactive presentation and require an audio track for an exercise. Action buttons in the form of quizzes or multiple-choice questions are fine examples of how we can integrate hyperlinks in interactive presentations.

The first professional PowerPoint example we will cover is when creating a problem slide business pitch. This selected business pitch PPT template has a 50/50 image-to-content balance that allows us to add images from our organization (or stick to the corporate placeholder image design) and quickly summarize the issue or need that our business aims to solve.

Remember that the selected colors for the text background area and text color are not 100% pure values—they are slight variations to reduce eye strain, making this slide a perfect choice for any kind of meeting room. Ideally, you can present up to three different problems to solve; otherwise, the text will look too small.

Another fine example of a PowerPoint presentation comes at the time of delivering an elevator pitch . As we all know, this concise presentation format requires a considerable amount of presentation aids to briefly expose each point in the speech under the allotted time frame. In this Revenue Model slide, we can find the answers to typical questions that help us shape the speech, all of them with icons and cues to remember from which areas the information comes.

If we aim to create a sponsorship pitch deck , it is important to bring proof of past sponsorship experiences to build our credibility in front of prospective sponsors. With this best PPT template tailored for sponsorship pitch presentations, we can display such data in an attractive visual format. The neat layout balances whitespace with content, with three distinctive KPI areas to talk about your history in sponsorship experiences. 

Talk about the market segmentation strategies of your marketing plan with this creative infographic template. This slide clearly illustrates that not all examples of PowerPoint presentations follow the same structure in terms of graphics-to-text balance. You can introduce data on how purchasing habits, user status, and brand loyalty influence buying decisions. Present key information about demographic & geographic segmentation and how psychographic information can provide deeper insights into consumer motivations to purchase.

Another PowerPoint example comes in the format of presenting market opportunities in marketing plans . You can list up to four points, which can be extracted from the outcomes of a SWOT analysis or from retrieved data from polls or stakeholders’ insights. The icons are entirely editable, and the crisp layout makes readability much easier.

Marketing agencies can benefit from this presentation PowerPoint example, which illustrates how easy it is to customize the content and repurpose slides for different client meetings. This and the other slides of this marketing plan slide deck allow professionals to discuss their expertise, past projects, and proposals for their target clients. In this case, the agency in question is offering insights on their work ethics through a clean slide layout with icons to flag key areas.

Our next PPT presentation example is suited for a Company Profile presentation in which we have to disclose key financial data. Thanks to the pie chart, presenters can segment revenue streams or do a balance between investments and profit. Additionally, the box placeholders allow us to deepen our knowledge of precise areas of interest.

Organizations who are looking to create a company profile can opt for a one-page arrangement to introduce the team members in charge, the overall services or products, the business model, the market, competitors, and relevant strategy information. The text boxes placed in the right area are a perfect opportunity to highlight KPIs.

In any company profile presentation, we have to introduce the organization’s Mission and Vision Statements. This presentation sample slide allows us to creatively discuss those topics. Including icons, users can summarize the primary aspects of their mission statement in one single, professionally styled slide.

Quarterly reports don’t need to be depicted as boring PDF files. We can work with clean layouts that provide information in an easy-to-follow format that focuses on the core elements of the report. This quarterly report presentation example is perfect for detailed reports as we cover all essentials in a one-page format for an employee’s performance review.

If, instead, you opt for a department-by-department approach, this slide presentation example illustrates two out of four quarters in the annual report. You can compare the product’s performance by production, allowing room to perform further optimizations based on sales behavior.

The construction industry requires a detailed presentation that covers all planned and contingency strategies for a project. Such an approach builds trust in the client, and that’s why we believe this PPT template for contractors is an essential tool for securing business deals. This presentation example template shows how to deliver a project proposal in style with accurate cost estimates.

A generic PPT project proposal template allows us to repurpose the slide for many projects—ideal for agencies, consultants, and academics. With this visual project proposal timeline, you can discuss the different stages of a project, plan for resources (both material and workforce), seek funding, or prepare for contingencies.

Once the project proposal’s core aspects are approved, teams must align efforts for project deliverables, acceptance criteria, and delivery format. This PPT presentation example illustrates a slide in a multi-team meeting to fine-tune aspects of the project deliverables, with an accurate representation of the due date and expected products.

Team training requires a framework in which the objectives of the workshop, coaching, or mentoring programs are laid out for management. HR teams can benefit from this presentation example by summarizing the objectives about missed business opportunities or expansion plans for the organization.

Before even delivering a training program, HR teams discuss the content to cover with the head of each department, mainly to spot any missing area of knowledge required for optimal operations. Presenters can repurpose this slide for that kind of training proposal presentation or the training presentation itself.

Intended for the early planning stages of a training program, this diagram is a well-rounded presentation example of how to discuss all points in one single slide, from the training budget to how to process employee feedback. We can expand each of these six topics in companionship slides.

Companies undergoing change management processes can opt to apply the DMAIC or the ADKAR frameworks to orient the workforce. This presentation slide allows management to compare both methodologies and pick the one best suited for their organization.

Since data sharing is delicate in charge management situations, implementing an information flow diagram is a good practice to orient your team, get the new owners or management the required information, and exchange information between departments.

For change management directed at process optimization, this example slide allows management to stress the importance between the current situation and the expected improved state. This PPT template can also introduce the different milestones per stage and involve the management parties per area.

Startups often present their industry analysis to procure investment from venture capitalists. This industry analysis presentation example showcases a typical FinTech segmentation. Presenters can describe the different types of crowdfunding, credit, and factoring services and provide examples of companies or platforms in each subcategory. They can discuss areas like asset management, payments, and other relevant aspects in detail, with successful stories from referents that helped shape their business model.

STEEPLE stands for Social, Technological, Economic, Ethical, Political, Legal, and Environmental factors. This framework allows us to perform a multidimensional industry analysis in which stakeholders can evaluate the appropriate approaches for venturing into a new business niche, renewing their overall strategy, or pursuing new goals based on recent industry changes, even those we don’t initially acknowledge.

The Gap Analysis concept compares a company’s current status to a desired future state. By doing so, organizations can identify deficits or areas that require improvement in alignment with the future state. Presenters can work with this metaphorical gap analysis template and express the need for a plan that bridges such a gap.

The next example of a PowerPoint presentation is oriented to the financial area, in which a consultant can refer to an organization’s asset management. By Scope, we imply the extent and boundaries of the asset management activities within an organization. It outlines what will be included in the asset management plan and what will not. On the other hand, Inventory points to a comprehensive and detailed list of all the assets owned by an organization. It includes essential information about each asset to facilitate effective management.

In financial presentations, the information must be clearly arranged so decisions can be made easily. In this case, we observe how a financial dashboard template can represent an organization’s relevant KPIs.

Think about TEDx presentations or Pecha-Kucha . They all have one factor in common: quality graphics to talk about inspirational stories. Graphics can feel overwhelming for some presenters, which ends in picking low-quality pictures or stock images unsuitable for the context of your slide deck. For this reason, we highly recommend you implement vector illustrations into your motivational presentation slides. Easy to customize, they are a valuable asset to mix & match PPT templates and create your custom deck.

Aligning efforts toward a common goal requires a powerful visual communication language. Images are easier to retain than words, so imagine adding a storytelling factor and turning a goal into a mountain to conquer. Presenters can work with this mountain PPT template and signal the different milestones to reach prior to fulfilling a significant goal for the company/organization.

Another take in inspirational presentations is when we need to share our success stories with investors or in networking environments to inspire others. With this roadmap PPT template, presenters can go stage by stage and present the key stages that made them reach their success, or even project for expected goals to achieve.

Academic presentations don’t have to look dull or excessively formal. We can incorporate a sleek layout into our slides and use icons to highlight key points. In this case, we observe a project overview for a research project, and the icons represent the main aspects to cover in this research.

A thesis presentation requires properly introducing the methodology to demonstrate the hypothesis. Rather than adding complex figures, we can work with a minimalistic slide design and briefly describe the research methods. This slide deck is suitable for thesis presentations as well as academic projects, research papers , and more.

As we can see, counting with a professionally designed slide deck makes a difference in how your presentation is perceived by the audience. By working with SlideModel PowerPoint templates, we can reuse and repurpose our slide templates as often as required or mix elements from different slides seen in these PowerPoint presentation examples to create uniquely styled slide decks.

Like this article? Please share

Presentation Approaches, Presentation Ideas Filed under Presentation Ideas

Related Articles

Filed under Design • August 14th, 2024

Creating Custom Themes for PowerPoint and Google Slides

Do you want your slides to go beyond the average result from a template? If so, learn how to create custom themes for presentations with this guide.

Filed under Business • July 24th, 2024

How to Create a Demo Presentation

Discover the secrets behind successful demo presentations and what they should contain with this article. Recommended PPT templates included.

Filed under Presentation Ideas • July 17th, 2024

How to Convert a Text Document into a Presentation with AI

One of the biggest challenges for presenters is to summarize content from lengthy reports, academic papers, or any other kind of written media in an informative and concise way. Rather than losing countless hours going over and over the same text, we can speed up the process thanks to the virtues of artificial intelligence. In […]

Leave a Reply

A quick note about our cookies

We use cookies so we can give you the best website experience possible and to provide us with anonymous data so we can improve our marketing efforts. Read our cookie policy and privacy policy.

Login to your account

New here? Sign up in seconds!

Use social account

Or login with an email

Create an account

Already have an account? Login here

Or sign up with an email

We’re uploading new templates every week

We’d like to send you infrequent emails with brief updates to let you know of the latest free templates. Is that okay?

Reset your Password

Please enter the email you registered with and we will send you a link to reset your password!

Check your email!

We’ve just sent you a link to
 . Please follow instructions from our email.

Get personalised templates

What do you create presentations for?

Everything else

What industry are you focused on?

Consulting and business services

Science and pharma

Chemicals and manufacturing

Resources and energy

Consumer Goods & Services

Please select a response

Does your company rely a lot on presentations?

We'll custom design a few of your slides for FREE

Use this $50 coupon to have your slides custom designed by our team for free. 24-Hour turn around available.

Get the free-slides coupon via SMS

Confirm via SMS link:

You’re all set!

Your personalised selection of templates is ready to go. All templates are free to download, so make sure to bookmark it as we upload new templates every week!

• Most Popular Templates
• Corporate & Business Models
• Data (Tables, Graphs & Charts)
• Organization & Planning
• Text Slides
• Our Presentation Services

Get your own design team

Tailored packages for corporates & teams

Our Free Powerpoint Templates

Mexican Food PowerPoint Template

AI Business PowerPoint Slides

Business Golden Circle PowerPoint Template

Technology Stack Presentation Template

Fruit-themed PowerPoint Template

UX Research Report PPT Template

Vet Clinic Powerpoint Template

Spotify-themed PowerPoint template

Movie-themed PowerPoint template

Purple Background PowerPoint Templates

Car Insurance Services Presentation Template

How-To Geek

8 tips to make the best powerpoint presentations.

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Microsoft Office vs. Google Docs, Sheets, Slides: Which Is Best?

5 reasons why i stopped using ubuntu, i finally bought a linux laptop, here's what i chose and why, quick links, table of contents, start with a goal, less is more, consider your typeface, make bullet points count, limit the use of transitions, skip text where possible, think in color, take a look from the top down, bonus: start with templates.

Slideshows are an intuitive way to share complex ideas with an audience, although they're dull and frustrating when poorly executed. Here are some tips to make your Microsoft PowerPoint presentations sing while avoiding common pitfalls.

It all starts with identifying what we're trying to achieve with the presentation. Is it informative, a showcase of data in an easy-to-understand medium? Or is it more of a pitch, something meant to persuade and convince an audience and lead them to a particular outcome?

It's here where the majority of these presentations go wrong with the inability to identify the talking points that best support our goal. Always start with a goal in mind: to entertain, to inform, or to share data in a way that's easy to understand. Use facts, figures, and images to support your conclusion while keeping structure in mind (Where are we now and where are we going?).

I've found that it's helpful to start with the ending. Once I know how to end a presentation, I know how best to get to that point. I start by identifying the takeaway---that one nugget that I want to implant before thanking everyone for their time---and I work in reverse to figure out how best to get there.

Your mileage, of course, may vary. But it's always going to be a good idea to put in the time in the beginning stages so that you aren't reworking large portions of the presentation later. And that starts with a defined goal.

A slideshow isn't supposed to include everything. It's an introduction to a topic, one that we can elaborate on with speech. Anything unnecessary is a distraction. It makes the presentation less visually appealing and less interesting, and it makes you look bad as a presenter.

This goes for text as well as images. There's nothing worse, in fact, than a series of slides where the presenter just reads them as they appear. Your audience is capable of reading, and chances are they'll be done with the slide, and browsing Reddit, long before you finish. Avoid putting the literal text on the screen, and your audience will thank you.

Related: How to Burn Your PowerPoint to DVD

Right off the bat, we're just going to come out and say that Papyrus and Comic Sans should be banned from all PowerPoint presentations, permanently. Beyond that, it's worth considering the typeface you're using and what it's saying about you, the presenter, and the presentation itself.

Consider choosing readability over aesthetics, and avoid fancy fonts that could prove to be more of a distraction than anything else. A good presentation needs two fonts: a serif and sans-serif. Use one for the headlines and one for body text, lists, and the like. Keep it simple. Veranda, Helvetica, Arial, and even Times New Roman are safe choices. Stick with the classics and it's hard to botch this one too badly.

There reaches a point where bullet points become less of a visual aid and more of a visual examination.

Bullet points should support the speaker, not overwhelm his audience. The best slides have little or no text at all, in fact. As a presenter, it's our job to talk through complex issues, but that doesn't mean that we need to highlight every talking point.

Instead, think about how you can break up large lists into three or four bullet points. Carefully consider whether you need to use more bullet points, or if you can combine multiple topics into a single point instead. And if you can't, remember that there's no one limiting the number of slides you can have in a presentation. It's always possible to break a list of 12 points down into three pages of four points each.

Animation, when used correctly, is a good idea. It breaks up slow-moving parts of a presentation and adds action to elements that require it. But it should be used judiciously.

Adding a transition that wipes left to right between every slide or that animates each bullet point in a list, for example, starts to grow taxing on those forced to endure the presentation. Viewers get bored quickly, and animations that are meant to highlight specific elements quickly become taxing.

That's not to say that you can't use animations and transitions, just that you need to pick your spots. Aim for no more than a handful of these transitions for each presentation. And use them in spots where they'll add to the demonstration, not detract from it.

Sometimes images tell a better story than text can. And as a presenter, your goal is to describe points in detail without making users do a lot of reading. In these cases, a well-designed visual, like a chart, might better convey the information you're trying to share.

The right image adds visual appeal and serves to break up longer, text-heavy sections of the presentation---but only if you're using the right images. A single high-quality image can make all the difference between a success and a dud when you're driving a specific point home.

When considering text, don't think solely in terms of bullet points and paragraphs. Tables, for example, are often unnecessary. Ask yourself whether you could present the same data in a bar or line chart instead.

Color is interesting. It evokes certain feelings and adds visual appeal to your presentation as a whole. Studies show that color also improves interest, comprehension, and retention. It should be a careful consideration, not an afterthought.

You don't have to be a graphic designer to use color well in a presentation. What I do is look for palettes I like, and then find ways to use them in the presentation. There are a number of tools for this, like Adobe Color , Coolors , and ColorHunt , just to name a few. After finding a palette you enjoy, consider how it works with the presentation you're about to give. Pastels, for example, evoke feelings of freedom and light, so they probably aren't the best choice when you're presenting quarterly earnings that missed the mark.

It's also worth mentioning that you don't need to use every color in the palette. Often, you can get by with just two or three, though you should really think through how they all work together and how readable they'll be when layered. A simple rule of thumb here is that contrast is your friend. Dark colors work well on light backgrounds, and light colors work best on dark backgrounds.

Spend some time in the Slide Sorter before you finish your presentation. By clicking the four squares at the bottom left of the presentation, you can take a look at multiple slides at once and consider how each works together. Alternatively, you can click "View" on the ribbon and select "Slide Sorter."

Are you presenting too much text at once? Move an image in. Could a series of slides benefit from a chart or summary before you move on to another point?

It's here that we have the opportunity to view the presentation from beyond the single-slide viewpoint and think in terms of how each slide fits, or if it fits at all. From this view, you can rearrange slides, add additional ones, or delete them entirely if you find that they don't advance the presentation.

The difference between a good presentation and a bad one is really all about preparation and execution. Those that respect the process and plan carefully---not only the presentation as a whole, but each slide within it---are the ones who will succeed.

This brings me to my last (half) point: When in doubt, just buy a template and use it. You can find these all over the web, though Creative Market and GraphicRiver are probably the two most popular marketplaces for this kind of thing. Not all of us are blessed with the skills needed to design and deliver an effective presentation. And while a pre-made PowerPoint template isn't going to make you a better presenter, it will ease the anxiety of creating a visually appealing slide deck.

• Microsoft Office

20 Really Good PowerPoint Examples to Inspire Your Next Presentation

By sandra boicheva.

3 years ago

You may also like Show related articles Hide

You might have the most amazing idea that you wish to share with the world, but you might not get the results you want if the delivery isn’t good. Although as a tool, PowerPoint is pretty easy to use and intuitive, creating a good PowerPoint presentation is not a simple task. There is a lot of things to consider when designing your slides from the words you use, to the copy structure, data visualization, and overall design. This is why today we gathered 20 really good PowerPoint examples of presentations that flawlessly deliver their messages. These creative ideas will surely inspire you to make your next presentation your best one, as they all share good design and engaging storytelling.

“If you don’t know what you want to achieve in your presentation your audience never will.” – Harvey Diamond

1. Idea to Identify: The Design of Brand

This is a long one. Here we have a 242 slides presentation that exposes the myriad facets of design and how they impact the brand identity. The presentation has a lot of data to show and spreads it throughout more than 200 slides to make it easy to read and follow. In all, this is the best way to present a lot of information: instead of overwhelming the viewers with text walls, the presenter simply adds more slides.

• Author:   Sudio Sudarsan

2. Jeunesse Opportunity Presentation 2021

This is a great example of brand presentation with company profile, product system, plan, and reward. It gives a similar experience to browsing a website.

• Author:   DASH2 – Jeunesse Global

3. Accenture Tech Vision 2020

A short and sweet presentation about how companies prepare for data regulation and how this impacts the customer experience. 

• Author:   Accenture

4. APIs as Digital Factories’ New Machines

A comparison presentation of how companies capture most of the market value. It explains well how to view the economy from a different perspective and adopt customer-centric thinking. The presentation has a lot of value, it’s well structured and it’s a good read in only 28 slides.

• Author:  Apidays

5. 24 Books You’ve Never Heard Of – But Will Change Your Life

This is a great example of how repeating slides design for the same type of content isn’t a synonym for being unimaginative. It’s pretty straightforward: it promises 24 titles, an inspirational introduction, and a slide for each book that will change your life.

• Author:   Ryan Holiday

6. 10 Memorable David Bowie Quotes

Not always presentations must have a specific educational or conventional goal. Sometimes, it could be a cool personal project meant to inspire your audience. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t love David Bowie? A presentation with 10 memorable quotes by him is worth watching. 

• Author: Stinson

7. Creative Mornings San Diego 

• Author:   Anne McColl

8. Digital 2020 Global Digital Overview

A report heavy-data presentation about everything you need to know about mobile, internet, social media, and e-commerce use around the world in 2020. It’s a long read but comprehensive and well-illustrated with data visualization.

• Author:   DataReportal

9. Blitzscaling: Book Trailer

One of the most well-made presentations about informative topics such as startup’s life-cycle and where the most value is created. It’s designed as a book, consistent, with lesser text as possible, and imitates animation by adding new content on copies of the same slide. 

• Author:  Reid Hoffman

10. Poor Self-Esteem: Just Beat It!

A very valuable presentation that takes on the reasons for low self-esteem and how to overcome it. The design is very simple and comprehensive and even suitable for social media carousel posts.

• Author:   SlideShop.com

11. You Suck At PowerPoint!

This presentation is more than a decade old and still checks out. After all, you could expect great presentation design from someone who talks about design mistakes and how to overcome them.  61 slides of a fun experience and a great read.

• Author:  Jesse Desjardins

12. Pixar’s 22 Rules to Phenomenal Storytelling

Pixar’s 22 Rules to Phenomenal Storytelling, originally tweeted by Emma Coats, in a 24-slides presentation with a custom design. 

• Author:   Gavin McMahon

13. A Complete Guide To The Best Times To Post On Social Media

A fun little presentation with great value. It takes on the most effective times to post on social media, send an email, or publish a blog.

• Author:   TrackMaven

14. Fix Your Really Bad PowerPoint

The next presentation honors Seth Godin and his wisdom. It uses his book’s insights to visualize all the tips in 45 engaging slides.

• Author:   HighSpark

15. 10 Lessons from the World’s Most Captivating Presenters

This presentation is for presenters who wish to become better. And what better way than getting inspired by the world’s greatest presenters and accessing some of their secrets. 

• Author:   HubSpot

16. Crap. The Content Marketing Deluge

For starters, this presentation has a very captivating title and opening. Winning the attention from the very start, it continues with consistent clean design and great content. It delivers exactly what it promised. 

• Author: Velocity Partners

17. Displaying Data

More insightful advice and tips from professional presenters that check out to this very day. It’s a great presentation about visualizing your data in the best way possible and it also delivers it with design.

• Author:   Bipul Deb Nath

18. 5 Storytelling Lessons From Superhero Stories

Custom-made presentation with illustrations made specifically for the occasion, and brilliant execution. It shows it’s definitely worth it to spend time making your presentation more personal and from scratch. 

19. 10 Things your Audience Hates About your Presentation

Another custom presentation with icons-style illustrations about how to avoid cringe when making presentations. 

• Author:   Stinson

20. The Designer’s Guide to Startup Weekend

You will work hard all weekend long but you will also find new friends, mentors, and the chance to promote yourself. A pretty wholesome presentation with a custom design where the presenter shares her own experience in the world of startups.

• Author:  Iryna Nezhynska

That’s It!

These 20 presentations prove that PowerPoint is never out of date and it’s a great tool to deliver your message across. We hope you got inspired for your next presentation and make your audience fall in love with your concepts.

In the meantime, why not take a look at the related articles to get some more inspiration or grab a couple of freebies:

• [Freebies] 17 Really Good Sources For Free Vector Images For Commercial Use
• [Inspiration] 85 Really Good T-Shirt Design Ideas to Inspire You for Your Next Project
• [Insights] The 5 Top Online Tools for Custom YouTube Banners (and YouTube Thumbnails)

Share this article

You may also like ....

13 Outstanding Examples of Ecommerce Home Page Design 13 Outstanding Examples of Ecommerce Home Page Design

By Jivko Vasilev

Design Tips

Top logo design trends for a modern brand identity top logo design trends for a modern brand identity.

By Iveta Pavlova

Brochures, Flyers & Cards Inspiration

Valentine’s day cards selection: make your significant other feel special valentine’s day cards selection: make your significant other feel special.

Presentation templates

Captivate your audience with customizable business presentation templates. whether you're pitching clients, wooing investors, or showing off your latest wins, there are presentation templates that'll suit your next meeting..

Free slide templates for presentations

Presentation decks can make or break your speech—don't risk boring or unprofessional slides distracting from your message. Set yourself up for success with free, eye-catching presentation templates that don't require graphic design skills to use. Whether you're pitching to investors or sharing a class project, using presentation templates allows you to focus on the content of your work without worrying about the design. Explore presentation templates for pitch decks, annual reviews, and conference slides, and get ready to wow your audience. Choose a presentation template and customize it with your business's branding and logo. If you work in a creative field, don't shy away from bold designs and vivid colors . Presentation templates offer versatile options for personalizing—get creative by customizing your template or opt for adding your own text to existing designs. When you use a template at your next meeting, you'll turn a simple presentation into an opportunity to impress. To make presenting even easier, you can download your template in a variety of formats, like PowerPoint and PDF, or share it digitally with your colleagues.

• Presentations
• Most Recent
• Infographics
• Data Visualizations
• Forms and Surveys
• Video & Animation
• Case Studies
• Design for Business
• Digital Marketing
• Design Inspiration
• Visual Thinking
• Product Updates
• Visme Webinars
• Artificial Intelligence

10 Top PowerPoint Presentation Tips for Beginners (2022 List)

Written by: Heleana Tiburca

Creating a PowerPoint presentation can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t need to be.

In this list, you’ll find the best practices and tips for creating a powerful PowerPoint presentation for beginners.

You’ll learn how to:

• Create a professional-looking slideshow presentation
• Keep your Powerpoint presentation design cohesive
• Make your slides interactive
• Animate text and graphics

So without further ado, let’s jump right in.

10 Tips for Effective PowerPoint Presentations

Tip #1: choose an interesting topic, tip #2: do some deep research, tip #3: use an amazing presentation tool, tip #4: pick out a presentation template, tip #5: keep your audience in mind, tip #6: add eye-catching headings and text, tip #7: keep it engaging with animations, tip #8: make your powerpoint interactive, tip #9: add visuals to your presentation, tip #10: practice presenting your slideshow.

So, you need to create a PowerPoint presentation but don’t know where to start. The very first and most important thing you’ll need to do is to decide on your topic.

You’ll want to make sure that the topic you choose is interesting and engaging for those who will be listening to you present your slideshow.

If you’re not in control of your topic and you’ve been assigned a task to present, don’t worry. There are lots of different ways that you can capture your audience’s attention, and transform a boring topic into an incredibly interactive and engaging presentation.

You can do this by using an effective PowerPoint presentation template that will capture your audience’s attention, no matter how bland the subject.

Learn more about PowerPoint templates and how you can use them to your advantage in tip #4!

Once you’ve chosen your PowerPoint presentation topic, you need to make sure that you get all of your facts straight.

Do a deep dive into your research and come up with useful and interesting information that you can use at your next presentation.

Once you’ve gathered up some information, it’s time to make a bullet point list of topics you want to cover, to make sure you don’t leave anything important out in your presentation.

After you’ve created a bullet point list full of your main points and all the important points that you want to convey, you can then make an outline of your speech.

This can be a rough draft, or you can write out in great detail your entire “script”, so to say. If you’re a spontaneous writer, then you may want to write directly in the slideshow editor of your choice.

If not, you can write it all out on a document, so that you’re ready to copy and paste right onto your slideshow presentation.

The best way to create an amazing slideshow is by using an equally amazing slideshow tool.

A tool like Visme will help you create a professional-looking and exciting PowerPoint presentation efficiently and quickly, even as a beginner.

Visme is a slideshow presentation maker that lets you easily create your entire presentation from start to finish. You can even import existing PowerPoint presentations into Visme and edit them there. When you’ve finished editing, you can export editable PowerPoints to present offline.

Visme is a diverse tool that does so much more than just create PowerPoint presentations. You can create anything design-related there, including videos, social media posts, ebooks, manuals, infographics and more.

Other than hundreds of slide templates and fully designed presentations, you also get access to advanced editing tools to make your presentation unique and creative.

Add and replace backgrounds, tap into free libraries of photos, videos, icons and illustrations, add pre-animated assets or manually animate objects and text, and switch up the color scheme with a single click.

With Visme, creating presentations that stand out is as easy as 1-2-3.

Now, let’s jump into the specifics of how to make an effective presentation.

Ready to create your own presentation in minutes?

• Add your own text, images and more
• Customize colors, fonts and everything else
• Choose from hundreds of slide designs and templates
• Add interactive buttons and animations

Next on our list of PowerPoint tips for beginners is picking out the perfect template.

Visme is an amazing presentation software that has an abundance of slideshow presentation templates that you can choose from and customize.

We have modern PowerPoint templates, data-driven presentation templates, colorful templates and everything in between. Just scroll through all the templates and we’re confident you’ll find the perfect one for you.

If you want, you can even design templates of your own and save them for future slideshows that you want to create in a similar fashion.

You can also browse through our presentation themes, which include hundreds of pre-made slides you can mix and match to create your own presentation deck.

Once you pick out your template, you can edit every single design aspect, from the overlays to images, to the color scheme, clipart and stickers, slide transitions and more.

We recommend finding a template that resembles the presentation that you need so that the design process goes as smoothly and easily for you as possible. Creating a presentation should be enjoyable, and Visme makes that process possible.

If you are feeling confident and you don’t want to use one of our professionally designed slideshow templates, you can start from scratch and create your own. Add and remove as many pages are you want and benefit from our stock images and videos, stickers, text templates and more.

Once you’ve chosen your template, you need to think of your audience. Not every presentation design is going to be appropriate for every audience.

In order to make an effective PowerPoint, you need to get in your audience’s head. Ask yourself, “What do they want to see?” or “What value can I bring to them?”.

The design approach you take will greatly impact the results of your audience’s retention. You want to make sure that you please your audience as much as possible and keep them engaged with what you’re trying to convey to them.

If you need to create a report-based, data-driven presentation, then you need to add lots of charts. But not just any type of boring chart. You can use one of Visme’s beautiful charts and edit the values, axis, legend, colors, appearance and more.

If you already have your data in an Excel sheet or Google sheet, you can import them into Visme’s editor and they will automatically be turned into visual data.

You can also add charts and graphs, diagrams, tables, maps and data widgets. Whatever you need, Visme has it.

You want to make sure that your PowerPoint slideshow’s readability is on point. You can do this by choosing the clear and engaging fonts that go with your presentation topic and theme.

In Visme, you can customize the font, style, size and color of your text. Adjust spacing, borders and even animate the text to make your slides more engaging.

We have tons of typefaces for you to choose from, from Helvetica to Calibri and Arial, to sans-serif and serif fonts, we know you’ll find the perfect one to create a great presentation.

Remember, less is more when it comes to a seamless design. Instead of lines upon lines of text, you should be strategic about your text design.

Make sure not to use more than 3 different typefaces per slide. This will keep your design looking sleek and not overloaded.

You can do also use premade text templates created by our professional designers. Simply scroll through all the different text templates, find one you like, and drag and drop it onto your slide. From there, you can customize it as much as you please.

It’s important to keep all the design elements and text on your slideshow aligned, so take advantage of our grid and keep everything visually pleasing and aligned.

You can drive your main points home with a large heading, and align other, smaller text boxes beneath to make sure you stay on track and don’t deter from your main points.

One way you can make your text stand out is to incorporate shapes. If you want to make your text pop out and come to life, add a shape behind them.

Make sure the shape color you choose is a good contrast to the text color so that you can easily see what is written out without having to squint your eyes and decipher what’s written.

You can also take advantage of negative space in your design. If you feel like there’s an empty spot in your slide that looks a little awkward, it’s the perfect place to add some text.

Using negative space for showcasing text is always visually appealing, so use those blank spaces to your advantage!

Another great way you can keep your audience engaged with your presentation is by animating objects. Instead of just showing them a boring, static slide, why not animate the text and objects to bring everything to life?

In Visme’s editor, you can animate any object with just the click of a button.

Make any element slide in and out, bounce, fade in or fade out, spin, appear from thin air and more. There are so many ways you can animate objects and fit your design style to make your presentation stand out from the rest.

You can even go through our library of professionally designed animated graphics and drop them onto your slide. Choose from animated characters, illustrations, icons, special effects and avatars.

Once you add an animated graphic to your design, you can customize them in many different ways, such as editing the pose, speed, repetitions and colors.

Instead of just having your next slide show up as a static image, use a transition between the two slides in order to make the transition seamless.

Visme has lots of elegant and modern transitions to choose from. Scroll through our transition presets and try them out to see which one suits your style best. You might like the zoom-in transition, slide-in or fade.

There are so many transitions for you to choose from, but we recommend you find the one you like most and use it for all slide transitions for the entire slideshow presentation. This will keep your design cohesive and easy on the eyes.

Don’t forget, you can also use sound effects in your presentation when necessary and you want to grab your audience’s attention!

Throughout the entire presentation, you’ll want to make sure that you keep things interactive and entertaining for your audience.

Even though PowerPoint is widely used for creating slideshows, there are many different presentation softwares you can use.

If you use Visme’s presentation maker, you can make your slideshow interactive. One way you can do that is by adding external links to any graphic in the presentation. This way, you can quickly access different pages and documents without ever needing to leave the slideshow.

Another amazing interactive feature of Visme’s is the interactive maps and data visualizations. You can have your viewers simply scroll and hover over an object and more information will pop up.

For example, if you want to create a map with statistics regarding each state, you could add the information to each state in the chart, and then when someone hovers over the state, the statistic will pop up.

This is very convenient for conveying lots of information in an organized way.

You can’t have a good presentation without adding high-quality images, videos, stickers and clipart to your presentation. Without engaging visuals, you’ll quickly lose your viewer’s attention, and risk having a boring PowerPoint presentation.

Visme makes it incredibly simple to add your own multimedia. If you want to upload your own photos, video or audio, you can do so by clicking on “photos” or “media” and clicking “upload.”

Once you click on the “upload” button, you can upload your multimedia from your computer, then find it in your Visme library.

If by chance you aren’t happy with the media you have, or you don’t have any images to upload at all, there’s no need to worry.

Visme is loaded full of high-quality videos and images that are free for you to use in your presentation designs.

If you want to browse through millions of stock videos and stock images, just click on “photos” in the left menu toolbar. This will take you to all of our stock images. To search for a specific image, type a keyword in the search bar to find exactly what you’re looking for.

Once you find the perfect image or video, you can drag and drop it onto your presentation. You can then add shapes and frames to your image for a modern, geometric look.

If you’d like to edit and enhance your chosen image, you can do so in the Visme editor. You can change the brightness, contrast, colors, shadows and more. You can add and customize filters to your images for a cohesive color scheme.

For a highly effective and great presentation, you need to feel confident when presenting.

Firstly, You can rest assured that after creating a PowerPoint presentation in Visme, your design will be professional and engaging for your crowd, but now it’s up to you.

You need to be as engaging and exciting as your presentation is, so don’t wait until the last minute to practice your public speaking. Rehearsing your slideshow presentation will simplify the public speaking process and things will go much better if you practice.

Having a bulleted list next to you so you stay on track and making eye contact with your audience will help them pay attention, and will make a good presentation an excellent one.

The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll be with your presentation. So make sure to run through it a few times and you’ll be good to go.

Ready to Level Up Your Presentations?

The best way you can create a powerful Microsoft PowerPoint presentation is by using a tool that isn’t necessarily PowerPoint.

Visme is an all-in-one design tool that will aid you in not only creating slideshows but any other type of visual content that you need, such as infographics, social media posts and documents.

Give Visme a go and create a free account today . You might become addicted to its awesomeness, so use it at your own risk!

We know that after reading all these tips, your presentation skills have gone through the roof. You’re practically a master slide-maker by now.

If want even more information and tips that can help you create modern PowerPoint designs, you can check out some of our tutorials on our YouTube channel .

We hope this article was helpful to you and we wish you the best of luck on your upcoming presentation. We know you’re going to smash it!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

We have received lots of questions regarding PowerPoint presentations and we want to make sure you get the answers you're looking for.

So let’s dive into your questions.

Q1. What is the 10-20-30 Rule of PowerPoint?

The 10 20 30 Rule of PowerPoint suggests that each presentation should have 10 slides, shouldn’t last any more than 20 minutes in total and all fonts should be at least 30 points or larger.

This is a great rule of thumb to keep in mind when creating a PowerPoint presentation.

Q2. What is the 5 by 5 rule in PowerPoint?

The 5 by 5 rule was put in place to help keep your audience from feeling overwhelmed by text.

The text on each slide should be short and to the point and have no more than five words per line and no more than five lines of text per slide.

Q3. How do you make a good PowerPoint presentation?

A good PowerPoint presentation is created in a great design tool like Visme.

Choose an engaging template, know your main points, use engaging images and animations, and drive home your main points by practicing presenting your presentation before going public with it.

Q4. What makes an effective PowerPoint presentation?

You can create an effective PowerPoint presentation by using no more than 10 slides, not overwhelming your audience with big chunks of text, having all your design elements aligned, using a great template, knowing your main points and driving them points home with a great closing argument.

Q5. What are the advantages of PowerPoint templates?

Some of the advantages to using PowerPoint templates are that you get professionally designed slideshows without having to know how to design and you can quickly copy and paste your text into the text boxes already set up for you.

But you don’t have to use PowerPoint to create PowerPoint presentations. You can use a design tool like Visme to create amazing PowerPoint Presentations.

Q6. How to make a PowerPoint presentation attractive?

One powerful way you can make your PowerPoint presentation attractive is by using high-quality visuals. This includes having high-quality images, videos, stickers, transitions, animations and more.

One easy way you can do this is by using a Visme PowerPoint presentation PowerPoint and customizing it to suit your needs.

Q7. What should a PowerPoint presentation include?

A good PowerPoint presentation should include about 10 slides full of useful information, engaging visuals, interactive elements and high-quality images among other important things.

You text should be clear and easy to read, the images shouldn’t be blurry, your main points need to be easy to spot as soon as you open the slide and you should include seamless transitions.

Q8. What’s the best alternative to PowerPoint?

The best alternative to PowerPoint in our opinion is Visme.

Visme is a presentation maker, but it's also much more than that. You can create animated slideshows, documents, infographics, social media posts, videos, and more quickly and easily.

Unlike other tools, Visme gives you the most value for your money. You can also tap into features like data visualization, brand management, team collaboration, customizable animated assets like illustrations, icons and characters, and much more.

Ready to get started? Sign up for a free Visme account today and take it for a test drive for as long as you like.

Create beautiful presentations faster with Visme.

Trusted by leading brands

Recommended content for you:

Create Stunning Content!

Design visual brand experiences for your business whether you are a seasoned designer or a total novice.

About the Author

I’m Heleana and I’m a content creator here at Visme. My passion is to help people find the information they’re looking for in the most fun and enjoyable way possible. Let’s make information beautiful.

One Time Code

< Go back to Login

Forgot Password

Please enter your registered email ID. You will receive an email message with instructions on how to reset your password.

The Best PowerPoint Presentation Examples To Get Inspired By!

Engaging presentations are the secret sauce of effective communication. They bring life to your ideas and transform information into inspiration. They are the heartbeat of any memorable message, connecting with your audience. The best presentations can turn complex concepts into easy-to-understand visuals. An engaging presentation perfectly blends content, design, and to-the-point information. A presentation’s visual appeal can significantly shape perceptions of credibility, commitment to a project, and relatability. But without inspiration, you might find it difficult to create the perfect presentation. Therefore, we have curated a list of the best PowerPoint presentation examples for you to take inspiration from and make your next presentation stand out. 

What Makes A Good PowerPoint Presentation?

To create the best presentations, you can go overboard with numerous designs and template options in PowerPoint. Having a variety of choices, like colors, formats, visuals, and fonts, is a creative opportunity. However, being selective is important because not all design choices lead to success and make for a good presentation. 

There’s no one correct way to design your next presentation. Still, some designs are more effective than others. While a bad presentation can give off an unprofessional look, a good one can visually establish your brand and leave a lasting impression on your audience. So let’s take a look at a few points on what makes a good PowerPoint presentation.

1. Limited Text

Limited text in a presentation works wonders, transforming it into an engaging and crystal-clear presentation. Less is more when it comes to text on slides. Keeping your content concise allows your audience to focus on your message instead of squinting at paragraphs of information.

A slide with a striking image or impactful phrase instantly grabs attention and conveys your point. Using this approach makes your presentation look great. It also helps your audience remember key takeaways. Take a look at this PowerPoint presentation example to understand.

PRO TIP: One of the golden rules of PowerPoint presentations is using 30 words per slide or a minimum of 6-8 lines on each slide to help create a seamless flow where graphics complement your spoken words.

2. Less or Minimal Transitions And Animations

Too many animations and transitions may not be your presentation’s best buddies. They can steal the spotlight from the core of your message. Best PowerPoint presentations shine by keeping animations and transitions in check. Use it in moderation to emphasize a point or draw attention to specific elements in your visuals. One of the best transitions and animations is using a “fade-in” animation for bullet points or critical pieces of information. Our guide on how to add animations to PowerPoint will teach you everything there is about animations!

3. Cohesive Color Palette

A good presentation includes a cohesive color palette throughout. We are not saying you must brush up on the color theory game before making your presentation, but knowing what colors to use can make a real difference. A well-thought-out presentation color palette that complements and harmonizes can effectively direct your audience’s focus. It highlights what matters and downplays less critical information when needed.   

4. Keeping Contextual Graphics 

A picture really can say a thousand words. Good presentations incorporate graphs, photos, and illustrations that enhance your points and keep your audience engaged. But remember, it’s crucial to put these visuals in context. Having contextual graphics or illustrations and explaining why they’re there verbally will help the audience connect the dots and understand the material. It looks great and ensures your message is crystal clear and memorable. Take a look at these  PowerPoint slide examples to understand.

5. Customized Illustrations 

Adding customized illustrations to your slides gives your presentation a unique personality and a touch of authenticity. It’s a game-changer that can take your slides from normal to outstanding. Generic stock images or clip art can feel impersonal and overused. On the other hand, customized illustrations are tailored to your message and brand, making your content exclusive. They allow you to convey your ideas in a way that is distinctively “you,” establishing a stronger connection with your audience. Here is a PPT example that uses customized illustrations.

6. Logical Flow of Content 

Good presentations have a logical flow of content. You should maintain a logical flow of the content in your PowerPoint presentation. It is like crafting a smooth, well-executed experience for your audience. The roadmap keeps them engaged, helps them follow your story, and ensures your message hits the mark. A presentation with a chaotic sequence of ideas or topics can leave your audience puzzled and disconnected. A logical flow, on the other hand, guides your audience seamlessly from one point to the next, making it easy for them to grasp the bigger picture. When your content unfolds in a logical order, it forms a narrative that’s easier for the human brain to digest and remember.

7. Effective Use of Points/Lists

To create the best PowerPoint presentations, you need to effectively use points in your PowerPoint presentation, which is like serving bite-sized portions of information to your audience. It is an excellent way of keeping them engaged and ensuring your message is digestible and memorable. Points break down complex ideas into concise, easy-to-follow chunks. They act as signposts, guiding your audience through your content with a clear roadmap. Plus, lists serve as excellent prompts for your verbal delivery, keeping you on track and ensuring you don’t forget essential details.

8. Use No Font Size Smaller Than 18 point

Maintaining a minimum font size of 18 points in your presentations is like giving your audience the gift of clarity and readability. It’s a simple yet impactful way to ensure your message shines through and your presentation looks professional. No one wants to squint or strain their eyes to read a tiny text on a slide. Using an 18-point font or larger makes your content instantly more accessible. Your audience can comfortably read what’s on the screen, allowing them to stay focused on your message rather than struggling to make out the words. Take a look at this PPT example.

9. Adding GIFS To Catch The Eye

Moving images in presentations not only helps catch your audience’s eye but also helps add a bit of humor to them! A good GIF not only helps make your presentation look better but also works as a quick visual aid in helping your audience understand what you are saying without expanding on it. GIFs also help convey complex ideas and storytelling while saving your time! You have to ensure that you are using GIs that are relevant to your topic and not completely unrelated, as it will look unprofessional.

10. Using Videos To Break Down Complex Ideas

When you are trying to break down a complex process but need a visual aid for it, then you need to use videos in your presentations. An embedded video not only helps break down complex information but also helps you reduce the size of your presentation, making it concise. One thing to note is that you should keep the video under a minute or two and also use 1-2 videos only throughout the presentation.

11. Symmetry Between Paragraphs and Pointers

Symmetry between different paragraphs and pointers in your presentation is similar to creating a smooth flow that captivates your audience. It’s all about balance, and when done right, it can significantly enhance the appeal and effectiveness of your slides. When you maintain a consistent and symmetrical structure, it creates a sense of order and professionalism. When they see a pattern, like consistent bullet point structure or paragraph formatting, it becomes easier for them to follow your narrative. This predictability allows your audience to focus, not jumble.

12. Having an Engaging Summary With a Clear Call to Action

Think of the summary as the highlight of your presentation; it recaps the essential takeaways, ensuring your audience fully grasps the key messages you want to convey. A summary is important because it’s what your audience will most likely remember long after your presentation. 

A clear CTA is like extending a helping hand to your audience, guiding them on what steps to take next. Whether it’s encouraging them to explore further resources, make a decision, or get in touch with you. Adding an engaging summary with a clear CTA to your slides is the grand finale that ties your presentation together.

Best PowerPoint Presentation Examples

Now you know the essential things to include to make better presentations. As a busy professional, it might be time-consuming and hectic for you to create presentations from scratch. Therefore, we have created templates for multiple purposes for you to use or get inspired from. You can directly download them and customize them as per your requirements. We have mentioned the examples of good PowerPoint presentations below for you to gain inspiration:

SWOT Analysis PowerPoint Examples

Timeline powerpoint presentation examples, roadmap ppt presentation examples, org chart ppt examples.

SlideUpLift provides expert guidance on presentation best practices and helps you customize your slides as per your requirements. Our extensive library covers a wide range of industries and topics. But that’s not all. SlideUpLift also offers a collection of beautifully designed templates, graphics, and icons and provides professional PowerPoint Templates for your needs. 

What makes a PowerPoint presentation "good"?

A good PowerPoint presentation effectively communicates its message, engages the audience, and utilizes clear, visually appealing slides with well-structured content.

Where can I find well-designed good PowerPoint examples for inspiration?

You can find good PowerPoint presentation examples on websites and platforms that offer presentation templates like SlideUpLift.

What are some key aspects of a good presentation?

Successful PowerPoint presentations often include: 1. Concise content 2. Engaging visuals 3. A logical flow 4. Limited use of text and 5. A clear call to action

How can I ensure my PowerPoint presentation aligns with the best practices?

To ensure your presentation follows best practices, focus on storytelling, maintain visual consistency, limit bullet points, use high-quality visuals, and practice your delivery.

Are there any tools or resources to help me improve my PowerPoint presentations?

Yes, SlideUpLift provides various tools and resources, including PowerPoint add-ins, design templates, and online tutorials that help you enhance your presentation skills and create compelling slides.

Table Of Content

Related presentations.

FlowChart PowerPoint Template Collection

Project Management PowerPoint Template Collection

List PowerPoint Template Collection

Related posts from the same category.

4 Oct, 2023 | SlideUpLift

The Best And Worst PowerPoint Presentation Examples

Engaging presentations are the lifeblood of effective communication in today's information-driven world. Whether you're in a boardroom pitching a new idea, standing in front of a classroom of curious learners,

10 Nov, 2021 | SlideUpLift

PowerPoint Presentation Tips: How to Make a Good PowerPoint Presentation

A well-crafted PowerPoint presentation can have a lasting impact on your audience. However, creating an effective presentation can be daunting, especially if you are unsure how to make it engaging

27 Sep, 2023 | SlideUpLift

10 Bad PowerPoint Slides Examples to Avoid

A presentation serves two purposes: 1) it teaches your audience something new and 2) motivates them to take action. However, achieving these goals is only possible if your audience is

13 Sep, 2023 | SlideUpLift

How to Write A Good Presentation?

Have you ever sat down and tried to write a presentation, but you only found yourself looking at a blank screen with nothing coming to mind? Fear not; you are

6 Jan, 2020 | SlideUpLift

Top 10 Hacks On How To Make PowerPoint Presentation Attractive

Per experts, the audience gets hooked and pays more attention to the visual content of your PowerPoint slides than drab-looking, text-heavy content. This article answers the well to know question

22 Jul, 2024 | SlideUpLift

17 Tips On How To Write A Professional PowerPoint Presentation [+Templates]

Presentations are a fantastic tool for communicating vital information. Even though people think it's simple to put all your content together and make a presentation, arranging and preparing the template

8 Dec, 2023 | SlideUpLift

10 Best Presentation Softwares

Having access to appropriate presenting tools can benefit anyone, whether a business owner, a working professional, or a student. Using the best tools for presentations can increase the recall value

6 Sep, 2023 | SlideUpLift

10 Best Presentation Companies And Design Agencies

According to the Hinge Research Institute, an effective presentation can lead to 20.1% accelerated growth and 24.8% higher profits for a company. Well, it is more valid than ever in

18 Aug, 2023 | SlideUpLift

10 Best PowerPoint Templates for Presentations

In today's landscape of the corporate industry, an effective PowerPoint presentation speaks volumes and is paramount. Presentations have evolved into more than just slides and bullet points—they've become powerful tools

27 Apr, 2023 | SlideUpLift

10 Practical Ways to Improve Your Presentation Skills Today

Do you feel exhausted from giving uninteresting and unproductive presentations? Do you feel like your presentation skills are holding you back from achieving success professionally and personally? You're not alone.

Related Tags And Categories

Forgot Password?

Privacy Overview

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

How to Create the Best PowerPoint Presentations [Examples & Templates]

Discover what makes the best PowerPoint presentations with these examples to inspire you.

10 FREE POWERPOINT TEMPLATES

Download ten free PowerPoint templates for a better presentation.

Published: 05/15/24

Creating the best PowerPoint presentation isn’t just about slapping facts and figures together or dazzling with snazzy graphics — it’s an art form.

During my time at HubSpot, I created a lot of presentations. Since then, I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the PowerPoints desperately crying for a makeover. I’ve learned that the secret isn’t just in the text or visuals but in how you serve it up.

In this guide, I’ll share some pro tips on how to make the best PowerPoint presentation. You’ll learn how to hold your audience’s attention and drive your message home with clarity. Plus, I’ll share real-life examples to inspire you.

What Good Presents Have in Common

Best PowerPoint Presentations

What do good presentations have in common.

I’ve discovered that five elements are a must-have when creating a great presentation . Let’s look at each one.

1. The presentation is highly relevant to the audience.

A lot goes into creating presentations that hit the mark. First, I clearly define my audience. Then, I choose topics that genuinely interest them, offer actionable advice, answer their questions, or address their pain points.

But this isn’t just my strategy. Mike O’Neill , founder and CEO of Backspace Travel , a modern travel agency, also talks about things that matter to his audience. He says, “We conduct dry runs with a smaller group to gather feedback and refine the presentation. Testing the presentation with colleagues allows us to identify areas that resonate [with our audience] or need improvement before the final delivery.”

I’ve found that crafting a captivating title influences how receptive my audience will be. For example, instead of a bland title like “New Product Features,” I’d go with something more intriguing like “Discover the Hidden Gems of Our Latest Product Features.”

It makes my audience wonder what those hidden gems are and still lets them know it’s about new product features.

10 Free PowerPoint Templates

• Creative templates.
• Data-driven templates.
• Professional templates.

Download Free

All fields are required.

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

2. The presentation has a clear objective.

As a former content manager and strategist at HubSpot, I learned the importance of setting audience expectations. Whether it’s a new project, a marketing strategy , or even a sales pitch, I made sure my slides and commentary tied back to the key takeaways I wanted my audience to remember.

Alexandria Agresta , a corporate trainer and leadership development expert, uses what she calls the three Ps of a presentation:

• Purpose. What’s the purpose of the presentation?
• Challenge. What’s the challenge your audience is facing?
• Possible. What outcome do they desire?

She says this process empowers her to convey her message in a way that resonates with her audience. Once she establishes the three Ps, she creates a clear, concise outline that includes key points and topics she hopes to cover.

“I then create a dedicated slide at the beginning of the presentation that succinctly outlines what will be covered during the presentation. This sets expectations for the audience and gives them a roadmap of what to expect,” Agresta says.

Whatever the topic, highlight your key takeaways on a specific slide (ideally the cover slide), so your audience clearly understands what your presentation is about from the get-go.

3. The presentation follows an organized storyline.

One thing I’ve learned about presentations is that it isn’t just about conveying information; it’s about telling a story that guides your audience from start to finish. Each slide is a chapter that leads to a satisfying conclusion.

There are many ways to infuse storytelling into your presentations. You can get as creative as you want, like Aaron Wertheimer , a full-time SEO marketing copywriter for Marketing Reel , does.

He says, “I infuse storytelling into my PowerPoint presentations by including a Bitmoji sticker of myself as it relates to each slide, and I demarcate each slide with verbiage to indicate which part of the sequence we are currently at in the presentation.”

Just make sure to have a beginning, a middle, and an end so you can clearly demonstrate the point you’re leading towards.

4. The audience understands the next steps.

When creating my presentations, I always specify the action I want my audience to take by the time we conclude. Do I want them to sign up for a service? Consider a new perspective? Remember key points?

Chirag Nijjer , a customer success lead at Google, usually wraps up his presentations with two CTAs: one that’s beneficial to him and one that benefits his audience. His presentations are more impactful when he combines both CTAs.

He explains with an example: “If I’m presenting to a group of professors who intend to use the info to teach their students, I’d write, ‘Would you like access to the summary slides and a list of project ideas for your students to learn this topic? Fill out the feedback form and give me your email address.’”

I can see why this method works. The email address allows him to contact his audience, and he also benefits them by teaching them how to turn his presentations into valuable action. It’s like killing two birds with one stone!

Remember, though, if you want your audience to perform an action after your presentation, be clear about what you want them to do next.

5. The audience leaves with contact information and/or resources.

I’ve observed that at the end of my presentations, most attendees want more information or a chance to discuss the topic further.

That’s why I always provide my contact details or additional resources. So, if anyone wants to reach out for a one-on-one chat or read further, they’ll have what they need to delve deeper into the material.

For example, after a presentation on digital marketing strategies , I might provide my email address and invite attendees to reach out if they have any questions. I could also share a list of recommended books, articles, or even YouTube videos for those who want to take their digital marketing journey to the next level.

How to Do the Best Powerpoint Presentation

Now that I’ve covered what to look for in a killer slide deck, let’s jump right in and talk about how you can make your next presentation unforgettable.

1. Less is more.

I’ve used PowerPoint a lot, and it’s tempting to pack slides with flashy graphics and tons of text. However, I learned the hard way that less is often more.

Once, I was tasked with presenting a new content strategy to the marketing team. Eager to impress, I packed my slides with stunning visuals, intricate graphs, and loads of text explaining every detail of the strategy.

I thought the more information there was, the better. But as I started presenting, I quickly realized my mistake.

The team seemed overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information on the slides. They were so busy trying to decipher the infographics and read the tiny texts that they missed out on the main points I was trying to convey.

In the end, I could sense that I hadn’t made the impact I had hoped for. It was a humbling experience, but it taught me a valuable lesson: simplicity is key.

Since then, I’ve made a conscious effort to streamline my presentations with a clear message and avoid complex details that could distract my audience.

Here are some key points to always remember:

• Let the focus be on your message instead of the slides themselves.
• Keep the slides relevant and simple enough so people can pay attention to what you’re saying.
• Your visuals and fonts should support your message, not steal the spotlight.

2. Keep text to a minimum.

From my experience, you can tell that adding too much text overwhelms people, and instead of listening to you, they focus on trying to read the slides. And that’s not what you want. You want your audience to be engaged, hanging onto your every word, not trying to decipher paragraphs of text.

So, use fewer words in large fonts. That way, you’ll make sure everyone, from the front row to the back, sees what’s on the screen without squinting.

3. Rethink visuals.

People are 30 times more likely to read infographics than written articles. This stat just puts a stamp on what I’ve said about reducing the amount of text in your presentations. It’s like a neon sign screaming: “Less text, more visuals!”

However, that doesn’t mean you can just throw some nice-looking photos onto your pitch deck and move on. Like any other content strategy, your visual game must be on point and relevant.

Let me share the different types of visuals I’ve come across in my years of doing presentations to help you figure out what works best.

PowerPoint templates have come a long way since Microsoft first unveiled the program to the world, and I occasionally use them in my presentations.

However, to make my PowerPoint slides stand out, I always opt for a theme that my audience hasn’t seen dozens of times before — one that vibes with my brand and fits the topic I’m talking about.

Sometimes, I explore presentation platforms other than PowerPoint (like Prezi) to discover fresh templates. There are also tons of visual content design sites that offer customizable templates I can tweak to match my brand and topic perfectly.

Canva is one of my favorites. It offers a plethora of templates and allows me to create presentations from scratch.

I’ve also tested out Venngage’s free presentation maker and found it super handy for getting eye-catching slide templates, icons, and high-quality stock photos for my PowerPoint tutorials.

Image Source

Pro tip: Download our 10 PowerPoint presentation templates for free to simplify your design process. Each template is made to add that extra flair to your presentation so that your slideshows not only look great but also resonate deeply with your audience.

Charts and Graphs

One of my favorite ways to back up what I’m saying in my presentation is to toss in some stats and data visualization. Charts and graphs jazz things up and make the numbers way more interesting.

However, I don’t just share the facts; I let my audience know the story behind those numbers. For example, instead of just presenting quarterly sales figures to my team, I would highlight the challenges we faced, the strategies we implemented, and the victories we celebrated to arrive at those digits.

One thing you always need to do, though, is to make sure your charts and graphs blend in seamlessly with the rest of your presentation’s visual theme. Otherwise, these graphics are more likely to steal the show than help you get your point across.

Color Scheme

I understand that colors can really play with my audience’s emotions. So, even if I’m not trying to close a deal with my presentation, I might want to stir up specific feelings or impressions, and the color palette I choose can help with that.

Max Shak , founder and CEO of nerDigital , even considers cultural differences and color associations to make sure his presentations hit the right notes with diverse audiences.

I’d recommend checking out Coschedule’s guide to color psychology in marketing . It’s a goldmine of how different tones, shades, and color combinations can sway buying decisions. You’ll definitely elevate your presentation game by following this guide.

When I add text to my slide decks, I want it to be simple enough for everyone to read. If it’s tiny or crammed, people end up squinting and missing out on what I’m saying.

That’s why I recommend using web-safe fonts like Sans-Serif or Arial. They’re easy on the eyes and can display correctly even if a user hasn’t installed them on their computer.

4. Incorporate multimedia.

I could talk about something all day long, but it won’t have the same impact as showing it to you.

That’s where multimedia comes in — it’s the secret sauce for keeping people engaged in your presentations.

When I do a simple Google search for “ music in presentations ,” it pulls up a bunch of results that talk about how to add music to my slide decks. From this, it’s clear that using music in my presentations is a unique way to engage my audience or at least set a welcoming tone before and after I speak.

But if you want people glued to your slideshows throughout your presentation, incorporate videos. I mean, a whopping 96% of individuals admit they tune into explainer videos to learn more about a product.

So why not give people what they want? Videos can bring theories to life in a way that words or photos alone just can’t match.

In my years of experience, I’ve come across many pitch decks, and the best ones always cut through the clutter. In this section, I’ll share 15 PowerPoint presentation examples that set the bar for what a professional presentation should look like.

1. The HubSpot Culture Code by HubSpot Co-founder Dharmesh Shah

Not to sing our own praises, but The HubSpot Culture Code has been one of our most successful presentations. The secret? Shah chooses a central theme — the acronym HEART (humble, empathetic, adaptable, remarkable, and transparent).

This acronym embodies our company’s values while providing a central message for the presentation. Plus, heart icons on the slides make the connection clear.

I like the style and message of this presentation. It sticks to our brand colors and fonts and makes everything super clear and easy on the eyes.

I especially enjoy the superhero theme on slide 26 — it’s a fun way to say that we’re all about empowering our customers to be their best. It elevates the idea of customer support from a duty to a mission, which I find very motivating.

2. 2022 Women in the Workplace Briefing by McKinsey & Company

This slide deck lays out key data from McKinsey’s 2022 research on women in the workplace. It uses a mix of graphs, images, and other visual representations to illustrate how the expectations women face at work have evolved over time.

I’m impressed by how they’ve maintained their brand colors throughout the presentation. I’m a big fan of consistency, and this slideshow nails it by sticking to its color scheme from start to finish. It creates a cohesive look and reinforces their brand identity , which makes the presentation look professional.

Another thing I like about it is that the titles immediately say what each slide is about. It helps you navigate the presentation effortlessly and keeps you focused on the main points.

3. SEO, PPC, and AI in 2023 and Beyond by Lily Ray

Lily Ray and Inna Zeyger from Amsive Digital took inspiration from the world of science fiction. It’s pretty cool how they playfully bring in imagery from movies like “Blade Runner“ and “Ghost in the Shell” when talking about AI and the future of marketing in their SlideShare presentation .

The whole futuristic vibe with vibrant colors grabs my attention right away. It’s a fresh break from the usual bland corporate stuff, and they do a fantastic job of making sure you enjoy their presentation while learning something new.

4. ChatGPT: What It Is and How Writers Can Use It by Adsy

We all get writer’s block sometimes. Trust me, I’ve been there, staring at a blinking cursor, feeling the frustration build up. But ChatGPT acts like a trusted sidekick, nudging me along and whispering, “Hey, how about this idea?”

This presentation breaks down what ChatGPT is, its limitations, and more importantly, what it can do. I find it pretty helpful, especially if you’re new to the AI chatbot.

One thing I like most about the SlideShare presentation is that it has a lot of use cases that can inspire you. For example, if it tells you ChatGPT can write a YouTube script, it shows you the prompt the creator used and the results they got.

I also love how it uses a combination of bold white text against a blue background or black and blue text on a white background to call out important headings. And those key definitions are right there in the center, surrounded by all that whitespace , practically begging you to take a closer look.

5. Insights from the 2022 Legal Trends Report by Clio

I’m a big advocate of adding visuals to your business presentations. But it doesn’t have to be the same old boring office stock photos. Take a cue from Clio’s presentation.

Clio has incorporated abstract elements to keep things fresh — simple shapes like triangles, rectangles, and circles. These shapes blend seamlessly with different charts and graphs, adding an artistic touch to the slide decks.

6. Email Marketing Trends by Gabriel Blanchet

Gabriel Blanchet creates a short presentation to explain some key elements of email marketing and its trends to show us why it’s still a valuable tool despite the rise of social media.

What do I love about these slides? They’re awesome. Bright colors, clean visuals — they’ve got it all. What seals the deal for me is how Gabriel breaks down each point and explains why it matters.

7. 2022 GWI’s Social Report by GWI

I’m really impressed by how Leticia Xavier uses different shades of pink and purple to add some contrast to the slides. Everything, from the graphs to the backgrounds and images, sticks to this same color palette.

If I’m ever worried about my visuals not contrasting enough, I’ll definitely draw inspiration from Leticia’s color palette. Pick one or two colors and play around with different shades and tones to tie the slides together and make them pop.

8. Digital 2023 Global Overview Report by DataReportal

I chose this slide deck from DataReportal because it reminds me that strong contrast between text and background is crucial. It’s what makes my slides easy to scan.

The presentation uses a dark background throughout. The graphs and icons pop in bright orange, red, blue, and green, while the text keeps it white.

That said, if you’re prepping for an in-person presentation, think about the room. If it’s dim with the lights off, a dark background like this is spot on. But if it’s all bright and sunny, stick to a light background with dark text.

9. ThinkNow Culture Report 2022 by ThinkNow

ThinkNow impresses me with how they’ve mixed magenta and yellow in the background of their PowerPoint design. Meanwhile, the graphs stick to classic black and white. It’s a smart move that creates sharp contrast and makes the visual elements easy to scan.

Plus, I appreciate how the headers are in a readable font, summarizing what each slide covers.

10. 2023 Metro CERT Annual Event by MNCERTs

I’m surprised by how simple this Metro CERT presentation is. It displays just a few words per slide, all in big, bold fonts. The contrast between the blue and yellow colors is striking and makes everything really pop.

And you know what’s even more creative? There are loads of images of people sprinkled throughout. It adds a nice personal touch that keeps things interesting.

11. Pecan Creek Winery 2023 in Pictures Presentations

As I was going through Pekan Creek Winery’s business presentation, I noticed how it sticks to a simple color palette of just white and black. It’s clean and sleek and lets the content shine without any distractions.

It’s also packed with loads of pictures that showcase events and the wine-making process. That’s exactly how you craft a presentation that gets people pumped up about your brand.

12. LLMs in Healthcare and Pharma. VTI day

This engaging presentation impresses me with its visuals. From charts to photos and even some fun animations, it’s got a little bit of everything to keep its audience hooked.

It keeps the fonts simple, which I appreciate. Plus, those bright background colors make the black and blue text stand out.

The presentation is also spiced up by the story of a dog named Sassy. It adds a personal touch. And who doesn’t like a good story? It’s a surefire way to keep attendees glued to your presentation.

13. Exploring Advanced API Security Techniques and Technologies by Sudhir Chepeni

The next time I do a data-heavy presentation, I’ll take some inspiration from Sudhir Chepeni’s slide designs. The dark background paired with bright text commands attention. And those simple, readable fonts make it easy to digest the information.

Plus, I admire how he sprinkled charts and data throughout. It keeps things interesting and breaks up the text nicely.

14. Competition in Energy Markets by Georg Zachmann

Simplifying technical information can be a tough nut to crack, especially when you have to explain it in a slide deck. But Georg Zachmann isn’t afraid of the challenge.

He uses graphs and charts to break down complex technical issues about the energy crisis into clear visual representations, which I really love.

I also noticed the big, bold headings that immediately tell you what each slide is about. You can skim the document quickly and hone in on the key points you need to know.

15. 10 Things That Helped Me Advance My Career by Thijs Feryn

This presentation impresses me right from the cover slide. The image of a man ascending the stairs captures a sense of effort and accomplishment, which is precisely what the presentation is all about.

The keynote speaker, Thijs Feryn, nails it with the storytelling aspect. Each slide feels like a new chapter unfolding and transitioning seamlessly into the next.

And the visuals? They’re top-notch — from captivating photos to lively animations and even a handy map. Plus, those bright colors and huge text fonts make sure every detail pops, even for the person chilling in the back row.

Create the Best PowerPoint Presentation Designs

As someone who’s created countless presentations, I’ve seen firsthand the transformation that happens when you put a little soul into those slide layouts — whether adding sleek visuals, cutting down on clutter, or weaving a story that carries your message.

Implement the tips I’ve discussed here so that each slide can act as a stepping stone that gently guides your audience to where you want them next. These little touches can turn a good slide deck into your best PowerPoint presentation yet.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in March 2023 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Don't forget to share this post!

Related articles.

20 Great Examples of PowerPoint Presentation Design [+ Templates]

17 PowerPoint Presentation Tips From Pro Presenters [+ Templates]

How to Write an Ecommerce Business Plan [Examples & Template]

How to Create an Infographic in Under an Hour — the 2024 Guide [+ Free Templates]

Get Buyers to Do What You Want: The Power of Temptation Bundling in Sales

How to Create an Engaging 5-Minute Presentation

How to Start a Presentation [+ Examples]

120 Presentation Topic Ideas Help You Hook Your Audience

The Presenter's Guide to Nailing Your Next PowerPoint

How to Create a Stunning Presentation Cover Page [+ Examples]

Marketing software that helps you drive revenue, save time and resources, and measure and optimize your investments — all on one easy-to-use platform

The Only 10 Slides You Need in Your Pitch

I am evangelizing the 10/20/30 Rule of PowerPoint. It’s quite simple: a pitch should have ten slides , last no more than twenty minutes , and contain no font smaller than thirty points . This rule is applicable for any presentation to reach an agreement: for example, raising capital, making a sale, forming a partnership, etc.

• Ten slides. Ten is the optimal number of slides in a PowerPoint presentation because a normal human being cannot comprehend more than ten concepts in a meeting—and venture capitalists are very normal. (The only difference between you and venture capitalist is that he is getting paid to gamble with someone else’s money). If you must use more than ten slides to explain your business, you probably don’t have a business.
• Twenty minutes . You should give your ten slides in twenty minutes. Sure, you have an hour time slot, but you’re using a Windows laptop, so it will take forty minutes to make it work with the projector. Even if the setup goes perfectly, people will arrive late and have to leave early. In a perfect world, you give your pitch in twenty minutes, and you have forty minutes left for discussion.
• Thirty-point font . The majority of the presentations that I see have text in a ten-point font. As much text as possible is jammed into the slide, and then the presenter reads it. However, as soon as the audience figures out that you’re reading the text, it reads ahead of you because it can read faster than you can speak. The result is that you and the audience are out of synch.

I hope this helps you create a winning pitch deck for your startup. If you’re interested in this template, you’re probably an entrepreneur. Please check out my podcast, Remarkable People , to learn from remarkable entrepreneurs such as Steve Wozniak (Apple), Melanie Perkins (Canva), Suzy Batiz (Poo Pourri), Steve Wolfram (Mathematica), and Melissa Bernstein (Melissa and Doug).

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

About the author: guy kawasaki.

Related Posts

46 Comments

Very good points. Sometimes less is more, especially when you are trying to get important points across and increase your credibility.

I fully subscribe to this logic…just find it interesting that were you to convert this excellent info-graphic to slides it would equal approximately 15 slides.

Your presentation is meant to support the message you’re communicating, not obscure it. I can’t agree with the thought ” a normal human being cannot comprehend more than ten concepts in a meeting “. Using more than ten slides to explain for my business may not break my standard level.thanks

Very good simple and pragmatic tool useful in various domains. I see many applications for NGOs either with policy makers or donors. We need more of those to help them integrate private sector good practices, and hence gain in professionalism, impact and coherence.

Why is this not the template used for Shark Tank?

HA! This is the exact same template used for Shark Tank, minus the deck / linear format. Otherwise, all these topics are the key focal points of their discussions.

Loved this article especially the part about “using a Windows laptop, so it will take forty minutes to make it work with the projector” .. hehehe!

I love this article. However, this comment ( his comment ) is unnecessary and distracting – it could have been eliminated and the article would be even stronger. I’ve been burned enough times with projectors and Apple computers that I rigorously avoid them – a personal choice. Yet, I wouldn’t have injected my bias about Apple into this article if I was wrote it. In ‘ The Art of the Keynote Guy says ‘ Don’t denigrate the competition ‘ – good advice. Apparently Microsoft is the competition. He should follow his own counsel.

And the reality is it’s true you wouldn’t spend 40 minutes trying to get it to work with an apple. You’d realize immediately you don’t have the right adapter that’d be that.

I didn’t get past the first line because the phrase is “in a pinch” not “pitch”.

Peggy is this a joke? The author is referring to a sales pitch. There’s no such thing as a “sales pinch.” He’s not referencing your phrase.

Only one slide is missing… Defensibility & IP. Every good pitch has some sort of moat. Trade secrets, patents, exclusivity agreements, etc. Investors want to have some sort of competitive advantage and protections.

Same goes for sales pitches.

Brian – wouldn’t that would be in the Underlying Magic?

Dave – Not really. The underlying magic is your “model”; what are you doing differently to address the need in the market?

As an investor, you want exclusivity in the market to that magical way of addressing the need. That means you have a legal way to defend the IP (e.g. patents, copyrights, etc.). With those elements your execution in fulfilling the need becomes less important, and thereby reduces investor risk, because in the end we can then license the IP to someone who can.

How would someone protect a big idea let’s say as example the idea of Facebook. A network idea. A big idea, but one that could be grabbed and replicated. How do you protect “the idea” even from those angel investors you are pitching to? Do you ask investors to sign anything before you pitch? I am stuck at this very fundamental starting point.

I agree. This is where I am stuck. My business model and idea are based around a network sales concept and exclusive market niche (a huge niche). How do I protect that? Do I need to protect this idea, even from presenting to investors? How do you protect a network concept, for instance how would you have protected the idea of Facebook going in to present the concept to investors? Is stealth, speed of execution, launch and quick scaling the only ways?

@Briand and Dave, What I recall from the book, Underlying Magic refers to differentiation; which can take the form of IP, unfair advantage or innovative resource/model.

Great Article. I completely agree with Guy, the attention span of most people is max 20 minutes after which the human mind has moved on. the slides may be more than 10 but really your message is only heard in the first 15 to 20 minutes. Lol so agree with the 40 minutes set up time :) that is something we see all the time..

Great article! nice to read. is there any example or presentation, if you have please share with us.

I would add use of pictures and graphs along with text in the presentation. Pictures catch great deal attention and they communicate well. I would also add presenter’s voice pitch and connecting with audience while presenting.

Guy’s 10 slides are clearly structured as a pitch presentation format for investors. Having now been on both sides of the table, I can confidently say they are an effective template / discipline for getting your story focused on the essential check list of questions that investors will have, for keeping their attention, and for whetting their appetites to want to learn more .. and potentially attracting a champion in the process. With a strong leader taking command of the presentation, these guidelines work well for improving your batting average attracting $. As Mark Twain said, “If I had more time I’d have made it shorter”. If that was ever more true, it’s with investors who are barraged daily with deals.

Love the 10/20/30 philosophy and am rewriting an article => video to follow. Some of the comments make me a bit concerned though.

some wat to relavent about internation affairs of nationality inthe antise social group….!!!!

What is your take on the PechaKucha format of 20 x 20 – 20 slides , 20 seconds each? In a world of decreasing attention spans do you think this format has the ability to add a bit more Zing and Energy to a presentation? Allows more time for Q & A then too.

This is very, very helpful to me in creating my pitch.

This is realy helpful I using the same in my studies here in Kenya

Thank you GK, I used it. I raised capital for my young company.

Very good simple and pragmatic tool useful in various domains. well elaborated design and understandable.

Funny thing is, I am using Canva for a project presentation in a Strategic Sales class and this was the first useful article I found to help me get a start on it.

I can agree with this as someone who make many pitch decks. I like the idea of 10, but it is not feasible as there is no consumer insight, media quotes, simple marketing plan, etc. Yes. there should be 10 topics, but that does not mean 10 slides as some topics do take multiple slides, even if just a media coverage quote on a slide to introduce a topic.

Guy Kawasaki pitch deck are very small but very helpful for startup, however have a look this one pitch deck, https://goo.gl/QaCrPT it have 450+ slides cover all the topics of every pitch. 6 categories template such as marketing, sales, investor, startup,

I think it’s interesting that “Exit Strategy” is a stupid question. Perhaps what Guy is saying is the “Underlying Magic” is the exit strategy?

I really like the book The art of start 2.0. He explains in simple words and its easy to understand. I recommend the book!

I agree with Guy’s thoughts. In addition: Make up a deck. Show it to a friend. Then 2 days later ask them what it said. Tweak the deck so that the viewer is left with 3 or 4 most important bullets. These should be very much akin to the notions in the Elevator Pitch.

Does anyone have any good examples of anyone using this format? It would be nice to see this applied.

People invest in people so my pitch decks, based on Guy’s approach, have the team slide in position #2. The 3-4 key individuals are listed as follows:

Joe Shmo Head of Engineering Cal Berkeley – MS Computer Science Previously VP Engineering @ Lightning Networks (acquired by Cisco) Driving product development

I don’t make a big deal about the CFO and never use “R&D” in the pitch. VC’s early on dictate who the CFO is, and one VC told me years ago that “research is done in universities, not with my money”

Limit of 10 slides enforces you to be concise, to see and display a core of the project. And it is critical to be understandable for audience. When you don’t spend additional time of investors, they see that you respect them. So they will respect you.

I’m looking for a pitch deck for a veterans non-profit.

Hello every body,

I’m a senior counselor for entrepreneurship and business in knowledge-based as well as normal habitant civil services. In my opinion, the very pre-condition for any good presentation is good idea with tested de-coupled sub-phases of the business. The investor and his/her venture capitalist is plausibly expert to capture the subject.

If you don’t have a great and sizable business idea don’t expect that you will win with any trick such 10/20/30. These rules are suitable for great-idea owners.

One of my ask for pitch deck. Your advise on pitch deck relief me from the pressure.But when i started to do the pitch deck , it takes 3 hours to complete and i made only 8 slide. I realized that i am weak at PowerPoint presentation. Can you release a course on power-point? Thank You

Valuable help for all our startups.

The article is very well written; short but useful. Thanks for sharing such a useful piece of content.

Guy, I love this format and I push it on all the entrepreneurs I coach. As I’m prepping to give a presentation and share it though, I see that the infographic form is actually impossible to present in PPT. Text is too small and formatting isn’t right. Seems like the infographic needs a little rework to be most useful!

Very well written article. Thanks for sharing such a useful piece of content.

Beautiful Article, Guy! Short and to the point and explained your points with proper justification. Rhyming concept 10/20/30 too.

Minimalism at its finest. 10 slides felt a bit less at first but the infographic made things very clear.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Sofia Enriquez, right, with mentor Mike Erickson, Newport News Nuclear BWXT Environmental Remediation Water Program director. Enriquez created a program for users to generate geophysical well log cross-sections to assist in further interpretation of the lithology of the aquifer beneath Los Alamos National Laboratory.

LOS ALAMOS, N.M. – U.S. Department of Energy Environmental Management Los Alamos Field Office legacy cleanup contractor Newport News Nuclear BWXT (N3B) closed out another successful 10-week summer internship program in August with presentations by this year’s three interns, Sofia Enriquez, Sam Gervais and Erin Stucky.

Over the past 10 weeks, Enriquez created a program for users to generate visual geophysical well log cross-sections, a valuable analytical tool that adds spatial context to the well logs with data about the physical properties of the materials within and surrounding the well bore. This program will significantly decrease time spent graphing and allow for more advanced interpretations of the lithology and characteristics of the aquifer beneath Los Alamos National Laboratory , aiding in the investigation of plumes containing chromium and other contamination.

This was Enriquez’s second summer internship with N3B, and she also worked for the company during her 2023 winter break. Enriquez’s hometown is Los Alamos, and she will be a junior at Colorado School of Mines this fall.

“I liked having a major project to work on this summer,” Enriquez said. “It made me feel I was making a bigger contribution. And in the course of working and reporting to meetings, I got a very good feel for the kind of work I might be engaged in for my future career to positively impact groundwater protection.”

Sam Gervais, left, with mentor Brian Caldwell, Newport News Nuclear BWXT engineering director. Gervais designed a generator uninterruptible power supply system for the Technical Area (TA)-54 Operations Center and helped replace the heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit at Building 2 in TA-54 during his 10-week internship.

It was Gervais’ fourth year as a summer intern with N3B. This summer, he designed a generator uninterruptible power supply system to ensure the Technical Area (TA)-54 Operations Center would have power during an outage. Gervais also helped replace the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system at TA-54 Building 2 and was engaged with design work for the TA-54 Dome 375, among other projects.

“This year was especially rewarding because I was able to branch out in my own projects and become more immersed within a professional setting,” Gervais said.

Gervais hails from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and will be a senior at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo this fall, completing his degree in electrical engineering with a concentration in power systems.

Erin Stucky, right, with mentor Cami Charonko, Newport News Nuclear BWXT Environmental Remediation Water Program project manager. Stucky helped with stormwater and groundwater monitoring projects, analyzed per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances data, quality-checked well completion reports and reviewed documents related to the stormwater telemetry system.

Stucky spent much of her time this summer learning about and helping with stormwater and groundwater monitoring projects, analyzing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) data, quality-checking well completion reports and organizing documents related to the stormwater telemetry system. What really made an impact on her, however, was her work in the field.

“I learned how engineering processes and issues were carried forward and the interconnectivity of the various functions in groundwater testing,” Stucky said. “I loved seeing how everything we discussed in meetings was later addressed in the field — making that connection to the physical environment.”

A native of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Stucky will be a junior at the University of Colorado Boulder, working toward her environmental engineering degree with a mathematics minor.

Brad Smith, N3B president and general manager, followed the internships closely.

“We do everything we can to expose our interns to real world environmental and workplace situations to make internships as valuable as possible,” Smith said. “We also gain from the experience. We benefit from the interns’ skills and perspectives, and, just as important, every person and team they work with is invigorated by their energy and passion. Plus, at the team level, when we teach, we learn, and that helps reinforce safe actions and processes. It’s a win-win arrangement.”

-Contributor: Brian Leugs

To receive the latest news and updates about the Office of Environmental Management, submit your e-mail address. 

• Create a presentation Article
• Save Article
• Design Article
• Share and collaborate Article
• Give a presentation Article
• Set up your mobile apps Article
• Learn more Article

Create a presentation

Create a presentation in PowerPoint

Create presentations from scratch or start with a professionally designed, fully customizable template from Microsoft Create .

Tip:  If you have Microsoft Copilot it can help you create a presentation, add slides or images, and more. To learn more see  Create a new presentation with Copilot in PowerPoint.

Open PowerPoint.

In the left pane, select New .

Select an option:

To create a presentation from scratch, select Blank Presentation .

To use a prepared design, select one of the templates.

To see tips for using PowerPoint, select Take a Tour , and then select Create , .

Add a slide

In the thumbnails on the left pane, select the slide you want your new slide to follow.

In the  Home tab, in the  Slides  section, select  New Slide .

In the Slides section, select Layout , and then select the layout you want from the menu.

Add and format text

Place the cursor inside a text box, and then type something.

Select the text, and then select one or more options from the Font section of the Home tab, such as  Font , Increase Font Size , Decrease Font Size ,  Bold , Italic , Underline , etc.

To create bulleted or numbered lists, select the text, and then select Bullets or Numbering .

Add a picture, shape, and more

Go to the  Insert  tab.

To add a picture:

In the Images section, select Pictures .

In the Insert Picture From menu, select the source you want.

Browse for the picture you want, select it, and then select Insert .

To add illustrations:

In the Illustrations section, select Shapes , Icons , 3D Models ,  SmartArt , or Chart .

In the dialog box that opens when you click one of the illustration types, select the item you want and follow the prompts to insert it.

Need more help?

Want more options.

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

Microsoft 365 subscription benefits

Microsoft 365 training

Microsoft security

Accessibility center

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.

Ask the Microsoft Community

Microsoft Tech Community

Windows Insiders

Microsoft 365 Insiders

Find solutions to common problems or get help from a support agent.

Online support

Was this information helpful?

Thank you for your feedback.

• Open access
• Published: 24 August 2024

ABO and Rhesus blood group variability and their associations with clinical malaria presentations

• Enoch Aninagyei 1 ,
• Pearl Sedinam Agbenowoshie 1 ,
• Praise Mawuena Akpalu 1 ,
• Selina Blefono Asiewe 1 ,
• Regina Yayra Menu 1 ,
• Fred Gbadago 2 &
• Richard Harry Asmah 1  

Malaria Journal volume  23 , Article number:  257 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

155 Accesses

7 Altmetric

Metrics details

Plasmodium falciparum infection is associated with the human ABO blood group. However, there is a paucity of data on the role that ABO and Rhesus blood groups play in malaria clinical presentations. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the association of human ABO blood groups and the Rhesus blood (Rh) types with the severity of malaria.

This cross-sectional study was carried out at the Suhum Government Hospital in the Eastern region of Ghana. Conveniently, study participants with malaria, diagnosed by microscopy, were selected into the study. Subsequently, their ABO and Rh blood groups were determined (Accucare ABO/Rh monoclonal antibodies, Chennai, India). Malaria severity was assessed using the criteria for assessing severe malarial anaemia published by the World Health Organization. According to the criteria, severe malarial anaemia was classified as having haemoglobin (Hb) < 5 g/dL for children < 12 years and in patients ≥ 12 years, Hb level < 7 g/dL, with parasitaemia > 10,000/µL in both cases. Severe malarial anaemia was also classified as having plasma bilirubin > 50 µmol/L with parasitaemia ≥ 100,000/µL, for all ages. Chi square statistical analysis was used to test the association between the blood groups and the clinical or laboratory findings, while multivariate analysis was performed to identify which blood groups were more vulnerable to develop severe malarial anaemia.

Of the total number of the study participants (n = 328), most of the patients had blood group O Rh positive (35.7%) while few of them had blood group AB Rh negative (2.1%). The types of Rhesus did not associate with malaria. However, compared to blood group O, the odds of developing severe malarial anaemia, in children < 12 years and in patients ≥ 12 years, were 16 times and 17.8 times higher among patients with blood group A, respectively. Furthermore, the odds of having bilirubin level > 50 µmol/L with parasitaemia ≥ 100,000 /µL was 10 times higher among patients with blood groups A and 2.6 times higher in patients with blood group B, compared to blood group O. Finally, in patients with blood group A majority (71.6%) of them developed high temperature (> 37.5 °C) while 43.3% of them vomited and had diarrhoea. However, pallor (group B = 46.2% vs group A = 37.3%), fever (group B = 84.6% vs group A = 79.1%) and nausea (group B = 46.2% vs group A = 25.4%) were more frequent in patients with blood group B than A.

Conclusions

This study found that people with blood groups A and B were severely affected by malaria, with group A being the most vulnerable. It is recommended that blood group assessment be performed for all patients with malaria. Patients found to have blood group A or B must be promptly and efficiently managed to avoid the development of severe malaria anaemia.

Studies conducted elsewhere on patients with malaria have shown that there is an association between malaria and blood groups of an individual [ 1 ]. These studies have indeed shown that people with the blood group O have a selective evolutionary advantage over malaria compared to people with non- O blood groups (A, B and AB) [ 2 ]. The mechanism by which blood group O confers selective resistance to malaria, while individuals with non- O blood groups show selective vulnerability, has been attributed to rosette formation [ 3 ]. Rosetting is a mechanism in which an infected erythrocyte with Plasmodium falciparum adheres to non-infected erythrocytes [ 4 ]. Therefore, in patients with malaria with the non-O blood group, invasion of uninfected red blood cells is enhanced, compared to the other red cell polymorphs. Rosetting may be mediated by a membrane protein, including PfEMP1 [ 5 ], RIFIN and STEVOR [ 3 ], which are expressed on the surface of the infected host cell. Rosettes formed by non-O blood groups are resilient to disruption [ 6 ].

However, there are several unanswered questions and unclear links about the various blood groups contribute to severe anaemia presentations. Furthermore, the role of Rhesus (Rh) types in P. falciparum infection remains unanswered, since available data on this subject are equivocal [ 7 ].

Despite the comparative vulnerability of blood groups A, B and AB to malaria, the association of these blood groups with malaria severity has not yet been fully studied. Plasmodium parasites are known to cause fever in patients with malaria [ 8 ]. However, it was interesting to note that the degree of fever, assessed by measuring body temperature, does not always correlate with Plasmodium parasitaemia. Furthermore, patients with malaria had a different set of clinical signs and symptoms, even with similar parasitaemia [ 9 , 10 ]. Based on the foregoing, it was hypothesized that host genetic variants may influence clinical malaria presentations. To date, it remains unknown whether blood group variability plays a role in the observed differences in similar levels of parasitaemia. This evidence gap merits investigation. Therefore, the study aimed to explore and determine the association of malaria severity with the ABO and Rh blood groups. In this study, the severe malarial anaemia was defined using strict definitions of the World Health Organization (WHO) [ 11 ]. Per these definitions, the estimation of haemoglobin, plasma bilirubin and parasite count are required to assess severe malaria anaemia.

Study design, site, and participant recruitment

This cross-sectional study was done at the Suhum Government Hospital in the Suhum municipality (Latitude: 6.0379101, longitude: -0.4456668) in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Study participants were patients of all ages who had tested positive for malaria, by microscopy. The hospital is located in a malaria endemic district, where malaria is among the top five diseases recorded at the outpatient department in the study hospital. The hospital also serves as referral facility for other health facilities, both public and private. The healthcare professionals manage malaria according to the Ministry of Health guidelines [ 12 ]. Prospective study participants were patients with malaria classified as uncomplicated by the attending medical officer. After prior informed consent, the study participants were recruited. Study participants were selected based on their availability to the researcher.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Participants included in the study were individuals infected symptomatically with malaria, caused by P. falciparum , and had consented to participate in the study. Individuals who did not provide written consent, pregnant women and infants, were excluded from the study. Pregnant women are prone to both physiological and pathological anaemia of other aetiology and in infants it was difficult getting the desired volume of blood for the haematological and the bilirubin assays. In addition, patients who had tested for malaria only by rapid test kit were excluded. Furthermore, patients who had other common diseases (HIV and hepatitis B/C) and other red blood cell genetic disorders (sickle cell disease and G6PD deficient) were excluded from the study, because their co-morbidity could affect the outcome of the investigations. Finally, the microscopically detected Plasmodium parasites other than the P. falciparum species were also excluded from this study.

Sample size determination

Using the Cochrane’s formula, n = z 2 p(1–p)/d2, where n is the sample size, z is the confidence level at 95% (standard value of 1.96), d is the margin of error at 5% (standard value of 0.05), a minimum of 296 malaria patients were used, given that the prevalence of malaria in the Eastern region of Ghana among individuals suspected of malaria was 26% [ 13 ].

Collection of blood samples

With the consent of the patient, blood samples were collected by a trained Ghana Health Service phlebotomist. The area to be sampled (the antecubital fossa) was disinfected with 70% ethanol and allowed to air dry. Using a 23-gauge syringe, whole blood (approximately 4 ml) was collected into an EDTA tube and gently mixed. The punctured side was covered with cotton wool and covered with a phlebotomy plaster.

Laboratory diagnosis of malaria and confirmation of causative species

Malaria was diagnosed by microscopy. In doing that, a thick blood film was prepared using approx. 6µL of whole blood. The smear was air dried, stained with 10% Giemsa for 10 min and any parasite thereof was quantified according to WHO protocol [ 14 ]. Quantification was done by counting the number of parasites per at least 200 white blood cells. The number of parasites counted was then divided by the number of white blood cells counted, and the resulting figure was multiplied by 8000 (that is, the estimated total of white blood cells per microlitre of blood) as used elsewhere [ 15 ]. Subsequently, P. falciparum was specified by detecting the histidine-rich protein 2 (Pfhrp2) with CareStart TM rapid diagnostic test kit (Somerset NJ, USA). Pfhrp2 antigens are specific to P. falciparum . The confirmation of species was carried out placing exactly 5 µL of blood in the sample column and four drops of sample buffer placed in the appropriate column. The results were read after 15 min as recommended by the manufacturer.

Blood group and Rhesus factor determinations

Blood group and Rhesus factor typing were performed using Accucare ABO/Rh monoclonal antibodies (Chennai, India). The tile method was used. In summary, approximately 50 µL of antibodies was mixed with approximately 20 µL of whole blood, for about 30 s. After which the reactions were read. Samples with visible agglutinations were considered positive for the respective antigen and vice versa. Blood samples from known blood groups (A Rh D positive, B Rh D positive, and O Rh negative) were used as controls.

Haemoglobin estimation

Haemoglobin estimation was performed using a fully automated haematology analyser (Urit 5160; Guangzhou, China). The haemoglobin concentration was measured using the cyanide-free colorimetric method.

Bilirubin estimation

Bilirubin estimation was performed by using a Biobase Biochemistry analyser (Guangzhou, China) and Elitech reagents obtained locally but manufactured by the Elitech Group (Allées de Dublin, France). Total bilirubin was estimated on the basis of the modified Malloy-Evelyn endpoint method based on the following principle. Sulfanilic acid reacts with sodium nitrite to form diazotized sulfanilic acid. In the presence of accelerator (cetrimide), conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin reacts with diazotized sulfanilic acid to form azobilirubin. The increase in absorbance at 546 nm is proportional to the bilirubin concentration.

Data and statistical analyses

IBM SPSS data analysis software (version 27) was used to analyse the data. The demographic characteristics, clinical, laboratory findings and the various blood groups of study participants were presented as percentages, using the total number of participants as the denominator. Further, the Chi-square test was used to test the association between the laboratory findings, the different blood groups, and the association between the clinical presentations and the various blood groups. However, Fisher’s exact test was used when the frequencies were less than 5. Further multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to verify the relationship between the multinomial outcome variable “blood groups and Rhesus types” and haemoglobin, bilirubin and parasite count variables that showed significance during the chi-square analysis. Blood group O was set as the reference for the blood groups for all regressions. The logistic regression analysis allowed for identifying significant predictors and quantifying their effects on the likelihood of a blood group being associated with severe malaria. Statistical significance was established at p < 0.05.

Demographic characteristics of study participants

The study recruited 328 participants, of whom 67.1% were females and the males were 32.9%. The age range of the participants was < 1 and 89 years. The mean age of the participants was 19.4 years and the standard deviation was 20. Most of the participants, 142/328 (43.3%) were between < 1 and 9 years old. Additionally, the majority of the participants 170/328 (51.8%) were under marital age with 68/328 (20.7%) in high school. Other details of the study participants are indicated in Table  1 .

Clinical and laboratory findings of study participants

Most of the study participants (61.9%) enrolled in the study were recruited from the outpatient department of the hospital. Overall, the mean temperature ± standard deviation of the study participants was 37.4 °C ± 0.8. Furthermore, almost 40% of malaria patients recorded temperatures above 37.5 °C (severe hyperthermia). Surprisingly, 35.4% of malaria patients were hypothermic (temperatures below 37 °C). The overall mean level of haemoglobin was 9.5 g/dL ± 2.7. Among the study participants, 31.1% had no anaemia (Hb level > 11.0 g/dL) whereas 18.0%, 29.3% and 21.6% of the patients with malaria were mildly, moderately and severely anaemic, respectively. Using 17 µmol/L as the cut-off point of the normal human bilirubin level, the majority (69.8%) of the participants with malaria had elevated plasma bilirubin. The majority of the participants (53.0%) also had parasitaemia levels between 10,000 and 100,000 parasites/µL of blood. The signs and symptoms of malaria presented by the majority of the participants were fever (78.4%), chills (67.7%), and headache (59.5%). The other details are shown in Table  1 .

Profiling of the ABO and Rhesus blood groups of study participants

A higher proportion of study participants (45.1%) were of blood group O with patients with blood group AB in the minority (10.7%). Furthermore, the majority of study participants 266/328 (81.1%) were Rhesus positive. Finally, in defining ABO / Rh types, most of the study participants (35.7%) were O positive in the blood group and few of them were AB negative (2.1%). The frequencies found in the other blood groups are presented in Table  1 .

Association of laboratory findings with ABO blood groups in patients with malaria

The three laboratory variables used to assess the association between ABO variability and severe malarial anaemia were haemoglobin level, bilirubin level (jaundice), and parasite density (hyperparasitaemia). Analysis of the data revealed that in patients with malaria, anaemia, jaundice, and hyperparasitaemia are associated with the blood group. Significantly, a higher number of malaria patients with blood group O (42.5%) had no anaemia, while mild anaemia was associated with patients with blood group AB. Furthermore, most of the malaria patients with blood group B (37.2%) were moderately anaemic while those with blood group A (32.8%) were severely anaemic. Furthermore, hyperbilirubinaemia was significantly higher in patients with malaria with blood group A (85.1%, p = 0.001). The Rh types did not associate with anaemia or jaundice, except for Rh positive that associated with hyperparasitaemia (17.4%, p = 0.036) (Table  2 ).

Association of clinical presentations to ABO blood groups in patients with malaria

Table 3 represents the association between the malaria clinical presentations and human blood types. Hyperthermia (> 37.5 °C) was significantly higher in blood group A (71.6%), while hypothermia was common in blood group O (48.6%). It was also observed that Rhesus types did not associate with degree of body temperature. Chills, headaches, fatigue, and muscle ache were not associated with any blood group. However, pallor (46.2%), fever (84.6%) and nausea (46.2%) significantly associated with blood group B, while vomiting (43.3%) and diarrhoea (43.3%) were commonly observed in patients with blood group A. Aside from pallor that associated with Rh positivity (p = 0.015), none of the clinical presentations was associated with any of the Rh types.

Relationship between ABO/Rh groups and severe forms of malaria

The World Health Organization (WHO) has a number of definitions to classify severe malarial anaemia. One of these definitions includes haemoglobin concentration < 5 g/dL together with parasite count > 10,000µL for children < 12 years of age. For patients with malaria ≥ 12 years, the same parasitaemia range together with haemoglobin concentration is < 7 g/dL is diagnostic. In Table  4 , the prevalence of severe malarial anaemia among children classified as having uncomplicated malaria was 8% (26/328). In children, severe malarial anaemia associated with blood group B, while Rh types did not. In patients 12 years or above, the prevalence of severe malarial anaemia among those classified as having uncomplicated malaria was 4.3% (14/328). The incidence of severe malarial anaemia in patients ≥ 12 years associated with blood groups A and B, as well as Rh positivity. Using bilirubin as a criterion, WHO defined severe malarial anaemia as having bilirubin > 50 µmol/L with parasitaemia > 100,000 /µL. With this criteria, 17% (56/328) of the study participants with malaria were severe. Severe malarial anaemia was observed in patients with blood group A whereas Rh types did not associate with severe malarial anaemia (Table  4 ).

Prediction of malaria severity using ABO blood groups

The association of blood groups with the severity of malaria was compared to that of blood group O (reference blood group) (Table  4 ). Compared to blood group O, the odds of blood groups B (aOR = 1.6, 95% CI 0.6–2.7) and AB (aOR = 1.1, 95% CI 0.7–1.9) developing severe malarial anaemia in children under 12 years of age were higher but did not reach a significant level. However, children less than 12 years old with blood group A are approximately 16 times (p = 0.0005) more likely to develop severe malarial anaemia compared to those with the blood group O. For patients ≥ 12 years with malaria, the odds of developing severe malarial anaemia were higher among those with blood groups AB (aOR = 4.4, 95% CI 2.7–6.1, p = 0.0095) and A (aOR = 17.8, 95% CI 12.6–31.2, p = 0.0030), compared to blood group O. Using the bilirubin > 50 µmol/L with parasitaemia ≥ 100,000 /µL criteria, the odds of developing severe malarial anaemia were higher among patients with blood groups A (aOR = 10, 95% CI: 6.5–19.8, p < 0.0001) and B (aOR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.1–6.0), p = 0.0232), compared to blood group O. However, individuals with the blood groups AB are less likely to develop severe malarial anaemia compared to those with the blood group O.

Variabilities in blood groups play an important role in the pathogenesis of malaria. Several studies have linked malaria to non-O blood group [ 7 , 16 , 17 ]. Among the non-O group, malaria incidence is higher among individuals with blood group B [ 16 , 18 ], some studies have also reported a higher probability of malaria incidence in blood group AB [ 19 , 20 ]. Despite these associations, the impact of ABO and Rhesus (Rh) blood types on the severity of malaria has not been explored, especially in the Ghanaian population.

Among the participants with malaria studied, most of them were blood group O, followed by blood groups B, A and AB. The individuals who were in the O blood group were 54.9%. Among non-O blood groups, individuals with blood group B were more (43.3%), closely followed by blood group B (37.2%). This observation is consistent with previous publications on this subject matter, elsewhere [ 18 , 19 ] and in Ghana [ 21 ]. However, among the general Ghanaian population, blood group O dominates, followed by blood group A, B and blood group AB in the minority [ 22 ].

The association of blood group B or A with malaria is attributable to resetting, which is enhanced in these blood groups compared to blood group O [ 3 ]. Rosette formation allows uninfected red blood cells to be attracted to infected red cells, mediated by the parasite protein called Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein (PfEMP1) [ 23 ]. Hyperparasitaemia was observed to be significantly higher in blood group A compared to the other blood groups. However, it was surprising to observe that low parasitaemia was higher in blood group B compared to blood group O. This observation could be due to the cytoadherence of the parasites in high parasitaemic situations in patients with blood group B, which could reduce the peripheral blood density of the parasites [ 23 , 24 ]. Low parasitaemia after cytoadherence could be the case because even though low parasitaemia was associated with blood group B, more than 30% of them were moderately or severely anaemic, compared to blood group O. Notwithstanding the above, the effect of blood group variations on malaria parasite cytoadherence should be proven in a future study. In contrast, in group A blood, hyperparasitaemia corresponded to the severity of the anaemia, with concomitant hyperbilirubinaemia. Hyperparasitaemia and severe anaemia are linked due to the ability of the parasite to haemolyse infected cells, mediated by enhanced resetting. Hyperbilirunemia is a direct consequence of intravascular haemolysis [ 24 ].

Furthermore, hyperthermia was observed at higher rates in patients with blood group A. This is explained by the associated hyperparasitaemia and severe anaemia. Hyperthermia occurs when infected red cells rupture and uninfected cells are being invaded [ 25 ]. This phenomenon is mediated by cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukins (IL) 2 and IL6 [ 26 ]. Whereas pallor and nausea associated with blood group B of patients with malaria, vomiting, and diarrhoea associated with blood group A. According to the findings of this study, malaria in individuals in blood group A is a medical emergency. This is because the co-occurrence of vomiting and diarrhoea will eventually lead to dehydration, if parenteral fluids are not administered immediately. This will lead to hypovolemic shock and electrolyte imbalance, the result of which is mostly fatal. Due in part to hypoperfusion and hypoxia of the tissue. If left untreated, hypovolemic shock can cause ischemic injury to vital organs, leading to multi-organ failure [ 27 ].

In children, severe malarial anaemia due to low haemoglobin and parasite count > 10,000 per µL was significantly higher in blood group B, while in patients over 12 years of age, severe malarial anaemia was significantly higher in both groups A and B. On the other hand, severe malarial anaemia defined by hyperbilirubinaemia together with parasite count > 100,000 parasites/µL was significantly higher in individuals with blood group A. Therefore, individuals with blood groups A and B are vulnerable to developing severe malarial anaemia compared to blood groups O and AB. For these reasons, blood group assessments should be added to the list of investigations requested for patients suspected of malaria. This will help to promptly and adequately manage individuals who are likely to be severely affected by the disease, to ensure better treatment outcomes.

The majority of the participants studied in this publication were Rh positive (81.1%). However, Rh status was not associated with anaemia, jaundice, temperature, and severity of malaria. Furthermore, none of the clinical presentations associated with Rh status, except pallor. A review by Rattanapan et al. [ 28 ] found an inconsistencies in the vulnerability to severe malaria between individuals with Rh positive and negative. The review analyzed data from 36 eligible papers. Overall, 44.4% of the studies revealed that Rh positive individuals had a lower proportion of malaria than Rh negative individuals, while the remaining studies revealed a higher or no difference in the proportion of malaria between Rh positive and negative. The study then concluded that having Rh positive or Rh negative did not influence the development of severe malaria. This study adds to previous publications that Rh status did not have much impact on malaria clinical presentations.

Even though low levels of haemoglobin, high bilirubin levels with their attendant high parasitaemia were observed in blood groups A and B individuals with malaria, it must be stated that these levels could be confounded by various factors. Low levels of circulating erythropoietin is associated with low red blood cell and haemoglobin counts [ 29 ]. Further, bilirubin levels have also been found to be elevated in liver diseases [ 30 ]. In addition, anti-malaria immunity is likely to influence hyperparasitaemia seen in the study participant [ 31 ]. In addition, other factors such as poor nutrition, lower socioeconomic status and longer duration of symptoms were likely to affect the levels of the biomolecules reported in this study.

Limitations

The study participants were not tested for alpha thalassaemia. The G6PD screening was performed using the sodium nitrite-methylene blue method, which may not be of higher sensitivity, especially at lower haemoglobin levels. Other entero and haemoparasites, such as hookworms, filarial worms, and Babesia parasites, which could affect haemoglobin and bilirubin levels, were not screened. In addition, effect modifiers such as low levels of circulating erythropoietin, liver diseases, incompetent or low anti-malaria immunity, poor nutrition, lower socioeconomic status and longer duration of symptoms could directly or indirectly affect the levels of haemoglobin, bilirubin and/or the parasite counts recorded in this study. Finally, due to the convenient sampling technique employed, the outcome is limited to the population studied.

Out of the 328 participants, severe malarial anaemia was observed in 8% (26/328) children less than 12 years while in patients above 12 years or above, 4.3% (14/328) had severe malaria anaemia. Using hyperbilirubinaemia as a criterion, 17% (56/328) had severe malaria. When these low numbers were distributed among the blood group types, some of the frequencies were very low. However, the odds ratios were determined based on these figures. It was observed that, the odds of developing severe malarial anaemia, in children less than 12 years, was about 16 times higher, in patients with blood group A compared to patients with blood group O, with malaria. For patients ≥ 12 years, the odds of developing severe malarial anaemia was 4.4 times and 17.8 times higher among patients with blood groups A and AB, respectively, compared to patients with blood O. Finally, using the hyperbilirubinaemia with parasitaemia 100,000 /µL criteria, the chances of developing severe malaria were 10 times higher among patients with blood groups A and 2.6 times higher in patients with blood group B, compared to blood group O.

Availability of data and materials

Request for the data can be obtained from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Obisike VU, Makwe TO. Association between ABO blood group and malaria infection and ownership and utilization of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets among school children in North Bank Area of Makurdi. Nigeria Biomed J Sci Tech Res. 2020;31:24036–9.

Google Scholar  

Uneke CJ, Ogbu O, Nwojiji V. Potential risk of induced malaria by blood transfusion in South-eastern Nigeria. Mcgill J Med. 2006;9:8–13. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19529802

Doumbo OK, Plowe CV, Lyke KE, Raza A, Tempest LJ, Rowe JA, et al. High levels of Plasmodium falciparum rosetting in all clinical forms of severe malaria in African Children. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2009;81:987–93. https://ajtmh.org/doi/10.4269/ajtmh.2009.09-0406

Article   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Juillerat A, Lewit-Bentley A, Guillotte M, Gangnard S, Hessel A, Baron B, et al. Structure of a Plasmodium falciparum PfEMP1 rosetting domain reveals a role for the N-terminal segment in heparin-mediated rosette inhibition. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2011;108:5243–8. https://pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1018692108

Article   CAS   PubMed   PubMed Central   Google Scholar  

Moll K, Palmkvist M, Ch’ng J, Kiwuwa MS, Wahlgren M. Evasion of Immunity to Plasmodium falciparum: Rosettes of Blood Group A Impair Recognition of PfEMP1. Braga ÉM, editor. PLoS One [Internet]. 2015 Dec 29;10(12):e0145120. Available from: https://dx.plos.org/ https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0145120

Hedberg P, Sirel M, Moll K, Kiwuwa MS, Höglund P, Ribacke U, et al. Red blood cell blood group A antigen level affects the ability of heparin and PfEMP1 antibodies to disrupt Plasmodium falciparum rosettes. Malar J [Internet]. 2021 Dec 18;20(1):441. Available from: https://malariajournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/ https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-021-03975-w

Yeda R, Okudo C, Owiti E, Biwot G, Momanyi C, Korir W, et al. Burden of malaria infection among individuals of varied blood groups in Kenya. Malar J. 2022;21(1):1–7.

Article   Google Scholar  

Cowman AF, Healer J, Marapana D, Marsh K. Malaria: Biology and Disease. Cell [Internet]. 2016 Oct;167(3):610–24. Available from: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S009286741631008X

Aninagyei E. Repeated sampling improved the sensitivity of malaria microscopy in children under six years. BMC Res Notes [Internet]. 2020 Dec 4;13(1):508. Available from: https://bmcresnotes.biomedcentral.com/articles/ https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-020-05359-w

Aninagyei E, Tettey CO, Kwansa-Bentum H, Boakye AA, Ghartey-Kwansah G, Boye A, et al. Oxidative stress and associated clinical manifestations in malaria and sickle cell (HbSS) comorbidity. Agbor G, editor. PLoS One [Internet]. 2022 Jun 8;17(6):e0269720. Available from: https://dx.plos.org/ https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269720

White NJ. Severe malaria. Malar J. 2022;21:284. https://malariajournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12936-022-04301-8

Article   PubMed   PubMed Central   Google Scholar  

MOH. Guidelines for Case Management of malaria in Ghana. 3rd Edn. 2014.

Aninagyei E, Boakye AA, Tettey CO, Id AN, Ofori SO, Tetteh CD, et al. Utilization of 18s ribosomal RNA LAMP for detecting Plasmodium falciparum in microscopy and rapid diagnostic test negative patients. PLoS ONE. 2022;17: e0275052.

WHO. Basic Malaria Microscopy: Part I Learner’s Guide. Geneva, World Health Organization; 1991.

Acheampong DO, Adu P, Ampomah P, Duedu KO, Aninagyei E. Immunological, haematological, and clinical attributes of rural and urban malaria: a case–control study in Ghana. J Parasit Dis. 2021;45:806–16.

Degarege A, Gebrezgi MT, Ibanez G, Wahlgren M, Madhivanan P. Effect of the ABO blood group on susceptibility to severe malaria: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Blood Rev. 2019;33:53–62. https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0268960X1730125X

Article   CAS   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Yeda R, Okudo C, Owiti E, Biwot G, Momanyi C, Korir W, et al. Burden of malaria infection among individuals of varied blood groups in Kenya. Malar J. 2022;21:251.

Panda AK, Panda SK, Sahu AN, Tripathy R, Ravindran B, Das BK. Association of ABO blood group with severe falciparum malaria in adults: case control study and meta-analysis. Malar J. 2011;10:309. https://malariajournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2875-10-309

Deepa, Alwar VA, Rameshkumar K, Ross C. ABO blood groups and malaria related clinical outcome. J Vector Borne Dis. 2011;48:7–11. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21406731

Zerihun T, Degarege A, Erko B. Association of ABO blood group and Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Dore Bafeno Area, Southern Ethiopia. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2011;1:289–94. http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2221169111600452

Rowe JA, Handel IG, Thera MA, Deans A-M, Lyke KE, Koné A, et al. Blood group O protects against severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria through the mechanism of reduced rosetting. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2007;104:17471–6. https://pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.0705390104

Afoakwah R, Aubyn E, Prah J, Nwaefuna EK, Boampong JN. Relative susceptibilities of ABO blood groups to Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Ghana. Adv Hematol. 2016;2016:5368793. http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ah/2016/5368793/

Doku GN, Agbozo WK, Annor RA, Kisseh GD, Owusu MA. Frequency of ABO/Rhesus (D) blood groupings and ethnic distribution in the Greater-Accra region of Ghana, towards effective blood bank inventory. Int J Immunogenet. 2019;46:67–73. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/iji.12412

Mercereau-Puijalon O, Guillotte M, Vigan-Womas I. Rosetting in Plasmodium falciparum : a cytoadherence phenotype with multiple actors. Transfus Clin Biol. 2008;15:62–71. https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S124678200800058X

Sherman IW, Eda S, Winograd E. Cytoadherence and sequestration in Plasmodium falciparum : defining the ties that bind. Microbes Infect. 2003;5:897–909.

Kingston HW, Ghose A, Plewes K, Ishioka H, Leopold SJ, Maude RJ, et al. Disease severity and effective parasite multiplication rate in falciparum malaria. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2017;4:ofx169.

Roche SP, Kobos R. Jaundice in the adult patient. Am Fam Physician. 2004;15(69):299–304. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14765767

Mawson AR. The pathogenesis of malaria: a new perspective. Pathog Glob Health. 2013;107:122–9. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1179/2047773213Y.0000000084

Farrington L, Vance H, Rek J, Prahl M, Jagannathan P, Katureebe A, et al. Both inflammatory and regulatory cytokine responses to malaria are blunted with increasing age in highly exposed children. Malar J. 2017;16:499. https://malariajournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12936-017-2148-6

Taghavi S, Nassar AK, Askari R. Hypovolemic shock [Internet]. StatPearls. 2023. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24171518

Rattanapan Y, Duangchan T, Wangdi K, Mahittikorn A, Kotepui M. Association between Rhesus Blood groups and malaria infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Trop Med Infect Dis. 2023;8:190.

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge the Management of Suhum Government Hospital for allowing samples used for this study to be collected within a short time. Additionally, the role the Medical Laboratory Scientists played in the laboratory analysis merits commendation.

No external funding was received for the study.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Basic and Biomedical Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31, Sokode - Ho, Ghana

Enoch Aninagyei, Pearl Sedinam Agbenowoshie, Praise Mawuena Akpalu, Selina Blefono Asiewe, Regina Yayra Menu & Richard Harry Asmah

Ghana Health Service, Suhum Government Hospital, Suhum District, Eastern Region, Suhum, Ghana

Fred Gbadago

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Contributions

EA and RHA conceived, supervised and provided resources the study. PSA, PMA and SBA participated in participant recruitment and sample collection. RYM and FG performed laboratory analysis. EA wrote the initial draft. However, all authors approved the manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Enoch Aninagyei or Richard Harry Asmah .

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate.

This study was approved by the University of Health and Allied Sciences Ethics Review Committee (UHAS-REC A.9 [ 14 ] 22–23). All participants provided written consent, either by themselves or on behalf of minors by accompanying adults, to participate in the study.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if you modified the licensed material. You do not have permission under this licence to share adapted material derived from this article or parts of it. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ .

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Aninagyei, E., Agbenowoshie, P.S., Akpalu, P.M. et al. ABO and Rhesus blood group variability and their associations with clinical malaria presentations. Malar J 23 , 257 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-024-05081-z

Download citation

Received : 02 November 2023

Accepted : 14 August 2024

Published : 24 August 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-024-05081-z

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Severe malarial anaemia
• Uncomplicated malaria
• WHO malaria classification
• ABO blood groups
• Rhesus types

Malaria Journal

ISSN: 1475-2875

• Submission enquiries: [email protected]