Presentation Software

Presentation software helps business professionals create and conduct slide show presentations. It comes with tools to present information in an engaging format, using text, images, audio, video, and graphs. Businesses and professional organizations use presentation software to educate, inform, persuade, and motivate both internal and external audiences. This demonstrates professionalism and communicates the intended message clearly and concisely.

This guide explains the features and benefits of presentation software to help you find the best solution for your business.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• What is presentation software?
• Common features of presentation software
• What type of buyer are you?
• Benefits and potential issues
• Key consideration for presentation software
• Market trends to understand

What is presentation software?

Presentation software is used to create slides to display information in the form of a slide show to increase its impact for the audience. Product tools such as templates, media libraries, and text editors make it easy to create presentations, add or modify information, and utilize it for engagement throughout various media channels.

Common features of presentation software

Most presentation software products offer similar features to create and display slide shows. The following are typical components of presentation software:

Animations and transitions	Use animations to control when each slide element appears and to direct the audience's attention to important areas. Add movement to slides by animating text, images, and objects. Transitions define the automatic progression of one slide to the next, making it easy to distinguish between slides and keep the audience engaged.
Media library	Access digital content such as images, videos, icons, graphics, and files to create engaging and informative presentations.
Audio and video content	Make presentations more engaging by embedding audio and video elements.
Customizable templates	Create templates with customizable layouts, colors, fonts, effects, and background styles. Save templates for future use and repurpose formatting as needed for different audiences, new information, and more.
Offline functionality	Edit content and share the presentation with audiences without being connected to a network or internet connection.
Collaboration tools	Provide a channel for team members to share media files, edit or review content, and work together collaboratively with information in real time.
Search and filtering	Locate and filter items using identifying components such as names, keywords, descriptions, tags, and metadata.

What type of buyer are you?

Presentation software helps individuals, professionals, and organizations create and conduct presentations. Choosing the right solution starts with identifying the products and features that best fit your needs.

Single users

Freelancers and other users who work independently typically only need the basic functions of a presentation software tool, such as the media library, customizable templates, and animations and transitions.

Dispersed teams

Teams featuring remote workers, telecommuters, and freelancers tend to choose presentation software that includes real-time collaboration features. Screen sharing, chat, and comment features make it easy to work collaboratively, even if team members are in different locations.

Small businesses

Companies with fewer than 100 employees and no design department benefit from presentation software that is customizable and includes a content-rich media library. Most products offer tiered pricing levels, allowing companies to add additional features as their needs change.

Midsize businesses

Companies that have between 100 and 1,000 employees have a steady customer base and large product portfolio. They should select presentation solutions that optimize presentations with media-rich digital content and customizable templates. Collaboration tools and offline functionality allows teams to work together without being connected to a network.

Enterprises

Companies with over 1,000 employees should look for presentation software that includes additional features, such as analytics, real-time audience questions and answers, and advanced animations.

Benefits and potential issues

Presentation software blends the power of words and images to help companies express themselves in a creative and concise manner. Consider the primary benefits, suitability, and cost of software options before committing to a product.

• Slide show presentations increase audience engagement: Well-crafted presentations demonstrate professionalism and communicate the intended message clearly and concisely.  Images provide a visual support to what you are communicating, while bullet points and charts present information in a clear and logical manner.
• Presentation software promotes team member collaboration: Remote work is a growing trend, and collaboration tools make it easy to share presentations with numerous participants, regardless of their location. Team members can contribute using comment, edit, and review features, allowing for real-time communication and development of collaborative ideas.

Key consideration for presentation software

Here is one thing to keep in mind as you evaluate presentation software:

Pricing may vary based on the types of supported features and customizations: Many presentation tools have free versions of their software, with increasing price points, based on the number and complexity of included options. Select a solution that supports a broad range of forms, and compare the cost and features of a software solution to business requirements to decide between paid and free presentation software.

Market trends to understand

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is streamlining slide design and production time: Presentation tools driven by AI make it easy to prepare a polished, effective presentation in a limited time. These design tools can learn a user's requirements, apply design rules, and build impactful presentation slides.
• Immersive technologies fuel audience engagement: Virtual reality (VR) technology allows the audience to interact with other individuals and life-like objects in a customized visual environment. This immersive storytelling technique leads to greater audience engagement and enhanced content retention. Putting on a VR headset and being “teleported” into the presentation may eventually replace the use of video presentation software.