Hi. I'm James from HubSpot. Today I'm going to discuss the basics of using Microsoft PowerPoint. If you enjoy this video, don't forget to like it and subscribe to our channel. Post any questions or suggestions you have in the comments below. Let's get started.


Before we fully dive in, it's important to note that these instructions will vary slightly depending on the version of PowerPoint you're using and whether you're on a Mac or a PC.


First things first, this is what you'll see when you open up PowerPoint on your computer. From here, you have a few options to get started. Click "Blank Presentation" to create a presentation from scratch. This will create a completely blank slate, so if you go this route, you'll have to put more time and effort into designing your slides.


If you're a beginner and want to create a polished presentation without needing to fuss about the design, I recommend selecting one of the templates available on the screen to get started. Once you have a template you're satisfied with, it's time to start adding your content.


The first function we'll look at is arguably the most important: adding text. If you're using a template, you'll have premade text boxes already added to your slides that make inserting text easy. Just click within an existing text box and start typing. To add effects to your text, change the color, or alter the size, select the text you want to change and then select an option on the Home tab: Font, Font Size, Bold, Italic, Underline, Color.


To create bulleted or numbered lists, select the text box you want to add to your list, and then select Bullets or Numbering. Remember, if you'll be speaking throughout this presentation, you don't need to add everything you plan to say in your slides. Keep your text to a minimum and focus on only representing the most important and impactful points in your slides.


Another vital thing to keep in mind as you add your text is legibility. As you change your fonts and colors, make sure the text of your presentation can be read clearly. Ask yourself, could someone in the back row of the room read the text on the slide? If the answer is probably not, make your text size larger or consider choosing a color that contrasts more with the background color of your slides. If you're using a premade template, the text sizes and colors should already be legible.


Now let's take a look at adding pictures or charts to your slides. To add a picture, first select Insert. From the menu that appears, select Picture. Browse for the picture you want and then select Insert. You can drag your picture at the edges to change the size and click and drag the center of the picture to move it around your slide.


To insert a chart or a shape, select Insert. Then select Shapes, SmartArt, or Chart from the menu that appears. Now that you have the basics down for adding content to your slides, let's take a look at how to build out the flow of your presentation. To add a new slide on the Home tab, click the arrow next to New Slide. Next, click the layout you want to use for your new slide. The layout is different than the template you selected earlier. Layout refers to the way text and headlines are arranged on the slide, and template refers to the design elements of your slide, like the background color and fonts. Once your new slide is inserted, you can simply click inside a placeholder to begin adding content.


As you build your presentation, you will probably need to rearrange or remove slides at some point. Luckily, it's a pretty intuitive process. To rearrange the order of slides, in the area on the left where all your slides are displayed, click the thumbnail of the slide that you want to move and then drag it to the new location. To remove a slide, in the pane on the left, control-click or right-click the slide thumbnail that you want to delete, and then click Delete Slide. You can also duplicate a slide if you plan to use a similar format for multiple slides. In the pane on the left, control-click or right-click the slide thumbnail that you want to duplicate and then click Duplicate Slide.


As your presentation starts to come together, it's time to think about adding in slide transitions. Slide transitions are animations that occur between your slides that help make your presentation look professional and cohesive. First, select the slide you want to add a transition to. Next, select the Transitions tab, and choose from the list of transition animations that shows up. Click Transitions, then Effect Options to change how the transition will look. Each transition will present you with different options, like which side of the slide a transition should begin on. Enter a time at duration to set the speed of the transition. To make the transition go faster, enter a shorter time. To slow it down, enter a longer time. Once you've decided on your options and speed, click Preview to see what the transition looks like. If you plan to use the same transition between all your slides, click Apply to All in the options area.


And there you have it. Those are the basic elements of a PowerPoint presentation. Looking for even more help with your visual content strategy? Click the link above to learn more. Thanks for watching. If you enjoyed this video, be sure to like it and subscribe. Let me know how you're doing in the comments below.