Top Presentation Software Features to Look For

Modern presentation tools go above and beyond the core features listed above. While these additional rich features aren’t essential, they can go a very long way in improving the effectiveness of a presentation app.

Of course, you may not need every feature a given product offers, so let’s look at some of them and why they might be helpful:

Video Features

The ability to create video-enhanced presentations has expected for over ten years, thanks to digital video being a big focus of modern computing hardware. This once would have meant needing a very expensive computer to achieve, but even the most affordable smartphones can capture, edit, and record video of an acceptable quality now.

Easily importing video elements (and scripting their playback timing) into slides can be powerful. It can captivate the audience further, as well as allow the presenter to pre-record some of the more difficult points to avoid difficulty in getting them across “live.”

This is a feature most users will want, unless their presentations are solely infographics and logistics. However, this is powerful enough that it really only takes a user needing this once to justify its presence.

Animation

Animation comes in three forms with presentation software. The oldest would be animated clip art (usually GIF format) which simply livens up a given slide and adds a bit of oft-needed levity to a presentation. This form of animation has been part of the digital imagery core features of presentation programs for a long time.

A little more difficult to implement on middle-of-the-market computers before the turn of the century, moving elements are a useful feature we take for granted now. A few basic transition include the ability to have graphics, text and other elements seamlessly slide from one point to another as slides change, to transition onto screen when first being introduced, or to smoothly exit the scene when no longer relevant.

More complex animation similar to what’s been used in browser games and web interfaces is still somewhat novel. This is more due to how difficult it is to author complex animations. Businesses needing very lively, animated presentations will want ease of animation to be a big focus when choosing the best presentation software for their business.

Office Software Integration

The ability to directly import graph-ready data into the presentation is surprisingly recent. In the old days, this had to be done by exporting the graphs and charts as digital images to be imported by presentation software.

Integrating with modern, standard brands of office software brings the ability to directly import spreadsheets, logistics, reports and databases into the presentation. The best software can also animate these graphics for extra emphasis and clarity.

Scripting and Macros

While basic macros for these tools aren’t entirely new, their ability to be used by people who don’t program much is. A lot of modern solutions allow easy scripting to automate the progress through a presentation more smoothly. Gone are the days when the presenter would be distracted trying to micromanage the slide show (or relying on an assistant to run it).

If a lot of complex and dense presentations are going to be made, you’ll want a good scripting/macro system that makes sense to the average user.

SaaS vs. Traditional

As with many corporate software solutions, the last and biggest question is if you want to go with SaaS (software as a service) or a traditional model of software delivery. Those familiar with SaaS in other areas may wonder why this model would even be an option for presentation software.

Quite simply, web-based SaaS solutions are independent of given platforms. This means the presentation can run off a tablet or smartphone just as easily as a computer. In turn, it’s easier to set up this minimalist, nonintrusive equipment.

Web-based solutions make it easy for the presentation to be accessed on the fly either to collaborate on its creation and development, to present, or to correct last minute. An online solution like this is actually more preferable as long as the licensing budget isn’t a concern—SaaS can be costlier in the long run.

Top Presentation Software Selection Tips

At the end of the day, there’s no end-all best choice. The top presentation software solutions all offer these solutions with varying focus. The types of information you’ll usually be conveying, your technical prowess, and the makeup of your audience will be the most important factors in choosing a solution.

Identify Your Needs and Compare Reviews

If you need multimedia focus, animation is going to be important. If you have complex, lengthy but no-frills presentations, scripting and macros will be a welcome convenience. If it’s all about infographics and charts, integration with your office suite will be the most deciding feature. If your team primarily works with mobile devices, a web-based presentation app is essential.

Knowing which feature(s) are key to meeting your needs will narrow your choices quite a bit. At that point, read presentation software reviews. See what everyday users and independent reviewers are saying about your potential choices. This will allow you to which product will work best for you.

Ask For a Free Trial

If you like what software says it offers and you like what people are saying, see about a free trial or at least a demo. Never settle on a solution until you’ve seen it in action.

Choosing the Best Presentation Software

Explore our resources, including pricing info and reviews for top presentation software. By considering your needs and doing your research, you'll be able to find the right tool for your company.

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