Many presenters make a critical mistake before they even begin building their slide deck: they forget to ask, What is this presentation for? Is it a handout? A downloadable PDF? Or is it meant to support a live or online presentation? These are not the same thing—and treating them as such is where most PowerPoint design mistakes begin.
Too often, PowerPoint is used as a desktop publishing tool. The result? Overstuffed slides that look more like mini brochures or “presentation booklets” than tools designed to support a speaker. These text-heavy decks often end up on company websites or printed as handouts, but when they’re used to present to a live, in-person audience or an online audience, they confuse, overwhelm, and—let’s be honest—put people to sleep.
If your presentation is designed as speaker support, it needs to look and function very differently than a handout or a standalone document. Let’s explore the most common PowerPoint design mistakes—and how to avoid them when your slides are meant to support your delivery, not replace it.
1. Treating Slides Like Documents
This is the core issue. Slides jammed with detailed explanations, dense text, and tiny font sizes aren’t speaker support—they’re a handout.
Fix it: Decide your deck’s primary function. If it’s for presentation delivery, simplify it. Save the detail for a separate handout or downloadable version.
2. Too Much Text
Overloaded slides turn your talk into a reading session. If the audience is reading, they’re not listening.
Fix it: Use bullet points sparingly. Aim for headlines and keywords. Let the speaker deliver the full message.
3. Tiny Font Sizes
Trying to cram more content in by shrinking the font is a classic mistake—and a surefire way to lose your audience.
Fix it: Use 24-point font at minimum for body text. Larger is better. Test it for visibility on the actual screen or platform.
4. Inconsistent Design
If every slide looks different, it’s jarring and unprofessional.
Fix it: Use a consistent template. Stick to a uniform font, color palette, and layout style throughout.
5. Poor Color Contrast
Fancy color schemes may look cool on your monitor, but not every room or device will show them clearly.
Fix it: High contrast is key. Light background/dark text or vice versa. Avoid hard-to-read color combinations.
6. Overuse of Bullet Points
Bullet after bullet after bullet numbs the brain.
Fix it: Mix it up. Use visuals, headlines, or short phrases to break the monotony.
7. Low-Quality or Irrelevant Images
Bad images hurt your credibility. Cheesy stock photos? Blurry logos? Not helping.
Fix it: Use high-res visuals that directly support your message. Quality over filler.
8. Overly Complex Charts
Showing off how much data you have doesn’t help if no one can understand it.
Fix it: Simplify. Highlight one takeaway. Use animation to reveal data gradually.
9. Gimmicky Animations
Flying text and spinning images are more distracting than impressive.
Fix it: Use animation sparingly and only to emphasize—not decorate.
10. No Visual Hierarchy
When everything is the same size and color, nothing stands out.
Fix it: Use contrast, size, and spacing to guide the viewer’s eye to the most important content.
Final Thoughts
Designing a PowerPoint deck without thinking about its end use is like showing up to a black-tie event in gym clothes. If your deck is meant to support a live, in-person or online presentation, it needs to be visual, simple, and speaker-friendly. If you need a detailed version for handouts or your website, create a second version with more context. One deck can’t do it all.
Need help transforming your presenter-delivered slide presentation into a powerful, professional interactive online video you can share with anybody, anywhere, anytime?
Give us a call. At Talk-Deck, we specialize in transforming any presenter-delivered slide presentation or webinar recording into a focused, interactive video presentation designed to captivate and engage online audiences. Intrigued? Call or text us at Talk-Deck, 438-922-5933, or visit talk-deck.com and let’s get started on transforming your presenter-delivered slide presentation into a Talk-Deck Interactive Video – a ‘Slide Deck That Talks’.
