How to Use Zoom to Share a PowerPoint Presentation?
Zoom PowerPoint Presentation Sections
- 00:00 - Start and Apology
- 00:49 - Outlining what this Zoom tutorial will cover
- 01:35 - How not to give a PowerPoint presentation with Zoom
- 04:30 - Professional way to use Zoom to give a PowerPoint presentation
- 08:12 - See how to make it easier to navigate between slides when presenting
- 09:30 - Enlarge part of the slide
- 11:17 - Keep the Zoom windows on top of other windows
- 12:25 - Use Pause Share button to move easily between PowerPoint slides
- 14:29 - Use Window Mode to present in Zoom and see your notes
- 18:28 - Use PowerPoint as your virtual background in Zoom
- 23:05 - What you can do if you have 2 screens?
- 27:16 - See meeting participants when presenting PowerPoint in Zoom?
- 28:35 - Use presenter view to see your notes you made earlier in PowerPoint
Why should you still use PowerPoint to present with Zoom?
Sharing a PowerPoint presentation on Zoom? So much has happened in the last few years, and it would seem that online meetings are going to be the norm from here on in. So now that you are conducting your meetings online, some feel that PowerPoint is not as relevant in today's online world. I would disagree. I believe that there is no more relevant time to brush up your PowerPoint presentation skills along with your Zoom skills. Hence this tutorial on how to correctly share a PowerPoint presentation on Zoom.
In this video and step by step tutorial you will see best practices on how to share your precious PowerPoint presentation on Zoom. You will learn why:
- Why you should be using the Online version of PowerPoint?
- Getting your audience to focus during your presentation.
- How to share PowerPoint effectively on Zoom.
- Preparation Tips you'll want to go through beforehand.
Before you conducted most of your work online, you would usually be sitting in a boardroom. There would be the person conducting the meeting at the top of the room taking you through the slide show that they spent oodles of time preparing. You probably had forgotten your notebooks and were using the heavily branded "free" notepaper your company, or the company giving the presentation provided. If the presentation was good, you would talk to your work colleagues about it, excited about the new concepts or products that were presented. If the presentation was bad, then you would be decrying the presenter, the presentation maybe in fact the product or service they were convincing you was so perfect for your business needs at the time.
This highlights the issues of delivering a memorable presentation. Those who have delivered seminars in real life know all too well the importance of a perfected, memorable presentation. You know, the one that your customers or delegates will remember for all the good reasons. Now you have to share that PowerPoint presentation on Zoom
Switching to presenting PowerPoint online
So now you have to give your PowerPoint presentation online. Through Zoom you've invited your participants to your PowerPoint extravaganza, they've entered the meeting and you've dispensed with the pre-presentation pleasantries where you've proved without the shadow of a doubt that you're a jolly nice person. Now it's time to start the show.
In the days of face to face meetings you would have prepared beforehand. You would have made sure that you know how to use the projector or the screen you'll be using for your presentation. You might have anticipated questions that people may ask and have a certain slide that you might show "only if they ask". You would also have a intro slide ready and waiting to go as people enter the room, introducing yourself and the topic of your presentation.
What makes a good presentation?
Why is it that some presentations that you attend are memorable, engaging and fun. While others are forgettable, tedious and boring? Obviously how the PowerPoint presentation is prepared and delivered makes a huge difference. But the environment can also influence how attendees view the meeting. You are unlikely to enjoy a presentation in a freezing lecture room on a hard uncomfortable street when you're starving hungry, sitting at the back struggling to see the screen and hear what is being said.
Alternatively, if you've had a huge lunch and are sitting in a comfy chair in a warm room. You're likely to head to snoozeville within in few minutes. So how do you create the right Zoom environment to keep your listeners attentive and at the same time enjoying the presentation you've worked so hard to give.
Focus determines reality
You may have heard of the phrase "Your focus determines your reality". What does that mean? Basically, whatever you are focussed on, engaged in or committed to. That is your world at that moment in time. That's why when you enjoy a film at the cinema you sit in the dark, turn off your mobile phone and try to remain as quite as possible.
Now imagine that at the cinema you saw how they made the film, at the same time as you were watching it. How distracting would that be? There is nothing as distracting to a beautiful romantic scene that somebody saying: "Oh we used this actor because..." or "This location was really hard to get right". That's because it's irrelevant to the plot. If, as a die hard fan, you wish to hear the directors commentary or see the behind the scenes footage you generally do that after watching the film. Certainly not while you're watching it. (There's my little contribution to the debate about all those who try to have a conversation during movie night).
So imagine the worst case scenario for your PowerPoint presentation. People are entering the theatre finding their seats and all the while you're slides are up for all to see. When the presentation starts the screen is just not clear enough with people, even at the front, struggling to read what you have prepared on each of your 200 slides. Then, for clarification, you need to return to slide 15. Trouble is, you're currently on slide 150 (alright this extreme) and everyone has to take a tedious trip back in time as you tap the left cursor key navigating painfully back through 135 slides. Please, please, please if you are currently at this stage. Watch this PowerPoint Zoom tutorial video.
Sharing PowerPoint on Zoom
Now this tutorial is about sharing PowerPoint on Zoom. That being the case think of the above real life situation, and apply it to your PowerPoint presentation on Zoom. So if, when sharing your PowerPoint presentation on Zoom, you share you're entire screen. Your meeting attendees will see all of your PowerPoint slides and notes. What's more if you have outlook permanently on you'll see notification emails pop up at the bottom of the screen. I mean imagine if one of those emails was about a particular person in attendance. How embarrassing would that be? At the very least it will be distracting for all trying to enjoy your presentation. It would be like receiving text messages while, at the same time, having a conversion will multiple people while trying to enjoy a movie. So what to do?
Set up your first slide before your share your screen
Make sure that you set up your opening slide before you start screen sharing. See the bit in the tutorial about "How to use Zoom to share PowerPoint professionally?" and you'll know what I'm talking about. This way you can set the scene for your meeting attendees as soon as the presentation starts. If the presentation is going to be for observers only then it might be a good idea to already have the first slide up and ready when participants enter the meeting. That way all are clear as to what is to be expected from them as participants.
Zoom Virtual Background minimum computer requirements
In order to run a PowerPoint presentation as a virtual background your will need to meet minimum machine specifications. These can be found on the Zoom Website.
