Future-proof your presentations: fulfilling audience’s expectations in 2023

 

Discover the key trends shaping the future of presentations, ensuring your content stands out amidst the growing sea of online events.

Over the past decade, the significance of online events has skyrocketed, and this upward trajectory shows no signs of slowing down. The demand is undeniable with a staggering 500 million viewers watching over 35 million presentations daily. In fact, according to Digital Journal, the online presentation software market is already valued at a remarkable $870 million, and some optimists predict it will surpass the $1 billion mark. By 2030, projections estimate it will reach a staggering $1.8 billion. This is an industry that cannot be ignored.

In the current landscape, where over $30 billion is spent annually on online presentations (as reported by Forbes), it’s clear that 2023 will see even more emphasis on learning, idea dissemination, and sales through virtual platforms. With this growth, presenters face a significant challenge – the intensifying competition for audience attention.

Creating presentations that genuinely resonate with your audience is imperative to overcome this challenge and come out on top. But what exactly do they want? Our organization has dedicated years to studying this question, and we are thrilled to share our findings with you.

 

Fewer Words, More Impact

Gone are the days when a slide every two minutes could captivate an audience. The once-revered Kawasaki formula (10 slides/20 minutes) still holds value, but its influence is rapidly waning. Today, approximately 60% of viewers claim to retain information better when illustrations accompany it. Surprisingly, 80% of viewers feel that presentations need more visual elements. 

It’s worth noting that slides overloaded with text, occupying more than a quarter of the space, fail to qualify as truly illustrated. Even if an illustration is present alongside a substantial amount of text, the right balance truly engages. Ensure your presentations come alive with vibrant images to captivate your audience’s attention.

 

Break Free from Boring Slides

A staggering 80% of viewers find most presentations they watch to be dreadfully dull. The culprit? Presenters often rely on the same tired templates and solutions to save time. Astonishingly, 60% of presenters consider design a secondary task, while nearly 50% need help to come up with original designs and resort to off-the-shelf solutions. Moreover, about 75% of presenters recycle slide sets used at least once, with 30% resorting to this five times or more. 

These statistics shouldn’t come as a surprise. The average presenter creates one presentation per week, making it challenging to conjure fresh ideas for each occasion. It is especially true when corporate guidelines restrict the use of colors, styles, and fonts. 

Nevertheless, we must emphasize that in 2023, more than ever before, the success of your presentation hinges on creativity and originality in its delivery. Break free from the mundane and infuse your material with a captivating spark that will leave a lasting impression on your audience.

 

Ignite Engagement

In the battle for audience attention, fostering active participation is paramount. 70% of viewers crave interactive presentations beyond the traditional question-and-answer format. 

Modern presentations offer a wealth of opportunities for viewers to engage directly. The possibilities are endless, from interactive quizzes to slides where everyone can play and interact with the content. 

Incorporating such interactive elements can skyrocket engagement rates to over 90%, 14-15% higher than non-interactive online events. Elevate your presentations to new heights by weaving interactive experiences that involve your audience in every step of the journey.

 

10-Minutes Standard

The relentless pace of modern life has compelled us to redefine the time limit for online presentations. Countless surveys and studies affirm that viewers’ attention gradually dwindles to zero within the first 10 minutes of a presentation. If you need more time, it’s time to shake things up and capture your audience’s imagination.

 

Have you ever considered condensing your presentation to a concise 10 minutes? Fascinatingly, research suggests that the average viewing time for desktop presentations is around 4.5-5 minutes, while smartphone viewers allocate a minute less. Monotony has always posed a threat to presenters, so even if your presentations are typically brief, keep the 2023 formula in mind: 1 presentation, 10 minutes maximum.

 

Lights, Camera, Action

Gone are the days when video was perceived as an extravagant diversion in online presentations. In today’s digital landscape, various studies confirm that incorporating videos, particularly as captivating “covers,” can boost total views by approximately 30% and increase clicks on active links by 15-17%. Try to use video more often in your presentations.

As a prime example, in this presentation, we seamlessly integrated captivating videos showcasing the inner workings of our product. And as a bonus, we crafted a fun and interactive “Who are you from famous speakers?” test. You’re cordially invited! Take the test and discover your speaker’s alter ego. It’s an experience you won’t want to miss!

Craft Storytelling 

Recent years have presented a compelling revelation: how you present your material, whether as a mere collection of disconnected facts or as a captivating story, holds the key to your success. Humans are wired to crave stories with engaging plots and relatable characters: 55% of viewers feel that a story-driven approach enhances their focus during presentations. 

What’s more, when facts are seamlessly woven into a coherent narrative, they are remembered 22 times better than when presented isolated! Therefore, in this year of presentations, make it a priority to invent fascinating stories that captivate your audience from start to finish.

 

Embrace Smartphones

The unstoppable rise of smartphones continues to shape the landscape of presentations. Last year alone, smartphone presentations accounted for an impressive 32% of all presentations. Research in this field predicts that this trend will only gain momentum soon. With this in mind, as you embark on your presentation journey this year, remember that your audience is likely to view your content on their smartphones.

By the way, firstly, we developed ROI4Presenter primarily as a mobile application, transforming your smartphone into a powerful presentation remote control with an array of invaluable and distinctive features. Today, it has evolved into a robust web service offering seamless integrations, enabling you to seize opportunities and capture the attention of customers and leads as they immerse themselves in your presentation.

May luck be on your side as you deliver awe-inspiring presentations!

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Source ROI4Presenter Blog