4 FREE Tools to Improve Your Next Presentation!

Jeff Su
21 Sept 202107:35

TLDRThis video offers a guide to enhancing presentations with four free tools. The host shares personal experiences and introduces resources like SlidesCarnival for templates, Color Hunt for color schemes, Unsplash for images, and Flaticons for icons. Tips on customizing templates, selecting the right colors, and adding visual elements are provided, aiming to boost the production value of PowerPoint or Google Slides presentations.

Takeaways

  • 😀 The presenter initially relied on Google Images and Facebook photos for their presentations.
  • 🌟 In the second year, they discovered helpful websites like Color Hunt, Pixabay, and Flaticons to enhance presentation quality.
  • 📈 They share how to use four free tools to upgrade PowerPoint or Google Slides presentations.
  • 🎨 SlidesCarnival offers free Google Slides and PowerPoint templates that can be customized easily.
  • 🖌 Color Hunt is a tool for selecting a color palette to apply throughout a presentation for consistency.
  • 📊 ColorSpace can generate color palettes around a dominant color, offering various options for customization.
  • 🌆 Unsplash provides high-resolution images for presentations, which can be freely downloaded and used.
  • 🏷 Flaticons offers a variety of free icons that can be incorporated into presentations to add visual interest.
  • 🔍 The Noun Project features intricate icon designs suitable for formal presentations, often in black and white.
  • 🔠 Typewolf is a resource for finding new fonts to enhance the visual appeal of presentations.
  • 🔗 It's recommended to save the mentioned tools in a bookmarks folder for easy access during future presentations.
  • 📝 Always check the licensing terms for the resources used in presentations to ensure they are used appropriately.

Q & A

  • What was the presenter's initial method for sourcing images and icons for their presentations?

    -The presenter initially used Google Images for charts, money icons, and photos, even resorting to Facebook photos for images of an overworked consultant.

  • How did the presenter's approach to presentations change in their second year?

    -In the presenter's second year, they discovered helpful websites like Color Hunt, Pixabay, and Flaticons, which significantly improved the production value of their presentations.

  • What is SlidesCarnival and how does it benefit users?

    -SlidesCarnival is a website that offers free Google Slides and PowerPoint templates. It allows users to download and use these templates, enhancing the quality and design of their presentations.

  • What are some limitations of the Template Gallery in Google Slides and slidesgo.com mentioned in the script?

    -The Template Gallery in Google Slides has a limited selection of options, while slidesgo.com limits users to downloading only 10 free templates per month, after which a premium subscription is required.

  • How can colorhunt.co assist in customizing presentation templates?

    -Colorhunt.co is a tool that allows users to select a color palette which can be applied throughout an entire presentation. Users can copy HEX codes and apply them to the presentation's colors and theme elements.

  • What is ColorSpace and how can it be used to create a color palette based on a dominant color?

    -ColorSpace is a website that generates color palettes around a dominant color input by the user. It offers various options, such as 'natural palette', allowing for customization to fit different preferences.

  • What website does the presenter recommend for high-resolution images instead of Google Images?

    -The presenter recommends unsplash.com for high-resolution images that can be used in presentations, offering a variety of options suitable for different topics.

  • What are some alternatives to Unsplash for finding free, high-quality stock photos?

    -Alternatives to Unsplash include pexels.com and pixabay.com, both of which provide free, high-quality stock photos and, in the case of Pixabay, vector graphics as well.

  • How can flaticons.com enhance a presentation with icons?

    -Flaticons.com offers a wide range of free icons that can be searched by topic and downloaded for use in presentations. These icons can be resized and attributed to enhance visual appeal and convey messages effectively.

  • What website does the presenter suggest for intricate icon designs suitable for formal presentations?

    -The presenter suggests thenounproject.com for intricate icon designs that are mostly in black and white, making them suitable for formal presentations.

  • What advice does the presenter give for finding new fonts to use in presentations?

    -The presenter recommends typewolf.com as a source of inspiration for new fonts. Once a font is chosen, it can be searched and applied within Google Slides if available.

  • What is the presenter's final tip for remembering to use these tools when preparing presentations?

    -The presenter's final tip is to save the mentioned websites into a bookmarks folder on the browser and name it 'Jeff Su's The Best' as a reminder to utilize these resources when preparing presentations.

Outlines

00:00

📈 Presentation Upgrade: Leveraging Free Tools for Professional Slides

The speaker reflects on their early reliance on Google Images for presentation materials and introduces viewers to more sophisticated, free resources that have enhanced their presentations. They share their experience with websites like Color Hunt, Pixabay, and Flaticons, which have significantly improved the visual appeal of their presentations. The video promises to demonstrate how to use four free tools to elevate the quality of PowerPoint or Google Slides presentations. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of resourcefulness in the workplace and introduces the first episode of 'Think Outside the Box,' a series focused on creative workplace strategies. They highlight the use of SlidesCarnival for free Google Slides and PowerPoint templates, noting the quality and customization options available, including diagrams, infographics, and icons. The terms of use for these templates are briefly explained, mentioning the requirement for crediting SlidesCarnival for personal and commercial use.

05:01

🎨 Customizing Presentations with Color and Icon Resources

The speaker continues by discussing the importance of color coordination in presentations, recommending colorhunt.co for selecting color palettes. They demonstrate how to apply these palettes to a presentation, including changing theme colors and customizing individual elements. The use of ColorSpace to generate color schemes around a dominant color is also introduced. The video then shifts focus to adding images and icons to presentations, recommending Unsplash for high-resolution images and flaticons.com for a wide array of free icons. An alternative resource, thenounproject.com, is mentioned for more intricate icon designs suitable for formal presentations. The speaker provides a bonus tip on enhancing presentations with unique fonts from typewolf.com and suggests saving the mentioned resources in a bookmarks folder for easy access. They conclude with a reminder to review the licensing terms for the resources and invite feedback on the 'Think Outside the Box' episode, also promoting another video on data storytelling.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Google Images

Google Images is a search engine for images developed by Google, which allows users to search for images on the web. In the context of the video, it was initially used to find charts, icons, and photos for presentations. However, the speaker later discovered more specialized tools for enhancing presentation visuals.

💡Color Hunt

Color Hunt is a website that provides color palettes for designers and creatives. It helps users to select harmonious color schemes that can be applied to various design projects, including presentations. The script mentions using Color Hunt to pick a color palette to maintain consistency throughout a presentation.

💡Pixabay

Pixabay is a platform that offers a vast collection of free images, vectors, and illustrations. The video script highlights Pixabay as a resource for high-resolution images that can be used to improve the visual appeal of presentations without the need for attribution.

💡Flaticons

Flaticons is a website that offers a wide array of free icons suitable for various design purposes, including presentations. The speaker in the video uses Flaticons to find and incorporate icons into their presentations, adding visual interest and aiding in the conveyance of information.

💡SlidesCarnival

SlidesCarnival is a website that provides free Google Slides and PowerPoint templates. The video emphasizes the use of SlidesCarnival to download templates that can be customized for presentations, enhancing their professional appearance without starting from scratch.

💡Template Gallery

The Template Gallery in Google Slides is a built-in feature that offers a selection of themes and designs for presentations. The script mentions it as an alternative to SlidesCarnival, though it has limitations in terms of the number of options available.

💡ColorSpace

ColorSpace is a tool that generates color palettes based on a dominant color input by the user. In the video, the speaker uses ColorSpace to create a harmonious set of colors around a specific color, such as the HEX code of a 'purple iPhone', to customize the presentation's theme.

💡Unsplash

Unsplash is a popular source for high-resolution, free-to-use images. The video script describes using Unsplash to find appropriate images for presentations, which can be downloaded and incorporated to support the presentation's content visually.

💡The Noun Project

The Noun Project is a platform that offers a collection of icons created by designers worldwide. The icons are suitable for various uses, including formal presentations. The speaker in the video mentions The Noun Project as a source for intricate icon designs that can be used to add a professional touch to presentations.

💡Typewolf

Typewolf is a website that provides inspiration for font selection in design projects. The video recommends using Typewolf to find new fonts that can be used in presentations to make them more visually engaging. The speaker exemplifies this by searching for and using the 'Public Sans' font in a Google Slides presentation.

💡Presentation

A presentation is a visual or oral discourse intended to inform, persuade, or motivate the audience. The main theme of the video revolves around improving presentations using various tools and techniques. The script provides examples of how to use different resources to enhance the look and feel of PowerPoint or Google Slides presentations.

Highlights

Discovered four free tools to enhance PowerPoint and Google Slides presentations.

Used Google Images and Facebook photos for presentations in the first year as a consultant.

Found helpful websites like Color Hunt, Pixabay, and Flaticons in the second year.

SlidesCarnival offers free Google Slides and PowerPoint templates.

Templates can be downloaded as PowerPoint documents or used as Google Slides themes.

Templates from SlidesCarnival include extra diagrams, infographics, and customizable icons.

Use of colorhunt.co to select a color palette for presentations.

Copying HEX codes from color palettes to customize presentation themes.

ColorSpace generates color palettes based on a dominant color.

Unsplash provides high-resolution images for presentations.

Tips for adjusting image brightness to ensure text readability.

Alternatives to Unsplash include Pexels and Pixabay for free stock photos.

Flaticons offers a variety of free icons for presentations.

The Noun Project provides intricate icon designs suitable for formal presentations.

Typewolf.com is recommended for font inspiration in presentations.

Pro tip: Save useful tools in a bookmarks folder for easy access.

Ensure to check licensing terms for the mentioned resources.

Encourages feedback on the 'Think Outside the Box' series for more work hacks.