Adding a Logo to a Presentation: Your Guide to PowerPoint

1. Why should I brand my presentation, and how do I do that?
2. A Step by Step Guide on Placing the Logo on Each Slide
3. Four Bonus Tips for the Presentation

Every day, professionals use PowerPoint to make presentations; audiences have just come to expect a generic PowerPoint will accompany each speech they attend. So how do you make sure that your PowerPoint effectively showcases your brand?

For starters, you’ll want to integrate your business’s logo effectively so it seamlessly blends with the other visual elements of your presentation. So let’s take a quick look at logos in PowerPoint, from what color choices to make to how to pick your font size. We’ll even walk you through the steps to easily add your logo to each slide.

Why should I brand my presentation, and how do I do that?

What makes for a strong brand? That’s probably a bit too long of a conversation for this blog entry alone, but one of the most important aspects of a strong brand is consistency. Customers need to gain the same experience while communicating with the company at all points of contact. This is something to keep in mind when preparing a presentation for offline or online platforms: social media, exhibitions, webinars, and conferences.

Your brand identity elements like your logo, colors, and fonts will help you become recognized by your audience. Don’t be afraid of creating PowerPoint presentations with ready-made themes (templates). Just brand them to convey your unique message.

Why add a logo to your presentation?

Adding a logo to your presentation is a valuable step in establishing your brand identity and creating a professional image. A logo is more than just a visual mark; it embodies your company’s values, mission, and message. By including your logo in your PowerPoint presentation, you can reinforce your brand’s visual identity and consistency, making a lasting impression on your audience.

This simple addition can help differentiate your business from competitors, establishing a polished and professional image. Moreover, a well-placed logo enhances the overall visual appeal of your slides, making your presentation more engaging and memorable.

Colors

In your PowerPoint logo, be sure to use your business colors (or at least one of them), but remember the following nuances:

• Contrast. Choose the shades for the background, text, and other elements on the slides (graphics, illustrations). They must be contrasting enough not to blend into a single spot.
• Readability. The color of the letters should be easy to read. For example, a white font on a bright background makes it difficult to understand the words.

Fonts

With your presentation’s typeface, your primary task is not to distract the audience with the text. It must be large and readable. Apart from branding the fonts, you should also consider the other criteria:

• Size. If you use small type in your presentation, there’s a good chance your audience will be annoyed with you; they won’t be able to read it, or worse, they’ll be too distracted trying to read the tiny text that they’ll stop listening to what you’re saying. Instead, let the size of the screen and the room you’re presenting in dictate text size. The text should be visible from the back rows.
• Font type. There are three main types of fonts: serif, sans serif, and script. For the digital sphere, sans serif fonts (Arial, Calibri, Century Gothic, Helvetica, Lucida Sans, Tahoma, Verdana, etc.) are preferable as they are easily scaled and remain readable even in small resolution. The most inappropriate fonts for presentations are script fonts for they are the most difficult to read.

Logo

Place your logo on each slide of the presentation as the main visual brand symbol:

• The emblem should be simple and catchy for the audience to recognize you. If you don’t have one yet, the ZenBusiness online logo generator will help you create it.
• Place the logo in the corner so that it does not distract attention from the content. Avoid using both an extremely small and extremely large size. The image should be recognizable but shouldn’t steal the show.
• Pick one of the brand colors for the logo that contrasts with the background of the slides instead of merging with it. If the logo and background colors are too similar, the logo will melt into the background.

Choosing the Right Logo

Selecting the right logo for your presentation is essential to ensure it accurately represents your brand and resonates with your audience. Here are some tips to help you choose the perfect logo:

• Simplicity and Memorability: Opt for a logo that is simple yet distinctive and memorable. A clutter-free design is easier to recognize and recall.
• Scalability and Versatility: Make sure your logo is scalable and versatile enough to be used in various formats and sizes without losing clarity.
• Color Scheme and Typography: Consider the color scheme and typography of your logo to ensure it aligns with your brand’s overall visual identity. Consistency in colors and fonts strengthens brand recognition.
• Legibility: Make sure your logo is legible and easy to read, even in small sizes. Avoid overly complex designs that may be difficult to decipher.
• Avoid Complexity: Steer clear of logos that are too intricate or cluttered, as they can be hard to recognize or remember.

Preparing Your Logo for Use

Before adding your logo to your presentation, it’s important to prepare it properly. Follow these steps to ensure your logo looks its best:

• High-Resolution Format: Ensure your logo is in a high-resolution format, such as PNG or JPEG, to maintain quality.
• Resize Appropriately: Resize your logo to the desired size and resolution for your presentation. It should be large enough to be visible but not overpowering.
• Optimize for Digital Use: Edit your logo to ensure it is optimized for digital use. This may include adjusting the color mode and resolution to suit your presentation software.
• Save in Compatible Format: Save your logo in a format compatible with your presentation software, such as PowerPoint or Google Slides.
• Create a Logo Style Guide: Consider creating a logo style guide to ensure consistency in the use of your logo across different platforms and materials. This guide can include specifications for size, placement, and color usage so different people always produce the desired image.

A Step by Step Guide on Placing the Logo on Each Slide

There’s no need to add the logo manually to each slide; PowerPoint can do that for you. Here’s how.

1. Choose the “View” option from the menu and then “Slide Master”. This section allows you to manage all your slides simultaneously.
2. Pick any area of the screen and insert the logo image. Use the mouse to change its size and location until you get the desired result.
3. Exit from “Slide Master” and ensure the logo is placed on each slide.

Best Practices for Logo Placement

When placing your logo in your presentation, follow these best practices to ensure it is effective and visually appealing:

• Prominent Location: Place your logo in a prominent location, such as the top left or right corner of your slide. This ensures it is visible without distracting from the main content.
• Consistent Placement: Use a consistent logo placement throughout your presentation to create a cohesive look. This helps reinforce your brand identity.
• Adequate Spacing: Avoid placing your logo too close to other elements, such as text or images, to ensure it stands out. Adequate spacing helps maintain a clean and professional appearance.
• Proportional Size: Use a logo that is proportional to the size of your slide and content. It should be noticeable but not overwhelming.
• Watermark or Overlay: Consider using a logo watermark or overlay to add an extra layer of visual interest to your presentation. This can be a subtle way to reinforce your brand without being intrusive.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When adding a logo to your presentation, avoid these common mistakes to ensure a professional and polished look:

• Low-Resolution Logos: Using a low-resolution or pixelated logo can appear blurry or distorted, detracting from your presentation’s quality.
• Improper Sizing: Making your logo too small or too large can make it difficult to read or recognize. Ensure it is appropriately sized for visibility.
• Not Optimized for Digital Use: Using a logo that is not optimized for digital use can result in poor color quality or resolution. Make sure your logo is suitable for screen display.
• Overuse of Logo: Overusing your logo can make your presentation appear cluttered or overwhelming. Use it sparingly to maintain a clean look.
• Inconsistent Placement and Design: Failing to ensure consistency in logo placement and design throughout your presentation can create a disjointed or unprofessional image. Stick to a uniform style for a cohesive appearance.

Four Bonus Tips for the Presentation

Want the presentation to be memorable? Think through all its elements carefully: visual design, structure, content. Let’s share a few tips that are worth considering when preparing a presentation.

1. An impressive beginning. Pay careful attention to the title slide for it will set the tone for the speech. Start with a surprising fact or a fascinating story, or simply appeal to the pain of the audience.
2. Less text. What listeners don’t like the most is when the speaker reads the whole text from the slides. The slides should resemble the outline of the speech but not copy it. Do not type whole sentences, some key phrases would be enough.
3. More visual elements. Improve your presentation with visual elements such as photos, illustrations, and animation. This will enhance the effect of the message and set the right mood. If you can, incorporate fully editable graphs to showcase data and figures effectively.
4. Rehearsal. Before the speech, rehearse the whole presentation aloud. Make sure that the slides are placed in the right order and you fit in the time limit.

Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.