The organizers have told you: You only have 10 minutes to pitch. You need to make a brilliant presentation. Preparing a 10-minute presentation can be challenging due to the limited time and the need to keep the audience engaged.
The Wonderslide team researched presentations for speeches and concluded that the quality of the presentation was not dependent on the number of slides.
Introduction to Oral Presentation
Delivering an effective oral presentation is a crucial skill in today’s academic, business, and professional environments. Whether you’re presenting to colleagues in a meeting, sharing research with students, or pitching ideas to clients, your ability to organize and communicate key points can make a significant impact. One of the most common questions presenters face is: how many slides should you use for a 10-minute presentation? The answer depends on several factors, including your subject, the complexity of your material, and your audience’s level of understanding.
A widely accepted guideline is to use one slide per minute, which means around 10 slides for a 10-minute presentation. However, this is not a strict rule. The number of PowerPoint slides you need can vary based on how much detailed data you need to present, the use of visuals or short videos, and how you want to pace your talk. The key is to focus on your main points and avoid overloading your slides with information. Each slide should highlight one idea or message, using relevant visuals to enhance understanding and keep the audience engaged.
To create an impactful presentation, it’s important to plan and organize your content carefully. Start by outlining your main points, then develop concise PowerPoint slides that support your message. Use clear, relevant language and include examples or anecdotes to make your material more interesting. Practicing your presentation multiple times will help you develop a sense of timing, ensuring you stay within the time limit and cover all critical points. Rehearsing with colleagues or friends can provide valuable feedback and help you refine your delivery.
When it comes to word counts, a 10-minute presentation typically involves about 1,500 words, assuming a moderate speaking pace of 100 to 150 words per minute. However, your focus should be on delivering a great speech, not reading from your slides. Make eye contact with your audience, use body language to convey confidence, and vary your tone to keep listeners interested. By following these tips and preparing thoroughly, you can deliver a professional, engaging, and memorable presentation that showcases your expertise and keeps your audience’s attention from start to finish.
Slides for a 10-minute presentation
However, is there a golden number, and how do you calculate it?
Here are a few tricks.
- A 10-minute presentation at average speaking speed usually consists of 1.5 thousand words.
- You show one slide for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Some guidelines, such as the 10/20/30 rule, recommend spending up to two minutes per slide to ensure clarity and engagement.
- You don’t read the slide like a book out loud. If there is a lot of information on a slide, divide it into two or three. Keep in mind the total time.
- The longer you show one slide, the faster the attention span of the audience decreases. 3-4 slides for 10 minutes is too short.
- Most often, speakers use 10-12 slides. But there can be more if the slides are not overloaded with information, show examples, and contain 1-2 photos. Including extra slides is acceptable if it helps clarify key points or present additional examples.
Also, we noticed that in excellent presentations the authors do not indicate the number of the slide, but always put a title for each slide.
Immediately refuse video and slides with a lot of digits in such a short speech. Highlight the main point, and reveal the main idea of the first slides. To enhance the quality and visual appeal of your slides, consider using reliable stock visual platforms, such as DepositPhotos, to find images and illustrations that are most relevant to your project. When creating your slides, take time to write clear and concise slide titles and content to improve audience understanding. If you don’t have time to show the whole presentation, you’d rather skip the less important details. Do not sacrifice the slide with contacts. Keep in mind that it will translate into a series of “Q&As,” if there are any.
Before the presentation, don’t forget to rehearse and measure the time. That way you’ll know which slides you can drop or, on the contrary, add. Invite colleagues or friends to listen to you and give you feedback.
Use Wonderslide.com if you need to design a slideshow quickly.
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