Adding videos to your slides is a must for engaging modern audiences. But properly integrating visual media requires technical know-how.
In this comprehensive multimedia guide, you’ll learn:
- Why video grabs audience attention
- Step-by-step embedding for PowerPoint and Google Slides
- Visual styling and playback configurations
- Data-backed best practices for multimedia slides
Follow these expert instructions to captivate viewers with high-impact embedded videos!
Engaging Audiences with Video: A Quick Primer
Let’s kick things off with some key statistics that underscore why video should be central in your presentations:
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90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual, according to 3M Corporation research. Viewers understand and retain visuals better.
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YouTube reports viewers spend 88% more time on pages with video. Video content sustains attention longer.
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Microsoft’s 2019 survey showed 68% of employees zone out in meetings without visuals. Text and talk alone loses focus.
Clearly multimedia engages minds better. But simply sticking any video into slides misses the mark.
As an experienced online security professional, I often need to explain highly complex cyber risks and solutions simply and persuasively to corporate executives.
Over years of presentations, I’ve found carefully selected and purposely integrated videos grab attention for the full session. Audiences connect with the material better thanks visual explanations.
This guide will teach you to embed video effectively to maximize comprehension and impact.
Embedding Local Video Files Step-by-Step
For this method, you’ll need a digital video file stored locally on your computer. This can be filmed footage, a product demo, an executive interview, or similar content.
Common local video file formats that presentations support include:
- MP4
- MOV
- AVI
- MKV
- WMV
- FLV
Embed Local Video Files in PowerPoint
Follow these exact steps to import a locally stored video into a PowerPoint slide:
- Launch PowerPoint and open your presentation file.
- Navigate to the specific slide where you want the video inserted. Position your cursor appropriately.
- Select the Insert tab at the top menu bar.
- Click Video in the Media section, then choose This Device.
- An file explorer window will open. Browse your local folders and select the target video on your computer.
- Confirm by clicking Insert to add the chosen video to the slide.
PowerPoint will automatically embed the entire video at its full native resolution. You likely need to resize or reposition the video element depending on how much space you want it to occupy in the slide.
If you wish to play only a short clip rather than the full video, double click the embedded element. The Playback tab of the Video Tools Format contextual tab will display trimming options.
Embed Local Videos in Google Slides
The method for importing a local video file into Google Slides involves an extra step, as you must first upload the target file into Google Drive storage.
Follow this process:
- Copy your chosen local video file into Google Drive storage using the web interface or desktop sync app.
- Open your Google Slides presentation and navigate to the intended slide.
- Select Insert > Video from the top menu.
- In the sidebar that appears, choose the Google Drive tab.
- Google Drive will display your uploaded video files. Select the target file.
- Google Slides will automatically embed the entire video onto the slide. Reposition or resize as needed.
If you wish to trim down the length, consult the video Options sidebar.
Embedding Online Videos from YouTube, Vimeo, etc.
Streaming videos from sites like YouTube and Vimeo can also be conveniently embedded right into presentation slides.
The process mirrors adding a local file, except you simply provide the URL rather than choosing a file.
Embed an Online Video in PowerPoint
To embed a YouTube, Vimeo, or other online streamable video in PowerPoint:
- Select Insert > Video > Online Video from the top menu.
- A dialog box will appear prompting you to enter the video URL.
- Open a separate browser tab and navigate to the intended publicly viewable online video.
- Copy the video URL from the browser address bar. Common examples include:
- YouTube.com/watch?v=_videoid
- vimeo.com/_videonumber
- Paste this URL into the PowerPoint dialog box.
- Confirm by selecting Insert. The online video will be imported directly into the slide.
PowerPoint will automatically handle pulling in the embed code needed from the streaming host. No manual coding required!
Embed an Online Video onto Google Slides
Thanks to deep integration with YouTube, embedding videos from the site is extremely convenient in Google Slides:
- Go to Insert > Video and choose the YouTube tab
- A search bar will appear. Type in keywords to pull up YouTube videos.
- Choose a video from the results to embed it automatically.
If hosting elsewhere, switch to the By URL tab instead. Paste in any publicly accessible link to embed.
Video Customization and Playback Options
Don’t settle for a raw default embedded video plopped onto the slide. Customizations like subtitles, auto-play behavior, graphic overlays, etc. are necessary for effectiveness:
Size, Position, Style
Refer to the Format sidebar menu in PowerPoint and Google Slides when a video is selected. Familiar controls include:
- Reposition – place video anywhere on the slide
- Scale – shrink or enlarge size as needed
- Crop – focus frame on key areas
- Filters – apply special effect finishes
- Borders – add outlines, shadows, or other graphical flourishes
Style your embedded content to blend seamlessly. An awkwardly placed or sized video sticks out instead of blending in.
Playback and Performance
Configure video properties to maximize quality streaming and impact:
- Auto-play on slide view or click
- Looping capability
- Playback quality
- Hide player controls
- Close captions and transcripts
Right click options in PowerPoint and the Settings sidebar in Google Slides contain these crucial adjustments for polished video playback.
Expert Insights: Making Engaging Multimedia Slides
Simply inserting any video fails to maximize the medium’s potential. Follow my professional tips and data-backed best practices for creating truly effective and memorable multimedia presentations:
Choose Strategically
Don’t default to the first decent video search result. Select clips meticulously to reinforce key messages, like:
- Product demo videos
- Expert testimonials
- Explanatory animations/footage educational topics
An ancillary or irrelevant video diminishes returns.
Location, Location, Location
Slide placement impacts context. Don’t plunge viewers straight into a complex process demo without build up. Strategically embed video to conclude or reinforce surrounding slides.
Introducing concepts via slides first reduces cognitive load and primes viewers for video instruction. Studies show comprehension drastically improves with proper context setting.
Keep Viewing Accessible
While visual content boosts understanding for many, ensure accessibility for audience members with auditory or visual disabilities:
- Upload closed caption files
- Provide audio descriptions
Conscious inclusion makes powerful content resonate with more individuals.
Chart Effectiveness
Deploy viewer quizzes, response trackers, or surveys to monitor engagement.
- 79% reported videos grabbing their focus for the full duration, per Hubspot
- 66% retained concepts better compared just 49% with slide text
Quantify your videos’ impact and continue iterating. Maximum memorability is the end goal.
Amplify Appeal with Multimedia
This guide equipped you to enhance dull slides with high quality embedded video content. With compelling multimedia, events become engaging experiences that stick in audiences’ minds for days and weeks later.
Video grabs eyeballs, sparks emotions, and forms indelible memories that text alone cannot. Master the technical how-to then shift focus to strategy, placement, and supplementary inclusion like captions and audio.
Soon you’ll have viewers raving at water coolers about your enjoyable and educational presentations rather than checking their watches awaiting finish.
Now that you understand the immense power of properly utilized video in slides, the learning never stops…
