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How to Create & Record Video Presentations | Ultimate Guide

Master video presentations with our ultimate guide. Learn how to create and record compelling video presentations that captivate your audience.
Kendall Breitman
Social Media & Community Expert
Last Updated:
March 4, 2024
13
min
Reviewed by
Ortal Hadad

Knowing how to create and record video presentations is a vital skill. It can help you grow your business, engage viewers and expand your follower base. 

You may be a member of a company wanting to share your vision, or a student making a presentation for class. Whatever your situation, knowing the steps for a successful video presentation is essential.

That’s why we’ve broken down every stage of creating a video presentation. By following the steps below, you can easily record like a pro. You’ll be able to impress your audience with a sleek, eye-catching video presentation. We’ve even covered different video presentation software and how to use it. 

To get started, all you need to do is read on.

What is a video presentation?

Typically, a video presentation involves a series of slides accompanied by audio narration. The narrator talks the viewer through the on-screen information and adds further details. There can also be diagrams, photographs, and animations during the presentation. These help the audience engage with the video and reveal more information.

The message of a  video presentation depends on the purpose of the presentation. The presentation may be for entertainment, training employees, educating, pitching to investors, or many other reasons.

Why should you use video presentations?

All kinds of people find that video presentations are ideal for achieving their goals. From startup companies pitching for investments to tutors teaching their students, the uses of video presentations are almost limitless.

Not only this, but video presentations are a great way to make content more memorable. Instead of simply giving a speech, using a visual aid helps your audience engage with and absorb information. In fact, one study found that a visual presentation increased long-term information retention by up to 50%.

You should use video presentations to convey information in an entertaining and engaging way. Imagine you’re in a meeting room for training. Instead of sitting and reading a handout or listening to your boss talk, a video presentation can better capture your attention.

Video presentations include both audio and video together in one streamlined presentation. This helps prevent boredom and get viewers invested in your message. 

How to create video presentations successfully: A Step-by-step

Creating a sleek, informative, eye-catching video presentation might sound like a challenge. The reality is anyone can do it. All you need are the right tools and steps to follow. We’ve got you covered with this step-by-step guide, which takes you from an idea to the final product. 

Following this plan, you can make your next video presentation one to remember.

Step 1: Plan your presentation 

Every great project begins with an idea. Before you can go any further, you’ll need to decide what your presentation will be about. You might be teaching new clients about your company or creating a presentation about your worldwide travels.

Whatever the topic, break it down into its key components. Which sections do you want to cover? What order should they go in? Remember not to lose sight of your overall message when planning. Stay on-topic and focus on the goals you want to achieve, such as brand awareness.

Step 2: Create a slideshow 

Creating a slideshow involves adding content to individual slides in a program such as PowerPoint. This content could include bullet points, photographs, video clips, animations, links, etc.

The most important thing is to get your slides in the correct order with the right amount of information per slide. It’s a good idea to follow the 5/5/5 rule when it comes to making slideshows. The 5/5/5 rule means the following:

  • 5 words per line
  • 5 lines of text per slide
  • 5 slides in a row that follow these rules

Remember, you don’t need to include all the information on the slides. You will record yourself speaking while presenting, so you can go into much more detail and explain the slides. Instead, focus on writing the most important information on each slide. This includes words and phrases you want the audience to remember.

Step 3: Write a script

Now that your slideshow is ready, it’s time to think about what you will say. As you narrate your presentation, you can give further information about each slide as you narrate your presentation. You can also add personal accounts and recollections to make your speech more engaging. What you don’t want is a long stream of rambling speech with too many ums and ahs. This can make your audience lose interest.

Creating a script is a good way to keep yourself on track. You can write or type your script into a Word document. It’s helpful to mark the places in the script where you will move onto the next slide. Be sure to repeat important phrases and stick to your main message.

Step 4: Choose a recording platform

A recording platform is a place where you can capture audio or video footage. You can use this platform to record yourself and your slideshow as you give your presentation. This will preserve the presentation, ready for you to show others or share online.

Your recording platform may be the same one you created your slides on. For example, both PowerPoint and Google Slides have recording capabilities. 

Another way to capture your content is to use a recording platform like Riverside. With the Presentation Recorder, you can record a video of yourself at the same time as recording your slideshow. You can also record a presentation with multiple people, as you can invite remote guests to join your recording. This is a handy tool for collaborative webinars or a co-led course.

Consider which of these options appeals most to you. If you do decide to use a recording platform, take a look at the choices available.

Step 5: Record your video presentation

How to record your presentation will depend on which platform you use. It may be as simple as clicking the Record button on PowerPoint. You might need to set up an account for other recording platforms first.

If you will record a video of yourself, ensure you are in an uncluttered space. Choose a place without a distracting background or lots of noise nearby. Dress in a way that reflects the tone of your video, like a suit and tie for a company training presentation.

Record your audio using a microphone. Consider investing in a high-quality mic to capture crisp and clear sound. Recording uncompressed WAV audio can help you achieve a higher-quality end result.

How to record video presentations: Video Presentation Software to Try

Video presentation software refers to platforms for creating and recording your presentations. This type of software is ideal for finding useful tools to create content easily and professionally.

Whichever software you choose, you can streamline your workflow and save precious time by knowing exactly how to use it. That’s why we’ve laid out step-by-step guides for creating video presentations with both PowerPoint and Riverside. You’ll find all the details below so you can get started.

PowerPoint

Microsoft PowerPoint is one of the most popular programs for creating slideshow presentations. You can access PowerPoint as long as you have a Microsoft account. Within PowerPoint, there are tools for making a slideshow, including animation, design, and transition options. You can add text, images and videos to slides and format them in a variety of ways. There are also video and audio recording tools, perfect for capturing your video presentation.

How to record video presentations with PowerPoint

Step 1:  Open PowerPoint and select ‘New’, then choose to create a ‘Blank Presentation’ or select one of the templates for a premade design

Step 2: To start creating slides:

  • Go to ‘Home’ > ’Slides’ and click on ‘New Slides’ to choose the layout for each new slide you add.
  • Add text to each slide by typing in the text boxes
  • Add pictures and shapes by going to the Insert tab and choosing the picture source with the Insert Picture From tool

Step 3: Add speaker notes to your slide. These notes will only be visible to you during a presentation, and you can use them to record your presentation script. 

  • Click on any slide you want to add notes to. 
  • Select Notes in the bottom right-hand corner.
  • Type out your notes in the window that pops up.

Step 4: When you finish creating your slideshow, select the ‘Record’ button in the upper right-hand corner. You will now see a recording button at the top of your screen and your presentation below it.

Step 5: Turn on your camera by clicking on the camera icon and make sure your microphone is on as well.

Step 6: Use PowerPoint’s default Teleprompter view to read your speaker notes while presenting your slideshow. 

Step 7: Select Views in the bottom right-hand corner to change from a Presenter to a Slide View

Step 8: Press the red record button when you’re ready to begin your presentation

Step 9: To continue recording on your next slide, go to it. (Keep in mind Powerpoint stops recording audio during slide transitions, so finish all your transitions before speaking again.)

Select stop when you finish recording.

Step 10: Click the Play button to review your recording

Step 11: Press Export to download and share your video when you finish. 

Riverside

Riverside video presentation recorder

Riverside is a high-quality remote recording platform with professional features for brands, businesses, and individuals. The platform Presentation Recorder, available with the Business Plan, streamlines your video presentation recordings. Manage and record your presentation from the same place while also being able to see other guests in the recording. You can even take some of the stress out of recording by assigning a guest to control your presentation remotely.

This online software uses local recording, so your video is recorded directly onto your computer and doesn’t rely on the internet to achieve a high quality. So, even if your internet connection dips, you’ll still be able to achieve impressive resolution on your video presentation. You’ll get an end result with higher quality than a screen share. 

Riverside also offers top-quality 4K video recordings and up to 48kHz audio recordings You’ll receive separate audio, video and presentation tracks giving you more post-production control.

Key Features:

  • Presentation recorder to easily upload a Powerpoint (PPT or PPTX), Keynote (KEY), or PDF file, ready for presenting in your recording studio 
  • Up to 4K video resolution with sharp, clear 48kHz WAV audio 
  • Remote guests capabilities where you can invite up to 7 other participants to join your presentation recording
  • Separate, in-sync audio, video, and screen share tracks for all participants, ideal for postproduction
  • Producer mode so you can invite someone specifically as a producer to manage guests, adjust audio, screen share, and more during the recording
  • AI Transcriptions with unmatched accuracy perfect for SEO content or creating subtitles with 
  • Text-based editing, making it quick and easy to edit your video by changing your Riverside-generated transcription
  • Magic Clips creator so you can effortlessly repurpose one recording into multiple short form videos, all in one click
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How to record video presentations in top-quality with Riverside

Step 1: Create and log into your account at Riverside.fm

Step 2: Click + Create new to make a new recording studio. Give your studio a name, select your recording type and transcription language. Then click Enter studio.

Step 3: You’ll now enter the lobby. Choose your equipment from the drop-down menu. Type in your name, select whether you’re using headphones, then click Join Studio.

Step 4: Invite remote guests to join your recording by copying the link in your Studio and sharing it with them

Step 5: In the studio, click on the Share button at the bottom of your screen, then select Presentation.

Upload your PowerPoint, Keynote, or PDF.

Step 6: When your file finishes uploading, click on it to present. All your guests and participants will see the slides in high-quality 16X9 format

Step 7:  Navigate through your slideshow by hovering over slides with your mouse or clicking the left and right arrows on your keyboard.

Step 8: Give a guest control of your presentation at any point during your recording. Allow yourself to focus on the content while someone else controls the slides. 

Simply click the plus icon at the top and select Give Control. Then choose which participant you want to put in charge of the slides.

Step 9: When you finish presenting, click on the + button on the top right of your slides, then select Stop Presenting.

Click on View recordings from your studio to find your separate video and presentation tracks ready to download in high quality. Just wait a few moments for the files to upload.

Step 10: Use Riverside’s Editor for text-based editing, clip creation, video trimming and more

Best practices for creating effective video presentations

Creating a stand-out video presentation is all about the methods you use. Following these best practices, you can create more professional, sleek, engaging content. If you’re unsure about making your first presentation or just want to pick up a few ideas on how to nail it, check out this list of tips.

  • Practice. It can be nerve-wracking to give your first presentation. You can improve your confidence and speaking skills by practicing your presentation before the recording.
  • Speak clearly without too many pauses and tangents. This will help your audience stay focussed on your presentation. It’s easier to stay on-topic by writing a script beforehand.
  • Have a remote guest on-hand to help. Having someone working behind the scenes, monitoring audio levels or helping with guest management is very useful. With Riverside, you can easily invite someone to join in Producer mode, or assign a remote guest to control your slides for you.
  • Don’t crowd your presentation slides. Follow the 5/5/5 rule to express information clearly in digestible portions.
  • Give examples. This is a great way to explain your presentation's ideas and ensure the audience understands.
  • Refer to your audience. Listeners like to know they are acknowledged, and it’s a great way to keep their attention levels up. You could ask the viewer to think about an aspect of their life or a rhetorical question.
  • Use images and graphics. Visual content that isn’t text can be much more eye-catching. Some people are visual rather than auditory learners. This means they can learn more from Venn diagrams and graphs than simply listening to narration.

FAQS on Video Presentations

How do you make a video presentation entertaining?

There are a lot of things you can do to make an entertaining video presentation. On the visual side of things, try to vary your slideshow with different types of media. Break up text with images and videos. Add animations and transitions to give the sense that your presentation is moving along. 

As the narrator, using a confident tone of voice can capture attention. Adding in jokes and questions from time to time is also a great way to surprise the viewer.

What should a video presentation have?

A good video presentation consists of a few key things. A slideshow, audio narration, video footage of the narrator and a message. You should tie the message to the aim of your video. It might be a message to spread brand awareness or inform people on a certain topic. 

Oftentimes a video presentation needs a script too. This will keep things running smoothly, as the narrator will know exactly what to say. You can add contact information or further resources at the end of your presentation, so that viewers have a place to find out more. 

What are the different types of video presentations?

There are many different types of video presentations. By getting creative, you can make a presentation on almost any topic. Some of the most popular types of presentation include: 

  • employee training
  • investor pitching
  • educational, and 
  • informational.

Presentations can also have different purposes. They can be made to persuade, spread awareness, or teach new skills to viewers. Knowing your purpose is essential for creating an effective video presentation.  

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