The audience can process images in presentations far more easier than words.
It’s an interesting thing to know that our brain process images 60,000 times faster than text. Let me give you a practical example. Here, you are able to see the word “Hamburger.” But actually, it takes a little bit time to process it in your brain. Now let’s take a look at this image. As soon as you see this picture, in a second you can understand that it’s actually a hamburger.
Why present in the first place?
Images in presentations are far more influential than words.
If people could get the info from your slides, why are you presenting to them? Just send your slides to the audience, and you’re done. So as a public speaker, you have to use images in presentations to convey the emotion and the content to make yourself clear. But do not use words in your slides.
When we use images and words at the same time, the learner will learn better than when we only use words.
So one of the first uses of PowerPoint is using images in presentations because it improves learning and helps the brain to process things better.
Read: “Principles of PowerPoint presentation“.
Images cause immediate reactions. Words take much longer to stick in your head.
Images move through a different part of the brain than words, so they create a faster and stronger reaction than words.
Images in presentations
Words confuse the audience but using images in presentations convey the context.
A large, influential, and strong word on screen besides the picture you have used will be more useful to the audience. A meaningful image with a single number or word will stick far better in the audience’s mind than a chart of data.
You can also read the Slide:ology book by Diane Williams Windingland
The purpose of using words and images on slides is to help the audience put your ideas in context. If you present them using too many words/images, they’ll be looking at your slides with confusion instead of listening to your speech. So do not use many words in your slides.
Now I think you figure out the importance of images in your slides.
