Creating slideshows in video form is a quick and easy way to produce video content, but it tends to be underutilized. The main reason for that is because it is often regarded as a ‘poor mans’ alternative to conventional videos, and one that isn’t as engaging.
While it is true that slideshows do fall short compared to conventional videos in some regards, at the end of the day they can still be very engaging. On your part, however, you need to take steps to create the type of slideshow videos that are able to attract and keep the attention of viewers.
If you’d like to do that, there are a few steps that you can take:
- Open the slideshow video with a hook to entice viewers to stay and watch more. There are many different types of hooks that you can use, but one of the most effective is to outline the benefits that viewers will obtain by watching the video.
- Keep the slideshow short and tightly-focused around the topic. Longer slideshows have more difficulty retaining viewers, and so you should try to limit the number of slides and eliminate any that aren’t absolutely necessary.
- Use the slides for visuals and limit the amount of text present in them. The purpose of the slides should be to ‘show’ viewers your message, and you can explain it to them in the voiceover. It is best to restrict yourself to a single point for each slide, so you can take advantage of it to deliver the message visually.
- Record high-quality audio for the voiceover and make sure it sounds crisp and clear. Try to find a quiet setting to record it, and minimize any sources of background noise that may affect the audio quality.
- Mix in background music strategically to accentuate the mood and emotional tone of the slideshow. Be sure that the music doesn’t overpower your voiceover, however, and consider where and how you place it in the slideshow video. In post-production you may want to edit the voiceover so that it stands out more, using equalization tricks such as notching.
- Avoid excessive visual effects that don’t add any meaning to the slideshow. A few tasteful effects that accentuate the video or its message are fine, but you shouldn’t go overboard as that will look tacky and distract viewers.
As you can see many of the steps will require planning, and that should be where you start. Compiling the actual slideshow video is the easy part, and for example, you can use Movavi Slideshow Maker and follow the steps at https://www.movavi.com/support/how-to/how-to-create-slideshow.html.
If you follow each step, you should be able to produce slideshow videos that are able to truly hold the attention of viewers – from start to finish. In fact, your slideshow videos could be just as engaging as conventional videos, and far easier to produce – allowing you to produce more video content on a regular basis to reach out to your audience.