Creating slideshow videos is really quite easy and straightforward – but that doesn’t mean that you won’t make mistakes. All too often slideshow videos are far less effective than they should be because some very simple mistakes were made when creating them.
While it is impossible to categorically know every single possible mistake that can be made, there are a few common slideshow video mistakes that you should know – and make it a point to avoid:
- Adding too much text in each slide
The most common mistake in slideshow videos is adding too much text to each slide. This mistake actually stems from the convention in slideshows of years past that would contain a title along with several bullet points.
Unfortunately that conventional makes for less effective slideshows. The main strength of slideshows is the fact that they can convey information visually – which is what you want to use the bulk of the space on your slide for.
If you must use text, be creative and mask the bullet points by creating graphics around them.
- Using animated transitions too liberally
Another common mistake is to try to make your slideshow look more unique by adding animated transitions between some (or worse: all) of your slides. That is almost always a mistake, and it will make your slideshow video look tacky and distracting.
To be completely honest it is best to stay away from animated transitions entirely. The only exception is if there is a reason for them: Such as to separate a particular slide from the rest.
- Choosing the wrong background music
The right background music can help to drive your slideshow video’s message and accentuate its mood. However the wrong background music can do just the opposite, and clash with it.
Considering how important it is, you should choose your background music carefully. Try to make sure it matches the tone and mood of your video, and decide on exactly when you want it to play.
Additionally you should decide whether or not you want vocals in the music that you add, or whether it will clash with the voiceover if one is present.
The next time you make a slideshow with music, be sure to keep the mistakes listed above in mind so that you can avoid them. Actually creating the slideshow itself should be easy enough, and for example you can use Movavi Slideshow Maker in order to do so.
All said and done it shouldn’t be too hard to avoid the mistakes listed above. Some will require a bit of planning on your part – but will definitely help to improve your slideshow videos and make them far more effective.
