If you were to search for slideshow software you’d come up with tons of results, ranging from extremely basic solutions to more advanced office suites. Trying to figure out which one you should choose can be difficult, especially when many may seem very similar to each other.
To help make your decision a little bit easier, there are a few important factors you should consider when selecting a slideshow software:
Output formats
While it may seem back to front, it is best to consider the output format first. The fact of the matter is that slideshow software tend to either consist of those that create conventional slideshows that are saved in PPT or some other equivalent format – and video slideshow software that are saved in video formats, such as MP4. Some slideshow software export both as conventional slides and videos.
As you can see both options are very different, which is why you can significantly narrow your selection if you decide which you need.
For example if you want to upload to SlideShare your slideshow will have to be a PPT, PDF, or document file. On the other hand if you want to share the video on YouTube or social media, a video file would be more appropriate.
Audio support
Typically slideshow software that export video files include audio support of some form or other, allowing you to add background music or a voiceover narration. However some software that create conventional slideshows have audio support as well that can either be restricted to audio for each slide or for the entire slideshow.
In addition to the presence of audio support, you should also look at the audio formats that are supported.
User experience
The user experience of slideshow software can vary greatly. Aside from the fact that some have a more user-friendly design than others, there are also additional enhancements present in some software that may affect the user experience, such as slideshow creation wizards, or tools to automatically sync the audio.
In many ways this is the factor that differs the most from one slideshow software to the next. For example with Movavi Slideshow Maker you can choose between using a semi-automated wizard and creating a slideshow manually from scratch.
Selection of features
Most slideshow software have a standard selection of features to add and customize text elements, animated transitions, and various other elements. The degree of customization and the form that those features take can vary – which is what you should look for.
Additionally there may be other specific features that you feel you would need, such as options to insert and edit video clips, apply special effects, and so on.
By assessing each of the factors listed above, you should be able to find a slideshow software that caters to your needs. It may help if you first figure out the type of slideshows that you want to create, and work backwards from there. Ultimately it is all about finding the right option based on your requirements.