Combining storytelling and simplified messaging in PowerPoint presentations can help add visual appeal to present a message that can be easy to grasp for an audience. This raises the question of how to start a presentation and end a presentation using such a method. A simple answer to that is to weave a story using speech bubbles.
Method 1: Add a Speech Bubble in PowerPoint using Shapes
For the purpose of this post, we will use the Person Holding Phone Scene Illustration PowerPoint Template and add speech bubbles to the characters depicted in different slide layouts in this template.
Insert a Callout Shape
The easiest way to add a PowerPoint speech bubble is to use callout shapes in PowerPoint. You can add such a shape via Insert -> Shapes -> Callouts. This menu contains a variety of speech bubble shapes.
Adjust Shape Position and Size
Once added, the speech bubble can be adjusted via drag and drop to increase or decrease its size or to rotate it according to need. You can customize everything from the colors of the speech bubble shape and its outline to the specific angle you want to rotate it to align it according to other slide elements within a slide. In the example below, we rotate a speech bubble to align it with a character.
Customize the Look of the Shape
Using the Shape Format tab, you can stylize your speech bubble by changing its color, alignment, and size, rotating the callout shape, etc.
You can also go to Format Shape via the right-click context menu to explore additional customization options.
These options include color, pattern, picture, gradient, and other fill types for the speech bubble shape, transparency, reflection, glow, soft edges, 3D Format, 3D Rotation, and size and position options.
This gives several useful customization options to create custom speech bubbles according to your template, brand guidelines, and related slide elements. These features allow you to create eye-catching slides with speech bubbles that pop out and add visual appeal to your presentations.
To add a picture to a speech bubble shape, go to Format Shape -> Fill & Line -> Picture or Texture Fill. The available options include the ability to add a picture from a file, stock images, online pictures or you can add icons.
The image below shows an example of adding an image within a speech bubble shape.
Insert Text to Callout Shape
Once you have set the speech bubble according to your preferred visual style, you can add text to convey a key message. To add text to a callout shape, click inside the speech bubble and start typing, or go to Insert -> Text Box to add a text box that can be customized within the speech bubble.
Using a text box might give you more freedom regarding how much you can customize the text within the callout shape.
By adding text to characters in a slide, you can create comic book-style slide decks that build a narrative and leverage the power of storytelling.
Change Callout Shape Type According to Need
To change the speech bubble type, go to Shape Format -> Edit Shape -> Change Shape and pick a different callout shape.
Below is an example of a callout shape changed in PowerPoint to suit the illustration. By adding speech bubbles to create a narrative using illustrations, you can add visual appeal to your slides and enable your audience to grasp different concepts using an easy-to-create storyline with speech bubbles.
Method 2: Add a Speech Bubble in PowerPoint using Add-ins
Another method for adding speech bubbles in PowerPoint is to use third-party add-ins. Depending on the add-in type, you can install PowerPoint add-ins via the Office Store or the developer’s website. Below are a few suggested add-ins that come with speech bubbles and other types of icons.
Noun Project Add-in for PowerPoint
The Noun Project is a famous add-in with free and premium icons for PowerPoint presentations. The add-in is available from the Office Store and has various editable speech bubble shapes for presentation use.
Power User Add-in for PowerPoint
Power User is a productivity add-in that can be used to add icons like speech bubbles to PowerPoint presentations and organize and enhance PowerPoint with handy features. This premium add-in has a library that provides icons, including speech bubbles, that can be added to slides to create colorful illustrations.
Method 3: Use Speech Bubble Templates for PowerPoint
By using speech bubble PowerPoint templates, you can build interesting narratives using comic book-like slides and professionally designed speech bubbles. Below are a few suggested PowerPoint Bubble Templates with editable speech bubbles. If you’re a Google Slides user, these templates can also be used as Google Slides templates to create engaging presentation narratives.
1. Color Comic Book Toolkit for PowerPoint
This is a comic book-themed template with speech bubbles, popular comic book expressions, and stick-figure characters to build your slides like a storyboard. You can create presentations using a comic book-style layout to showcase your slides like stories by copying the various speech bubbles and other complementary slide elements. The slides in this template are quite colorful, with speech bubbles that can make your content stand out.
2. Black and White Comic Layout PowerPoint Template
Similar to the Color Comic Book Toolkit for PowerPoint, this is another comic book-themed PowerPoint template with editable layouts and speech bubbles for making a PowerPoint storyboard. This is a black-and-white comic strip style for a presentation deck, with a nostalgic design for comic strip lovers who remember black-and-white comic strips commonly used in newspapers a few decades back.
3. Callout Boxes PowerPoint Shapes
As the name suggests, the Callout Boxes PowerPoint Shapes is a template with callout boxes for use as slide elements. You can use the callout boxes individually or the template as a slide deck to present your narrative through standalone speech bubbles and bubble illustrations. Similarly, the slide designs can also be copied individually to suit your narrative when designing slides.
FAQs
Yes, you can insert a speech bubble in PowerPoint via PowerPoint Shapes – Callouts in Shapes.
To insert a speech bubble in PowerPoint, go to Insert -> Shapes -> Callouts and select a speech bubble.
You can resize the speech bubble via drag and drop or by clicking on it and dragging the corner handles.
Yes, you can change the color of a speech bubble by selecting it and going to the Shape Format tab. From this tab, go to Shape Fill to change the color of the speech bubble and Shape Outline to change the outline color.
To add text to the speech bubble, click inside the speech bubble or go to Insert -> Text Box to add a text box to the speech bubble.
Yes, you can change the color of the text in the speech bubble via the Shape Format tab by using Text Fill to change the text color and Text Outline to change the text outline.
Select the speech bubble and use the circular arrow to rotate the handle from the top of the shape and drag it to a specific angle. You can also use the Rotate menu from the Shape Format tab to rotate the callout shape.
Yes, you can add an image inside a speech bubble by selecting Format Shape via right-click context menu and selecting Picture or Texture Fill via Shape Options -> Fill & Line. From here, you can upload an image to place inside the bubble.
Other than PowerPoint shapes, you can use add-ins like Noun Project and Power User or PowerPoint templates with speech bubble illustrations and icons to insert speech bubbles in PowerPoint.
Final Words
Speech bubbles in PowerPoint can help create slides with a novel look to grab your audience’s attention, build narratives as a story, and make your slides stand out with the help of a steady narrative.
By using speech bubbles, you can enhance the look of ordinary slides to turn dull topics into interesting narratives. This can be one way to answer the age-old question of how to make a presentation appealing enough for an audience to retain their attention and convey a message. However, when designing slides with speech bubbles, it’s best to stick to simple layouts without visually overpowering your audience with a cluttered slide design.
