It’s easy to overlook or give less attention to presentation titles, especially if you have limited time to assemble your material. You may rather prioritize other aspects, such as gathering information, creating slides, or rehearsing the delivery. Yet, hastily choosing the headline for your presentation is a blunder you wouldn’t want to commit.
First impressions – last, and that also applies when presenting. Engaging presentations begin with engaging titles and opening slides. If your title is sloppy, your audience will think your presentation is your best. This article will discuss what makes a good presentation title and how you can create it.
Table of Contents
- The Anatomy of a Good Presentation Title
- Presentation Titles Styles
- Tips for Creating Catchy Presentation Title
- Frequently Asked Questions on Presentation Titles
- Conclusion
The Anatomy of a Good Presentation Title
A good presentation headline or title serves two purposes: practical and creative.
The practical purpose of a presentation title is to provide a clear and concise description of the content. It helps set the expectations of your audience, allowing them to anticipate what they will learn or gain from the presentation.
On the other hand, the creative aspect is one thing that charms your audience. An intriguing or thought-provoking title can pique the audience’s curiosity and motivate them to attend the presentation through and through. It generates interest and makes them eager to learn more.
As the presenter, you should strive to find a title that strikes the right balance between informative and engaging. It must go beyond mere description, as a descriptive title may fail to stand out or engage your audience. On the flip side, an overly clever title may sacrifice clarity and fail to encapsulate the content of your presentation accurately.
Presentation Titles Styles
1. Surprise
Using startling statements or unexpected facts can effectively capture the audience’s attention. When something unexpected is presented, it naturally piques curiosity and leaves a lasting impression.
So, if you come across a fact, statistic, or quote about a topic that truly surprised you, work on it and make it your headline. Chances are, such information will likewise come as a surprise to your audience. Of course, you must ensure that the surprise element is relevant and contributes to the overall message you aim to deliver.
Example: Neil Patel, an online marketing expert, delivered a compelling piece titled “90% Of Startups Fail: What You Need To Know About The 10%”. The title contains an element of surprise, which suggests that most startup companies don’t survive. Within the article, Patel presented advice for startups to avert failure.
2. Intrigue
Ever wonder why you can’t seem to resist Buzzfeed headlines? That’s right; they are often intriguing and clickbaity. This technique also works on presentation titles.
Intrigue headlines capture attention and generate interest in presentations. They can create curiosity, engage the audience, and make your presentation stand out.
When crafting an intriguing headline, you may use thought-provoking questions or vague statements that spark the audience’s interest and, at the same time, clearly convey the topic of your presentation.
Example: Susan Colantuono’s Ted Talk, entitled “The career advice you probably didn’t get,” exhibits intrigue. The title immediately piques curiosity by suggesting that the presentation will provide unconventional or lesser-known career advice that the audience may not have received. This creates a sense of anticipation and motivates individuals to attend the presentation to discover what unique insights or perspectives will be shared.
3. Benefit or Value
Presentation titles that make clear claims about something’s worth may be more engaging than just stating it. When your audience knows exactly what’s in the presentation, they will likely lean in and listen.
The idea is to communicate right off the headline the main advantage the audience will gain from engaging with the content. You don’t have to include the entire proposition, but you may convey the essence of the value proposition to generate interest among the audience.
Example: Lawrence Ong’s “Break The Cycle: How To Gain Financial Freedom” clearly states the benefits of attending the presentation in the headline. It positions itself as a source of knowledge for building wealth and suggests that listening to the talk will equip the audience with the lessons they need to achieve their desired financial independence.
4. Wordplay
Using wordplay in presentation titles can be a clever way to add flair to your presentation title. Playing with words can evoke emotions like humor and curiosity, which engages the audience from the start. It stands out from more specific titles, making people pause and take notice.
There are several types of word plays that you can incorporate into your presentation title, like puns, double-meaning words, metaphors, and rhymes. The idea is to strike the right balance so that the playfulness doesn’t overshadow the clarity and relevance of the title. The wordplay should align with the topic and purpose of your presentation while adding a touch of creativity.
Example: Steve Jobs’s keynote speech 2001 introducing the original iPod with the title “1000 songs in your pocket” is an excellent example of wordplay used in a presentation headline.
The wordplay in this example contrasts the figure “1000”, a substantial quantity, and the phrase “in your pocket,” representing portable space. By combining these elements, the presentation title effectively communicated the storage capacity and convenience of the device playfully and memorably.
Tips for Creating Catchy Presentation Title
1. Keep It Short
A strong presentation title conveys the main topic using a few words. Short statements are more likely to impact the audience immediately, and their brevity makes them easily understood and remembered, leaving a lasting impression.
How short is short? The ideal length for headlines on PowerPoint slides is 6-14 words, and this range helps ensure that the title of your presentation carries the message you want to get across without wordiness.
2. Use Concrete Language
Using concrete language in your presentation title is an effective way to make it more compelling. Concrete language has persuasive power as it clarifies your presentation title and makes it relatable to the audience.
Some powerful words you can inject into your headlines are adjectives, action words, and actual figures. So, instead of “Optimizing Business Processes,” you can say “Cut Costs by 20%: Streamlining Operational Efficiency”.
3. Use Technology or AI
Crafting a catchy presentation headline is hard enough – all the more when you have to fit it into little words. If you find yourself stuck in this task, there are available technologies that can help you generate title ideas for your presentations.
SEMRUSH, in particular, has an AI title generator that suggests headlines for content based on your prompts. You may also use ChatGPT for your presentations in a similar way.
However, we only suggest using these tools to speed up your brainstorming process, as repurposing those presentations into blog posts implies the risk of a site penalty for AI-generated content by Google. Reviewing and refining the generated headline to ensure it aligns with your specific presentation and captures the essence of your message is important.
4. Use Proven Formulas
Another way to speed up the process of generating title ideas presentation is to use proven formulas. Like your typical math equation, these formulas provide a framework to adapt to your specific presentation and audience. You can use them as a starting point to experiment with different combinations of words to create a headline that captures the gist of your piece,
Here are some presentation title formulas you can use:
- How to [Desirable Outcome] in [Specific Time Frame]
- Discover the [Number One] Secret to [Desirable Outcome]
- The [Adjective] Way to [Desirable Outcome]: [Unique Approach/Method]
- Are You [blank]?
- Unlocking the Secrets of [Topic]: [Key Insight/Strategy]”
Frequently Asked Questions on Presentation Titles
Q1: What is the purpose of a catchy title in a presentation?
A: The purpose of a catchy title in a presentation is to grab the audience’s attention and, at the same time, communicate the main idea or focus of the talk.
Q2: How do I create a catchy title for my presentation?
A: Creating a catchy title involves balancing creativity, clarity, and relevance. Finding the right balance between description and creativity allows you to create a catchy title that generates interest without sacrificing clarity.
Q3: What are some tips for making a title stand out?
A: To make a title stand out, clearly describe the content while engaging the audience’s curiosity. Additionally, use concrete language and keep it short.
Q4: Can a title be too long for a presentation?
A: Yes. Keep presentation titles concise and to the point, as longer titles can be harder to read, remember, and fit on slides effectively.
Q5: How does a title affect the overall success of a presentation?
A: The title serves as a hook that entices people to attend the presentation and creates a positive first impression. It may be the first and last chance to convince your audience to lend their ears.
Q6: Are there any specific formats for presentation titles?
A: No, there is no specific format for presentation titles, but there are approaches that can make it more effective. You can use descriptive words, wordplay, figures, or surprising facts.
Conclusion
There are infinite ways to make your presentation title catchy, and this article presented some of the proven techniques that work. In creating an attention-grabbing title, ensure your main message is not overshadowed or lost. Keep it relevant, concise, and clear!
Once your compelling headline is ready, designing your opening slide will be next.
