How to Add a Video in Google Slides: Step-by-Step Guide

Google Slides is one of the most popular presentation tools used today, allowing businesses, educators, and students alike to create visually appealing and interactive presentations. While the platform offers many features to enhance presentations, sometimes you may need to go a step further to engage your audience effectively. That’s where adding videos in Google Slides comes in handy.

With videos, you can convey your message more clearly, increase audience engagement, and make your presentations more memorable. But how can you add a video to your Google Slides presentation without interrupting the flow of your presentation? In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about adding videos to Google Slides, from choosing the right source to resizing and manipulating the video within the slide. Let’s dive in!

Introduction

Google Slides is a powerful tool for creating presentations. It offers many features that help to make your presentation more engaging, informative and interactive. One such feature is the ability to add videos to your Google Slides presentation.

Videos can add an extra dimension to your presentation by providing visual aids that help to convey your message effectively. They can increase audience engagement and keep them focused on the topic at hand. With Google Slides, you have the option to insert videos from various sources such as your Google Drive or YouTube.

Adding a video to your Google Slides presentation is relatively easy and straightforward. However, there are a few things you need to consider before doing so. For example, the size of the video file and its format could affect the quality of the video and how it plays in your presentation. You also need to decide whether to autoplay the video or give the user control over when it starts and stops.

In this post, we’ll take a closer look at how to add videos to your Google Slides presentation, along with some tips for making the most of this feature. So, let’s get started!

Why Add Video in Google Slides?

Adding a video in Google Slides can be a game-changer when it comes to engaging your audience and conveying your message effectively. Visual aids have always been known to help people remember information better, and videos take this to the next level by adding motion and sound to the mix. Here are some reasons why you should consider adding videos to your Google Slides presentations:

Audience Engagement

Videos can help keep your audience engaged throughout your presentation. A video that complements your topic and captures your audience’s attention can create a memorable experience for them. For example, if you’re giving a presentation on the benefits of adopting a healthy lifestyle, a video showcasing the positive changes in someone’s life after they adopted a healthy lifestyle could add more credibility to your message. Not only will your audience be more likely to remember what you said, but they’ll also be more motivated to adopt a healthy lifestyle themselves.

Visual Aids

Visual aids, such as images and diagrams, have always been an effective way to convey information. Videos take this to the next level by adding motion and sound, making it easier for your audience to digest complex information. For instance, if you’re presenting a new product or service, a video tutorial showing how it works could be more effective than a series of static images. Moreover, videos can showcase things that are difficult to describe with words alone, such as the ambiance of a place or the emotions of an event.

Convey Message

Videos are a powerful way to convey your message. They can tell a story or illustrate a point in a way that words alone cannot. The right video can help you build rapport with your audience, establish credibility, and persuade them to take action. For example, if you’re presenting a proposal to stakeholders, a video showcasing the positive impact of your proposal on the community can make a compelling case for its approval.

In summary, adding videos to your Google Slides presentations can help keep your audience engaged, convey your message effectively, and make your presentation more memorable. With the right video at the right time, you can create an impactful presentation that leaves a lasting impression on your audience.

Step-by-Step Guide to Adding a Video in Google Slides

Step 1: Open Your Google Slides Presentation

To add a video in your Google Slides presentation, the first step is to open your Google Slides account. If you don’t have one already, you can easily create a free account using your Gmail ID.

Once you are signed in to your Google account, go to the Google Drive homepage and click on the ‘New’ button located on the top left corner of the screen. From the dropdown menu, select ‘Google Slides’ to create a new presentation.

Alternatively, if you have an existing Google Slides presentation that you want to add a video to, simply open it by going to your Google Drive, locating the file, and clicking on it to open.

It’s important to note that opening your Google Slides presentation in edit mode is necessary for inserting a video. In view-only mode, you won’t be able to make any changes or additions to your presentation.

By following this simple step, you can quickly open your Google Slides presentation and start adding videos to it.

Step 2: Choose the Slide Where You Want to Insert the Video

When it comes to creating a presentation, choosing the right slide to insert your video is crucial. You want to ensure that your audience’s attention is focused on the message you’re trying to convey. Here are some tips on how to choose the perfect slide for your video in Google Slides.

Firstly, consider the flow of your presentation. Think about the message you’re trying to deliver and how your video fits into it. Is it a supporting element or the main focus of the slide? This will help you decide where to position the slide in the presentation and which slide works best for your video.

Secondly, think about the visual impact you want to make. A video can be a powerful visual aid, but only if it’s placed in the right spot. Pick a slide where your video can stand out effectively. For instance, if you’re using an infographic to display data, add your video to the slide that explains the most important points of the graphic.

Another aspect to consider is your audience’s attention span. If you place your video towards the beginning of the presentation, your audience is more likely to pay attention, since they haven’t been exposed to too much information yet. However, if your video is more complex, consider placing it after you’ve provided background information on the topic, so your audience can comprehend it better.

Overall, when choosing the slide to insert your video, consider the flow of your presentation, the visual impact you want to make, and your audience’s attention span. By keeping these factors in mind, you’ll be able to select the perfect slide to insert your video, enhancing your presentation and delivering your message more effectively.

Step 3: Click on ‘Insert’

When you’re ready to add a video to your Google Slides presentation, the next step is to click on ‘Insert’ in the menu bar. This is where you’ll find all the options for adding various elements to your slide, including images, links, and of course, videos.

Once you click on ‘Insert’, a dropdown menu will appear with several options. Select ‘Video’ to open up a new sub-menu with even more choices. From here, you can choose to insert a video from either Google Drive or YouTube, depending on where your video is located.

It’s important to note that the location of your video will determine the steps you need to take to add it to your presentation. If your video is saved in Google Drive, you’ll need to navigate to the folder where it’s located and select it from there. If your video is on YouTube, you’ll need to search for it by entering the video’s title or URL.

Clicking on ‘Insert’ is one of the most crucial steps when adding a video to your Google Slides presentation. It’s important to familiarize yourself with this process so that you can quickly and easily add videos whenever you need them. With a little practice, you’ll be able to insert videos seamlessly and create engaging, multimedia presentations.

Step 4: Select ‘Video’

After choosing the slide where you want to insert your video, it’s time to select ‘Video’ from the dropdown menu in the menu bar. This option will allow you to choose the source of your video, whether it be uploaded on your Google Drive or available on YouTube.

Selecting this option will open a dialogue box where you can easily choose your video file. If your video is saved in your Google Drive, navigate to the folder where it is stored and select it. If your video is on YouTube, simply copy and paste the link into the dialogue box.

It’s important to note that videos inserted from your Google Drive will only be visible to those who have access to the file. However, if you insert a video from YouTube, anyone with access to your presentation will be able to view it.

In addition, the dialogue box allows you to preview the video before inserting it into your slide. This can ensure that you have selected the correct video and that it is the appropriate length for your presentation.

Overall, selecting ‘Video’ from the dropdown menu is a straightforward process and gives you multiple options for sourcing your video content. Take some time to explore both options and determine which one best fits your needs.

Step 5: Choose the Source of the Video

Now that you have selected the slide and know where you want to put your video, it’s time to choose the source. Google Slides offers two options for adding a video; you can either upload the video from your local drive or choose a video from your Google Drive or YouTube.

Choosing Video from Google Drive

Google Drive is one of the most convenient options for adding videos in Google Slides. It allows the user to keep all their files in one place and access them from anywhere with an internet connection. To add a video from Google Drive:

Click on “Insert” from the menu bar.
Select “Video” from the dropdown menu.
Select the “Google Drive” option.
Choose the video file you want to insert, then click “Select.”

It’s important to note that when you insert a video from Google Drive, it will be linked, not embedded. This means that if someone else viewing your presentation doesn’t have access to the video, they won’t be able to view it.

Choosing Video from YouTube

Adding a YouTube video in Google Slides is another great option, especially if the video is already available online. Here’s how to do it:

Click on “Insert” from the menu bar.
Select “Video” from the dropdown menu.
Select the “YouTube” option.
Search for the video you want to insert using keywords or paste the URL directly into the search bar.
Click “Select.”

When you add a YouTube video to Google Slides, it automatically becomes embedded, which means anyone can view it as long as they have an internet connection.

Conclusion

Choosing the right source for your video depends on where you’ve stored it and how you want to present it. With Google Drive and YouTube, adding videos to your slides has never been easier. Now that you know how to add videos to your presentation, let’s move on to the next step.

Step 6: Insert the Video

Once you have chosen the source of your video, it’s time to insert it into your Google Slides presentation. Here’s how:

Click on the “Insert” tab located in the menu bar at the top of your screen.
Select the “Video” option from the dropdown menu.
Choose the source of your video – either from your Google Drive or YouTube.
Select the video you want to use and click “Insert.”

Congratulations, you have successfully inserted a video in your Google Slides presentation!

But wait, there’s more! You can also resize and manipulate the video to fit your needs. Here are some tips on how to do that:

Resizing Your Video

By default, your video will appear in its original size. However, you may need to resize it to fit your slide. To do so, follow these steps:

Click on the video to select it.
Hover over one of the corners until the cursor turns into a double-arrow icon.
Click and drag the corner to resize the video as needed.

Manipulating Your Video

Google Slides offers several options to manipulate your video, such as cropping, rotating, and adjusting the brightness and contrast. Here’s how to do that:

Click on the video to select it.
Click on the “Format options” button located in the menu bar above the slide.
From there, you can choose to crop, rotate, adjust the brightness/contrast, and more.

Keep in mind that manipulating your video may affect its quality, so be sure to preview it before presenting to ensure it meets your standards.

In conclusion, inserting a video in Google Slides is easy and straightforward. By following these steps and utilizing the available options to resize and manipulate your video, you can create a visually appealing and engaging presentation that effectively conveys your message.

Tips for Adding Videos in Google Slides

Check the File Size of Your Video

It’s important to keep in mind the file size of your video when adding it to a Google Slides presentation. The larger the file, the longer it will take to upload and the more difficult it may be for your audience to view.

One way to ensure that your video file is not too large is to compress it. Compression reduces the size of the file by removing data that is not essential to its quality, such as redundant frames or excessive color information. This results in a smaller file size without compromising the overall viewing experience.

There are several ways to compress a video file, including using online tools or software programs. Online tools like Clideo or Kapwing can easily compress videos for free with just a few clicks. You can also use software programs like Adobe Premiere or Handbrake, which provide more advanced compression settings and options.

In addition to compression, it’s also helpful to consider the format of your video file. Certain formats, such as MP4 or MOV, tend to have smaller file sizes than others, such as AVI or WMV. Choosing a smaller format can further reduce the file size of your video.

By checking the file size of your video and compressing it if necessary, you can ensure that your presentation runs smoothly and your audience can easily view your content.

Consider the Format of Your Video

When inserting a video into your Google Slides presentation, it’s essential to consider the format of the video. Choosing the right format ensures compatibility with Google Slides and prevents playback issues that may disrupt your presentation. In this section, we’ll discuss why video format matters and how to choose the right one.

Why Video Format Matters
The video format determines how the video is encoded and compressed, affecting its file size, quality, and compatibility with different devices and software. Google Slides supports videos in the following formats: MP4, MOV, AVI, and WMV. However, not all codecs (compression and decompression algorithms) within those formats are supported. For example, Google Slides does not support videos with the H.264 High Profile codec.

Choosing the wrong format or codec could result in playback issues, such as audio syncing problems, video distortion, or failure to play altogether. To avoid these issues, ensure that your video is compatible with Google Slides by choosing a supported format and codec.

How to Choose the Right Video Format
When selecting a video format, consider the device and software you’ll be using for your presentation. Different devices and software may have different requirements for video formats and codecs. For example, if you’re presenting on a Mac, you may want to use the MOV format, which is optimized for QuickTime Player, while if you’re presenting on a Windows PC, you may prefer the MP4 format, which is widely compatible.

Additionally, consider the resolution and aspect ratio of your video. Google Slides recommends using videos with a resolution of 720p or higher and an aspect ratio of 16:9. If your video has a different resolution or aspect ratio, you may need to convert or resize it before adding it to your presentation.

In conclusion, choosing the right video format is crucial when adding videos to your Google Slides presentation. By selecting a compatible format and codec, you can ensure smooth playback and avoid disruptions during your presentation.

### Decide Whether to Autoplay the Video

One of the key decisions you need to make when adding a video to your Google Slides presentation is whether to autoplay it. Autoplaying the video can be an effective way to grab the audience’s attention and ensure that they watch the entire video, but it can also be disruptive and annoying.

So how do you decide whether to autoplay the video or not? Here are some factors to consider:

User Control

First and foremost, you need to think about the user experience. Will autoplaying the video give the audience a seamless viewing experience or will it disrupt their flow? If you opt for autoplay, make sure to provide a way for users to pause or stop the video if needed. This ensures that they have full control over the content being presented to them.

Audience Engagement

Another factor to consider is the level of engagement you want to create with your presentation. Autoplaying the video can be a great way to capture your audience’s attention and keep them engaged throughout the presentation. However, if the video is not relevant to the slide content, it can be distracting and reduce the impact of your message.

Video Content

The type of video content you’re using can also play a role in whether to autoplay it or not. For example, if you’re using a video to demonstrate a complex process, autoplaying it could help ensure that viewers see all the steps before moving on. On the other hand, if you’re using a video to provide additional information that’s not critical to the overall message, it may be better to let users decide whether to watch it or not.

In conclusion, the decision to autoplay a video in Google Slides depends on multiple factors, including user experience, audience engagement, and the content of the video itself. By keeping these factors in mind, you can determine whether autoplay is the right choice for your presentation and ensure that your message is delivered effectively.
After following this step-by-step guide, you now know how to add a video in Google Slides and use visual aids to create more engaging presentations. Videos can help convey your message effectively and keep your audience interested throughout your presentation. Remember to consider the file size and format of your videos as well as whether or not to autoplay them. By incorporating videos into your Google Slides presentations, you can elevate your content and make it more memorable. So go ahead and try it out – your audience will thank you!