Learn to use a Keynote presentation template to build your own supporting slides. You'll choose a starting template, then customize it to match the Keynote design that you've got in mind.
Keynote presentation templates save time. They give you a quick start on creating a killer presentation by giving you layouts, elements, and ideas to use quickly.
We'll look at two options for choosing the best Keynote presentation templates. You'll see top slide designs from Envato Elements (an all-you-can-download Keynote presentation service.) Then, you'll also see the top Keynote presentations from GraphicRiver (pay as you go templates.)
But no matter which service you choose, you'll see how easy it can be to customize a presentation. Let's dive in.
How to Quickly Make a Keynote Presentation With Templates (From Envato Elements)
In this section of the tutorial, we're going to feature a Keynote template that you can download from Envato Elements. Elements is a service that many creatives use to learn how to make a professional Keynote presentation. By starting with Keynote templates, you've got the shortcut to success.
Elements is an all-you-can-download approach to creative work. One subscription unlocks stock photos, graphics, icons, and more. And best of all, it's got over 3,000 Keynote presentation templates that save you hours of design work.
Even if this specific template isn't your style, this walkthrough highlights how easy creating a Keynote is. You'll learn how to make a good Keynote presentation, even if you've never used the app.
1. Choose a Template
Because Envato Elements features more than 19,000 Keynote templates currently, it helps to have a guide to the best Keynote templates.
In this round-up, I'm going to work with BePro, one of the templates that's included with Elements. I use BePro because it's a good "general purpose" template that can be used for many types of presentations. If you're learning how to make a professional Keynote presentation, it's a great choice.
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Start searching Elements for the keywords that match your Keynote presentation idea. With such a deep library, you can search for specific terms that match your presentation.
For several of my favorite Keynote templates, check out the round-up below:
Once you find your template, download it and open it up in Keynote. You'll find hundreds of presentation Keynote designs with the design work complete.
2. Edit Slide Masters as Needed
The slide master controls many slides simultaneously. Editing the slide master will adjust multiple slides at the same time.
You'll want to edit a slide master to add "common elements" that'll be featured on multiple slides. For example, adding a logo to the slide master will add that logo in the same spot on each slide that uses the master.
To edit a slide master, click on the View button and choose Edit Master Slides. Then, you'll jump to a screen where you can edit the slide master elements.
When you're finished, return to the View menu and choose a standard view like Navigator. You'll see any slides that use the master updated with your changes.
3. Choose Your Key Slides
Most Keynote presentation templates will include far more slides than you'll actually use. That's okay because it's better to have too many slide designs for inspiration than not enough.
It's also important to note that you should write your presentation first. That means having at least a basic structure in mind. Doing so will help you choose the presentation Keynote designs that fit your concept.
At this stage, I usually start working in light table view to get a "top-down" view of all the slides in the deck. Access that view by going to View > Light Table.
As you select the slide designs that you want to remove, just click on the thumbnails and press Delete. Also, you can drag-and-drop slides into the sequence that you've got in mind.
For me, I typically start moving the slides that I think I'll use to the beginning of the presentation. Until I wrap up with the design of my Keynote presentation, I don't delete any slides in case I want to use them. Building a presentation is a process. It helps to keep the flexibility of all the available slides.
4. Add Content
Now that you've whittled down your choices to the presentation Keynote designs that you'll use, it's time to add your content. If you're still working in Light Table view, double click on a slide thumbnail to start working with it.
Every slide will work differently, but the process is the same. Click in the content placeholders, add your content by typing or browsing to images and choosing them.
5. Add Animations & Effects
Let's add the finishing touch to our Keynote presentation. It's easy to include eye-catching effects that'll grab your audience's attention. Using a few animations tastefully will make your presentation stand out.
To add an animation, click on an object and choose Animate from the toolbar. Then, just click on Add an Effect and choose an animation effect to add it to the selected object.
Reserve animations for your key points. Focus on a big reveal or using it to stage in bullet points to build to a central idea.
For the full guide to add animation to your Keynote presentation, make sure to check out the guide below:
Were you expecting more steps? That's it! Learning how to make a professional Keynote presentation is an easy process. Just download Keynote templates and add your content. In no time flat, you'll have built your best Keynote presentation yet.
How to Build Keynote Presentations with GraphicRiver
If you're a decisive creative, GraphicRiver might just be the best choice for your next Keynote presentation topic. It's a pay-as-you-go marketplace. That means that you'll buy Keynote templates one-by-one.
GraphicRiver templates have the same customization options as the example you've already seen. In this tutorial, we're going to work with the Start Business Keynote template. It's one of the thousands of templates you can buy for a low cost on GraphicRiver.
The Setting
Of course, we'll be creating a presentation with a particular goal in mind. I'll set the scene. For this tutorial, I'll be customizing a Keynote template to act as a sales deck for a fictional design agency. The process described below is similar for most service-based companies.
Step 2 has first final slide we'll be creating in this tutorial. Download a PDF of the finished presentation. There are six slides in the download. Use this download to compare your customization results as you work through this tutorial.
1. Presentation Objective and Opportunity
Our first step is to identify both the objective as well the opportunity of the presentation.
- The objective is what you ultimately want to achieve with your presentation. For our presentation keynote design example, it's selling design services.
- The opportunity is presenting the value to whom you're pitching. If there's no value in your pitch for the people who will be listening, then there's no point to pitch.
For the design agency, the opportunity I want to present is that investing in design pays off as people value good design. My objective is to persuade the people listening to become one of our clients.
2. Content
The second step is to specify the content in your presentation. The purpose of your content is to achieve your objective. Typically, this means that you've got to present the opportunity with clarity—make it crystal clear for your audience.
In my presentation, I want to promote how good design pays off. To do so, I've brainstormed some content ideas:
- design case studies (to promote our capabilities)
- our design process (to educate how we achieve results)
- previous clients (to promote trust)
- the team (to add a human touch to my presentation)
- pricing (to achieve my objective of selling design services)
The above content is inspiration for slides in your presentation.
It's important to decide on your content before you start designing. This avoids the design process from distracting you from what you're trying to achieve. Set an objective and corresponding opportunities. That way you can stick to a well-thought out structure in your presentation.
3. Pick the Right Theme
Now we can dive into design. But first, we'll have to select the right presentation theme. This is a highly personal process. The theme you choose depends on your brand, your objective, your content, as well personal taste.
On GraphicRiver, you can find presentation template design choices for Keynote, as well as PowerPoint and Google Slides themes.
I've selected the following Keynote template for this tutorial. The Start theme feels elegant and has enough visual flexibility to present design services.
Once you've chosen the theme for your presentation, it's time to start customizing.
4. Customize Your Presentation Template
When you open a design template, you'll be greeted by dozens of different slides that you can use. First, go to File in the menu bar and choose Duplicate to separate the template from your working document. Rename the presentation accordingly as this will be your working file to keep the template intact.
Before you can customize your template, you need to:
- Look back at the content you've got in mind. What type of slides do you need? How would these slides ideally be structured?
- Based on the content, select the slides you need in your presentation. Some Keynote templates use master slides (click on Add Slide to see the list of slides you can use). Or the template designer has added all the slide designs directly into the presentation. For the Start template we're using, the designer opted for the latter option.
- Choose the slides that you'll be using based on the content and remove the other slides. Now you've got a good idea of how your presentation will look.
Personally, I always select multiple suitable slides I could use and copy them to my working document. I end up removing slides while I'm working on the presentation.
Note: If you're following along with the template for this tutorial, know that I've chosen the light version. Also, I've added the slide number per slide design so you can follow along.
Step 1. Introduction Slide
Let's start with an introduction slide. I've picked slide 57 from the template design.
Let's start simple. We begin with changing the text. You can click on any text field in the slide and change the copy to your content. Besides editing the copy, it might also be a good idea to change the fonts to something that suits your brand.
I've updated both the copy in the slide and selected a different font. In our example, I'll be using Roboto Slab as the title font and Fira Sans as the body font.
As you notice, there's an image placeholder. I drag in an example of my design work to replace the image placeholder and finish the slide.
Notice how easy it is to customize a slide. Typically, playing with text, fonts, images and colors goes a long way to customize slide templates.
I recommend you first decide on your content, then figure out the presentation structure. As a final step, start customizing. This is the easiest workflow.
Step 2. Case Study Slide
After our introduction slide, the next slide in our presentation is the case study slide. In the template, I've picked slide 17 as a suitable slide for the case study.
This Keynote slide design was designed to present a company's mission. What's excellent about templates is that you can repurpose slides. I'll be using this slide structure to present a case study instead.
As before, I'll be changing the imagery and typography to redesign the slide while retaining the slide structure from the template.
As you see, a couple of smaller tweaks and adding in content has transformed this slide into a case study.
Step 3. Design Process Slide
Once a case study is presented, we'll move on to presenting our design process. For this, I've selected Slide 19 from the Start Keynote template.
As with the previous slide, we'll repurpose this slide to present the design process. The slide uses Iconography. To help visualize the design process a little bit better, I change the icons to new ones.
In the above slide, I changed the typography, content and icons to repurpose the slide. After a few simple changes, here are the results:
Step 4. Team Slide
While some slides are slides you want to customize extensively, others are very straight-forward to edit. Take a team slide for example, just update the names and bio and add in a photo and you're all set. I've picked Slide 51 to use for this presentation, although slides 52 through 55 are ideal as well.
Before customization:
After customization:
Step 5. Pricing Slide
You're also able to be a little bit more adventurous with your slides and change the slide structure. Take the final slide for example, which is the pricing slide. I've decided to use Slide 49 from the template.
Let's say we offer three products. This means that one pricing option can be removed. We also don't really need a call-to-action on the pricing slide, so we can remove this one as well.
With other words, feel free to tweak the structure of a slide according to your needs.
A template can act as inspiration for a personally designed slide.
Completed Keynote Presentation
There we go! We've just finished customizing our presentation using a template. Download a PDF of the finished results.
Some final thoughts:
- Start by defining the objectives and the opportunities.
- Choose your content and transform it into presentable slides.
- Pick a theme according to your needs.
- Use typography to your advantage to create a unique look and feel.
- Photography and iconography can completely change how a presentation feels.
- You can edit template slides and change their structure.
The most important take-away: a presentation template is a shortcut. Hence there's no right or wrong way to use a Keynote template. Experiment and see what you can create.
5 Quick Keynote Presentation Tips (For 2021 Slides)
Keynote templates help you make a great impression. Plus, they save you time by taking the hard work out of designing presentations from scratch. To ensure success, keep these five quick tips in mind:
1. Be Specific
You always need to think of how to make a professional Keynote presentation stand out. Let’s face it: slide decks are everywhere. You need to go the extra mile to be remembered.
A great way to do that is to choose Keynote templates with a specific theme. Presenting about a construction project? Turn to a construction template. You’ll find options for almost every subject imaginable.
Plus, these help you work faster by providing design inspiration inside. Use them to build a winning Keynote presentation fast!
2. Animate Slides
Ever wondered how to create Keynote presentation designs that flow smoothly? Animations are a big help. These help guide your presentation by showing content exactly when you want.
Many premium Keynote templates come pre-animated. But you can also edit animations and add your own right inside of the app. To help you get started, check out our full tutorial on Keynote animation:
3. Keep Slides Readable
Know your audience. Also, know your venue. If you’re presenting in a large room, tiny print won’t be appreciated. You need to use readable layouts. This is how to make a good Keynote presentation for any space.
Readable slides share common themes: they've got larger fonts, and they’re not cluttered. By having sharp text and ample open space, they give your content room to breathe. What’s more they’re far easier for audiences to see, even from the back of the room.
4. Style With Kinetic Typography
When you think of how to create Keynote presentation styles, don’t forget that text is a design element. By animating text, you can impress audiences with content already on your slides!
Kinetic typography is a great example. These simple text animations deliver a powerful dose of stylish design to any slide. And thanks to Keynote, you can add them to any slide in just seconds. Learn how with our tutorial:
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5. Illustrate Heavily
An illustrated Keynote presentation offers many advantages:
- It looks better.
- It keeps the narrative moving.
- It helps you avoid cluttered slides.
Plus, you can illustrate ideas, introduce your team, and much more.
Premium Keynote templates make adding images easy. With pre-built placeholders, you can drag and drop photos onto your slides. It only takes a few seconds to build compelling slides.
Grab a Premium Keynote Presentation Template!
Wasn't it easy to customize a Keynote template? If you're looking for some excellent templates to start from, we've listed a few of our favorites here:
Presentations35 Best Keynote Presentation Templates (Designs For Mac Users 2021)
Keynote30 Animated Keynote Templates to Make Cool Captivating Presentations in 2020
Keynote30 Best Keynote Pitch Deck Templates (Business Plan Presentation Designs 2021)
Or you can head over to GraphicRiver to browse through our selection of hundreds of professional Keynote Templates. Find the presentation style with just the right presentation Keynote design that fits your upcoming presentation needs.
5 Trending Keynote Templates (From Envato Elements - For 2021)
Templates save you time and ensure you build stylish slides every day. Here are five trending Keynote templates from Envato Elements for 2021:
1. Educa - Keynote Template
When you think of how to make a good Keynote presentation, you want options. That’s what Educa offers you. With 150 total slides, you’re sure to find the perfect layout. Each one is expertly crafted with you in mind. Every graphic is completely editable, giving you unmatched customization options.
2. The X - Keynote Template
Want to learn how to make a professional Keynote presentation with sleek styling? The answer—use The X. These stunning Keynote templates have a sharp, black-and-white design. The slides are pre-animated, saving you time. You’ll see custom features like device mockups and more.
3. Nicola Keynote Presentation
Nicola is a versatile Keynote presentation that works for a variety of topics. It uses soft, pastel tones that look good anywhere. Inside, there are 30 unique slides that you can quickly customize. The Keynote templates use master layouts, which help make bulk edits a breeze.
4. Ruby Keynote
Wonder how to make a professional Keynote presentation guaranteed to grab attention? A template like Ruby is a great place to start. The rich, red layouts are eye-catching. They’re also flexible, with over 50 custom designs. Drop in your own content, and you’re ready to wow any audience.
5. Rise - Keynote Presentation Template
Flip the script on boring Keynote templates with Rise. These richly illustrated HD slides make your content shine. Every design feature is fully customizable, and it’s easy to add your own content to the slides. Drag and drop images and more. This one works well for slide decks on virtually any topic.
Where to Find the Best Keynote Templates in 2021 (Envato Elements vs. GraphicRiver)
We’ve seen how to create Keynote presentation designs. But where should you find the very best Keynote templates?
Both Envato Elements and GraphicRiver have stunning designs for Keynote templates with easy-to-edit features that show you how to make a good Keynote presentation. So, which site should you choose? What are the advantages of each one?
1. Top Benefits of Envato Elements
Envato Elements is a subscription service with a key feature: unlimited downloads. For a flat monthly rate, try out as many Keynote templates as you want.
Plus, Elements offers all kinds of other creative assets. These include custom fonts, stock photos, music, and more. All are useful as you think of how to make a good Keynote presentation.
Check out the screenshot below for a preview of the top Keynote templates trending on Envato Elements now:
2. Top Benefits of GraphicRiver (& Envato Market)
GraphicRiver is part of Envato Market, a creative marketplace for all kinds of digital assets. You’ll find thousands of beautiful Keynote presentation templates available.
At GraphicRiver, you pay by download. That means you buy only the templates and other files that you want. There are no monthly subscriptions or memberships. Here are the top trending Keynote templates on GraphicRiver:
3. Which Site to Choose?
If you create Keynote presentations often, or are undecided about your design, Envato Elements is a great choice. With thousands of Keynote template options, you can try as many as you want to find the perfect design for you. Join Elements today.
But if you only need a single Keynote presentation template, GraphicRiver is a winning choice for you. Head over today and find your next favorite Keynote presentation deck.
Learn More About Keynote Presentation Templates
For more information on how to make a great presentation in Keynote, study the following resources:
KeynoteHow to Create a Keynote Presentation Template Design
KeynoteHow to Make Flowcharts & Gantt Charts in Keynote With Templates
KeynoteHow to Quickly Make a Timeline in Keynote With Templates
Make Great Presentations (Free eBook Download)
We've got the perfect complement to this tutorial, which will walk you through the complete presentation process. Learn how to write your presentation, design it like a pro, and prepare it to present powerfully.
Download our new eBook: The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations. It's available for free with a subscription to the Tuts+ Business Newsletter.
Also, if you need a primer on presentation design, this article is a must:
Design a Keynote Presentation Today
You've just learned how to make a great presentation in Keynote using a "best of both worlds" approach. Start with a Keynote template, then build a presentation that fits your content. Whether you use Envato Elements or GraphicRiver for your next Keynote presentation, download a template and jump into designing your next presentation now!
Editorial Note: This post was originally published in February of 2016. It's been comprehensively revised to make it current, accurate, and up to date by our staff--with special help from Andrew Childress.
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