Adding a Video Clip to Your PowerPoint Slides

Adding a Video Clip to Your PowerPoint Slides

If a picture paints a thousand words, imagine what a movie can do. Next time you create a PowerPoint presentation, consider adding a video clip to your slides. You should never add an element just for the sake of it, but sometimes a few words from the company CEO, a demonstration of your product in action, or short testimonials from existing clients can really bring your message to life.
PowerPoint allows you to insert video from three different sources into a slide: file, Clip Art, or web site. The first two options are pretty straight forward, so I'm going to spend my time discussing the third choice. You may want to insert a clip from YouTube or another web site. As long as the author has given permission for their work to be shared (this is done when they publish to the web), you can make it an object in one of your slides.

TIP: Always watch the clip yourself to ensure that the content is suitable and will add value to the message you are trying to convey. Don't include video just to show how clever you are.
1. Go to the relevant web site and locate the video clip you want to insert
For the purpose of this article I am going to use YouTube as my example.
2. Click on the word Share which you should find under the title of the video and the number of views
You should now see a series of social media logos including Facebook and Twitter. Above these you should see the word Embed.
3. Click on the word Embed
The embed code will appear in a box under Embed.
4. Select all of the code (click in the box and press Ctrl + A)
5. Copy the code (Ctrl + C)
6. Return to PowerPoint
7. Select the slide you want the video to appear in
8. On the Insert ribbon, in the Media group, click on the bottom half of the Video button
You will see options for the different video sources.
9. Click on Video from Web Site
The Insert Video from Web Site dialog box will appear with instructions.
10. Click in the box and then paste the embed code that you have just copied (Ctrl + V)
When the dialog box closes, you will probably see a black rectangle on your slide. Don't worry that you can't see your movie. This will change when you start your slide show.
11. View the current slide as a slide show (Shift + F5)
12. Click on the arrow to begin your video
TIP: There are two types of embed codes. The new one supports Flash and HTML5 Video and the old one only supports Flash. If you have difficulty getting the new code to work, try embedding the video using the old code.
1. Follow the first three steps as previously outlined
2. When you click on the word Embed and see the box with the code, put a check mark on 'Use old embed code'that appears beneath the code box
3. Continue with steps 4 through 12
Once you have inserted a video clip, it becomes an object that can be moved and resized.
Click on the object and then look at the ribbon tabs at the top of your PowerPoint screen. There are two special ribbons of tools which contain all of the commands needed for this special object. 'Format'contains options for changing the look of the object and 'Playback'lets you make changes to the clip itself.
When you insert YouTube code, many of the buttons in the Video Tools ribbons are greyed-out or unavailable as the clip belongs to someone else and can't be altered in ways that a file you created yourself can.
Caution: If you are embedding code into your presentation, you will need internet access for it to play.
Tip: If you are inserting a video file that exists on your computer, move it to a folder that also contains the PowerPoint presentation, before you insert it. If you copy your presentation to a USB drive you want to copy the video file as well or else you will run into problems. Having everything you need for your presentation in one place makes it easier not to leave something behind.
TIP: If you want your video to start playing as soon as you advance to the slide it is contained in:
a) Click on the Playback tab of the Video Tools
b) Change the 'Start" option in the Video Options group to 'Automatically'
Add some additional pizzazz to your PowerPoint slides by including a video clip. It's a great way to make your presentation more engaging for your audience.

Reen Rose is an empowerment expert who believes in aiding businesses of all sizes, by helping individuals and teams acquire the skills they need to be happy and successful in their work. She is an experienced Microsoft Certified Trainer, Microsoft Office Specialist Master and a Myers Briggs certified practitioner.
She has been described as 'focused, fun and very effective'.

To find out more about Reen and the training and corporate services she offers, please visit her website at http://www.ReenRose.com.

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