7 Must-Follow Rules of Presentation Design in 2025

You don’t have to be a designer to create fantastic slides that also clearly convey your message. Sure, templates can provide you with some assistance, but the real success is largely due to the application of a few simple rules, which can be seen in any design plan. 

Using these rules, you will be able to change your overloaded slides into ones that are visually appealing and consistent with your brand. Also, in the event that you choose to collaborate with a presentation design agency, you will be aware of what you should be requesting and how you can evaluate the outcome. 

There are several resources and templates you can use, like PowerPoint and Google Slides, and websites like SlidesCarnival, Canva, and Envato. Templates alone do not understand what you are trying to convey. 

On top of that, you still have to decide on the proper size, type, color, pictures, and speed for your ideas to be grasped. Your presentation will be nice with a template, but if it is not compatible with your brand or it is overly used, then it will be quite forgettable. Employing templates is a great time-saving strategy. However, the content will solely depend on you if you follow the rules below.

So, are you ready to learn some great presentation design rules to up your game? Then let’s dive in!

Rule 1: Less Is More

Your slides are supposed to be your support. The role they should not be playing is scuffling for the viewer's attention. When you hire a presentation design agency, they usually eliminate the additional words. Give each slide one main idea. Refrain from using full sentences and instead use short phrases. Perhaps you can try the 6×6 rule: up to 6 bullets per slide and up to 6 words per bullet. 

Love your whitespace. Empty space is not wasted. It helps the eye rest and makes key points stand out. Do not stretch text or photos to fill every corner. That adds clutter.

Slow the pace when needed. If a topic is big, split it across a few slides. Add simple divider slides to give a short break. This keeps the audience fresh.

Rule 2: Pick Fonts on Purpose

Type is the voice of your slides.

Keep it to two. Use one font for headings and one for body text. Three is the max. If you need help pairing, try FontJoy or Typ.io.

Make it easy to read. For body text, pick clean sans‑serif fonts. Save fancy display fonts for short headlines only. Use ALL CAPS only for short labels.

Match your brand. If your company has brand fonts, use them. If not, pick fonts that feel like your message—friendly, bold, or technical—and stick with them.

Rule 3: Use Color to Guide the Eye

Color should focus attention and support your brand.

Limit the palette. One main color and one accent are enough for most decks. Too many colors look messy.

Add pop with care. Use a bright accent for buttons, key words, or data points. Do not flood the slide with bright color.

Check contrast. Make sure text stands out on the background. High contrast helps people in the back of the room read your slide.

Rule 4: Build Clear Visual Hierarchy

Hierarchy tells people what to read first.

Contrast: Do not let text fade into the background. Use light vs. dark to make key items pop.

Background vs. foreground: If you put text on a photo, choose images with empty “copy space.” If the photo is busy, add a soft color block, blur, or gradient behind the text.

Size: Use about 30 pt or larger for body text. Make headings at least 1.5× bigger than body text. Bigger type is easier to read in a room.

Alignment and grids: Do not mix many alignments. Left alignment is fastest to scan. Use a simple grid. Line up headlines, images, and captions. Group related items close together.

Rule 5: Let Icons Do the Heavy Lifting

People remember pictures better than words. A clear icon can replace a sentence and speed up understanding.

Make the meaning obvious. Choose icons that are clear at a glance. If you must explain the symbol, pick a different one. Add a short caption if needed.

Stay consistent. Do not mix thin line icons with heavy filled icons. Use icons from the same set so stroke and style match.

Use icons for structure. Swap bullet dots for icons that match each point. Lists become visual and easier to recall.

Using Noun Project Icons

• Search a huge library. Noun Project has millions of icons. Download PNG or SVG and recolor to match your brand.

• Stay in your app. Use add‑ons for Google Slides, PowerPoint, and Adobe apps. SVGs resize cleanly and are easy to edit.

• Go Pro for speed. An Icon Pro account lets you insert and recolor icons without attribution—great for teams that build many decks.

Tip: Icons shine with abstract or technical topics like security, compliance, or workflows. They help the idea “click” fast.

Rule 6: Pick Photos That Fit the Mood

Good photos add warmth and trust.

Keep it real. Choose natural, authentic shots. Show diverse ages, faces, and bodies so more people feel seen. For ideas, browse Diversity in Tech or Empowered Women on Noun Project.

One strong image beats many. A single full‑bleed photo keeps focus. If you need several images, crop them to the same size and align them to a grid.

Unify with overlays. Add a soft brand‑color overlay or tweak hue/brightness so images feel like one set. In PowerPoint, try Picture Format to Color.

Rule 7: When to Hire a Presentation Design Agency

You can handle many decks with the rules above. Still, a presentation design agency can be a smart choice when:

• The stakes are high: investor pitch, product launch, executive keynote, or big sales meeting.

• You need a master template: fonts, colors, grids, and slide parts that teams can reuse.

• The story is complex: data‑heavy charts, motion graphics, or detailed process maps.

• You need speed at scale: dozens of slides for a roadshow or event.

• You need access and language support: strong contrast, clear structure, and layouts ready for translation.

A good presentation design agency will sharpen your story, clean up visuals, build a flexible template, and leave you with assets your whole team can use.

Conclusion

Great presentation design is not about flashy tricks. It is about clear choices that serve your message. Keep text short, build strong hierarchy, use simple type and limited color, and choose visuals with purpose. 

Let icons and photos show what words cannot. With these rules, you can make strong slides on your own. And when the moment really matters, a trusted presentation design agency can help you turn a good story into a winning one.