Create Great Maps for PowerPoint Presentations

Learn how to illustrate your presentation and create great PowerPoint maps for presentations thanks to pre-built templates in this tutorial.

Introduction to PowerPoint Maps

Variety in presentations is essential. Avoid having the same presentation as everyone else. Added visuals in a presentation capture and maintain the attention of your audience. Using US PowerPoint maps to add a sense of location to your presentation is one effective method. However, drawing maps from scratch can be time-consuming, and grabbing images of maps online may not always be flexible or licensed for use.

In this tutorial, I will demonstrate how to create an effective map in PowerPoint using a pre-built template. Additionally, we will explore ways to create animated maps in PowerPoint.

How to Create Beautiful Maps in PowerPoint (Video)

Are you curious about how to create custom maps in PowerPoint? The video below provides a head start to adding beautiful PowerPoint maps to your presentations.

Continue reading to discover further helpful tips for using maps in PowerPoint presentations.

How to Use PowerPoint Maps

PowerPoint is a highly flexible tool, especially when combined with pre-built PowerPoint US map and world map templates. For example, if you want to create a US map in PowerPoint, the right template can make this process simple.

Here are some examples of how PowerPoint maps can enhance your presentations:

• Company Locations: Plot your company’s presence across the country or globally using a well-designed PowerPoint US map template or a world map for PowerPoint.
• New Markets: Highlight territories that you are prospecting. An illustrated PowerPoint map slide can be very effective.
• Historical Maps: Link locations on a map to represent various places you’ve lived over time in a personalized slide deck.

We will work with the Maps PowerPoint Infographic Slides deck in this tutorial. I will show you how to take the template from Elements and customize it to create interactive maps in PowerPoint.

How to Adjust PowerPoint Map Templates

In this tutorial, we will learn how to create a map for PowerPoint by customizing slides from the Maps PowerPoint Infographic Slides template. This template includes numerous slides featuring a variety of geographical designs, making it an excellent choice for creating maps in PowerPoint.

Remember, you’re just starting with a slide template. You can adjust any of these starter slides to fit your presentation preferences.

Let’s walk through five visual adjustments you can make to customize a map slide in PowerPoint:

1. Change the Gradient Overlay

The blue-green style in this template may not match your existing slides. Fortunately, you can change these gradients easily to fit your design.

To do this, start by ungrouping the blocks. Right-click on the map in PowerPoint and choose Group > Ungroup. This allows you to select individual components of the map.

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Once ungrouped, select the individual components. Right-click and choose Format Object. Under fill options, you can change the colors in the Gradient Fill section. For instance, switch to shades of green.

2. Focus on a Single State

If you want to emphasize a specific part of the PowerPoint map, consider highlighting a particular state and fading out the rest.

Again, start by right-clicking the map and selecting Group > Ungroup.

Then, select the regions you want to change and adjust the Transparency slider in the fill menu to fade out the selected areas.

3. Remove Regions as Needed

You are not required to include all regions in the PowerPoint map. You can select and remove individual areas as needed.

Start by right-clicking the map and choosing Group > Ungroup.

Then click on each region you wish to delete and press delete on your keyboard. The high-quality shapes in this slide deck allow you to resize them as needed.

4. Add a Border for Focus

To further emphasize a specific region of the map, you can add a border. After ungrouping, select a single region and right-click Format Shape.

In the new menu, find the Line dropdown to change the Color, Transparency, and Width of the border.

5. Add an Annotation

Annotations can help highlight specific parts of the map. Use the Insert tab on the PowerPoint ribbon to select a shape that can serve as an eye-catching text box for the map.

Ensure your annotations are accurate by cross-referencing with a detailed tool like Google Maps.

How to Insert a Map Slide Into Your PowerPoint Deck

Often, you won’t have a slide deck full of map slides. Instead, you might finish a map slide in PowerPoint and want to add it to an existing presentation.

To move your slide to another presentation, click on the slide thumbnail in the sidebar and copy it using Ctrl + C (Windows) or Cmd + C (Mac).

Next, navigate to your target slide deck and right-click in the sidebar where you want to paste your slide. You’ll see options for Use Destination Theme and Keep Source Formatting:

• Use Destination Theme: This option attempts to match your map slide style to the deck it’s being added to.
• Keep Source Formatting: This option preserves the original style and formatting of the slide.

Check out the quick screencast below for more about pasting a slide into a different presentation:

Adjust the style of the pasted slide to match the rest of your presentation, including fonts and color schemes.

5 Best PowerPoint Map Slide Design Examples

Now that we’ve discussed how to make and insert PowerPoint maps, let’s look at some creative examples of maps used in presentations:

1. General World Map Slide

This slide showcases global data with different colored regions to represent various figures.

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2. Continent Map

Use this when you want to present data related to a specific continent or region. You can color different states and add text for further explanation.

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3. Country Map

Ideal for sharing details about services or products at a country level, this template allows local businesses to showcase branch information.

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4. Maps With Charts

Combine a map with charts to share detailed information about each location.

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5. Map Slides With User Icons

Pair demographic data with user icons on a country or region map to visualize target groups effectively.

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5 Tips For Successful Interactive Map Presentation Designs

Now that we’ve explored inserting maps in PowerPoint, let’s discuss best practices to ensure your interactive map is a valuable addition:

1. Use Color to Your Advantage

Color is a powerful communicator. Use it strategically to enhance your map’s message.

2. Be Strategic With Your PowerPoint Maps

Ensure your map serves a clear purpose without overwhelming the slide. It could be a focal point or a supportive element.

3. Use Imagery to Convey Ideas

Enhance your map with imagery to support your message visually.

4. Ensure Clarity of Communication

Stay focused on your map’s objective, especially with infographics. Clearly highlight locations or include wayfinding elements.

5. Establish a Clear Objective

Your maps should reinforce your presentation narrative, showcasing relevant data or directing attention to specific areas.

Find Your Own Great Map Template on Elements

If you’re not a cartographer and lack the time to create maps from scratch, consider using PowerPoint map templates from Envato Elements. Their flat-rate subscription service offers unlimited downloads across various categories, including engaging map presentation templates.

Using pre-built templates saves you time and provides a strong design foundation.

Choose Top PowerPoint Map Templates

To simplify the process of creating PowerPoint maps, consider utilizing pre-built templates with pre-drawn maps. Here are some of the best PowerPoint map slide templates available from Envato Elements:

1. Americane: America Region Info Map PowerPoint

This template features 59 unique and editable presentation slide designs.

2. Create Animated Map in PowerPoint

This template includes 1,000 icon sets and 834 slides for creating animated maps quickly.

3. World Maps for Presentations (PowerPoint Map Chart)

Easily customizable interactive maps for presentations.

4. PowerPoint Maps Presentation (Map in PPT)

Create animated maps effortlessly with this template.

5. Maps PowerPoint Infographic Slide

This template offers 33 infographic maps that are easy to customize.

Common PowerPoint Questions Answered (FAQ)

Here are some frequently asked questions about using PowerPoint:

1. Can I Download Microsoft PowerPoint for Free?

While you can’t download it for free, you can use the online version with limited functionality without a subscription.

2. Can I Add Videos to My Presentations in PowerPoint?

Yes, adding video can enhance your presentation. Check out our tutorial on embedding videos in PowerPoint.

3. Can I Collaborate on My Presentation With PowerPoint?

Yes, recent versions allow multiple users to collaborate easily.

4. Can I Share my PowerPoint Online With SlideShare?

You can upload and share your presentation online via SlideShare.

5. What’s the Difference Between PowerPoint Online and Desktop PowerPoint?

PowerPoint Online has limited functionality compared to its desktop counterpart.

Find More of the Best PowerPoint Map Templates

This tutorial focused on making maps in PowerPoint, refining a great-looking template to match your style. For more PowerPoint resources, check out additional tutorials and guides for enhancing your presentation skills.