20 Creative (& Aesthetic) Google Slides Presentation Design Ideas for 2021

There are many ways to add a bit of creativity to your presentation. To help you design a stunning presentation, we’ve put together a collection of 20 creative Google Slides presentation design ideas for 2021. 

Find Creative Google Slides Templates On Envato Elements

Before we dive into the actual design ideas for Google Slides, one thing is certain: you’ll need a Google Slides template to use as a starting point. One of the best places to find creative Google Slides templates is Envato Elements. It's a subscription-based marketplace that offers thousands of Google Slides templates as well as other design assets for one low monthly fee. That’s a pretty compelling offer. 

Download as many Google Slides templates as well as web mockups, stock photos, and other design assets as you want. Customize them to your needs and use them in an unlimited number of projects. 

There are plenty of creative Google Slides themes for you to explore.

Another great place to find Google Slides templates for creatives is GraphicRiver. Here, buy individual Google Slides templates. It's perfect if you only need a single template for your presentation.

20 Creative Google Slides Design Ideas For 2021 Presentations

Below, you’ll find 20 creative Google Slides design ideas that you can use for your presentations in 2021 and beyond:

1. Go Minimal

A minimal slide design allows the contents of your presentation to stand out more. Your audience is more likely to focus on what you've got to say when they’re not distracted by the design of your slide. If the minimal design appeals to you and the message you’re delivering is very important, consider using a minimal Google Slides template like the Rhyme template.

2. Use a Consistent Motif 

A consistent motif throughout your presentation could be a great way to enforce your message. If you use a brand icon or a part of your logo, build brand recognition throughout the entire presentation. You’re only limited by your imagination here. For example use: 

• a consistent shape


• the same image crop


• your brand icon


• an alternate version of your logo

Take cues from the Creativiti Google Slides template below:

3. Play With Color Blocking

Color blocking refers to using color in large sections or in contrasting tones. This is effective to make a better distinction between text and visual elements on your slide, or even between two different parts of your text. The Value Google Slides template is a good example of using color blocking to your advantage. 

4. Be Bold With Fonts

The Asoka template is a perfect choice of how to use fonts to draw attention to your presentation. Simply by increasing the font size, you can add more visual interest to an individual slide. Another way to use fonts to your advantage is to use bold font for slide titles or for different presentation sections. 

You can also overlay text over photos or other imagery in the slide. This will instantly draw the eye towards that part of the slide. So, it’s a handy technique to use when you want your audience to remember a certain point. 

5. Make a Statement With Presentation Cover Slide

Your cover slide sets the tone for the entire presentation. It’s the perfect opportunity to give a clue of what your presentation will cover and to show off your brand. As such, your presentation cover needs to intrigue the audience and make them interested in the content to follow. 

Choose a high-quality image and incorporate your brand elements. Use your logo or add a color strip in your main brand color like in the Creva template.

6. Use Creative Image Crops

In most presentations, images will be cropped into a square or rectangular format. Break the convention and make sure your presentation stands out by using more creative shapes for your photos. Use a circle or experiment with more abstract shapes like in the Healthcare Template below.

7. Spice Up Presentations With Icons

Images, graphs, and charts aren't the only way to make your presentation more visual. If you don’t have any data to share, consider using icons. Use them to signify when a new presentation section is coming up or on individual slides to emphasize certain points. This template makes excellent use of icons throughout various slides. 

8. Go Back to Basics With Black and White

Using a black and white Google Slides template is a perfect choice if you want a minimal presentation. It’s also a good choice if you want to design a presentation with a more corporate look and feel. The Binno template is a beautiful black and white Google Slides template. Use it as an inspiration for black and white presentation design.

9. Alternate Slide Layouts

Consider using a variety of slide layouts to make your presentation more interesting. This includes experimenting with text and photos as well as using a pure text slide followed by an image slide. You can also add slides that have nothing but infographic elements when you need to present data visually. 

10. Opt for a Vertical Template

A horizontal layout is pretty standard when it comes to presentations. But that doesn’t mean you can’t break the rule and opt for a vertical Google Slides template. This is a great way to share your presentation in a new way and keep your audience engaged at the same time. Take inspiration from the Lora Google Slides template.

11. Use Maps When Discussing Locations

Map slides are absolutely crucial when it comes to presentations involving locations. Use them to show a planned expansion into new markets or to show existing market share of your company or products. The Shining template has several map slides to choose from and is a good example of how you can use maps to your advantage. 

12. Experiment With Neon Accents

Adding neon or otherwise bright-colored accents to your presentation is a good way to not only draw attention to important parts of your presentation, but also to make it stand out. This is useful if you’re creating a business pitch or proposal presentation. 

13. Have Fun With Duotone Color Schemes

Duotone color schemes are very trendy right now. So, if you want to make sure your presentation follows current design trends, use this to your advantage. 

You can use the duotone color scheme on the cover of your presentation as well as an overlay for other images in your presentation. The Vibrant Google Slides template makes creative use of the duotone trend.

14. Use Illustrations

Another creative presentation design idea is to use illustrations in your presentation. This can be a great way to make your presentation truly custom and to reinforce your brand. Use them in place of images or only on some slides — the choice is yours. Look at how the Moujive template adds illustration elements to different slides.

15. Try a Color Split

Consider using two different colors on the same slide. This is sure to capture the attention of your audience and make a statement. For this to work effectively, consider using complementary colors such as red and green or blue and yellow. The Divergent template is a good example of a bold Google Slides presentation template with a color split.

16. Draw Attention With Dark Background

Use a dark Google Slides template for a more dramatic presentation. They can look quite elegant, so a dark Google Slides template is a good choice for a fashion or luxury brand. Keep in mind that you’ll need to use a vibrant color as your call to action color to ensure your message gets across. Draw inspiration from the Vannie Google Slides template to pull this off effectively.

17. Use Video And Music

Don’t be afraid to add video or music to your presentation. Use music to open up your presentation and add videos where you need a lengthy explanation of a particular topic. Or use this tip for any type of presentation. It works well with any Google Slides template.

18. Try an Abstract Look

Abstract shapes are another design trend that’s all over social media networks. Quickly add it to your presentation by using a Google Slides template with an abstract design. 

If you’re making a portfolio type presentation where you need to show off your creativity, the abstract elements will come in handy. They work well for presentation slide backgrounds. You can also use abstract elements on slide breaks and on the cover of your presentation. 

19. Shake Things Up With Animation

Animation and slide transitions add more visual interest to your presentation, but you've got to be careful not to overdo it. Save the animations for announcing a new idea in your presentation or for the key slides. 

There's no shortage of Google Slides templates for creatives that are already animated like the Matrid template below. So, all you've got to do is add your content in.

20. Get Inspired By Retro And Pop Art Design

Retro design is another trend that’s pretty popular right now. Use it as an inspiration when designing your Google Slides presentation, especially if your brand has a more vintage look and feel. You can also use pop art as an inspiration for your presentation design if you want to use vibrant and bold colors to make a statement. The Memphis Google Slides template is a good example of a template influenced by retro design trends.

How to Create an Aesthetic Google Slides Presentation

Once you've grabbed a premium Google Slides template, start customizing it with your content. To customize your Google Slides template and create a more aesthetic presentation, follow the steps below. 

For this examples, we'll customize the premium template, Alevera. You'll find it over on Envato Elements. Download the template to follow along or use your own favorite template.

Let's get started:

1. Select Your Slides

Before you even begin to customize the template, you'll want to choose the slides that to use. Alevera comes with many different slide layouts, but not all of them are going to fit our particular presentation. Pick the slides that you want to use and delete the rest. 

2. Add in Images

Our template has many gray blocked image placeholders where we can add our images in for each particular slide. The template makes it incredibly easy. All you've got to do is click on the gray place holder and right click.

From there, choose the menu option, Replace Image. Then choose the image that you want to appear in that particular placeholder. 

3. Choose Your Color Scheme

While our template comes with a nice looking color scheme, we want to change it to fit our particular presentation a bit better. To change the color scheme, go to the top menu header and choose the View > Master options. You'll be brought to the master slides editor where you can then select the Color button on the top header.

From there, select the Choose Colors Theme drop down menu. Edit the colors of the template how you see fit. 

4. Add in Your Content Via Dictation

When it comes time to filling in the slides with your content, the obvious option is to type in the content. But Google Slides gives you the option to convert speech into text, so you don't have to type in the text. To add your text via dictation, select Tools > Voice type speaker notes. 

The Microphone icon now appears on your screen. To start recording your voice, click the Microphone icon and begin speaking. You'll see the text show up on your screen. When you're done recording, just click the Microphone icon again. 

5. Add Animations

Animations are a great way to add interest to your presentation. When used in a subtle way, they create a professional feel to the presentation.

To add animations to your slides, choose the Insert > Animation menu option. A right hand menu will pop up where you can add in where you can choose the specific animation you want for your slides and other animation details. 

Now let's have a look at the top five design tips for your aesthetic Google Slides templates.

Top 5 Design Tips for Creative & Aesthetic Google Slides Presentations

To help you create the best Google Slides presentations, we'll now go over the top five design tips that can make your presentations look their best:

1. Use Cursive Fonts

Cursive fonts give a more elegant and sophisticated look to your presentations. The best place to add a cursive font is in your titles on your various slides and let the body of the slide have a normal font. This adds that creative touch that's sure to make an impression on your audience. 

2. Use Colorful Graphics

Creative and aesthetic looking presentations benefit from adding colorful looking graphics. This coupled with white backgrounds really make the slides pop. Make sure to include graphics that fit in with the content that you're presenting. 

3. Use Dynamic Layouts

The layout alone for your Google Slides will indicate whether your presentation is a creative one or not.

Using more abstract shapes and layering elements on top of these shapes is a great way to create a dynamic layout. It instantly tells your audience that you're delivering a creative presentation. They also have the added benefit of being more visually appealing than standard layouts.

4. Keep It Minimal

To create a more aesthetic presentation you'll want to take a more minimalist approach. Don't overcrowd your designs with too much text or too many images. Add only the essential elements to your pages and let the spacious layout do the talking. 

5. Use a Black & White Color Scheme

Black & white color schemes give your presentation a classic but creative look. This works especially well when you've got photos that are black and white. You can also add a bit more creative flare to your black and white scheme by using a highlight color such as yellow. 

Let's now have a look at even more Google Slides templates that you can use for your creative and aesthetic presentations. 

Find More Creative Google Slides Templates

For even more gorgeous Google Slides templates for creatives, we've got plenty of roundups that you can check out. Get inspired by these Google Slides template collections:

• 
  Google Slides
  
  
  30+ Cool Google Slides Themes (With Aesthetic Slide Design Ideas for 2020)
  
  
  Sean Hodge


• 
  Google Slides
  
  
  25+ Free Minimalist Google Slides Themes (Designs to Download for 2021)
  
  
  Daniel Strongin


• 
  Google Slides
  
  
  20 Fun Free Google Slides Themes (+Playful Slideshow Design Ideas for 2021)
  
  
  Andrew Childress

If you’re ready to create your presentation with Google Slides, head on over to Envato Elements. Sign up so you can start downloading as many Google Slides templates as you want.

Common Google Slides Questions Answered (FAQ)

If you use Google Slides for your presentations, you'll most likely have a few questions about how the software functions. Below, we've collected five of the most frequently asked Google Slides questions and provided answers:

1. I'm New to Google Slides. Where Should I Start?

Google Slides is a complete presentation software that can create any type of presentation. While the software can be complex, it's also very user friendly. You can create professional looking presentations in no time.

Check out this quick start guide below for more information:

• 
  Presentations
  
  
  How to Use Google Slides in 2020 (Quick Start Guide)
  
  
  Rebecca Tarnopol

2. Can You Change Theme Colors?

Absolutely! You can change your theme colors really easily in Google Slides even if you're using a template that's got a color scheme already implemented. To find out how to do this, check out the article below:

• 
  Google Slides
  
  
  How to Quickly Change Theme Colors in Google Slides for 2021
  
  
  Andrew Childress

3. Is Google Slides Good for Making Pitch Decks?

Google Slides is ideal for making pitch decks. You've got all the tools necessary to create a stunning pitch deck that your audience will love. To find out how to harness the power of Google Slides to create your next pitch deck, study the tutorial below:

• 
  Presentations
  
  
  How to Make Great Pitch Deck Presentations With Google Slides Templates
  
  
  Brenda Barron

4. Can You Create a Timeline?

Timelines are absolutely doable on Google Slides. You can create any style of timeline in your slides. Find out how to create a timeline in this article:

• 
  Google Slides
  
  
  How to Make a Timeline on Google Slides With Templates
  
  
  Laura Spencer

5. Can You Create Your Own Templates?

Google Slides is a very flexible piece of software that allows you to easily create a template that you can reuse. Find out how to create your own template below:

• 
  Google Slides
  
  
  How to Make Your Own Google Slides Presentation Template in 2020
  
  
  Laura Spencer

Need even more help with navigating the Google Slides software? Check out the next section where we go over even more helpful resources. 

Learn More About Google Slides

Google Slides makes it easy to create a presentation and collaborate with others on it at the same time. But there's more to learn about Google Slides. We've got plenty of tutorials to get you started: 

• 
  Google Slides
  
  
  How to Create Professional Google Slideshows for Business Presentations
  
  
  Laura Spencer


• 
  Google Slides
  
  
  10+ Google Slides Presentation Tools: To Learn How to Use (Now)
  
  
  Laura Spencer


• 
  Google Slides
  
  
  How to Add Text & Bullet Points in Google Slides Presentations
  
  
  Laura Spencer

Design a Creative and Aesthetic Google Slides Presentation Right Now

After reading this article and studying the various creative Google Slides presentation ideas, you’ll be well on your way towards designing a stunning and memorable presentation. Don’t forget to start with a great template as a professionally designed Google Slides template will save you a ton of time. 

If you’re looking for a creative and aesthetic Google Slides template, head on over to Envato Elements. This is the best choice if you need other design assets on a regular basis. 

For a single creative Google Slides template to use right now look on GraphicRiver to buy individual Google Slides templates.

Once you've got your presentation template in hand, start implementing the tips from this article. Happy designing!

Editorial Note: This post has been updated with contributions from Daniel Strongin. Daniel is a freelance instructor for Envato Tuts+.