Want to know how to create a map in PowerPoint? Let's explore some ways how to create an interactive map in PowerPoint. It's a lot easier than you might think, especially with the right tools and resources.
Variety in presentations is a must. Let's face it. We've all sat through too many cookie cutter presentations. These lose the audience's attention thanks to overcrowded slides.
Added visuals in a presentation capture and keep the eye of your audience. Using PowerPoint maps to add a sense of location to your presentation is one way to do this. But you probably don't have time to draw maps from scratch in PowerPoint. And grabbing images of a map online might be inflexible or unlicensed for use.
In this tutorial, I'll show you how to make an interactive map in PowerPoint. We'll use a pre-built PowerPoint map template. It's easy to insert a map in PowerPoint. We'll also look at some ways you could create an animated map in PowerPoint too. You can use this content to create a custom PowerPoint map chart of your own.
How to Use PowerPoint Maps
PowerPoint is an extremely flexible app. Pair it with pre-built PowerPoint US map and world map PowerPoint templates. That's even more powerful. For example, want to know how to create a us map in PowerPoint? The right template makes this a snap.
Here are some examples of how you could use PowerPoint maps for presentations:
- Company locations. Plot your company's presence. It could be across the country or even across the globe. Try something like well-designed PowerPoint US map. Or try a world map PowerPoint.
- New markets to expand into. Highlight the territories that you're prospecting. An illustrated map slide could be effective.
- Maps showing history. For example, link together a few locations on a map. This can show the various places you've lived over time in a personalized slide deck.
Infographics, for example, are a great way to illustrate ideas with graphics. You could use the free roadmap PowerPoint templates from Envato Elements. Use them to communicate your progress on a project. Or check out the tutorial below. There's 15 different choices for infographic templates.
Another Great Resource on Presentations: Free eBook Download
In our main tutorial, we'll look at how to make an interactive map in PowerPoint. I want to make sure you know about another great resource we've got. Check out our free eBook, The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations. It'll teach you how to make an interactive PowerPoint presentation. Why not download your copy today?
Find Your Own Great Map Template on Elements
You're probably not a cartographer. You probably don't know how to create an interactive map for PowerPoint. And you probably don't have time to draw maps in PPT from scratch.
So, is there an easy way how to make an interactive PowerPoint map? Use a pre-built template with pre-drawn maps. This takes the guess work out of how to create a US map in PowerPoint. Try pre-made PowerPoint U.S. map and world map PowerPoint templates. Simply choose a slide with the geography you need and update the details. We'll show you how to insert a world map in PowerPoint too.
The best place for PowerPoint map templates is from Envato Elements. It's flat rate subscription service built with creatives and freelancers in mind. For a single monthly fee, you've got unlimited downloads to choose from. This spans an incredible variety of categories. That includes graphics, stock photos, and more. Of course, it also includes engaging presentation templates.
Why use a pre-built template? Talented designers and map experts have already given you the framework. Add a geographic slide to your deck. Use it to create interactive maps in PowerPoint quickly and easily. You won't waste your time trying to figure out how to make an interactive map for PowerPoint. Many of the packs include editable U.S. PowerPoint maps. They also include editable maps of Asia, Europe and the rest of the world.
Here are some of our best interactive PowerPoint map slide templates from Envato Elements. They'll give you a sense of the templates you'll get access to when you sign up.
1. Americane : America Region Info Map PowerPoint
Looking to make interactive PowerPoint maps with an editable US PowerPoint map? Or how to make an interactive PowerPoint presentation? Look no further! This template comes with 59 unique and editable presentation slide designs. You don't need to know how to create a PowerPoint interactive map for a presentation from scratch. This template saves you loads of time. It provides good visual designs to work into any presentation.
2. Create Animated Map in PowerPoint
This template comes with 1,000 icon sets. It also has 834 slides in three premade templates. Create animated maps in PowerPoint quickly and easily. Drag and drop images to screen mockups. To top it off, enjoy free update and support! Master how to create an interactive map for PowerPoint today.
3. World Maps for Presentations (PowerPoint Map Chart)
Take the guess work out of how to create a map in PowerPoint with this template. Create an interactive map for presentation PowerPoints and more. Download these maps for presentations and easily customize them in PowerPoint.
4. PowerPoint Maps Presentation (Map in PPT)
This template makes it easy to create an animated map in PowerPoint. Use them to create an interactive map for presentation purposes. Easily insert a map in PowerPoint and use it to convey your ideas.
5. Maps PowerPoint Infographic Slide
Still trying to figure out how to make an interactive PowerPoint map presentation? This template helps you make interactive PowerPoint map in minutes. This template comes with 33 infographic maps for presentations. They are easy to customize.
We'll work with this Maps PowerPoint Infographic Slides deck in this tutorial.
Find More PowerPoint Maps on GraphicRiver
Another option is GraphicRiver. It's got a ton of templates to help you create interactive maps in PowerPoint. It's a "pay-as-you-go" model for creative assets. GraphicRiver also features PowerPoint map templates. It's easy to find the perfect interactive map PowerPoint template.
I'll show you how to take the template from Elements and customize it. We'll easily create interactive maps in PowerPoint. Let's learn more about slide customization.
How to Adjust PowerPoint Map Templates
In this tutorial, learn how to create an interactive map for PowerPoint. We'll change slides from the Maps PowerPoint Infographic Slides template. Check out the screenshot below. There are many slides inside this template. They depict a wide variety of geographies. If you want to know how to create an interactive map in PowerPoint, it's a perfect solution. There's so much to choose from.
Remember, you're just starting with a slide template. You don't have to stick to that exact style. Any of these starter slides can be pulled from this template. Adjust them to your specific presentation preferences. They are ready to drop into a finished presentation.
Let's walk through five visual adjustments that you can make to a map slide in PPT to customize them for your use. Then, I'll show you how to move the slide to your existing deck.
1. Change the Gradient Overlay
The blue-green style in this template may not fit in with your existing slides. Luckily, it's no problem to change these gradients to a different color.
For each of these modification examples, we've got to start by ungrouping the blocks. The author grouped all the individual states or provinces on the PowerPoint map charts. They're in a single block. This makes it easy to move and adjust. To change specific parts, you'll need to ungroup them.
To do that, right-click on a map in PPT and choose Group > Ungroup. This splits the PowerPoint map template chart out into many individual blocks that you can edit independently.
Once you ungroup the map, you can select the individual components. In the example below, I chose the main region at the top of the map. Then, I right clicked and chose Format Shape.
On the sidebar, you can choose the fill options, and change the colors in the Gradient stops section. Just click on the arrows and change the colors in the paint bucket dropdown. In the example below, I've changed the arrows to shades of green.
2. Focus on a Single State
The maps in this template are pretty far-reaching and often include an entire nation. When you want to focus on a rather specific part of the PowerPoint map, you might want to highlight a particular state and fade out the rest of the blocks.
Again, start by right-clicking the map and choosing Group > Ungroup. As a reminder, we do this so that we can select individual components of the map and adjust them individually.
After you've selected the regions you want to change right click and choose the format shape options. On the fill menu, turn up the Transparency slider to fade out the selected regions. You can leave them in the map view but fading them a bit brings more focus to the critical parts of the PowerPoint map.
3. Remove Regions as Needed
Just because the map features a broad region with many states or countries in it, that doesn't mean that you've got to include all of them. You can select individual areas to remove.
In the example below, remember to start by clicking on the map and right clicking, selecting Group > Ungroup.
Then, just click on each of the regions that you want to remove from the map. Press delete on your keyboard to remove all the selected areas.
One of my favorite things about the maps for presentations in this slide deck is that the shapes are of high quality, so you can resize them as needed. In my example, I'm going to remove several of the provinces in Belgium, and then scale up the remaining infographic.
4. Add a Border for Focus
After you've ungrouped a block of areas in a map, you can work individually with the states on the map. Another change you can make is to add a border to your PowerPoint map to break out a single region of the map.
Again, start by ungrouping the map. Then, select a single region and right click Format Shape.
On the new menu that opens, find the Line dropdown and click on it. Then, you can change the Color, transparency, and width to modify the presence of the map border as you can see in the screenshot below.
Try increasing the size of your border to focus on a single region. You can also change the color of that border to draw more attention to the specifics.
5. Add an Annotation
If you really want to highlight a specific part of the map, you might need to add an annotation. Annotations can draw attention to very specific parts of a slide.
My favorite way to add annotations is to use a shape. Go to the Insert tab on the PowerPoint ribbon and choose Shapes. Then, find a shape that can act as an eye-catching text box to add to the map.
Remember that if you're pointing to specific cities or towns, you'll want to be very careful that your annotations are accurate. Cross-reference the placement of an annotation with a much more detailed tool like Google Maps.
Last: How to Insert a Map Slide Into Your PowerPoint Deck
Chances are that you won't have a slide deck full of map slides. Instead, it's more likely that you'll finish up your map slide in PPT and take it to an existing PowerPoint presentation.
To move your slide to another presentation, start by clicking on the slide thumbnail in PowerPoint's sidebar. Then, copy it by pressing Ctrl + C on Windows or Cmd + C on Mac.
Now, jump over to the slide deck you want to paste the Map into. Right-click in the sidebar in the spot you want to paste your slide into. You'll see several thumbnails, and you can choose between Use Destination Theme and Keep Source Formatting:
- Use Destination Theme attempts to match your Map slide's style to the deck it's going into. Typically, you should try this first so that it matches.
- Keep Source Formatting preserves the same style. It also preserves formatting. This will keep it as you initially prepared the presentation.
Check out the quick screencast lesson below to learn more about the options for pasting a slide into a separate presentation:
From this point, you might want to adjust the style so that it matches your presentation. Items to check include:
- Double check that your fonts match. The pasted version of the slide should match the other ones.
- Ensure that your color scheme matches nicely. The default slide deck in this tutorial uses blue-green gradients. You'll want to adjust this to match the color scheme in your presentation.
5 Best PowerPoint Map Slide Design Examples
We've looked at how to make PowerPoint interactive maps for presentations. We also discussed how to add them to your PowerPoint presentation. But maybe you need a little inspiration. Want to see how maps can be creatively used in any PowerPoint presentation? Study the following examples below:
1. General World Map Slide
This world map slide is a great to use when you need to showcase global data. This slide usually includes a map of the entire world. There's different colored regions. Use them to show different percentages or other figures.
2. Continent Map
If you simply want to show data related to a specific continent or a region, the continent map comes in handy. For example, you can color different states with different colors. Add extra text or points to further explain the data.
3. Country Map
Use a country map in PPT when you want to share details about your services or products on a country level. This is great for local businesses that have branches throughout the country. Use this template to display information about each branch.
4. Maps With Charts
Need to share detailed information about each location on the map? Consider using a slide that pairs a map with a chart. You can see the example in the template below.
5. Map Slides With User Icons
Want to showcase data that relates to a demographic split? Consider pairing a country or region map with user icons. This allows your audience to easily visualize the demographic split. It also facilitates targeted marketing messages.
5 Tips For Successful Interactive Map Presentation Designs
Now that we've explored how to insert world map in PowerPoint, let's talk about some best practices. Use these tips to ensure your interactive map for PowerPoint is a strong addition:
1. Use Color to Your Advantage
Color is very communicative. Maps are communicative too. It makes a lot of sense to use the two together to communicate ideas.
Look at this interactive map presentation example. Note how the colors are associated with different symbols. You can take this idea and expand upon it in many ways. It's also a great approach because the association is completely visual. It makes it easy to see correlation.
2. Be Strategic With Your PowerPoint Maps
Your PowerPoint map chart should serve a purpose. It doesn't have to monopolize the entire slide.
You could have the map as a smaller part of the design, emphasizing an idea. Or, you could have the map as the star of the show. Make it large and let it visually convey data.
The goal with a map is to show geographic data. This could be simple. You could just show a relevant area. Or this could be complex. You could tie regions to data or statistics. Make sure you are clear on your map's goal, so it doesn't end up confusing or unnecessary.
3. Use Imagery to Help Further Convey Ideas
Imagery can be a great way to push your map further. For example, check out these fun PowerPoint map chart ideas.
In one of these slides, we see buildings added to the map. This helps visually communicate the subject and the area. In these instances, it's not about data. It's more about visually communicating an overall idea for your audience.
4. Make Sure Your Map Communicates Clearly
That said, are you clear on your map's purpose? Make sure it's clearly meeting those objectives. This is especially important if you're working with infographics.
We looked at color as a great way to do this. But there are other ways too. Note these example PowerPoint maps.
You can point directly to locations on your map. Or, you can add other way finding elements, directly on your map. These could be simple aspects to animate in or out in PowerPoint too.
5. Remember, There Should Be an Objective
The most important thing to remember is purpose. Your maps for presentations should serve your narrative. Adding a map "just because" could prove to be overwhelming. Use PowerPoint maps for things like:
- visually reinforcing a relevant or target region
- sharing specific data about an area
- directing attention to a specific area
Maps can be a strong infographic element. They can also serve as a communicative design element. Both are great approaches to try.
Learn More About PowerPoint Map Templates
In this tutorial, we covered how to make an interactive map in PowerPoint. We started with a great-looking template. Then we refined it to match our style.
Looking for a complete guide to learning Microsoft PowerPoint? Make sure to check out the Ultimate Guide to the Best PPT tutorial. Here are other recent tutorials. Why not learn even more presentation skills?
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We've got the perfect complement to this tutorial. Our eBook walks you through the complete presentation process. Subscribe to the Tuts+ Business Newsletter. You'll get The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations for free. Discover how to write your PowerPoint presentation. Design it like a pro. Prepare it to present powerfully.
Common PowerPoint Questions Answered (FAQ)
Thinking about using PowerPoint to create your presentation? Then you might have a few questions on your mind. We’ve gathered some of the most commonly asked questions about PowerPoint. These answers can help you decide if PowerPoint is the right tool for you:
1. Can I Download Microsoft PowerPoint for Free?
You can get access when you buy a subscription to Microsoft Office. While you can’t download it for free, you can use the online version with limited functionality for free. This tutorial explains the differences between the different PowerPoint versions:
2. Can I Add Videos to My Presentations in PowerPoint?
Yes, you can. A video can add interest to your PowerPoint presentation and engage your views. We've got a step-by-step tutorial that walks you through the entire process! Here's some help with adding videos to PowerPoint presentations:
3. Can I Collaborate on My Presentation With PowerPoint?
Yes, this is possible. Recent versions make it easy for multiple people to work on the same presentation. This tutorial explains how:
4. Can I Share my PowerPoint Online With SlideShare?
Sharing your presentation online can expand your audience. Thanks to PowerPoint and SlideShare, you can upload and share your presentation online. Discover how here:
5. What’s the Difference Between PowerPoint Online and Desktop PowerPoint?
PowerPoint Online has somewhat limited functionality when compared to its desktop counterpart. For starters, the printing functionality is limited. The ability to change Views is too. For more differences between the two versions, check out our comparison:
Learn More About Creating A Great PowerPoint Presentation
Creating a memorable PowerPoint presentation isn't easy. We've got plenty of tutorials to help you out. Learn more about creating a great PowerPoint presentation with these tutorials:
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Get Your Editable PowerPoint Map Template Today
You've just learned how to create a map in PowerPoint. Need to show various locations or geographic-related data? Maps for presentations make a real difference.
Make interactive PowerPoint maps a part of your next presentation. Try an editable US PowerPoint map template from Envato Elements. Use it to skip ahead in building accurate, stylish maps.
A subscription to Elements unlocks a multitude of high quality PowerPoint map templates. You'll have access to tons of other creative assets to supplement your presentation. Why not sign up today? Or, if you'd prefer a one-time PowerPoint map template download, try GraphicRiver.
Download your map template and start building your PowerPoint presentation now.
Editorial Note: This tutorial was originally published in November 2018. It's been updated to include new information—with special help from Barni Rajah, Brenda Barron, and Daisy Ein.
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