Adding videos to your PowerPoint presentations can be an excellent way to boost engagement, illustrate concepts more clearly, and bring your content to life. But should you embed videos directly into the PowerPoint file, or simply include links to online videos? There are good arguments on both sides to consider.
The Benefits of Embedding Videos
Embedding videos directly into the PowerPoint slides offers some major advantages:
Availability Offline
One of the best reasons to embed videos is that the files will be stored within the PowerPoint document itself. This means viewers can play the videos regardless of internet connectivity. The content will be available offline, during a flight or other situations with no WiFi.
Avoid Broken Links
Links to online videos always run the risk of getting broken or redirected. By embedding, you don’t have to worry about URLs getting changed or videos getting removed from the hosting sites. The videos will play reliably whenever the PowerPoint deck is viewed.
Retain Playback Controls
With embedded video files, you maintain full control options within PowerPoint. You can trim the start and end points, set bookmarks to jump to key sections, and loop the videos if desired. This finer editing gets lost when linking out.
Seamlessly Integrated
Since embedded videos are directly incorporated into slides, they blend into the presentation more smoothly. Viewers don’t have to click external links or go watch the videos in separate tabs. The experience is more seamless.
The Downsides of Video Embedding
However, there are also some significant downsides to consider with embedding videos in PowerPoint:
Large File Sizes
Video files are very large, so embedding multiple clips can cause your PowerPoint file size to balloon out of control. This could make it hard to email or upload the file or cause it to load slowly.
Playback Issues
There are also risks of the embedded video files not playing properly for viewers. Due to codec incompatibilities or CPU/memory limitations, the videos may fail or play jerkily.
Extra Work to Update
If you later want to swap in new or different versions of the video files, you’ll have to manually remove the old embeddings and re-embed the new files. With linked videos, you can just update the URLs.
Benefits of Linking to Online Videos
Linking out to videos hosted online also offers some compelling advantages:
Minimal File Size
With links, your PowerPoint file size remains nice and lean. You don’t have to cram in multiple large video files.
Smooth Playback
Viewers can simply play the videos in their regular web browsers. So there are no concerns about format compatibility or taxing their system resources, ensuring smooth playback.
Always Up-to-Date
Any changes made to the online videos will be automatically reflected when viewers click your links. The links will always play the most up-to-date versions without you having to update the PowerPoint deck.
Downsides of Linking to Online Videos
However, linking to web-hosted videos also comes with some trade-offs to consider:
Internet Required
Of course, the viewers will need a solid internet connection to actually play the linked videos. The links won’t work offline without web access.
Risk of Broken Links
If the online videos get moved around or deleted on the hosting sites, your links could get broken. Viewers would get error messages instead of the intended video content.
Lose Playback Controls
Any video playback controls offered by PowerPoint (trimming, bookmarks, etc.) can only be used on embedded files, not linked videos hosted externally.
Key Decision Factors
So when making your choice, consider factors like:
- Need for offline access? If presenting without reliable internet, embedding is safer.
- File size limitations? If you need to email or restrict file sizes, linking may work better.
- Video sharing needs? Think about whether viewers need to retain copies of the videos with the deck.
- Risk of content changes? If the videos may get updated over time, linking allows easy updates.
- Playback control needs? If you want to trim or bookmark videos, embedding is required.
Conclusion
In summary, embedding video files directly into PowerPoint slides assures availability offline, avoids broken links, and provides playback controls, while linking out to online videos minimizes file sizes and ensures easy access to updated content. Factor in your specific presentation needs and situation to decide if embedding or linking makes the most sense. With the right strategy, video can make a powerful addition to captivate your audience.
