Envato Tuts+ Tutorials

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Envato Tuts+ Tutorials

Display WooCommerce Categories, Subcategories, and Products in Separate Lists
21+ Best New Product Brochure Templates (Modern Layout Designs for 2021)
The Different Types of Logo (With Design Ideas)
How to Learn PowerPoint Quickly (Complete 2021 Beginner's Guide + Video)
20+ Best WordPress Church Templates 2021 (Free & Premium)
25 Best Free Comparison PowerPoint PPT Slide Template Designs for 2021
How to Start a New Career in Midlife (With Examples for Your 30s, 40s, or 50s)

Display WooCommerce Categories, Subcategories, and Products in Separate Lists

Posted: 29 Dec 2020 12:03 PM PST

Final product image — What You'll Be Creating

WooCommerce gives you a few options as to what you can display on your archive pages:

products
categories (on the main shop page) or subcategories (on category pages)
both products and categories.

When I'm setting up a store, I normally select the third option: products and categories/subcategories. This means visitors to my store can either select products right from the home page or refine their search by clicking through to a product category archive.

However, there's one failing with this approach: It displays the categories/subcategories together, with no separation between the two. This means that if your product images have different dimensions from your product images, the layout can look a bit messy. Even if your images are the same size, if one of the lines in the archive page includes both categories and products, the absence of an 'Add to Cart' button for categories makes that row look untidy, as not all of its elements have the same dimensions.

In this tutorial I'll show you how to display categories in a separate list before displaying products.

To do this, we'll follow four steps:

Identify the code WooCommerce uses to output categories and subcategories on archive pages.
Create a plugin for our code.
Write a function to put categories or subcategories before product listings.
Style the output.

But before you start, you'll need a WooCommerce installation with some products added, and product categories and subcategories set up.

What You'll Need

To follow along, you'll need:

A development installation of WordPress.
A code editor.
WooCommerce installed and activated.
Products added—I've imported the dummy product data that comes with WooCommerce; for details of how to do this, see this guide.
A WooCommerce-compatible theme activated—I'm using Storefront.

Before We Start: The Default Options

Let's take a look at what WooCommerce gives us by default.

I've started by adding some images to my product categories and subcategories, as the WooCommerce dummy data doesn't include those. I've simply used an image of one of the products from each category or subcategory, as you can see in the screenshot:

Product categories added in WordPress admin

Now let's take a look at how WooCommerce displays the product categories and products in archive pages.

If you haven't already, open the Customizer, select the WooCommerce tab, and click on Product Catalog.

WooCommerce product catalog in Customizer

Under Shop page display, select Show categories & products, and under Category display, select Show subcategories & products.

Displaying categories and products in the Customizer

Click Publish to save your changes and visit your site's shop page. Mine looks like this:

Because I have four categories and a grid of three images side by side, the first two products are shown alongside one of the categories.

I want to make my categories and subcategories more prominent, and simply present them separately from the product listings. So let's do that.

Identifying the Code WooCommerce Uses to Output Categories and Products in Archives

The first step is to identify how WooCommerce outputs categories and subcategories. So let's delve into the WooCommerce source code to find the relevant function.

The file WooCommerce uses to display archive pages is archive-product.php, which is in the templates folder.

Inside that file, you can find this code, which outputs the categories and products:

<?php      /**       * woocommerce_before_shop_loop hook       *       * @hooked woocommerce_result_count - 20       * @hooked woocommerce_catalog_ordering - 30      */      do_action( 'woocommerce_before_shop_loop' );  ?>     <?php woocommerce_product_loop_start(); ?>         <?php woocommerce_product_subcategories(); ?>         <?php while ( have_posts() ) : the_post(); ?>             <?php wc_get_template_part( 'content', 'product' ); ?>         <?php endwhile; // end of the loop. ?>     <?php woocommerce_product_loop_end(); ?>

So there's a woocommerce_product_subcategories() function which is outputting the categories or subcategories before running the loop which outputs the products.

The function is pluggable, which means we could override it in our theme. Unfortunately that doesn't quite work as WooCommerce has built-in styling for clearing items, which would appear at the beginning of a row with the default display.

So instead of that, we'll turn off display of categories and subcategories on our archive pages, so that just products are displayed. Then we'll create a new function that outputs the product categories or subcategories, and hook it to the woocommerce_before_shop_loop action, making sure we use a high priority so that it fires after the functions which are already hooked to that action.

Note: Because WooCommerce adds clears to each third product listing, we can't use the woocommerce_product_subcategories() function or an edited version of it to display the categories. This is because it will clear the third, sixth (and so on) category or product listed, even when we use this function to display categories separately. We could try to override that, but it's simpler just to write our own function.

So let's create a plugin which does that.

Creating the Plugin

In your wp-content/plugins directory, create a new folder and give it a unique name. I'm calling mine tutsplus-separate-products-categories-in-archives. Inside that, create a new file, again with a unique name. I'm using the same name: tutsplus-separate-products-categories-in-archives.php.

Open your file and add this code to it:

<?php  /**  * Plugin Name: Tutsplus display WooCommerce products and categories/subcategories separately in archive pages  * Plugin URI: https://code.tutsplus.com/tutorials/woocommerce-display-product-categories-subcategories-and-products-in-two-separate-lists--cms-25479  * Description: Display products and catgeories / subcategories as two separate lists in product archive pages  * Version: 1.0  * Author: Rachel McCollin  * Author URI: https://rachelmccollin.co.uk  *  *  */

You might want to edit the author details as this is your plugin you're writing. Save your file and activate the plugin via the WordPress admin.

Writing Our Function

Now let's write the function. But before you start, turn off category listings in the admin screens. Open the Cusomizer, click the WooCommerce option, and click on Product Catalog. For each of the Shop Page Display and Default Category Display options, select Show products. Save your changes by clicking Publish.

Your shop page will now look something like this:

In your plugin file, add this:

function tutsplus_product_subcategories( $args = array() ) {    }    add_action( 'woocommerce_before_shop_loop', 'tutsplus_product_subcategories', 50 );

Now add this code inside the function:

$parentid = get_queried_object_id();    $args = array(      'parent' => $parentid  );    $terms = get_terms( 'product_cat', $args );    if ( $terms ) {      echo '<ul class="product-cats">';        foreach ( $terms as $term ) {          echo '<li class="category">';                               woocommerce_subcategory_thumbnail( $term );              echo '<h2>';                  echo '<a href="' .  esc_url( get_term_link( $term ) ) . '" class="' . $term->slug . '">';                      echo $term->name;                  echo '</a>';              echo '</h2>';          echo '</li>';      }        echo '</ul>';  }

Let's take a look at what that function does:

It identifies the current queried object and defines its id as $parentid.
It uses get_terms() to identify terms with the currently queried item as their parent. If this is the main shop page, it will return top-level categories; if this is a category archive, it will return subcategories.
Then it checks if there are any terms, before opening a for each loop and a ul element.
For each term, it creates a li element, and then outputs the category image using woocommerce_subcatgeory_thumbnail(), followed by the category name in a link to its archive.

Now save your file and refresh the main shop page. Mine looks like this:

The categories are displayed, but they need some styling. Let's do that next.

Styling the Category Listings

So that we can add styling, we need a stylesheet inside our plugin, which we'll need to enqueue.

In your plugin folder, create a folder called css, and inside that, create a file called style.css.

Now, in your plugin file, add this above the function you've already created:

function tutsplus_product_cats_css() {      /* register the stylesheet */      wp_register_style( 'tutsplus_product_cats_css', plugins_url( 'css/style.css', __FILE__ ) );      /* enqueue the stylesheet */      wp_enqueue_style( 'tutsplus_product_cats_css' );  }    add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'tutsplus_product_cats_css' );

This correctly enqueues the stylesheet you've just created.

Now open your stylesheet and add the code below. WooCommerce uses mobile first styling, so that's what we'll be using too.

ul.product-cats {      margin-left: 0;  }    ul.product-cats li {      list-style: none;      margin-left: 0;      margin-bottom: 4.236em;      text-align: center;      position: relative;  }    ul.product-cats li img {      margin: 0 auto;   }    @media screen and (min-width:768px) {        ul.product-cats li {          width: 29.4117647059%;          float: left;          margin-right: 5.8823529412%;      }        ul.product-cats li:nth-of-type(3) {          margin-right: 0;      }    }

I've copied the exact widths and margins from the styling used by WooCommerce.

Now check your main shop page again. Here's mine:

Here's the Clothing category archive:

And here's how it looks on smaller screens:

Summary

Product categories are a great feature of WooCommerce, but the way they're displayed isn't always ideal. In this tutorial, you've learned how to create a plugin that outputs product categories or subcategories separately from the product listings, and then you've styled your category listings.

You could use this code to output a list of categories or subcategories elsewhere on the page (for example below the products), by hooking the function to a different action hook within the WooCommerce template file.

If you currently run a shop that you're looking to extend, or you're looking for some additional plugins to study as it relates to WooCommerce, don't hesitate to see what plugins are available on CodeCanyon.

The Best WooCommerce Plugins for 2021 on CodeCanyon

CodeCanyon offers the most flexible and feature-rich WooCommerce WordPress plugins on the market and will add another dimension of functionality to your online store that users are accustomed to.

Whether you need to implement custom fields and uploads, display multiple currencies, or offer memberships, the diverse WooCommerce plugins available on CodeCanyon can help you accomplish these tasks.

In addition to all the high-quality WooCommerce plugins available, there are also thousands of other high-quality WordPress plugins on CodeCanyon that can help enhance your website. Take look through the extensive library of plugins and you will find all types of plugins including forum, media, and SEO plugins.

Take advantage of the massive library of high-quality WordPress plugins on CodeCanyon now!

Best Selling WooCommerce Plugins On CodeCanyon — Best selling WooCommerce plugins on CodeCanyon.

If you want some help picking the WooCommerce plugin that's right for you, check out these other posts here on Envato Tuts+:

21+ Best New Product Brochure Templates (Modern Layout Designs for 2021)

Posted: 29 Dec 2020 08:00 AM PST

Marketing materials don't have to be a mystery. With the help of pre-built templates, you already have the placeholders that help you know what to include. In this article, you'll see product brochure templates that help you do just that.

Brochures are ideal for sharing at trade shows, with potential customers, and anywhere your product may be seen. They can help you summarize your product with photos and facts that drive buying decisions.

In this article, we'll show you the best product brochure templates on Envato Elements, with unlimited downloads. Plus, you'll see options for modern product brochures on GraphicRiver. Use these with the tips you'll learn to create your best product brochure yet!

Best Product Brochure Templates on Envato Elements (With Unlimited Use)

Let's say that you're launching new products frequently. That means you'll need marketing materials to help show off your latest creation.

But you don't want to hire a designer or create a design from scratch for each one. That's why you should use product brochure templates. With the help of Envato Elements, download unlimited brochure templates for a low cost.

Envato Elements Product Brochures — Modern product brochure templates on Envato Elements—with unlimited downloads.

The options that you'll see in this article are the best brochure designs that you can use to launch new products and ideas. It's easy to download and customize these templates. And they're so much better than any product brochure designs for free download you may find.

Envato Elements is an incredible value because of its unlimited, all-you-can-download model. That helps you control your costs and keep your new product launch budget in balance. Elements is a valuable part of every marketing budget because of the amazing value.

Modern product brochure templates — Use modern product brochure templates as part of a successful product launch.

On Envato Elements, you also unlock lots of other assets that you can use. That might mean stock photos, graphics, and fonts that add to your product introduction brochure.

Ready-to-use product brochure templates exist for all the leading design apps. With their help, you're much more likely to help your product stand out and garner notice.

The Best Modern Pitch Deck Templates (From Envato Elements for 2021)

Great brochures for products tell a story—succinctly. With the help of these product brochure templates, you've got simple designs that work in several apps.

Here are five of the best product brochure templates on Envato Elements. Remember—they're all included.

1. Product Sale Trifold Brochure (PSD)

If you've got products to promote, this tri-fold is a great option. The Photoshop file is fully layered, making editing simple. Add your logo, item photos, descriptions, and a QR code to get readers online. This print-ready tri-fold brochure is a nice choice for a boutique or local shop with new collections and sales.

2. Brochure: Creative App Tri-Fold (PSD)

Create a product introduction brochure or advertise services with this product brochure template. This modern product brochure's eye-catching design makes it an ideal choice for software and technology companies.

Easily edit this template in Photoshop to create your best brochure for a product. Each element is sized correctly and grouped to make the template easier to work with.

3. Manu: Product Promotion and Sale HR (PSD)

Manu is a product brochure template you can use to create flyers advertising sales, products, or events. The clean, modern design makes it multipurpose.

Adding your information to this brochure template is easy to do in Photoshop. Layers and folders are well organized. This brochure for a product is fully customizable.

4. Business Brochure Square (INDD)

A well-designed brochure for a product can have a significant impact on new business. Use this product brochure template to tell a story about your products and business.

The 24 pages in this modern product brochure are perfect for highlighting what potential clients need to know. Add your logo and brand colors to create your best product brochure.

5. Brochure Template (INDD, PDF)

The modern and sleek design of this product brochure template is perfect for corporate businesses. Give an overview of your services and your company.

The simple layout puts your information in the spotlight. Easily add that information in InDesign. Placeholders make it easy to add your images.

6. Bifold Brochure (INDD, PDF)

Showcase a new product your company is rolling out with this bifold brochure. This product brochure template has a stylish layout that's easy to edit.

There's also plenty of space for highlighting product features. This template is a great way to start creating your best brochure for a product.

7. Info Product Brochure (INDD)

We round out our list with this excellent brochure. Its design is similar to fashion magazines and is image-focused. All 18 pages are fully editable and customizable. This brochure template is also print-ready. Even though it's perfect for a fashion brand, the design is truly multipurpose.

Envato Elements (Design Without Limits)

Thanks to Envato Elements, you've got an incredible value for a low flat fee. All the product brochure templates you saw above are available with one subscription.

Sign up for Envato Elements. You'll get access to thousands of graphics and templates (with unlimited use), from creative website themes to presentation slide deck templates, and more—all for one low price.

Top assets on Envato Elements — Get unlimited downloads from the unbelievable selection on Envato Elements for a single flat fee.

It's a value that's impossible to match. Download all the product brochure templates you want (and so much more!), and then customize them to fit your needs. It's easy with the help of Envato Elements.

15 Best Modern Product Brochure Templates on GraphicRiver

Earlier, you saw Envato Elements, the all-you-can-download creative library. If you're regularly launching new features and options in your business, it's an excellent value for modern brochures for products.

It's not the only option. On GraphicRiver, another Envato Market option, you can buy single product brochure templates. You'll still have fantastic options for the best new brochures, but you'll pay one by one for brochure templates.

GraphicRiver New Product Brochure Templates — Download the best product introduction brochure templates on GraphicRiver, a pay-as-you-go marketplace.

GraphicRiver's depth of options for templates is impressive. Let's check out 15 of the best product brochure templates on GraphicRiver:

1. The Portfolio Landscape (INDD)

Design portfolios are a great way to snag new business. With this product brochure template, creating a professional portfolio is a breeze.

Text and images on different layers make it easy to customize using InDesign. Edit the color scheme to put the finishing touches on a portfolio of your best work.

2. Trifold Catalog Products (INDD)

This square trifold brochure for a product works well for interior design work or graphic design portfolios. Files are well layered for easy customization using InDesign.

Add your images to create new marketing material with this product brochure template. You're sure to impress potential clients.

3. Company Profile (INDD)

When presenting a product, details can be crucial. Use this product brochure template to include all the specifications on your product. Add images and text using InDesign.

Add an FAQ section and contact information for after your presentation is over. This modern product brochure has 24 pages so that no detail goes uncovered.

4. Square Minimal Interior Brochure (INDD)

Interior designers will appreciate this product brochure template crafted with them in mind. The 30 pages in this product brochure layout are a great way to show completed projects.

You could also use this modern brochure for proposals to potential clients. The unique design is sure to help your work be memorable.

5. Annual Report (INDD)

Annual reports are a great way to determine which products to continue producing. Using this product brochure template is a great way to review yearly stats.

The fun, modern design adds a unique touch to routine reporting. This modern product brochure is print-ready but is also formatted for digital distribution.

6. Catalogue (INDD)

Market your services digitally or physically with this brochure for a product. It's easy to use, thanks to the separated layers and various photo display options. Customers are sure to love this colorful and fun modern product brochure design suited for any project you've got.

7. Catalogue Template (INDD)

Here's another product brochure template option for a catalog. While putting together a catalog can be overwhelming, well-designed templates make it easier.

Digital agencies can add their information to this brochure. Duplicate or reduce the 12 pages, depending on your business needs.

8. Graphic Design Portfolio Template (INDD)

Draw attention to your work or products with the beautiful and trendy design of this brochure for a product. The soft color palette is tasteful, but easily customized for a different look.

There's plenty of room for more extensive portfolios, projects, and proposals on the 68 pages included in this product brochure template.

9. Square Trifold Brochure (INDD)

Startups and corporations alike can impress their clients with this square brochure for a product. Add product information in InDesign to this simple product brochure template.

This modern brochure design also features a six-column grid and paragraph styling. Whether you're creating a new brochure or updating an existing one, this brochure is sure to be memorable.

10. Multipurpose Portfolio (INDD)

The aesthetic is everything with a portfolio. Create your best brochure for a product with this product brochure layout. The neutral tones of this multipurpose product brochure template make it versatile. The clean and straightforward design won't detract from the products and services advertised in this modern product brochure.

11. Luxury White Paper (INDD, EPS, PNG)

The bold design of this product brochure template is sure to make your work stand out. Technology companies can use it for mass communications.

Use the 32 pages of this product brochure template for:

scientific research and reports
startup presentations
sharing about business concepts
and more

12. Stylish Product Catalog (INDD)

Creating a product catalog doesn't have to be hard. Showcase your products with this brochure for a product. Easily add photos and text using InDesign.

The open design of this product brochure layout is a great way to show all the variations of your product. Impress potential clients with your best brochure yet.

13. Real Estate Trifold Brochure (IND, PSD)

Property management companies can create their best brochures with this layout. Real Estate Trifold Brochure was designed with real estate professionals in mind. Include information about your company and services in this modern product brochure.

The clean and minimalist style will help create a memorable impression with prospective tenants or clients.

14. Portland Business Brochure (INDD)

Use this trendy, modern product brochure design for agency-based projects. Information about your company, staff, and previous work will help engage prospective clients.

The color scheme is easily changed in InDesign. Text and images on separate layers will make it easy to add staff photos and project examples to this product brochure layout.

15. Barracuda Brochure (INDD)

Create memorable marketing material with the landscape layout of this brochure for a product. The 24 pages in this modern product brochure provide room to explain what makes your services or products unique.

Help potential customers understand how your services and products benefit them with this product brochure template.

5 Quick Tips for Making Great Product Brochures With Templates

With the help of the templates in this tutorial, you can take a significant shortcut to create the perfect new brochure for a product. Let's also look at five of the best tips to help you create new brochures.

1. Use Spell Check

It might seem simple, but too many creators skip the spell check feature. That might lead to a misunderstanding or embarrassing mistake that can erode your credibility. Make sure to use your favorite app's feature to check for errors.

In Microsoft Word, use the Review > Spelling & Grammar option. In InDesign, use the Edit > Spelling > Check Spelling menu. Familiarize yourself with this option no matter which app you use.

Check Spelling in InDesign — Use spell check in every app to make sure your product brochure doesn't include any glaring mistakes.

2. Use an App You Already Know

The best app to use is one you already know. That helps you save time and avoid learning a new app from scratch.

In this article, we shared templates for a variety of apps. When you're creating a product introduction brochure, it saves time if you use an app you already know. Try out this tutorial with instructions to create a new product brochure in Microsoft Word:

Communication

How to Quickly Make a Brochure in Microsoft Word Using a Template

Sharon Hurley Hall

3. Lean on Layouts

If there's one reason that you should use templates, it's because of the built-in product brochure layouts. Use these as the starting point for every new brochure you're building.

You don't have to use every product layout in the brochure template. Just fill in the ones you need with your details.

Product Brochure Template Layouts — The best product brochure templates include layouts that help you save so much time.

4. Use Tried-and-True Copywriting Techniques

Copywriting is an art. The way that you explain your product and position can be the difference between a top-selling product and another forgotten launch.

Check out the article below to learn more about sales copy and how you can use it in your brochure for a product:

Copywriting

How to Increase Your Online Sales With Psychological Triggers

Brad Smith

5. Use Data Visuals

Too many brochures lose a reader's attention. That's because they're overloaded with text and details that take too long to read.

Convert those text-heavy boxes to charts and graphs. Whenever you've got data to present, use those to make a more engaging brochure for a product.

Data visuals in InDesign — Convert data-heavy brochure panels to visual factors with charts and graphs.

Learn More About Brochure Design

Designing brochures is a deeper topic than it gets credit for. If you want to improve your skills, check out these tutorials from the Envato Tuts+ team. These helpful guides can help you learn tips and tricks to improve your brochures.

Design a New Product Brochure Today With the Help of Templates

Launching a new product requires a conscious effort. Without marketing materials, even the best product might go unnoticed in a crowded marketplace.

Creating a brochure for a product is a great way to capture all your details in one document. It's easier when you start with one of the unlimited product brochure templates from Envato Elements. Or source a modern product brochure from GraphicRiver.

Kick off your brochure design today! Just download a template and drop in your details, and then share it with potential customers. You can find even more brochure resources below.

The Different Types of Logo (With Design Ideas)

Posted: 29 Dec 2020 07:00 AM PST

In this article, we'll look at the types of logo design, different logo styles, and logo style examples to inspire you. We'll explore how many types of logo design there are and answer questions like "What is a logotype?" and "What is a wordmark vs. a logo?" Let's take look at the different types of logos.

Logo Design Concept by punkl

What Are the Different Types of Logo Design?

There are several different styles of logo design, each with their own strengths and possibilities. Let's go through the different types of logos, with examples.

Wordmarks

Wordmarks are a type of logo that relies on typography to visually communicate the logo design concept. In this case, the logo itself tends to be the name of the business. Some famous examples of logo design that would be considered wordmarks are Coca Cola, Kellogg's, and Netflix.

Coca Cola Logo, Kellogg's Logo, and Netflix Logo

Note that these examples are typographic—while they do have unique visual aspects, the design itself is all about the typography and the name of the business itself. This is what makes it a wordmark.

Wordmarks can be a great choice for logo design because it's the name of the business: there's no mistaking that. However, it's also imperative that we, as designers, recognize the expressive and communicative nature of typography and typefaces. A great wordmark is more than selecting a trendy font—the font has a shape and a form that add to the communicative nature of the logo.

For example, note the logo for The New York Times. The typeface looks like a blackletter or gothic script font. It's important to consider the visual association here. This font could visually communicate things like age—implying that this publication has been a long-standing source.

New York Times logo

Lettermarks

Lettermarks are similar to wordmarks in that they revolve around typography—but instead, they are simplified, like a monogram. In fact, when people refer to a monogram logo, they are usually also referring to a lettermark. Some famous examples of logo design that would be considered lettermarks are BBC, CNN, and IBM.

BBC logo, CNN logo, and IBM logo

Letterforms, on the other hand, are even more simplified. In this case, we're working with a single letter. For example, the McDonald's "M" or the "golden arches" could be considered a letterform type of logo.

McDonalds arched "M" letterform logo

Pictorial Marks

Pictorial marks are graphical in nature. In these cases, the logo heavily relies on some kind of imagery to communicate and associate with the brand in question. Some famous examples of pictorial mark logos would include Twitter's bird symbol, Target's graphical target symbol, and Dropbox's box symbol. Note how each logo visually communicates something about the brand, without using any words at all.

Twitter logo, Target logo, and Dropbox logo

Pictorial marks can be tricky to work with and design. You have to say a lot without any words at all. One of the most famous examples of a pictorial mark is Apple's "apple" logo. When we see this logo, we associate it immediately with their products and branding. A lot of this is due to exposure. However, it's also due to the association with the name. We see an apple due to the visual iconography, and this is the name of the business.

Apple logo

Abstract Marks

Abstract marks are also visual, but don't necessarily rely on visual associations with preconceived ideas or iconography. They are what the name implies: visually abstract imagery. Some famous examples of abstract marks would include the Pepsi logo, the Spotify logo, and the logo rings for the Olympics.

Pepsi logo, Spotify logo, Olympics logo

Abstract marks can be another challenging design solution on their own. They are often paired with some sort of typography, especially if the brand is lesser known. Imagine, for example, seeing an abstract symbol you'd never seen before with no descriptive type. It might not be clear to you, especially as a new consumer.

The BP logo is an interesting example of an abstract mark. It has a geometric design, but also seems to have an association with a flower. The color choices as well are rather natural, and there could also be a visual association here with the sun, which could imply energy. What do you think? Does this work well for this brand?

BP abstract logo design

Emblems

Emblems are shields or crest-like symbols that can contain multiple design elements. They have a rather stately feel to them, and can be rather ornate. Some famous examples of logos that take an emblem approach would include the Starbucks logo and the UPS logo.

Starbucks emblem logo and UPS shield emblem logo

In many ways, emblems are similar to combination marks, which we'll talk about below. Notice how they tend to incorporate different design approaches. However, there's usually an aspect tying it all together into one concise "piece" that makes it an emblem. A great example would be the Harley-Davidson logo. Notice how it's rather patch-like or looks like a crest. The design is very self-contained and inspired by its own elements.

Harley Davidson logo

Mascots and Personas

Mascots use characters and character art to create an association with a brand. You might associate this kind of branding with children's products. Mascots, in particular, have a lot of prevalence in things like breakfast cereals and other marketing efforts directed at a younger audience. For example, Tony the Tiger is often associated with Kellogg's Frosties or Frosted Flakes, depending on your location.

However, we do regularly see an exception here for sporting and athletic logos. For example, the British Olympic Association often uses a lion mascot as a part of its branding. The American National Football League often features mascot characters, like the Baltimore Ravens.

British Olympic Association mascot, and Baltimore Ravens mascot logo

Combination and Dynamic Marks

Combination marks take multiple types of logo design and merge them together. So, for example, a combination mark could employ both expressive typography and an abstract mark. Some famous examples of combination marks would include the Amazon logo, the Nintendo logo, and the Pringles logo.

Amazon Logo, Nintendo Logo, and Pringles Logo

Notice how each of these pulls from more than one type of logo style. In the Amazon logo, we see typography, but we also see imagery that implies a smile, especially in how the type curves upwards. The Nintendo logo is largely typographic, but then we see an abstract, rounded shape surrounding the type. In the Pringles logo, we see a mascot, paired with typography, and composed in a way that's quite emblem-like.

For example, let's take a look at the Adidas logo.

Adidas Logo Design

There's typography, there's abstract imagery, and there are communicative qualities here. The abstract shapes go upwards, almost like a mountain. Perhaps we could associate this with increased performance or exercise.

In these examples, we can see the importance of understanding the different directions we can take with logo design composition. However, these definitions are not necessarily rules but rather tools that we can effectively use to create the optimal result.

Logo Style Examples for Download and Inspiration

Here are some additional examples of different styles of logo design. This time, these aren't necessarily internationally known examples, but rather examples for inspiration and further understanding. You can also download these examples, if you'd like to use them in your next design project.

1. Vintage Logo Design Concept

How many types of logo design do you see in this concept? It's notable as an emblem type of design, as the content is compact and designed to accommodate a crest or stamp-like shape.

2. Abstract Logo Design Concept

This abstract concept uses both a visual and typography together. However, notice how the two different colors "come together" to meet at a point. This is purposeful and ties into what the type says.

3. Gaming Mascot Logo Design Concept

Gaming is another type of sport that often benefits from the use of mascots and other visual characterization. Sports often incorporate this kind of logo design, as it has a certain energy and personality to it.

4. Stately Elegant Logo Design Concept

This elegant logo design concept uses multiple design approaches. The top is rather emblem-like and has a single lettermark in the center. However, the type at the bottom is not necessarily a part of the emblem—and it doesn't have to be in order to be successful.

5. Combination Pictorial Logo Design Concept

This logo uses some preconceived imagery to convey an idea. We see the two overlapping film reels, and this visually communicates the idea of which film to choose.

6. Combination Food Logo Mark Design Concept

Here's another communicative concept. This one is interesting because it visually relates the circular shape of the planet to the circular shape of a donut. Playful associations like this can result in fun and memorable icons to associate with your brand.

7. Rustic Emblem Logo Design Concept

Emblems don't necessarily have to be stately or ornate. Here's an emblem style design that takes an earthy, camp-like approach. It feels organic and quite informal.

8. Abstract Lettermark Logo Design Concept

This concept pushes the first letter of the business name to create a visual letterform. It has long, sweeping colors but is still quite abstract. As a result, we have to rely a lot on color and shape here for the communicative qualities.

9. Cute Visual Logo Design Concept

This cute logo design visually depicts the name of the business itself. We see a bee, and we see it listening to sound. This can be a fun approach—taking the name and visually creating an icon out of it.

10. Combination Icon Logo Design Concept

Here's an even more direct example of the same concept, but even more integrated. We see the idea of a time bomb illustrated via a clock icon with a fuse at the top.

Looking for More Logo Design Inspiration?

If you're looking for more logo style examples, check out these inspiring collections from Envato Tuts+. They contain many different logo design styles and types of logos with examples, including content you can download and experiment with yourself.

Love Experimenting With Logo Design?

How about trying out some new logo concepts right now, from the comfort of your browser? Check out Placeit—an online, browser-based design tool. It's free to jump in and start making design concepts right now. Enjoy the convenience of experimenting with new ideas or customizing pre-made content from any device—desktop or mobile.

Placeit is an online logo design maker—start designing now, from the comfort of your browser

Logo Design Terminology Cheat Sheet

Here's a list of frequently asked questions about logo design and the different types of logos out there. Keep in mind that when it comes to things like the different types of logos with their names, you might find varied answers out there. For example, monograms are often called lettermarks, or you might see mascots grouped with pictorial logos.

In these cases, the formalities are a detail and not the "meat" of the subject. The most important thing is understanding that there are different logo design approaches. If you know these approaches, you can choose the best one for your professional projects.

Logo Design Concept by 83Oranges

How Many Types of Logos Are There?

In this article, we broke the different types of logos into seven categories, although it's not uncommon to see it represented as nine or as little as five. How many types of logo design there are may vary based on the book, classroom, or resource you research, but the concepts are the same.

Rather than focusing too hard on the idea of "how many types of logos are there", the important thing to note here is the concept: that we can depict logos with visuals and type. The different types of logos are largely a combination of these two possibilities. Some of them draw upon preconceived associations with visuals, while others create a lasting visual themselves via abstraction, interest, and other design principles.

Typeface design by sameehmedia

Why Should I Know About the Different Styles of Logo Design?

Think of it like understanding your tools. If you plan to design logos, you should know the different styles of logo design you can create—what they are, how they work, and why they work. This knowledge will help you make the best decision for your professional projects.

Logo Design Concept by NEWFLIX

What Is a Logotype?

The term logotype refers to the typographic components of a logo design. This term is similar to, and in some cases identical to, wordmarks.

Typeface design by MehmetRehaTugcu

What Is a Logotype vs. a Logomark?

The question of logotype vs. logomark typically refers to pictorial versus text.

For example, Disney's logo—the iconic signature—would be considered logotype, because it is a stylistic depiction of words that acts as a key part of the branding. Logotype design heavily relies on the typography itself. This is another way of referring to wordmarks, as we explored earlier.

The Apple logo—the iconic apple symbol with a bite taken out—would be considered a logomark. This because it is a pictorial symbol that represents and acts as a key part of the branding. This is another way of referring to pictorial marks, as we explored above.

The Disney logo would be considered a logotype, while the Apple logo would be considered a logomark.

What's the Difference Between a Logo and a Logotype?

When looking at the concept of logo and logotype, a logotype is a part of a logo design. A logo design can entirely consist of a logotype, or the logotype can be a part of a larger logo design. For example, the logotype could be paired with an abstract mark.

A logotype refers to the typographic components of a logo design. Logotype design would be a typographic logo design or the typographic components.

Typeface design by saridezra

What's the Best Logotype Design Approach?

The short answer is: the best logotype design is going to depend on the client and the objectives. There isn't one particular catch-all type treatment that's always going to fit the bill. Be wary of exclusively clinging to design trends, as something that's super trendy and stylish right now might not necessarily have long-term staying power.

When considering the best logotype design, think about what you want your logo to visually communicate. It can be helpful to work with keywords. This way, you can think about how to communicate those words visually.

Logo Design Concepts by vuuuds

What Is a Logo Style Guide?

A logo style guide defines how a logo should be used within the brand guidelines. You may see this referred to as a logo usage guide. For example, it will describe which colors should be used in which situations, like single color and/or black and white options, in addition to the specific colors unique to the logo design.

A logo style guide can be a part of a larger branding guide or style guide for a professional venture.

Style guide template design by broluthfi

What Is a Wordmark vs. a Logo? What Is a Wordmark vs. a Logotype?

Remember, a wordmark is a logo that relies on text—it is a type of logo design. Not all logos are wordmarks, but all wordmarks are logos. The proper logotype definition may vary from source to source.

The terms logotype and wordmark are often used interchangeably—and that's OK! In these cases, most are referring to logos that rely on typography to visually convey their mark.

In some spaces, you may hear logotype refer to any text within a logo design composition, whereas a wordmark is a logo that relies on typography. Think of this in terms of the text in a combination mark vs. a wordmark.

Which logotype definition do you use most or prefer?

Logo Design Concepts by sagesmask

What Is a Monogram Logo?

A monogram typically consists of a limited amount of letters, positioned together in a stylistic way. When I think of monograms, I often think of my grandfather's robe—it had his initials engraved on it in large, stylistic display type.

However, in terms of logo design, when someone refers to a monogram logo, they are typically referring to a lettermark. These are logos that rely on limited characters but are still type-centric.

Monogram Logo Design by sagesmask

Which Type of Logo Best Suits Your Project?

Now that we've explored the different types of logos, which are your favorites? It's important to be aware of the types of logo design because we need to be able to identify which solution is best for the project at hand. Different types of logo design may best suit certain aesthetics or project goals. Consider different logo styles as you brainstorm ideas for your next branding project.

Remember, however, that different logo design styles are more than the type of mark—that's arguably just one part of a much larger puzzle to solve!

Want to learn more about logo design? Check out these free articles and tutorials from Envato Tuts+:

How to Learn PowerPoint Quickly (Complete 2021 Beginner's Guide + Video)

Posted: 29 Dec 2020 06:01 AM PST

What's the best way to get up to speed with a new app? When you open Microsoft PowerPoint for the first time, you quickly realize that there are many features and tools. But it can feel overwhelming to know where to start. You need PowerPoint help.

Man giving presentation — A well-prepared presenter can use PowerPoint to build charts and graphs, for example.

In this PowerPoint tutorial for beginners, I'll help you get up and running in Microsoft PowerPoint. You'll learn how to use PowerPoint to build a presentation in less time than you ever thought possible. We'll also cover some PowerPoint best practices to make sure you're doing things the easy way.

Guide to Making Great Presentations (Free eBook Download)

Before you read on, be sure to grab our free eBook: The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations. It'll help you master the presentation process, from: initial idea, through to writing, design, and delivering with impact.

What You'll Learn About MS PowerPoint in This Guide

This guide is packed with information that helps you learn how to use PowerPoint to build a presentation. Building beautiful slide decks takes a few steps, but each of these sections will help you address those steps.

Jump ahead to any part of this tutorial guide to start learning PowerPoint specifics:

Table of Contents

Your Quick Start Guide to Learning PowerPoint (Video) Jump directly to our quick start video to get a head start on this tutorial. Our instructor will guide you through some steps to help you get started.
What is PowerPoint? Why should you use PowerPoint, and what are the key features?
How To Use PowerPoint's Ribbon. The ribbon controls the key tools in PowerPoint and learning how to use it will help you master the app.
The Steps to Create a PowerPoint Presentation for Beginners. Walk through the key steps for a complete PowerPoint beginner.
How to Power up PowerPoint. Learn the secret to skipping ahead in building a presentation using templates that have most of the work already finished.
PowerPoint Tools to Learn (For Presenters). Not only is PowerPoint useful for building presentations, but also for presenting thanks to Presenter View. You'll learn more in this tutorial.
Tips and Tricks for a Successful PowerPoint Presentation. Learn some shortcuts for how to use PowerPoint quickly and efficiently.
More Beginner PowerPoint Tutorials (Free to Learn Online). Explore other tutorials that help you continue learning PowerPoint for free.
Microsoft PowerPoint Premium Online Courses. Watch complete screencasts of courses that guide you through building your presentation from beginning to finish.

How to Learn PowerPoint Quickly (Beginner Tutorial With Tips Video)

Are you ready to start learning PowerPoint? Watch this quick screencast to learn all about what PowerPoint is and how to use it.

Or, study the complete written tutorial below.

What Is PowerPoint?

Microsoft PowerPoint is undoubtedly the most popular app used to give presentations. You're likely to see PowerPoint presentations being used for everything from presentations at the world's largest companies to grade schoolteachers sharing lessons.

PowerPoint is often the butt of the joke. Many decry PowerPoint as boring and a crutch for poorly prepared speakers.

Only a bad carpenter blames the tools. And like any tool, PowerPoint is incredibly useful when used properly. Use it as an aid on your speaking engagements to build comfort and drive points visually with your audience.

Simplicity PowerPoint Themes — .Once you learn how to use PowerPoint you can apply an easy-to-edit theme like the Simplicity for PowerPoint.

In this tutorial, we're going to focus on working inside of PowerPoint to build a presentation. This PowerPoint guide has everything you need to get comfortable in the app. To master the app, we'll talk about and cover the most common steps a rookie PowerPoint user needs to know.

Here are the key actions you'll need to take to build a PowerPoint presentation:

You'll need to add slides, the individual pages in the presentation.
You'll add content to the slides, such as text boxes, images, charts and graphs.
Change themes and styles to make your presentation look professional and fit the occasion at hand.
Prepare presentation aids like Speaker Notes and Presenter View to help you feel comfortable with presenting.

We'll cover each of these in this PowerPoint tutorial so that you can get up and running quickly.

How to Use PowerPoint's Ribbon

To get up to speed with PowerPoint, it helps to understand the layout of the app. Let's walk through the key menu options so that you can learn PowerPoint quickly. If you understand the way that the app is laid out, you're likely to find any feature you need quickly.

This part of the PowerPoint guide will focus on the interface:

1. The Ribbon

The ribbon menu is found across many of Microsoft's apps, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. It lives above the main area of the application.

PowerPoint Ribbon screenshot example — The PowerPoint ribbon lets you switch between various tabs.

The ribbon contains a series of tabs that you can switch between. Each of these have a unique set of tools to work with your presentation differently. When you switch tabs on the ribbon, you'll see new buttons and options to change your presentation:

File. Save, share, and export your presentation.
Home. A general-purpose collection of the most common tools that you'll use in PowerPoint.
Insert. An all-in-one tool to add every imagine-able type of content, such as tables, pictures, charts, video, and more.
Design. Controls the look and feel of your presentation with theme and style settings.
Transitions. Add animations when you switch slides.
Animations. Controls the order and style that objects will enter or exit your slide with.
Slide Show. Control settings related to the way your presentation appears when sharing it with an audience.

Now that you understand the layout, you've got a better idea of how you can jump to the feature you need. Let's dive a bit deeper into how you can use several of these key tabs.

2. The Home Tab

Use it for: a general selection of the most popular tools in PowerPoint.

I usually stay on the Home tab when I'm working in PowerPoint. The reason is because it's got practically every tool you need. From adding a new slide to changing text and paragraph settings, the Home tab is the default for most users.

Home on Ribbon — The **Home** tab has many of the most used tools, all in one bar.

3. The Insert Tab

When you're working on adding content to a slide, the Insert tab has every possible tool to add new content to a slide. Choose one of these types of objects to add it to the slide.

Insert tab PowerPoint ribbon — The Insert tab has the tools you need to add tables, pictures, charts, and more.

4. Views

PowerPoint has a variety of views that are simply different ways to work with the same presentation. Change the view to get a different perspective on your content.

Use views for a different way to edit and build your PowerPoint presentation.

Views tab — The **Views** tab changes the perspective on your PowerPoint presentation.

In the screenshot below, you can see the difference between the default Normal view and Slide Sorter view. Normal view shows each slide front and center. Slide Sorter view creates thumbnails that you can drag and drop to reorder the presentation.

Normal and Slide Sorter views — **Normal** view is the default presentation view in PowerPoint. An alternate view like **Slide Sorter** allows you to re-sequence your presentation by dragging and dropping the slide thumbnails.

5. The Design Tab

An attractive presentation can really grab your audience's attention. We use themes and styles in PowerPoint to add visual appeal to the presentation, and the Design tab really controls these settings.

Design Tab PowerPoint — Click on one of the theme thumbnails to transform the look and feel of the presentation.

On the Design tab, click one of the themes to restyle the presentation. Or, try out a different Style thumbnail to overhaul the color theme.

The Steps to Create a PowerPoint Presentation for Beginners

We've tackled the interface of PowerPoint, so you should be feeling pretty comfortable with how to get around the app. Now, let's talk about the actions you'll find yourself using repeatedly and how you can do that in PowerPoint.

1. How to Add Slides

Think of slides as the individual units in your presentation that you can fill with content. To insert a new slide, go to the Insert tab on PowerPoint's ribbon. Then, click on the New Slide button to add a new slide to your presentation.

New Slide Added — A new slide will have basic placeholders to add your content to in PowerPoint.

Each of the thumbnails that you'll see on the sidebar represents a slide. Then, you'll add content to each slide.

There's no practical limit to the number of slides that your PowerPoint file can contain. But you should consider how many slides it actually takes to make your point. It's often the

2. How to Add Content

Content is what defines each slide. PowerPoint accommodates a wide range of content like text, graphs, tables, charts, and more.

The easiest way to add content is to start off by choosing a Layout, which you can choose from the Home tab.

Various PowerPoint layouts shown on the **Home** tab.

These layouts have content boxes that are easy to add your own content to. Simply choose a layout, and then start adding your content.

3. How to Choose a Theme and Style

After you build out your presentation's content, it's a great idea to think about adding visual style. For this, you'll jump over to the Design tab, and click on one of the thumbnails for a theme.

PowerPoint theme dropdown — Use the **Design** tab to pick a theme.

Using a PowerPoint theme is the preferred alternative to adding backgrounds, color and type styles to each slide. Changing the theme typically will adjust the entire presentation simultaneously. This greatly reduces the time involved with building a presentation.

With just these three steps, you've got the repeatable sequence of actions needed to build a presentation.

How to Power Up PowerPoint

With every creative app I've ever learned, there are always those insider tricks of the trade that you learn many months later. They make you wish that you had known them all along and think about the many hours you wasted on the learning curve.

PowerPoint is no exception to this rule. It's especially important that you can cut to the chase when you're rushing to prepare for your presentation.

The best way to save time on your presentation is to start with a pre-built PowerPoint theme. And you can find those on Envato Elements, which is an unlimited download service for creatives.

PowerPoint Presentations List on Elements — Envato Elements includes hundreds of PowerPoint themes as part of its all-you-can-download flat rate service.

Discover simple PowerPoint template designs with powerful features on Envato Elements or GraphicRiver. The right premium PPT template will help you make a great presentation quickly.

Browse through these simple professional presentation designs that you can use today:

Now, most of the files that you'll grab from the Elements PPTX themes will appear to be finished presentations. You might be wondering how to use these pre-built presentations for your own needs.

To use Elements themes, it's really all about cutting it down to the slide designs that you'll use. A premium theme is really about the ideas that are included as part of it. Simply use these ideas as starting points that you can add your own content to.

Volt Elements Example — The Volt PowerPoint theme is one of hundreds included as part of an Envato Elements subscription. It features 120 slide designs you can use for yourself.

Again, the value of Elements is that you can download as many files as you want while you're a subscriber. And if you stop subscribing, you'll still have the right to use the creative assets you grabbed. It's much faster than building every slide from scratch.

How to Customize a Premium PPT Template Quickly (In 5 Simple Steps!)

When you contemplate how to use PowerPoint, don't imagine building slide decks from scratch. That's where premium PPT templates come in. They take the hard work out of using PowerPoint.

You can take advantage of designer styles in a simple format. That's the ultimate PowerPoint lesson to take to heart. Let's look at just how easy it is to customize premium PPT templates in this quick PowerPoint training tutorial!

If you want to follow along, download the beautiful Agio PowerPoint template from Envato Elements.

Agio template for PowerPoint lesson — With over 600 slides, Agio is the perfect way to build a PPT presentation.

Let's get started:

1. Choose Slides for Your Presentation

Premium PowerPoint PPT templates often include hundreds of handcrafted slides. For you, it's best to select only a handful to build a slide deck. In PowerPoint, find Slide Sorter on the View tab.

In Slide Sorter view, click and drag on the slide thumbnails to reorder them. Hold down Shift, click, and press Delete to remove unwanted slides. Jump back and start working by clicking Normal on the View tab.

How to create a PowerPoint presentation for beginners — As you're learning how to use PowerPoint, focus your efforts on only the most important slides. Use the **View > Slide Sorter** option to select the slides you'll work with.

2. Add Your Own Text

The PowerPoint basics include text and images. Adding custom text is one of the easiest and most common edits to make.

Pre-built layouts include text boxes already arranged on the slide. To add your own words, highlight the contents of any text box. Then, simply start typing. Repeat throughout the presentation.

3. Add Images

Wondering how to add PowerPoint presentation images? The easiest way is to turn to premium templates with image placeholders. Identify them by finding the image icons on a given slide. Jump to where images are stored on your computer.

Then, simply drag and drop them onto the placeholder. Not only will all your photos import automatically, they'll also size and scale to fit perfectly!

How to use PowerPoint presentation — Click in the image placeholders, then browse to your favorite photos to update the slide.

4. Change Object Colors

Changing theme colors is a fast way to adjust the visual look of your slides. For example, change object colors to add a bit of contrast.

To get started, click on a chart section to select it. On the Format tab, click on the Shape Fill dropdown. You'll see a color chooser, from which you can apply any color imaginable.

5. Customize Fonts

No Microsoft PowerPoint tutorial would be complete without customizing fonts. Sometimes, it's easy to overlook text as a design element, but with a few quick edits you can make your words really stand out.

Highlight a block of text, then go up to the Font section of the Home tab. You'll see dropdowns to change the font style, size, and color. After that, add quick effects like bold letters, italics, and more!

PowerPoint instructions — The **Font** menu holds all the tools you need to customize your text to match your brand.

PowerPoint Tools to Learn (For Presenters)

The content and design will vary greatly from one presentation next. But, no matter what the goal of your presentation is, there are common tools that every presenter can benefit from using. We've developed PowerPoint lessons for those tools.

Let's focus on the most valuable tools for speakers in this PowerPoint tutorial. I always mention these tools as a way to build confidence and comfort for presenters.

1. Speaker Notes

Forget writing out note cards or keeping a printed outline nearby. Speaker notes are a way to add the things you need to say to each slide.

Speaker notes are added to each individual slide, and the best way to add them is from Normal view. Click on Notes below the presentation area and type your slide-specific notes.

Microsoft PowerPoint

How to Add Speaker Notes to PowerPoint in 60 Seconds

Andrew Childress

Speaker notes will show up in printed copies of your presentation. So, it's easier to build them into PowerPoint instead of scribbling note cards you may lose.

2. Presenter View

Another feature that's a must-use is Presenter View, which is perfect for two screen setups while presenting. While your audience will see the presentation you've built on the projector or LCD screen, you'll have your own private view with speaker notes, upcoming slides, and more.

Turn on Presenter View from the slideshow tab by clicking Use Presenter View.

Example of PowerPoint Presenter View — An example of PowerPoint Presenter View.

Check out a full guide below on getting the most from Presenter View:

Microsoft PowerPoint

How to Present a PowerPoint Slideshow With Presenter View

Andrew Childress

3. Spelling and Grammar Check

There's nothing worse than missing a key typo before you give your presentation. To avoid this problem, it's a great help to run a spelling and grammar check before you give your presentation.

To check for common spelling issues, simply jump to the Review tab and click Spelling. PowerPoint will check for the most common issues and allow you to correct them as needed.

5 Tips and Tricks for a Successful PowerPoint Presentation

You've learned how to use PowerPoint presentation templates. We walked through a quick PowerPoint lesson to customize them. But you may be wondering: is that enough to deliver a winning PowerPoint presentation?

Part of PowerPoint training comes from adopting the tips and tricks used by the best presenters. Follow these, and you'll have a happy (and engaged) audience every time!

1. Have a Clear Objective

Let's face it: we've all endured lengthy, boring PowerPoint presentations that seem to drift without a clear purpose. When you build your own PowerPoint, start with a goal in mind. Typically, that goal will be to inform or persuade an audience. It pays to outline that goal in advance and work towards your objective with a series of clear and concise slides.

It may sound daunting, but you can learn the technique in moments with our full PowerPoint training to help build persuasive slide decks:

Presentations

How to Make a Persuasive PowerPoint Presentation (With Powerful Tips)

Celine Roque

2. Illustrate Concepts With Infographics

A key PowerPoint lesson for beginners is this: never get bogged down trying to talk through concepts. Visual aids are essential, and audiences demand them today. Infographics are a successful presenter's best friend. Infographics combine information and graphics to create stunning visuals.

Learn to build them yourself. Or sample from the very best pre-built PPT templates today in our infographic-centric set of PowerPoint instructions:

Microsoft PowerPoint

35 Best Infographic PowerPoint Presentation Templates: With Great PPT Data Slides 2020

Sean Hodge

3. Use Subtle Animations and Transitions

Animations and transitions: fundamental elements of any deck, they should be used sparingly. When carefully applied, they create beautiful segues between slides. They can also help introduce new ideas in exact sequence. But use too many, and they become obnoxious distractions guaranteed to annoy an audience.

Moderation is the name of the game here. Read our full Microsoft PowerPoint tutorial on animations to use them with confidence:

Microsoft PowerPoint

How to Quickly Add Good Animations to Your PowerPoint PPT Presentations

Andrew Childress

4. Be Interactive to Engage the Audience

No matter how compelling your narrative, you can't simply talk to an audience and expect full participation. Instead, you need to engage your audience. A quick and fun way is with a quiz slide. They get the audience involved and help your slide deck stay focused.

Even better: pre-built templates make it a breeze. They're PowerPoint instructions inside a PPTX file. Get started building interactive quizzes in PPT today with our guide on how to create PowerPoint quizzes:

Microsoft PowerPoint

How to Make a Basic Interactive Quiz in PowerPoint From a PPT Template

Andrew Childress

5. Close Strong for an Enduring Message

The very best PowerPoint presentations make a great first impression. But equally (and perhaps even more) important is the winning last impression. It's critical to conclude with a strong close. Leave on a memorable anecdote, recap your key points, or make a big "ask." All these techniques and more help to ensure a strong close.

Don't go it alone. We've created expert PowerPoint training on building a strong close. Check it out here:

Microsoft PowerPoint

How to End Your PowerPoint Presentation With a Strong Close (In 2020)

Andrew Childress

Microsoft PowerPoint Premium Online Courses

One of the best ways to learn is by watching a complete PowerPoint presentation built from start to finish. PowerPoint training creates polished presenters. Seeing a presentation come together will teach you the tricks you need to confidently build your own presentations.

At Tuts+, we've built a library of courses that do just that. Think of them as the "PowerPoint for dummies" selections for beginners. These are complete courses that include all the PowerPoint knowledge you need to craft a slide deck that tells your story.

These PowerPoint tutorials are included for free if you already subscribe to Envato Elements. The same subscription gives you PowerPoint instructions to become a presenter. You'll learn to use templates that help you jump ahead in building your presentation and build them in less time than you ever thought.

Course Example for PowerPoint — The Make Great Presentations Quickly with PowerPoint course will teach you to take a pre-built template and craft a slide deck in less time than you ever thought possible.

Need Help? Grab Our Making Great Presentations eBook (Free)

You can find more information in our new eBook on making great presentations. Download this PDF eBook now for FREE with your subscription to the Tuts+ Business Newsletter.

It'll help you master the presentation process, from: initial creative ideas, through to writing, design, and delivering with impact.

Get Started Using PowerPoint Today

Presentations can be daunting to take on, but a bit of knowledge about Microsoft PowerPoint can ease the process. We've got tutorials that show you how to create a PowerPoint presentation, for beginners. Jump to the following links to speed up your learning process and spend less time in PowerPoint:

Envato Elements is the best place to grab premium PowerPoint templates that save you hours of design work and leave you with a finished presentation that you'll feel confident in.
Courses included with Envato Elements are complete walkthroughs of how to build a presentation. They're perfect PowerPoint tutorials for beginners.
The PowerPoint Ultimate Tutorial Guide is a complete learning resource with the top tutorials to take you from beginner to expert.

Editorial Note: This post was originally published in 2017. It's been comprehensively revised to make it current, accurate, and up to date by our staff—with special assistance from Andrew Childress.

20+ Best WordPress Church Templates 2021 (Free & Premium)

Posted: 29 Dec 2020 05:37 AM PST

If faith is through hearing, then you must convey your message clearly and professionally through your website with WordPress church templates.

And since you have no idea what to look for in a suitable theme, we have collected a list of amazing and beautiful templates for your church.

Find More Church Templates on ThemeForest

All of the elements in our list are exclusively available on ThemeForest, and in case you go over the list and still feel like looking around through the store, feel free to take a look at these premium WordPress church templates.

WordPress Church Templates for 2021 ThemeForest — ThemeForest has a wide selection of premium WordPress church templates you can use.

20 Best Premium WordPress Church Templates 2021

Take a look at this hand-picked list of amazing WordPress church templates.

1. Grace - Church, Religion & Charity WordPress Theme

We kick off our list of WordPress church templates with Grace. It's a responsive website template that's easy to customize. There are multiple theme options to choose from, and pages can be built with WPBakery. Translate Grace into the language you need with the included files. And if you're ever stuck, the developers offer a helpful support team.

2. Churhius - Church Religion WordPress Theme

Churhius is one of the best WordPress church templates on ThemeForest. It's full of helpful features for you and your congregation. The Sermon Manager plugin is included to publish your messages online. It also comes with an easy to use event calendar so your community can stay connected. Give Churhius a try instead of the free church WordPress themes available around the web.

3. Salvation - Church & Religion WP Theme

Salvation is a modern and minimal template option for your church website. The content composer makes building unique pages simple, saving you time. It also comes with useful features, like:

shop, donation, sermon, and events plugin
blog and portfolio styles
translation ready
SEO optimized
form builder

4. Deborah - Inclusive Church WordPress Theme

Deborah is one of the top WordPress church templates for reaching your congregation. It places your content front and center so every visitor can get the information they need. Create a blog, share staff and sermon information, and manage events all within Deborah. It's full of features, which can't be said for WordPress church templates available for free download.

5. Native Church - Multi Purpose WordPress Theme

If your church handles community events, you'll love the features of Native Church. This WordPress church theme for 2021 has a full-screen events calendar that syncs with Google Calendar. Add, remove, and edit events on the fly with Native Church. On top of that, this church template is fully responsive and has multiple layout and color options.

6. Exodos - Church WordPress Theme

The Exodos template has a modern style that looks great and is easy to customize. It comes with an editable donations page for charitable gifts and offerings, a well-built blog, and a sermon page. Create a layout that works and import your changes with a click of a button. Try out the premium Exodos instead of free church WordPress themes found online.

7. Bethlehem - Church WordPress Theme

A good church template should represent more than just a place where people go to find out what time Sunday services start. A good church template, like Bethlehem, is a source of inspiration and fellowship to everyone. You'll be able to connect with your congregation with this delightfully designed template. Share stories, sermons, and events with every visitor of your site. There are three demos you can work from, and thanks to the drag and drop editor, you'll be able to design new pages with ease.

8. ChurchWP - A Contemporary WordPress Theme for Churches

The church is all about community, peace, and brotherhood, and your website should reflect this. That's why we recommend ChurchWP, one of the top WordPress church templates for 2021. It offers a way for you to show people what church is really about, using the most amazing, calm and minimalistic design. There are multiple page templates you can edit and customize to show sermons and fellowship events. And unlike many WordPress church templates for free download, it supports integration with many popular plugins.

9. My Religion - Church & Charity WordPress Theme

My Religion Church And Charity WordPress Theme

Since its release in Fall 2016, My Religion has continued to be one of the most highly rated WordPress church templates on ThemeForest. You can post sermons online for all of the church's visitors. Easily set up offerings and donations, as well as a shop to raise money for different causes. The consistent updates and attention to detail make My Religion one of the best WordPress church templates for 2021.

10. Church - WordPress

Church is a beautiful WordPress template well suited for your church or non-profit organization.

This template comes with a very minimalistic and spiritual design, as well as all the tools you need to build your website. These features make this one of the top WordPress church templates for 2021.

11. Chapel - Church Theme

This template is warm and friendly with a full-screen slider that immediately puts you into a state of ease, and aside from a great design, it also comes with these features:

Easy to use – no coding knowledge required
Powerful Admin Panel
A large collection of home and inner pages
Import demo site with One-Click
Responsive and Retina Ready

These features are hard to come by in free church WordPress themes. So go ahead and have some faith in what this template can do for you.

12. Zegen - Church WordPress Theme

Zegen is specially designed for non-profit churches, prayer groups, charity, volunteering, and funding. Zegen also comes with sermons, ministries, events, testimonies, staff members, and church locations to enhance your website.

13. Our Church - WordPress Churches Theme

If you're looking for a modern and easily manageable WordPress Church Template that comes with a classic and minimal style, then Our Church Template is the one for you.

14. Hallelujah | Church & Religion WordPress Theme

This template enables you to showcase sermons, ministries, events, lectures, testimonies, staff members, and church locations, in a very beautiful and elegant layout.

Hallelujah also comes equipped with these features:

One-Click demo install
Retina Images Support
Interactive Ajax Search

15. Ichthys - Church WordPress Theme

Do you want to create an incredible church website? How about taking a look at Ichthys, the template that combines, design with speed and functionality. If you're looking for a premium alternative to WordPress church templates for free download, use Ichthys.

16. Vestry - Church WordPress

Vestry is a breathtaking template with lots of thoughtful design additions and plenty of features that make it a great choice for your church.

This template also comes with 30+ inner pages, events, sermons, and a fully developed blog.

17. Nazareth | Church & Religion WordPress Theme

If you believe that your church's website just needs a couple of pictures and maybe some talk of next week's schedule, you should take a look at the Nazareth template for inspiration.

This template comes packed with pre-built pages, easy installation, and an events calendar. Not many WordPress church templates for free download can say the same.

18. Adore Church - Responsive WordPress Theme

Last but not least on our list of WordPress church template is Adore. This premium template is perfect for your church and ministry. Adore comes with 12 color schemes, an event manager plugin, and a responsive design. You'll love the way you can connect with visitors with this template. Thanks to the included support forum, you won't struggle with creating the perfect church website.

19. Blessing | WordPress Theme for Church and Charity Websites

This WordPress church template really is a blessing. It's easy to customize and even easier for visitors to navigate. The included events calendar helps keep church and community members connected year-round. There's also a mail subscriber to notify everyone about important dates and events. If you like simple WordPress church templates, try out Blessing.

20. Spiritual - Church WordPress Theme (Responsive)

We close out our list of premium WordPress church templates with Spiritual. It comes with template customization options and Visual Composer for quick page building, which not many free church WordPress themes have. Set up the WooCommerce plugin with Spiritual to raise money for missions or projects. Thanks to its responsive design, visitors on mobile can have the same experience as desktop users.

Free WordPress Templates For 2021 From WordPress

We always recommend premium WordPress church templates for 2021, but they may not fit your budget right now. That's why you can find free church WordPress themes from ThemeForest!

Every month, ThemeForest lets you download premium WordPress themes for free. It's a great way to find a free WordPress theme that's guaranteed to have high quality.

There's always something different each month, so you can find WordPress church templates for a free download that suit you. Want to see what premium WordPress themes are free on ThemeForest this month? Check it out from the links above.

3 Best Free WordPress Church Templates

If you want to see more free church WordPress themes, we've found a few online! Have a look at these three WordPress church templates for free download, straight from WordPress themselves.

1. Prayer Lite

Prayer Lite is an amazingly clean, modern, and creative template that comes with a lot of options to help you launch your site. If you've been hunting for WordPress church templates for a free download, check out Prayer Lite.

2. Pin Charity

As far as free church WordPress themes go, Pin Charity really has great features that will satisfy all your needs, plus a very minimalistic and elegant design that will impress your visitors.

3. The Church Lite

The Church Lite is one of the great free church WordPress themes. It's very modern and feature-rich, so make sure you try it out and see if it fits your business. Try it if you've spent a lot of time looking for WordPress church templates for a free download.

Amazing WordPress Tips For Your Church Website Template

We're happy that you looked through free and premium WordPress church templates with us! Before you go, we want to give you some top tips to get the most out of your church themes for 2021.

1. Use Your Events Page

One big goal of the church is to bring people together as one community. No matter your church's size, keeping up to date with community events can help achieve this. Make sure your church's online calendar is always maintained an up-to-date for potential visitors.

ChurchWP Church WordPress Template Events Page — ChurchWP has a built-in events page, a feature shared with many church themes for 2021.

2. Have Photos

If you take pictures of your church's events or services, share them online. It's a great way to engage with your community. The good news is that most WordPress church templates have image galleries built-in. All you'll need to do is upload your photos to your site.

3. Keep Design Minimal

Cluttered design is the easiest way to drive away visitors and traffic. If you want your page to be used, limit the number of elements you display. Apply white space design principles and cut out unnecessary information for an aesthetically-pleasing website. You can learn about these principles from this helpful guide from Envato Tuts+:

Design Theory

Invisible Forces: Spacing and Shape

David Kadavy

4. Have Organized Pages

When you're building the different pages in your WordPress church template, make sure each one has a specific goal. Have separate pages for events, services, and offerings. It's just as important to respect page hierarchy. Learn more with this tutorial:

WordPress

How to Create WordPress Pages With Hierarchy and Templates

Rachel McCollin

5. Design For Mobile Devices

In 2021, most of the internet's traffic is driven by mobile devices. The visitors to your church's website are no different. That's why it's important to have a responsive church WordPress template that looks great on every screen size.

Adore Responsive Church WordPress Template — Adore is one of many WordPress Church Templates with a responsive design.

Learn More About WordPress Themes From Envato Tuts+

If you want to get the most out of your WordPress church templates for 2021, you'll want to check out Envato Tuts+. There are many WordPress tutorials and guides that can get you started. Soon enough, you'll be making stellar WordPress websites.

Here are just a few WordPress how-to guides you can use to get your church website up and running.

If you're a visual learner, just check out our YouTube channel! Envato Tuts+ on YouTube is filled with useful video tutorials, guides, and courses. Explore our WordPress and web design playlists for helpful for learning new skills. Here's a peek at what you can find from our YouTube channel:

Build an Online Presence For Your Church

Now that you have all the tools you need to build an online presence for your church with premium WordPress church templates, it's important that you choose the features that best suit your needs and help you spread your message further. Enjoy the journey of bringing your excellent, premium church template to life as a beautiful website for your visitors.

25 Best Free Comparison PowerPoint PPT Slide Template Designs for 2021

Posted: 29 Dec 2020 05:35 AM PST

Using a comparison slide in your presentation helps your audience to see the difference between two choices. Try a comparison PowerPoint template with a chart.

This premium infographic PowerPoint template is perfect to use as a comparison presentation template.

There are many different subjects that could be compared. For example, you could compare two similar products to show the differences.

In this article you'll see two different options for templates. Those two options are premium templates and free templates. Using a premium template can help you save time so that you can focus on the information in your presentation.

A good comparison slide template isn't overcrowded but is clear on what the comparison points are. When selecting a template keep your target audience in mind. You want the comparison PowerPoint template to be appealing to them and also easy to read.

We'll discuss the benefits of a premium comparison PowerPoint template and look at some premium templates. Then we'll look at free comparison PowerPoint template, allowing you to compare your options.

Find the Best Premium Comparison PowerPoint PPT Slide Template Designs on Envato Elements (2021)

For the ultimate PowerPoint comparison slide templates go to Envato Elements. The subscription lets you download as many premium design assets as you want. Envato Elements is a premium service where you pay a low monthly fee for access to thousands of premium elements such as:

professional PowerPoint templates
high quality stock photos
audio
fonts
and much more

Start with Envato Elements when making your comparison PowerPoint project. Comparison PPT template free downloads don't have the high quality you'll find in a premium comparison PowerPoint template from Envato Elements.

Envato Elements Unlimited PowerPoint Templates — Download unlimited design assets with Envato Elements.

Envato Elements is where you can find easy to use templates. Save time by quickly customizing your template.

And if you don't want to customize your template, you don't have to. Just add in your information and you're done! Envato Elements has hundreds of comparison PowerPoint templates to choose between.

Comparison Presentation Templates in Envato Elements — Envato Elements has hundreds of comparison PowerPoint template.

What if you don't want to pay the monthly fee because you've got a one-time project?

Don't think that your only other option is a free PowerPoint templates comparison template that you found by doing an online search. There's another option for premium PowerPoint comparison slides. GraphicRiver is a pay as you download option where you can get premium templates.

Download Premium Comparison PowerPoint Templates

Here are five hand-picked premium comparison presentation templates from Envato Elements and GraphicRiver:

1. Infographic PowerPoint

Infographic PowerPoint has 30 unique slides that can be used for comparison charts in PowerPoint. Easily add an image to your slide by dragging and dropping the image into the image placeholder.

This template comes with many infographics that you can use when making your comparison slides. Adapt this template for any purpose you may have.

2. PowerPoint Comparison Slide

PowerPoint Comparison Slide template has many infographics. Use them as PowerPoint comparison table templates.

Easily edit this template to suit your project. Along with infographics this template comes with 1,000 icons that you can use. PowerPoint Comparison Slide template also comes with five premade color scheme options.

3. INFOGRAPHIC - Multipurpose PowerPoint V174

Infographic is a multipurpose template to use as a comparison PowerPoint template. This template highlights a minimal design, which makes it ideal for presenting comparisons. Infographic template comes with 400 total slides and 80 unique slides. You also get five premade color schemes that you can choose for your theme.

4. Corporate PowerPoint Infographics Template

Corporate PowerPoint Infographic Template

Corporate PowerPoint Infographics Template Pack comes with over 2,100 infographics. Choose the ones you like for your comparison presentation.

Choose from 350 completely editable slides that you can use in your comparison presentation. Corporate PowerPoint Infographics Template also includes four premade color schemes and 90 color themes.

5. Decision Tree Diagram PowerPoint

Decision Tree Diagram PowerPoint is a comparison PowerPoint template with over 70 unique slides. This template comes with many infographics that you can use for your comparison slides. Along with the infographics this template also includes over 4,000 icons and over 700 color schemes.

25 Top Free Comparison PowerPoint Slide Design PPT Templates to Download for 2021

Before looking for a free comparison PowerPoint template on the web, check Envato's free offerings first. Try out various premium template files (not always comparison slide designs) at no cost to you.

Here's the deal:

Every month Envato Elements offers 12 different hand-selected files, (fonts, presentations, videos, and more). Create a free account to download this month's free premium files now.
Or try Envato Market for free. They offer seven handpicked monthly freebies. Log in with your Envato Market account to get this month's handpicked premium freebies.

If the premium-quality templates above didn't have what you're looking for, you may be forced to rely on a comparison PPT template free download. Here are some of the best free PowerPoint templates comparison chart slides from the internet:

1. Notebook Infographic Design PowerPoint Template

Notebook Infographic Design PowerPoint Template is a simple comparison PPT template free download. This template comes with an orange and green color scheme.

2. Opposite Arrow Bar Chart PowerPoint Template

This free PowerPoint templates comparison chart has arrow infographics that you can use to compare data or two products. This template is completely editable including the shapes and text.

3. Comparative Bar Chart PowerPoint Diagram

The Comparative Bar Chart PowerPoint is a free PowerPoint templates comparison chart that includes bar charts. These provide an easy way to compare data or prices.

4. Paper Card Bar Chart PowerPoint Diagram

This free PowerPoint templates comparison chart features bar charts with percentages. This template comes with a color theme already applied.

5. Tree Line Chart PowerPoint Diagram Template

Tree Line comparison PPT template free download features tree illustrations that represent data points. This template also includes a line chart that's connected to the trees.

6. People Icons Chart PowerPoint Diagram

This free PowerPoint templates comparison chart has infographics of people that can be turned into a bar chart. Along with the bar charts there's also a large hourglass featured.

7. Oval Background Bar Chart PowerPoint Diagram Template

If you're looking for a vertical bar comparison PPT template free download that's simple this template is a great option.

8. Person Icons Bar Chart PowerPoint Diagram Template

The Person Icons Bar Chart comparison PPT template free download is great if you want to compare growth of two products. This template includes percentages in the bar chart.

9. Pyramid Infographics

This free PowerPoint templates comparison chart template features a lot of different types of pyramid charts. Pyramid charts are great at representing the quantity or size of something.

10. Circle Infographics

Circle Infographics is a comparison PPT template free download. It showcases a different type of circle infographic on each slide. Use circle infographics to show parts of a service or product.

11. Iceberg Infographics

Iceberg Infographics is a free PowerPoint templates comparison chart. There's a different type of iceberg infographic on each of the 32 slides. Iceberg charts are good to show the underlying problem of a product or service.

12. Table Infographics

This comparison PPT template free download features a different type of table infographic on each slide. Table charts are great to compare data in a simple way.

13. Business Infographics

Business Infographics includes a different type infographic on every slide. This free PowerPoint templates comparison chart has maps, timelines, SWOT analysis, line graphs and more.

14. Budget Infographics

Budget Infographics is a comparison PowerPoint where you compare money or budgets. This template has many types of graphs and infographics.

15. Data Charts

If you need many types of charts in your PowerPoint comparison slide presentation, then this is the template for you. Data Charts templates comes with 30 different infographics.

16. Line Chart Infographics

Line Chart Infographics includes 30 different types of line charts. Line comparison chart PowerPoints can be used to track changes or compare changes between two elements.

17. Male and Female Charts

Use the Male and Female Charts can be used as a comparison slide template for comparing two different demographics. There are 30 different slides with different infographics that are completely editable.

18. Color Stripe Bar Chart Template

The comparison slide design of this template is a plain background where the slide features a bar graph. The bar graph has icons in the bars making it easy to tell the difference between what you're comparing.

19. Double Opposite Arrows Slide Template

This comparison slide template features arrows in an arrow infographic. Since the arrows point to opposite slides the infographic makes it easy to compare facts.

20. Arrow Ribbons Slide Template

The Arrow Ribbon comparison slide template comes with two arrow infographic options. All infographics and icons in this template are completely editable.

21. Thumbs Up and Down for PowerPoint

This comparison slide design features two lower arms. There's one that's got a green shirt with the hand giving a thumbs up. The other has a red shirt with the thumbs down. This template is great if you're comparing the positive and negative of a project.

22. Battery Plus and Minus Diagram for PowerPoint

If you're comparing the positive and negative of a project the battery infographic will make the comparison obvious. This comparison PowerPoint template comes in in light and dark mode.

23. Up and Down Arrows for PowerPoint

The Up and Down Arrows comparison presentation is completely editable. This template comes in standard version and widescreen version.

24. 8 Banners With Text for PowerPoint

Use the 8 Banners with Text comparison presentation to compare information, products, or projects. This template is completely editable and comes with a light and dark version.

25. Good and Bad Diagram for PowerPoint

This PowerPoint comparison slide emphasizes the good and the bad with the infographics. This template comes in standard version and widescreen version.

5 Quick PowerPoint Comparison Slide Design Tips for 2021

Now that you've chosen your PowerPoint template here are some tips to help you customize your template:

1. Simple Slides

When making your comparison slide limit how much you put on a single slide. When you've got an overcrowded slide, it can look messy and confuse your audience.

Also keep in mind that you want people to listen to you not read your slides. So, keep the text on the slide to a minimum.

2. High Quality Visuals

When you're making your comparison PowerPoint, it's important to have high quality visuals. The purpose of visuals is to emphasize the point you're making and to make the point more easily understood.

Visuals include infographics, images, and charts. Envato Elements has prebuilt template designs with high quality visuals included. They're superior to a comparison PPT template free download that you may find online.

3. Choose the Right Colors

Many PowerPoint comparison slides from Envato Elements and GraphicRiver have prebuilt color schemes that are designed to look nice. If you want to customize your presentation by choosing your own colors, choose colors that make it easy for the audience read your slides.

For example, you don't want to use a grey font on a slide with a black background. You also want to use colors that go well together. If the colors don't go well together, it can be distracting for your audience and look unprofessional.

4. Use Infographics and Charts

A memorable presentation uses infographics and charts in the comparison PowerPoint template. Infographics help you explain topics that could otherwise be difficult to explain.

Charts help you by adding a visual element to your data. Infographics and charts make it easy for the audience to see similarities or differences when comparing data or things.

5. Choose the Right Font

When making your comparison presentation something you should keep in mind is the font. You want to have a font that can be easily read from a distance. You want the farthest person from the screen to be able to clearly read what you've got on your slide.

Discover More Top Microsoft PowerPoint Template Designs

Didn't find a template that would work for your project? Maybe you didn't see what you were looking for? Here are some articles that feature more templates:

Learn More About Making Great PowerPoint Presentations in 2020

Now that you've chosen a template you may have questions about Microsoft PowerPoint. Maybe you've got questions on how to customize your template? Here are some tutorials and articles that can help:

Download Your Comparison Presentation PowerPoint Template Today!

It's tempting to download a free PowerPoint templates comparison chart. But free templates can be a lot more work.

Envato Elements and GraphicRiver are great options for comparison presentation templates. Each PowerPoint comparison slide has a nice comparison slide design that'll impress your audience. Premium templates need less work all you need to do is add in your information and you're done.

So why not start your comparison presentation project today? Download your favorite comparison PowerPoint template and get started now.

How to Start a New Career in Midlife (With Examples for Your 30s, 40s, or 50s)

Posted: 29 Dec 2020 04:55 AM PST

Unemployment is on the rise, and with widespread uncertainty, many experienced workers have found their jobs—and the industries they work in—under threat. If you're in this situation, or perhaps you just want to try something new, you may be ready for a career change.

career change at 50 — Starting a new career in midlife has some challenges. (Image source: Envato Elements)

The question is, how do you successfully find a new career and update or create a resume that helps you transfer your existing skills to a new role? In this guide, I'll show you how to find a new career, along with expert tips on getting your resume noticed.

Common Reasons for Starting a New Career

One reason for switching careers at 30, 40, 50, or even older is because of unemployment, but it's not the only reason. For example, you might have held the same role for a long time, but might no longer feel fulfilled by the daily routine of your job. Or perhaps you've already paid off your mortgage and raised your kids, and you're thinking more about your long term impact and legacy.

Whatever your reasons for thinking about a midlife career switch, the following tips on how to change jobs will help you succeed:

Switching Careers at 30+ - How to Get Started

career change at 40 — Plan before you start actively looking for a new career. (Image source: Envato Elements)

Here are six issues to think about when contemplating a midlife career change:

1. Identify Your Ideal Role

A key task when starting a second career is to figure out what role you're looking for. You may already know what you DON'T want (anything that didn't work for you in your current or recent role). But take some time to figure out what matches your interests and abilities so you can find a job where you'll thrive.

2. Check Your Network

When starting a new career at 50, 40, or even 30, a good starting point is to check your existing networks to see what opportunities already exist. The people who know you and who you're connected with can introduce you to people with available job roles, giving you a headstart when you're ready to apply.

3. Stay Open

If you're contemplating a career change at 40, or any age, stay open to roles you might not have considered initially. You never know if a seemingly unusual role might be the perfect fit for your new career aspirations.

Jessica Millett, Recruiting Manager at Future State, says:

"Recognize that you can honor your experience and the skills you've obtained while embracing a 'beginner's mindset'- the two are not mutually exclusive. Don't let the fear of the unknown and the fear of performing poorly at a new skill stop you from taking on a new challenge."

Millett adds:

"Appreciating the learning journey allows you to extend grace to yourself as you learn and set realistic expectations that will fuel your growth rather than discourage your progress. I recommend reading "Learning to Learn and the Navigation of Moods" by Gloria Flores as a great place to start."

4. Check the Requirements

Any career switch may mean adapting to new requirements. As you start to look for new jobs, identify any skills gaps between your past roles and your future one. You might need training in some new areas, and you can get started on that while you're looking.

The good news is that there are a lot of places offering free online courses. So, if you're between jobs and managing your finances, these are a great option for improving your skills.

That said, don't let the perception that you're lacking some skills stop you from applying, says Jessica Millett:

"Studies have shown that women and underrepresented groups apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications – let's break that trend. You don't have to be perfect, to be the perfect fit, so bridge what you've done to what the role is asking for in a way that helps the hiring team see the connection. First, read the job description and the company website to find ways to describe your past roles and skills using their 'language.' Then, modify your resume and cover letter to 'paint the picture' of how you have learned and excelled at similar tasks."

5. Be Realistic

There's one possible down side of a second career: you probably won't be at the same seniority level as you've been used to. That might mean adjusting your salary expectations as you make the move.

On the plus side, your existing experience will count for a lot when working with a new team. So, hopefully that'll lead to opportunities for promotion.

6. Be Aware of Age Discrimination

One issue that can affect older workers is age discrimination. Virginia Jeyapal of career services firm Shadow Management Consulting says:

"The stereotype of an older worker being too 'expensive' or too 'old' still exists. Age discrimination is rampant in some professions and career levels more than others. Executives face slightly less discrimination as the move up in position/title. An older CEO or vice president does not feel as much age discrimination as an older sales representative or customer service professional may face."

The Best Resume Format for a Career Change

how to change jobs — It's important to know how to format your resume if you plan a midlife career change. (Image source: Envato Elements)

When making a career change at 50 or younger, there are several resume formats you can use to get recruiters' attention. These include:

A reverse chronological resume. This lists job roles and experience from the most recent to the oldest
A functional resume. This concentrates on your ability and skills rather than the timing of job roles.
A hybrid resume, also known as a combination resume. This combines skills and job roles.

For older job-seekers planning on starting a new career, a functional resume works well because it allows you to highlight your transferable skills. Or, use a hybrid resume to highlight the skills you used in different job roles.

Virginia Jeyapal says:

"When changing careers, you can still leverage your former career skills, experiences, and accomplishments. Most of your former experience can still add value and is not considered time wasted. The strategy is to highlight skills that are transferable and showcase the value and competencies you bring to the organization."

7 Tips on Refocusing Your Resume For a New Career

starting a new career at 50 — If you're making a career switch, you likely need to refocus your resume for your new career. (Image source: Envato Elements)

Starting a new career at 40+? Here are some tips on updating your resume to make the best impression on recruiters:

1. Include a Professional Summary

When thinking about how to change careers in midlife, it's worth knowing that some of the key terms relating to your resume have changed. In particular, what used to be called a "resume objective" is now called a "professional summary". As the name suggests, it's an overview of your career, and it's the first step in getting your resume noticed.

2. Highlight Your Skills

As mentioned earlier, transferable skills are important when contemplating a career change at 30 or older. Include these in a skills section just under your professional summary. Recruiters will be able to see at a glance if you've got the right mix of skills for a new role.

Virginia Jeyapal advises:

"A transition resume should show the hiring manager that you have worn many hats in your former career. Clearly demonstrate your adaptability, flexibility, and willingness to train and learn. For example, if you were in sales and transitioning to human resources, you can play up your relationship building, team collaboration, and leadership skills. Include your sales achievements (percentages, quotas) and attribute them to our outstanding relationship building and leadership strengths. Employers still like to see that in every role you were in, you outperformed and exceeded expectations."

3. Let Recruiters Know You're Upskilling

That said, don't let missing skills put you off starting a second career. If you're working on skills that relate to your new role, add them, and let recruiters know you're working on them. This will let them know you're aware of job requirements, adaptable, and willing to learn, which are all good qualities in a potential new hire.

4. Show Relevant Education

If you've got educational achievements that are relevant to your new role, make sure they're included in your resume. But you don't have to include the dates of your education, to avoid being the victim of ageism. Virginia Jeyapal also suggests:

"Avoid dating yourself by including graduation years or career highlights that are over 10-15 years old. Consider if this early experience is even relevant to your current goals. Instead, showcase your most recent career highlights and experiences and summarize your employment history beyond that time frame in a 'career note' or a 'early experience' section. Hiring managers care about your recent big wins and accomplishments and often feel that anything done 15 years ago does not add value to today's market."

But if you've got recent relevant training under your belt, by all means include it. Again, willingness to learn and adapt looks good to recruiters.

5. Showcase Your Accomplishments

When making a career switch, let recruiters know what you've achieved. When creating your resume, list key accomplishments under relevant job roles. This will show the breadth of your skills, making you a good prospect for a career change role. As Michelle Aikman comments on Glassdoor:

"As long as [your experience] gives the employer enough information to understand it, it opens the door for you to talk about that experience...It might not be recent, but is still relevant."

6. Include Volunteer Experience

Many older workers have relevant volunteer experience under their belts. Not only does this showcase your values and interests, but it can also provide extra skills and accomplishments to make your resume more interesting. One caveat: don't include every volunteer gig you've ever had; just the ones that have some relevance to the role you're applying for.

7. Use a Resume Template

If you're considering a career change at 50, it may be awhile since you've prepared a resume. One way to make the process easier is to use a resume template. Envato Elements has thousands of well-designed resume templates that'll help you create the perfect resume quickly and easily.

Learn more about creating resumes in the following articles:

Managing a Career Switch - How to Submit a Resume

starting a new career at 40 — For the most part, the days of mailing in your resume have passed. (Image source: Envato Elements)

Once you've created your resume, here are some tips for submission so you can get started with your second career.

Make sure you've two versions of your resume. You need a PDF (or Word document) to send out by email, and a plain text version for online submission.
Upload your PDF resume to LinkedIn, as potential employers will check you out there. You can also add it to job websites.
If you're submitting on spec, rather than applying for something specific, make sure you send it to the right person so someone actually sees your resume.
Add a cover letter if you're applying for a specific role. It's another chance to appeal to recruiters.
Don't be afraid to follow up after sending a resume. It'll show that you're really interested in the job.

Resume Examples for a Career Change at 50

how to change careers — Choosing the right resume is important. Give yourself a headstart by choosing a good resume template. (Image source: Envato Elements)

If you're looking for the perfect resume template when switching careers, check out the examples below:

Learn More About Creating Career Change Resumes

A career change at 40+ doesn't have to be difficult. To learn more about creating the perfect career switch resume, check out the following guides:

Create Your Career Change Resume Today

In this guide, you've had tips for starting a new career at 50 or younger. You now know how to change jobs with the perfect resume, and how to create that resume quickly and easily with a template. Good luck with your job search!

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/mēm/

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