Using Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 to Broadcast A Live Presentation

PowerPoint is a great tool for building and presenting sideshows and demonstrations; as proven with its wide use by businesses, schools, and students. This program allows you to utilize text, graphics, videos, and audio with animation in order to build an attractive and engaging presentation for your audience. One benefit of PowerPoint is the ability to broadcast a presentation live, which we will show you how to do.

Steps to Broadcast Live Presentation via Microsoft PowerPoint 2010.

Step 1
First, you must choose the sideshow or presentation that you wish to broadcast live. You will then open it in PowerPoint, and then click “Slide Show”  then select the “Broadcast Slide Show” option. This is located towards the top of the window, as shown.

Step 2
You will now be presented with a pop up, that will initiate your PowerPoint live broadcast. Select “Start Broadcast” in order to begin the process. Afterwards, you will be prompted for your Windows Live ID as you can see in the image below. It requires this in order to begin broadcasting, so you should be sure to log in. If you do not have a windows live account, you can sign up for one before broadcasting. Windows Live is completely free, and is quick and easy to register for. If you do not have (or obtain) a Windows Live ID, you will not be able to broadcast your PowerPoint presentation. Once you have provided your login information, proceed with the “Ok” option.

Step 3
Once logged in, PowerPoint will prepare your presentation for broadcast. This may take a moment, and you will be shown a loading bar. Larger presentations, or more detailed slide shows, may take much longer to prepare as they will take up more time and bandwidth during the broadcast. Once it has finished preparation, PowerPoint will then present you with another pop up box. This box will contain the link to your broadcast’s URL, as demonstrated below. In order for your audience to watch the broadcast, you will need to share this link with them. You can also share the link on Facebook or Twitter, in order for other friends or connections to view the live broadcast.

Step 4
If you are ready to begin broadcasting your presentation to your waiting audience, then it is time to select the “Start Slide Show” option from the broadcast menu, as shown. If you were only interested in setting up your broadcast for a later time, and are not interested in beginning your presentation at the current time, then you can select “End Broadcast” and continue at a later time. You should be sure that your PowerPoint Slide Show is 100% ready for broadcasting and presentation before continuing on. Your presentation cannot be edited or altered while in broadcast mode, so ensure that you do one last proofreading before continuing. You can send invitations from here however, and you can also edit the show to adjust resolution.

Step 5
Now that you are ready to air your show, we will go over the beginning processes with you. All members of the audience should be viewing the invitation link, and waiting for the show to begin. They will see a blank screen, with the text “Waiting for Broadcast to Begin” (see below for example). Once you finally start your slide show, your viewers will be seeing the presentation just as if you were giving them a live presentation with a projector. Now, you are successfully broadcasting a live PowerPoint presentation.

Important Tips and Information You Should Know
As beneficial as this broadcasting feature is, you must keep in mind that it does not support audio communication. You will need to host a conference call simultaneously, unless audio is not required. Of course, all participants can gather within a chat room to discuss the presentation together. You can also use alternative programs and online resources to present your live shows, as the PowerPoint broadcast feature may not be for everyone. This is a great solution for students, especially those who are enrolled in online courses. This allows them to invite their instructors and classmates to view the presentation live, rather than distributing it to each individual separately.

A video Demonstration How Live Broadcasting of PowerPoint presenting works.