This is a sponsored article and was made possible by SketchBubble. The actual contents and opinions are the sole views of the author who maintains editorial independence even when a post is sponsored.
Getting Started with SketchBubble
SketchBubble is an easy-to-use online service that facilitates access to a large library of presentation templates that cover many areas, including Education, Business, IT, E-commerce and more. Don’t worry about wasting time getting started with it – it’s very easy. Just sign in for an account and confirm your email. That’s it. Then you can go ahead and start browsing templates. SketchBubble is primarily a paid service but also includes a host of free templates that are neatly grouped together in the “Free Templates” category. You can start from there if you’re not yet sure whether you want to pay the fee.
Finding the Perfect Template
SketchBubble makes it easy to find the right template for your project. On the left, there’s a menu that hosts available options by field of interest. If, for example, you’re looking for a template for a presentation you’re going to present at a teaching seminar, you can start by browsing the “Education” category. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, you can also browse through related categories or use the search bar at the top with keywords. If you’d like to have your presentation feature illustrations of people and objects, you have a dedicated category for that. The same applies to “Shapes,” which are grouped in Circles, Arrows, Pyramids, etc. If you prefer that your diagrams be in a certain shape, use the “Diagram Finder” at the top. Select the desired shape and number of nodes you’d like it to have, and SketchBubble will show you all the template options that meet your criteria. SketchBubble also has an entire dedicated area for “Diagrams and Charts”. You can browse through hundreds of options neatly grouped under categories like Matrix Charts, Circle Puzzle or Ladder Diagrams. Another highlight is the Maps section where you can find PowerPoint templates and more that feature regional maps that you can customize. Overall, we really appreciate how easy it is to search and find specific elements to add to a presentation.
Viewing and Downloading Your Template
Microsoft PowerPoint has been around for more than 38 years (if you can imagine). It continues to be among the most popular option with users who are looking to create presentations. On SketchBubble, all templates are compatible with PowerPoint, as well as with Google Slides and Apple Keynote. Once you’ve identified a template that looks appealing, click on it to open the template page. Here you can get a preview of the slides and see if the template really suits your purpose without downloading it. You can also learn how many sides come with this particular template. If you decide to use it, simply select your preferred “Platform” and “Color” and click the “Download” button on the right. If you’ve opted for Google Slides, the template will immediately open in your browser. With PowerPoint and Keynote, an archive will be downloaded to your PC. PowerPoint templates are offered in a few versions: static (with either 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratios) or with animations.
Modifying Your SketchBubble Template
We found in our testing that modifying templates is super easy. Just click on a text field or graphic element to start customizing it. In this example, we simply clicked on Bubble #1, then used the “Fill Color” tool to change its color. When we wanted to modify the text, we just had to click one more time on the text to start editing it. When using PowerPoint templates that feature animations, know that you can tweak them, too, according to your preferences and unique needs. Note that Google Slides templates don’t come with built-in animations, but you’ll be able to add some manually from the app, if you want to. To do that, switch to “Animation” at the top to bring up the “Animation Pane” on the right. Find the animation element you wish to customize and right-click on it to bring up a number of options. For instance, we’ve selected “Effects options” to change the color of the second shape of the design element shown on the page. Naturally, you can make any other modifications, such as prolonging the time it takes for an animation sequence to run its course. While it may be enough to simply customize the elements of the presentation you’ve downloaded to give it a fresh personal look, you’re also welcome to add extra elements to the presentation by using the built-in options of the app you’re using. This includes other anything like charts, images, audio/video, shapes and more.
Pricing
SketchBubble offers a comprehensive library of over 150,000 easy-to-edit pre-designed slides. To access it fully, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid tier. There are currently three options to choose from and all are currently discounted:
Monthly Plan: $49.95 (20 downloads per month)Annual Plan: $199.95 (unlimited downloads)Quarterly: $99.95 (20 downloads per day)
SketchBubble does not offer a free trial, so you’ll need to browse the Free section (also make sure to check the “Bundles” category) carefully and download some of these free PowerPoint templates or Google Slides temples to get an idea of what’s being offered before opting to upgrade to a paid tier.
To Buy or Not to Buy SketchBubble
If you’re just looking to create a quick presentation once in a while, the “Free Templates” option should provide you with enough options. On the other hand, if you’re job entails making presentations on a regular basis, you may want to look into upgrading. SketchBubble is an extremely convenient service but you’ll need to pay if you’re looking to use it often. It is, however, super convenient, as it allows you download and start work on your presentation in a matter of minutes. At the same time, all templates are easily customizable in an intuitive way. You won’t have to spend time watching tutorials or reading articles online to learn how to use it. Our only concern is that most of these SketchBubble templates feature a similar design style. Overall, they seem to have been created by a single person with a singular vision. There are some exceptions (also found in the Free area), but you’ll need to dig a bit to find them. We’d certainly like to see a bit more variety on SketchBubble in the future.
