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How to Take Advantage of Prezi’s New Audio and Voice Capabilities

how to take use voice and audio on preziUpdate: 04/01/2019: Prezi no longer supports audio on their free product.  To add audio in a Prezi you’ll need to upgrade to a paid version like Prezi Plus or Prezi Next.  Check out this blog for alternative free presentation products which allow you to add audio.

When Holdcom started using Prezi about a year ago, we were very excited about the site’s ability to incorporate audio into online presentations. But then, we tried to do it. And we were very, very disappointed. After all, we know that a good presentation becomes great when you add professional voices and licensed, royalty-free music.

So imagine my surprise when earlier this week I got the Prezi newsletter with a big subject line that read, “Turn Up The Volume: Add Music & Voiceovers To Your Prezis”. As someone who spends a good deal of her time writing and talking about ways for businesses to use audio for marketing and customer service, this might be the most exciting subject line to hit my inbox in a few months. According to the folks at Prezi, this new feature, “was created with voiceovers in mind and is therefore primarily intended to create a better presentation experience for prezis that are displayed online without a presenter”, which makes it ideal for businesses who want to explain their products and services while presenting a professional image with recordings by a professional voice over talent.
In short, Prezi is incorporating audio in two ways:
  • Add background music to your entire Prezi
  • Add a voice over for a single “slide” of your Prezi

First, background music. 

You know all those things I keep saying about music licensing? About not streaming internet radio in your store, and playing only legally licensed music on hold? The same rules hold true for your Prezi. You can’t just take any song in your iTunes library, upload it to the site, and expect the artist/record label/ASCAP and BMI to have no issues with it. Music licensing can be very complex. Prezi, unlike YouTube, has not announced how it will handle potential licensing issues. But as a business, ensuring the legal us of music (and images) is your onus.

Second, incorporating voice.

Unlike licensing music, incorporating voice is somewhat less tricky. You can record your own voice, but do it yourself voice recordings are often difficult to listen to. Because Prezi’s new system makes it very easy to sync voice overs with visual content, using professional audio production and voice over recording is an excellent option. Incorporating a voiceover is beneficial because it:

  • Guides visitors during an online viewing of your presentation
  • Helps show professionalism and improves your image
  • Allows you to use fewer words on screen
  • Gives you control over how content is interpreted
Overall, adding professional audio and voice talent narration to your Prezi is a way to make it more interesting, informative, and engaging. Will you start using the service now that there are more audio options available?

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