How to Create a Pitch Deck in Google Slides - Step-by-Step Guide

Google Slides is a solid choice for creating pitch decks. It's free, collaborative, and works on any device. Most importantly, investors can open it without special software.

This guide shows you how to create an investor-ready pitch deck using Google Slides.

Why Use Google Slides for Your Pitch Deck?

Advantages:

• Completely free
• Real-time collaboration with your team
• Works in any browser
• Easy sharing and permissions control
• Automatic saving and version history
• Familiar interface for most people

Disadvantages:

• Fewer templates than Canva
• Basic design tools compared to Figma/Keynote
• Requires Google account to edit
• Some advanced features missing

For most founders, Google Slides offers the best balance of features and accessibility.

Quick Overview of Steps

1. Set up your presentation
2. Choose or import a template
3. Create your slide structure
4. Add content to each slide
5. Customize design elements
6. Add charts and visuals
7. Review and finalize
8. Export and share

Step 1: Set Up Your Presentation

Create a new presentation:

1. Go to slides.google.com

2. Click the + button or Blank to create a new presentation 3. Name your deck by clicking "Untitled presentation" at the top

Set the right dimensions:

1. Go to File → Page setup
2. Select Widescreen 16:9 (standard for modern displays)
3. Click Apply

This ensures your deck looks good on screens and projectors.

Step 2: Choose a Template

Google Slides offers several ways to get started:

Option A: Google's Built-in Templates

1. From Google Slides home, browse the Template gallery
2. Look for "Pitch" or "Business" templates
3. Click to preview, then Use template

Option B: Import from Other Sources

Free pitch deck templates from:

• SlidesCarnival
• SlidesGo
• Slides Mania

Download as .pptx and import:

1. File → Import slides
2. Upload the template file
3. Select which slides to import

Option C: Start from Scratch

If you prefer full control:

1. Start with a blank deck
2. Create a master slide with your branding
3. Build each slide type as needed

Step 3: Create Your Slide Structure

Plan your slides before designing. Standard pitch deck structure:

1. Title — Company name and tagline
2. Problem — Pain point you're solving
3. Solution — How you solve it
4. Product — Demo or screenshots
5. Market — Size of opportunity
6. Business Model — How you make money
7. Traction — Proof it's working
8. Competition — Your positioning
9. Team — Why you'll win
10. Financials — Projections
11. Ask — What you need

In Google Slides:

1. Add slides using Slide → New slide (or Ctrl/Cmd + M)
2. Choose layouts that fit each section
3. Reorder by dragging in the left panel

Step 4: Add Content Slide by Slide

Title Slide

• Add your logo: Insert → Image
• Type company name as heading
• Add your one-line description
• Include your name and email

Problem Slide

• Use a large heading for the problem statement
• Add an icon or image that represents the pain
• Keep text to 2-3 bullet points max

Solution Slide

• Clear headline stating your solution
• Brief description (one sentence)
• Visual showing the product or concept

Traction Slide

• Insert a chart: Insert → Chart
• Choose bar, line, or column chart
• Click the chart → Open source to edit data
• Add key metrics as callout text

Team Slide

• Insert photos: Insert → Image
• Arrange in a grid
• Add names, titles, and brief credentials
• Link to LinkedIn if appropriate

Ask Slide

• State clearly: "We're raising $X"
• List 3-4 milestones the funding will achieve
• Include your contact information again

Step 5: Customize Design Elements

Colors

1. Go to Slide → Edit theme
2. Click Colors to set your palette
3. Apply consistently across all slides

Tip: Use your brand's primary color for headings and accents.

Fonts

1. Select text you want to change
2. Use the font dropdown in the toolbar
3. Stick to 2 fonts maximum

Good font pairings:

• Montserrat (headings) + Open Sans (body)
• Roboto (headings) + Lato (body)
• Poppins (headings) + Inter (body)

Backgrounds

1. Slide → Change background
2. Choose solid color, gradient, or image
3. Keep it subtle — content should stand out

Step 6: Add Charts and Visuals

Inserting Charts

1. Insert → Chart
2. Select chart type (bar, line, pie)
3. Click the chart → Open source (opens linked Google Sheet)
4. Edit data in the sheet
5. Changes update automatically in your slides

Adding Images

1. Insert → Image
2. Upload from computer or search the web
3. Resize by dragging corners
4. Right-click → Format options for more control

Using Shapes and Icons

1. Insert → Shape for basic shapes
2. For icons, try: Insert → Special characters or use external icon libraries
3. Group elements: Select multiple → Right-click → Group

Step 7: Review and Finalize

Check for consistency

• Same fonts throughout
• Colors match your brand
• Alignment is clean (use guides)
• Text is readable from a distance

Proofread

• No typos or grammatical errors
• All data is accurate
• Company name spelled correctly everywhere
• Contact info is current

Test presentation mode

1. Click Present (top right) or press Ctrl/Cmd + Enter
2. Click through all slides
3. Check that animations work (if used)
4. Verify readability on full screen

Step 8: Export and Share Your Pitch Deck

Download as PDF (Recommended)

1. File → Download → PDF Document
2. Save to your computer
3. This preserves formatting perfectly

Download as PowerPoint

1. File → Download → Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx)
2. Useful for offline presentations

Share a link

1. Click Share (top right)
2. Set permissions (Viewer, Commenter, Editor)
3. Get shareable link

Warning: Direct Google Slides links show investors you're using Google Slides. For a more polished impression, export to PDF.

Share your pitch deck with tracking

Pro Tips for Google Slides Pitch Decks

Use Master Slides Edit the master to change all slides at once:

1. Slide → Edit theme
2. Modify layouts in the master view
3. Changes apply to all slides using that layout

Keyboard shortcuts

• Ctrl/Cmd + M: New slide
• Ctrl/Cmd + D: Duplicate slide
• Ctrl/Cmd + Enter: Start presentation

Collaboration tips

• Use Comments to get feedback (Ctrl/Cmd + Alt + M)
• Check Version history to see changes over time
• Set permissions carefully before sharing externally

Keep a clean file

• Delete unused slides
• Remove hidden elements
• Clear the Notes section of confidential info

After Google Slides: Tracking Your Pitch Deck

Once you export your deck, you lose visibility. Emailing a PDF tells you nothing about:

• Who opened your deck
• Which slides they viewed
• How long they spent reading

Use a pitch deck sharing platform like Papermark:

Benefits of pitch deck analytics:

• See exactly when investors view your deck
• Identify which slides get attention
• Know when to follow up
• Protect your deck with passwords

Track your pitch deck views

Google Slides vs. Other Tools

Feature	Google Slides	Canva	PowerPoint
Price	Free	Free + $12.99/mo	$6.99/mo (Microsoft 365)
Templates	Limited	Extensive	Good
Collaboration	Excellent	Good	Good (cloud)
Offline Access	Limited	Limited	Full
Design Flexibility	Medium	High	High
Learning Curve	Low	Low	Medium

Choose Google Slides if: You want free, easy collaboration, and don't need advanced design features.

Conclusion

Google Slides is a practical choice for creating pitch decks. It's free, collaborative, and produces professional results. Focus on content clarity over design complexity, and your deck will serve you well.

Remember: the deck is just the first step. How you share and track it matters too. Export your Google Slides deck as PDF and use analytics tools to understand investor engagement.

Share your pitch deck securely

FAQ