Without further ado, lets get go it.

Two Key Prep Items (repeat from last blog):

1)      Learn How to Convert Inches to Pixels
PowerPoint works in inches.  The web works in pixels.  To create a banner, you need to know how to convert from one to the other.  To get the right measurements go here to either download the tool or bookmark this page for when you need it.

2)      Update your Power Point to Export Higher Resolution Graphics
Do this only when you need to develop graphics for PRINT, or else it will mess with your pixel size.  If your graphics are for the web skip this step.  But for print, your graphics may look fuzzy or pixelated because the standard Power Point export setting is 96 dpi.  To fix this, you change your MS Registry files to 300 dpi.  Microsoft gives great instructions on how to change it –and its easy to change and later change back. Visit this Microsoft page to do it.

P.S. If you do this step and later you want to develop web graphics you can also go back and undo.

Now Let’s Create a Web Banner!

Lets say you’ve been given a size to work with such as 750 X 200 pixels. From here:

1) Use your pixel / inch converter : to find out what your pixel size converts to in inches. Write down the answer in inches.

2) Open a new Power Point file

3) Size it – go to design –> page setup –> type in the inches you need to create.

4) Go back to see the new layout and there you will see your new size.

• Pro tip: when you get your first header set up in the size you need, save this empty file as a Power Point presentation with the size in pixels in the name aka “750by200banner.pptx” so you can use it again later.

5) Now it’s time to insert / create your banner graphics.

• To create images that bleed off the page insert them and scale them up or down to do so.  While you will still see the whole graphic on the page, the file will only export the size you articulated in the page setup and will cut off anything around it.

6)    Add graphics as you desire and manipulate them as you desire (check out my video for more suggestions).

7) Click view slide show at any time to see what your banner will look like.

8 ) Choose save as –and select other format – choose png or jpeg.

These same instructions could be followed for a printed logo or graphic.  That is it!  Now that you know this there is no excuse. What graphic will you now make today?