Benefits of Sway (and what is Sway anyway?)

What is Sway?

Sway is a web-hosted app from Microsoft that allows you to create visually compelling newsletters, reports, single page websites and interactive presentations.

You can access Sway online as a one off web-based app, or get the version with all available features as part of a Microsoft Office 365 subscription, or download the desktop app. Note that the desktop app looks a little different to the online version.

Essentially Sway helps you to distribute information from wherever you like to whomever you like with ease. This link below is an example of a “Visual Link” that you can send via email.

Whilst viewing a Sway, your audience can select the Cog icon to change the layout they prefer. It also rearranges the content to fit the screen size and orientation of the device the viewer is using.

 

Getting Started with Sway

You can create a Sway presentation from scratch, from a document, by searching a topic or by exploring the pre-designed templates available within Sway.

Check out some of our Sway examples:

Sway Topic

The topics are powered by Wikipedia.  When you type in a topic it searches the Wikipedia database for information and populates the Sway with suggested content.  You can see the suggested content in our example below.

 

Sway Templates

Sway comes with built-in templates that get you up and running fast.    You can select from a blog, newsletter, business presentation, announcement, portfolio and many more.  Edit and add your images.

Speaking of images – there are some very simple but cool effects in Sway.  Try dragging the divider on this comparison feature.

Create from a Document

If your content already exists in a document, you can ask Sway to create a presentation from a document.  Sway will pick up your headings from the formats and arrange in Sway ready to be edited and styled.

Easily customised and even easier to use, Sway Offers the following five benefits:

1. Simple to create effective communications tools
   Sway offers a drag and drop style editing system, making it really easy to put together sales tools or communications material. Sway offers many formatting functions that let the user concentrate on the content rather than the layout, including suggesting images and the ability to upload content from a document, or incorporate content from the internet (e.g. Wikipedia). An internal search function means you don’t have to leave the app to find imagery or written content to include.
2. Ease of sharing information
   Take your presentations anywhere you go without having to physically take anything at all. Not reliant on the file being saved anywhere as it is accessible on any internet-connected device anywhere you go. Your audience can view your presentations online without needing to download as they would in PowerPoint. Sway presentations are shared via a link which you have full control over in terms of what access people have, whether they just view or can edit and whether or not they can share it with others. You can also share direct to social media platforms such as Twitter or Facebook or embed projects in other Microsoft products (such as Excel or Word) and have them automatically update as the presentation is edited.
3. Efficient and effective collaboration
   Work together with a colleague on a presentation even if you aren’t based in the same office. Sway is cloud based, unlike PowerPoint, making remote collaboration a breeze.
4. No more ‘Aargh I’ve lost all my work!’ moments
   Because Sway autosaves everything you do, you’ll never lose your changes when your computer freezes. This removes risk and stops duplication of work that you have to re-do when you lose unsaved data.
5. It includes Analytics if you have Office 365
   As part of your Office 365 subscription you can see analytics on your presentation.

 

If you want to save time and create powerful, effective communication tools, give Simply Training a call and we can help get your team up to speed!