50 Most Popular Public Speaking Articles

Six Minutes began 5 years ago, with a speech critique about a novel presentation style. Hundreds of articles, thousands of subscribers, and millions of visitors later, we’re still going strong thanks to you, our readers.

To celebrate our 5-year anniversary, we have compiled our 50 most popular speaking articles.

Please share this article with others, and save or bookmark it to return again and again to enjoy the best of Six Minutes. Thanks for reading!

5 Most Popular Articles

These are the articles being shared most often by our readers:

1. The 25 Public Speaking Skills Every Speaker Must Have
2. How to Introduce a Speaker: 16 Essential Tips for Success
3. The Secret of Choosing Successful Speech Topics
4. 7 Habits for Highly Effective Speakers
5. What can Mickey Mouse Teach You about Public Speaking?

5 Most Popular Guest Articles

The very best from our wonderful and talented guest authors:

1. 10 Presentation Habits My College Students – And You – Must UN-Learn – by Alex Rister 
2. 8 Speechwriting Lessons You Can Learn from Songwriters – by Peter Jeff
3. 6 Communication Barriers and How You Can Avoid Them – by Stacey Hanke
4. Pump Up Your Speaking Voice with a Strength Training Workout – by Kate Peters
5. How to Get Started as a Professional Speaker: 6 Key Steps – by Jane Atkinson

5 Most Popular Articles Series

1. Ethos, Pathos, Logos: Three Pillars of Public Speaking
   Detailed guide to credibility, emotion, and logic which are the secret to persuasive speaking.
2. Toastmasters Speech Series
   Your guide to the 10 speeches of the Toastmasters Competent Communicator Program.
3. Speech Preparation Series
   10-article series examining the six steps which are necessary to prepare a speech, reduce nervousness, and combat fear.
4. Speech Analysis Series
   5-article series examining presentation analysis as a key skill to improve your speaking skills.
5. Rule of Three & Speechwriting
   Comprehensive guide to this powerful speechwriting technique as it applies to crafting memorable phrases, speech outlines, and speech humor.

5 Most Popular Speech Writing Articles

1. How to Weave Statistics Into Your Speech
2. TEASE ‘em: 5 Ways to Start Your Speech
3. 10 Ways to End Your Speech with a Bang
4. How to Use Quotes in Your Speech: 8 Benefits and 21 Tips
5. How to Axe Your Presentation… and Still Deliver Value

5 Most Popular Delivery Technique Articles

1. Are Your Speech Gestures Too Small, Too Big, or Just Right?
2. Breathing: The Seductive Key to Unlocking Your Vocal Variety
3. Speech Pauses: 12 Techniques to Speak Volumes with Your Silence
4. Should a Speaker Apologize to the Audience?
5. How to Connect With Your Audience by Moving Closer

5 Most Popular Visual Design Articles

1. How to Improve Your PowerPoint Slides with the Rule of Thirds
2. How Many Slides Should You Have? How Many Slides Do You Need?
3. How to Create Pro Slides in Less Time: Don’t Worry, Be CRAPpy
4. The 10-20-30 Rule: Guy Kawasaki on PowerPoint
5. Use PowerPoint Visuals, Not Bullets – What the World Eats

5 Most Popular Speaker Habit Articles

1. Average Speakers Suck. Don’t be Average.
2. Love the Process and Improve Your Speaking Skills
3. 8 Key Points for Perfect Presentation Practice
4. Why You Must Relish Every Opportunity to Speak
5. The Only Thing to Do When Disaster Strikes Your Speech

5 Most Popular Speech Critiques

1. Martin Luther King Jr. – I Have a Dream
2. Randy Pausch – The Last Lecture (Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams)
3. Hans Rosling – Debunking third-world myths with the best stats you’ve ever seen
4. Barack Obama – Presidential Inaugural Address
5. Steve Jobs – Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

5 Most Popular Books Reviewed on Six Minutes

These are the books purchased most often by our readers:

1. slide:ology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations – Nancy Duarte
2. Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery – Garr Reynolds
3. Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln: 21 Powerful Secrets of History’s Greatest Speakers – James Humes
4. The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion Through the Art of Storytelling – Annette Simmons
5. The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking – Dale Carnegie

5 Most Popular Reader Question Articles

Many of our articles are inspired by reader questions. Here’s the best of the best!

1. Bookending Your Speech: A Master Technique
2. 9 Do’s and Taboos to Eat, Drink, and Speak
3. How to Stop Saying Um, Uh, and Other Filler Words
4. How to Dress for Public Speaking
5. Speaking in Church: Lectern or No Lectern?