25 Good Persuasive Speech Topics

Key Takeaway

A good persuasive speech aims to change someone’s mind by making them believe, feel, or do something. When crafting a speech that will engage and captivate your audience, the last thing you want is to be stuck on the first step: choosing the right topic. To help, we’ve put together a list of 25 persuasive speech topics. By selecting a topic that resonates with your audience and using credibility, emotions, and logical reasoning, you can deliver a powerful message that prompts action and change.

The act of persuasion happens regularly in our daily lives. For example, have you ever found yourself craving takeout, only to be convinced by a friend’s passionate pitch for a fun night of cooking in? If so, then you’ve been successfully persuaded. While your friend’s argument probably wasn’t based on cold, hard facts, it did probably appeal to your emotions and used logic to convince you to change your mind.

The same principle applies to persuasive speeches. Here, your goal is to shift your audience’s perspective using a combination of emotional connection, strong arguments, and strategic delivery. While statements like “cookie dough ice cream is the best dessert” can’t be definitively proven, a well-written speech that taps into emotions and logical reasoning might just convince your audience to believe that it is. Let’s look into what makes a good persuasive speech and 25 topics to start with.

Choosing a Good Persuasive Speech Topic

When giving a persuasive speech, your goal is to convince the audience to accept your point of view. And for a persuasive speech to be powerful, the topic must check the following boxes:

Relevance: Connect your topic to their current interests or challenges. Is there a recent event or issue that directly affects them? Choosing a topic that your audience resonates with will have them more invested in your message.
Controversy: Controversial topics are often more engaging, as they evoke strong emotions and opinions. However, even though they stir up a lot of interest, make sure you have a strong well-researched position.
Intrigue: Spark curiosity with a topic that’s fresh, surprising, or offers a unique perspective. When a topic is more relatable, it’s often more interesting.

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What Makes a Persuasive Speech Successful?

In order to convince someone to change their opinion, you must inform them or teach them on a subject. To do that successfully, a persuasive speech will use three strategies: credibility (ethos), emotions (pathos), and logical reasoning (logos):

Credibility: Let your audience know that you are a trustworthy source. Make sure to cite credible research and share personal experiences to show that you understand your topic. This helps build trust and makes your message more believable.
Emotions: Use emotion to connect with your audience, making your speech both memorable and impactful. Use vivid imagery and language that evokes empathy or concern from your audience. This gives you a chance to really resonate with them, rather than just informing.
Logical Reasoning: When you present a clear, well-organized argument that is backed by facts, statistics, and evidence, you make your argument more persuasive by appealing to the audience’s sense of reason.

Example: Persuading for Change – Plastic Pollution

Here’s how you can use all three strategies to persuade people to reduce plastic use to protect our environment:

Credibility: Cite studies on plastic pollution’s impact on ecosystems, wildlife, and human health. Use reputable sources like government agencies or environmental organizations. Build trust to persuade your audience that your proposed actions are necessary and effective.
Emotions: Use vivid imagery of plastic-choked animals or polluted landscapes. Appeal to the audience’s sense of empathy and responsibility for the environment.
Logical Arguments: Explain how reducing plastic consumption directly addresses the problem. Present data on how much plastic waste is generated and its long-lasting effects.

Tips for Crafting a Good Persuasive Speech

1. Find a Topic That Sparks Your Passion

Does a particular issue resonate with you, like poverty, environmentalism, or mental health? Brainstorm everything that interests you and then narrow it down to something specific. For instance, if you aren’t passionate about ways to improve the education system, then how will you convince others of its importance? When you speak about something that you are passionate about, it can help you connect deeper with your audience, which can often make them more receptive to what you have to say.

2. Become an Expert

Research the topic you’re going to be speaking about so you can know as much as you possibly can. It’s important to understand all opinions and viewpoints on your topic so that you can address them during your speech. Listen to podcasts or read articles to learn what opinions people have on your specific topic.

3. Set a Goal

What are you trying to accomplish during your speech? Typically, you are trying to persuade someone to feel, believe, or do something. When you give your speech, state your goal clearly in your introduction to establish credibility and so the audience understands the purpose of your message.

4. Provide Evidence

Make sure you give your audience plenty of examples and reasons to agree with each point that you make in your speech. Use facts and statistics from reliable sources for logical reasoning, but also use real-life examples to appeal to their emotions. Present your evidence in a way that’s easy to follow and completes your argument.

5. Consider Your Audience

Imagine talking to a room full of doctors about the benefits of eating healthy versus a group of elementary school children. This would probably change the way you approach your argument, right? When you understand your audience’s background and interests, it allows you to craft your message in a way that will be more impactful.

6. Practice!

Don’t just write your persuasive speech and call it a day! Practicing it out loud is like doing a trial run. You get used to the material and see if it needs any tweaks. Try practicing in front of a mirror to get used to your speech, and then practice with friends or family members for their feedback. They can tell you if your arguments are convincing and if they’d actually be swayed by your message. They might even have some ideas to make your speech even more persuasive!