Best Speech Topics Logo

  • Choosing Good Topics
  • Controversial
  • Demonstration
  • Extemporaneous
  • Informative
  • School/College
  • Special Occasion
  • Public Speaking Help
  • Writing a Speech
  • Free Sample Speeches
  • Share Your Speech
  • Fun Persuasive Speech Topics

Here are over 50 fun persuasive speech topics to help you create a light-hearted speech that will be enjoyable to listen to AND to write!

Many people end up covering the same tired topics that they see in the media each day, only because they can't come up with a better idea. That won't be you, of course, because these topics are fresh and entertaining!

Here are 54 thought-provoking ideas to consider:

fun persuasive speech topics

First 27 Fun Persuasive Speech Topics

  • The movie rating system is rigged.
  • Voting should be mandatory.
  • Marijuana should be legalized and sold in coffee shops.
  • Colleges should loan students textbooks for free.
  • College tuition should include parking and coffee.
  • Schools should not require coursework unrelated student's major.
  • College students should be required to wear uniforms.
  • Let go of the past.
  • Jury duty should not be mandatory.
  • Health insurance should be free to all.
  • Students should be exempt from taxes.
  • As gas prices increase, wages should too!
  • Teachers should be required to provide study guides for exams.
  • All college parking lots should have safety lights installed.
  • Becoming a vegetarian makes for a healthier lifestyle.
  • Losing weight is a great way to change your life.
  • Lying is a natural and necessary part of good relationships.
  • Carpe diem! (Seize the day!)
  • Start planning for the future.
  • Don't eat fast food!
  • Don't fall prey to fad diets!
  • Be yourself! (Leadership rather than following others)
  • Parent-teacher conferences should be mandatory.
  • Say "no" to college credit card offers.
  • Minimum wage should be raised.
  • Luck is not a matter of chance (click to read a sample speech).
  • Become an organ donor

2nd 27 Fun Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Cats are better than dogs.
  • Elvis is alive!
  • Michael Jackson was abducted by aliens!
  • Miley Cyrus's twerking was a shrewd publicity stunt.
  • Home schooling is the best education program!
  • Private schools are better than public schools!
  • Donate to charity!
  • Satellite is better than cable!
  • McDonalds is better than Burger King.
  • Buying is better than renting.
  • Renting is better than buying.
  • Don't procrastinate.
  • Celebrities receive preferential legal treatment.
  • Reality TV is not "real".
  • Keep a journal.
  • Women can do anything men do and they can do it better!
  • Athletes should be good role models.
  • Winning isn't everything but it sure beats losing.
  • All is fair in love and war.
  • Teachers deserve pay raises!
  • Students with "A's" should be exempt from finals.
  • Everyone should own a pet!
  • Wal-mart is the best place to shop!
  • Use credit cards responsibly.
  • Everyone should take a self defense class.
  • Parents should take an active role in their children's education.

Sample Speech -  Walmart is the best place to shop!

Walmart Fun Persuasive Speech

Introduction:

Ladies and gentlemen, have you ever found yourself drifting off to sleep, dreaming of a place that meets all your needs, where you can indulge in the ultimate shopping experience, and where the sight of neon price tags sends shivers down your spine? A place where the aisles stretch for miles, and you find yourself lost in a wonderland of discounts and deals? Well, my friends, hold on tight because I'm about to show you that this dream is not a mere figment of your imagination but a concrete reality just around the corner. I stand before you today to address a subject of great importance. A subject that has rocked the very foundation of our society, creating rifts between friends, families, and even roommates: Where is the best place to shop? Welcome to the enchanted world of Walmart!

I'm sure the shiny, bright lights of the fancy department stores or the trendy boutiques that sell one-of-a-kind garments have seduced some of you. But today, I'm here to tell you about the unsung hero of the retail world: the glorious, the fabulous, the one and only - Walmart!

I know what you're thinking, "Walmart? Really?" But hear me out. Walmart is the magical wonderland where dreams come true, and you can buy socks, toilet paper, and a big-screen TV all in one trip at rock-bottom prices. If that's not the epitome of convenience, I don't know what is.

First, let's discuss the sheer variety that Walmart has to offer. Where else can you stroll through the aisles and pick up a new outfit for your dog, a toaster oven, and a canoe while humming along to the soothing sounds of elevator music? There's a reason they call it a supercenter, my friends, and it's not just because it's the size of a small city.

Secondly, let's talk about the true star of the show: those unbeatable, low, low prices! At Walmart, you too can dream of becoming rich like a 1980s pop star and get your “money for nothing.” According to Harvard Alumni Aziz, Walmart focuses on providing the lowest possible price among the competition instead of providing promotions. Aziz (Alumni). “Wal-Mart: Every Day Low Prices Business Model - Technology and Operations Management.” Digital, Data, and Design Institute at Harvard, 9 December 2015, https://d3.harvard.edu/platform-rctom/submission/wal-mart-every-day-low-prices-business-model/ . Accessed 9 May 2023. Have you ever thought, "Gee, I wish I could buy a 24-pack of soda for the price of a single bottle at the convenience store?" Well, look no further! Walmart is the ultimate destination for penny pinchers and frugal fashionistas alike.

And I need to share the people-watching opportunities. Who needs Dire Straits MTV to look at the Yo-Yos? Do you dream of world peace? Walmart is the unofficial United Nations of retail, where all walks of life unite to bond over a shared love of bargain hunting. It's the one place where you can witness a cowboy, a goth, and a soccer mom politely argue over the last discounted flat-screen TV. It's like an ever-changing reality show you can watch for free while grocery shopping! If you have yet to visit this unifying retail juggernaut and need further proof, check out People of Walmart's website. People of Walmart is a humor blog that depicts the many customers of Walmart stores across the United States and Canada. Then, turn off the Youtube and get down to your local Walmart. 90% of the U.S. population lives within 15 miles of Walmart stores, so you don’t have far to go.

Some of you might be concerned about the ethics of shopping at a big box store. Rest easy and enjoy sweet dreams. Walmart has made strides in recent years to become more environmentally friendly and socially responsible. They've implemented sustainability initiatives, increased wages, and provided scholarships to employees. It's a story of redemption, like a retail version of "A Christmas Carol."

Conclusion:

So, my fellow shoppers, I implore you to reconsider your retail allegiances. Give Walmart a chance; I promise you you'll never look back. You may even find yourself wandering those vast aisles at midnight, wearing your favorite sweatpants, and experiencing a sense of retail nirvana that you never thought possible.

In the end, my fellow dreamers, I hope you see the undeniable allure of Walmart as a place where our fantasies of convenience, affordability, and variety can come true. So embrace the retail nirvana that awaits you within those cavernous aisles, and let your inner bargain-hunter soar. By choosing Walmart as our go-to shopping destination, we live the dream and share in a beautiful tapestry of humanity that transcends all boundaries. So let's make our dreams a reality, one shopping cart at a time. Thank you, and may you find your path to retail bliss.

Free email delivery

MASTER INFORMATIVE SPEAKING WITH OUR FREE CHECKLIST!

We are offering you a  FREE   SpeakFlight Informative Speaking Preparation Checklist. This valuable resource is packed with step-by-step guidance to help you create compelling, memorable, and effective informative speeches.

Share this page

Return to the Top of the Page

Recommended pages:

Ideal for Teens

Persuasive Speech Tips:

A Guide to Persuasive Speech Writing

More Tips for Writing Good Persuasive Speeches

Another Example Outline

3 Tips for Writing a Speech That Gets Results

Brainstorming Techniques:

Coming up With Ideas

More Ways to Find the Perfect Topic

BST's Favorite Open Source and Free Mindmapping Software

Example persuasive speeches for inspiration:

Gender Selection

Energy Medicine

The Role of Marriage in Society

Fun Speech about Luck

Second-Hand Smoke

Using a Cell Phone Whilst Driving

School Uniform Policies

Become an Activist

  • Best Speech Topics
  • Persuasive Speech Topics

informative speaking checklist product

Easily search your speech type

Just check out the sitemap for best-speech-topics.com , which lists all the pages on the site, or use the search box below:

Get to Know Us

  • Privacy Policy

Attention Grabbers

  • Positive Quotes for Kids
  • Quotes for Graduation Speeches
  • Poems & Quotes on Death
  • Quotes on Retirement

Most Popular Pages

  • Free Samples
  • Good Speech Topics
  • Hypnotize Your Audience
  • Welcome Speech

Select a Speech Topic

  • Argumentative
  • Commemorative
  • Inspirational
  • Interesting
  • Other Topics

Let Us Help You

  • How To Write a Speech
  • Demonstration Outline
  • Informative Outline
  • Introductions
  • Using a Microphone
  • Speech Help
  • Speeches Made Easy

PrepScholar

Choose Your Test

  • Search Blogs By Category
  • College Admissions
  • AP and IB Exams
  • GPA and Coursework

105 Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics for Any Project

author image

General Education

feature_persuasivespeech.jpg

Are you struggling to find good persuasive speech topics? It can be hard to find a topic that interests both you and your audience, but in this guide we've done the hard work and created a list of 105 great persuasive speech ideas. They're organized into ten categories and cover a variety of topics, so you're sure to find one that interests you.

In addition to our list, we also go over which factors make good persuasive speech topics and three tips you should follow when researching and writing your persuasive speech.

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

What makes certain persuasive speech topics better than others? There are numerous reasons, but in this section we discuss three of the most important factors of great topics for a persuasive speech.

It's Something You Know About or Are Interested in Learning About

The most important factor in choosing and creating a great persuasive speech is picking a topic you care about and are interested in. You'll need to do a lot of research on this topic, and if it's something you like learning about, that'll make the process much easier and more enjoyable. It'll also help you sound passionate and informed when you talk, both important factors in giving an excellent persuasive speech.

It's a Topic People Care About

In fourth grade, after being told I could give a persuasive speech on any topic I wanted to , I chose to discuss why the Saguaro cactus should be the United State's national plant. Even though I gave an impassioned talk and drew a life-size Saguaro cactus on butcher paper to hang behind me, I doubt anyone enjoyed the speech much.

I'd recently returned from a family vacation to Arizona where I'd seen Saguaro cacti for the first time and decided they were the coolest thing ever. However, most people don't care that much about Saguaro cacti, and most people don't care what our national plant is or if we even have one (for the record, the US has a national flower, and it's the rose).

Spare yourself the smattering of bored applause my nine-old self got at the end of my speech and choose something you think people will be interested in hearing about. This also ties into knowing your audience, which we discuss more in the final section.

It Isn't Overdone

When I was in high school, nearly every persuasive speech my classmates and I were assigned was the exact same topic: should the drinking age be lowered to 18? I got this prompt in English class, on standardized tests, in speech and debate class, etc. I've written and presented about it so often I could probably still rattle off all the main points of my old speeches word-for-word.

You can imagine that everyone's eyes glazed over whenever classmates gave their speeches on this topic. We'd heard about it so many times that, even if it was a topic we cared about, speeches on it just didn't interest us anymore.

The are many potential topics for a persuasive speech. Be wary of choosing one that's cliche or overdone. Even if you give a great speech, it'll be harder to keep your audience interested if they feel like they already know what you're going to say.

An exception to this rule is that if you feel you have a new viewpoint or facts about the topic that currently aren't common knowledge. Including them can make an overdone topic interesting. If you do this, be sure to make it clear early on in your speech that you have unique info or opinions on the topic so your audience knows to expect something new.

body_presentation-1.jpg

105 Topics for a Persuasive Speech

Here's our list of 105 great persuasive speech ideas. We made sure to choose topics that aren't overdone, yet that many people will have an interest in, and we also made a point of choosing topics with multiple viewpoints rather than simplistic topics that have a more obvious right answer (i.e. Is bullying bad?). The topics are organized into ten categories.

Arts/Culture

  • Should art and music therapy be covered by health insurance?
  • Should all students be required to learn an instrument in school?
  • Should all national museums be free to citizens?
  • Should graffiti be considered art?
  • Should offensive language be removed from works of classic literature?
  • Are paper books better than e-books?
  • Should all interns be paid for their work?
  • Should employees receive bonuses for walking or biking to work?
  • Will Brexit hurt or help the UK's economy?
  • Should all people over the age of 65 be able to ride the bus for free?
  • Should the federal minimum wage be increased?
  • Should tipping in restaurants be mandatory?
  • Should Black Friday sales be allowed to start on Thanksgiving?
  • Should students who bully others be expelled?
  • Should all schools require students wear uniforms?
  • Should boys and girls be taught in separate classrooms?
  • Should students be allowed to listen to music during study hall?
  • Should all elementary schools be required to teach a foreign language?
  • Should schools include meditation or relaxation breaks during the day?
  • Should grades in gym class affect students' GPAs?
  • Should teachers get a bonus when their students score well on standardized tests?
  • Should children of undocumented immigrants be allowed to attend public schools?
  • Should students get paid for getting a certain GPA?
  • Should students be allowed to have their cell phones with them during school?
  • Should high school students be allowed to leave school during lunch breaks?
  • Should Greek life at colleges be abolished?
  • Should high school students be required to volunteer a certain number of hours before they can graduate?
  • Should schools still teach cursive handwriting?
  • What are the best ways for schools to stop bullying?
  • Should prostitution be legalized?
  • Should people with more than one DUI lose their driver's license?
  • Should people be required to shovel snow from the sidewalks in front of their house?
  • Should minors be able to drink alcohol in their home if they have their parent's consent?
  • Should guns be allowed on college campuses?
  • Should flag burning as a form of protest be illegal?
  • Should welfare recipients be required to pass a drug test?
  • Should white supremacist groups be allowed to hold rallies in public places?
  • Should assault weapons be illegal?
  • Should the death penalty be abolished?
  • Should beauty pageants for children be banned?
  • Is it OK to refuse to serve same-sex couples based on religious beliefs?
  • Should transgender people be allowed to serve in the military?
  • Is it better to live together before marriage or to wait?
  • Should affirmative action be allowed?
  • Should prisoners be allowed to vote?
  • Should Columbus Day be replaced with Indigenous Peoples' Day?

Government/Politics

  • Should the government spend more money on developing high-speed rail lines and less on building new roads?
  • Should the government be allowed to censor internet content deemed inappropriate?
  • Should Puerto Rico become the 51st state?
  • Should Scotland declare independence from the United Kingdom?
  • Whose face should be on the next new currency printed by the US?
  • Should people convicted of drug possession be sent to recovery programs instead of jail?
  • Should voting be made compulsory?
  • Who was the best American president?
  • Should the military budget be reduced?
  • Should the President be allowed to serve more than two terms?
  • Should a border fence be built between the United States and Mexico?
  • Should countries pay ransom to terrorist groups in order to free hostages?
  • Should minors be able to purchase birth control without their parent's consent?
  • Should hiding or lying about your HIV status with someone you're sleeping with be illegal?
  • Should governments tax soda and other sugary drinks and use the revenue for public health?
  • Should high schools provide free condoms to students?
  • Should the US switch to single-payer health care?
  • Should healthy people be required to regularly donate blood?
  • Should assisted suicide be legal?
  • Should religious organizations be required to pay taxes?
  • Should priests be allowed to get married?
  • Should the religious slaughter of animals be banned?
  • Should the Church of Scientology be exempt from paying taxes?
  • Should women be allowed to be priests?
  • Should countries be allowed to only accept refugees with certain religious beliefs?
  • Should public prayer be allowed in schools?

Science/Environment

  • Should human cloning be allowed?
  • Should people be allowed to own exotic animals like tigers and monkeys?
  • Should "animal selfies" in tourist locations with well-known animal species (like koalas and tigers) be allowed?
  • Should genetically modified foods be sold in grocery stores?
  • Should people be allowed to own pit bulls?
  • Should parents be allowed to choose the sex of their unborn children?
  • Should vaccinations be required for students to attend public school?
  • What is the best type of renewable energy?
  • Should plastic bags be banned in grocery stores?
  • Should the United States rejoin the Paris Agreement?
  • Should puppy mills be banned?
  • Should fracking be legal?
  • Should animal testing be illegal?
  • Should offshore drilling be allowed in protected marine areas?
  • Should the US government increase NASA's budget?
  • Should Pluto still be considered a planet?

Looking for help with high school? Our one-on-one online tutoring services can help you study for important exams, review challenging material, or plan out big projects. Get matched with a top tutor who is an expert in the subject you're studying!

  • Should college athletes be paid for being on a sports team?
  • Should all athletes be required to pass regular drug tests?
  • Should professional female athletes be paid the same as male athletes in the same sport?
  • Are there any cases when athletes should be allowed to use steroids?
  • Should college sports teams receive less funding?
  • Should boxing be illegal?
  • Should schools be required to teach all students how to swim?
  • Should cheerleading be considered a sport?
  • Should parents let their children play tackle football?
  • Will robots reduce or increase human employment opportunities?
  • What age should children be allowed to have a cell phone?
  • Should libraries be replaced with unlimited access to e-books?
  • Overall, has technology helped connect people or isolate them?
  • Should self-driving cars be legal?
  • Should all new buildings be energy efficient?
  • Is Net Neutrality a good thing or a bad thing?
  • Do violent video games encourage players to become violent in real life?

body_speechwinner.jpg

3 Bonus Tips for Crafting Your Persuasive Speech

Of course, giving a great persuasive speech requires more than just choosing a good topic. Follow the three tips below to create an outstanding speech that'll interest and impress your audience.

Do Your Research

For a persuasive speech, there's nothing worse than getting an audience question that shows you misunderstood the issue or left an important piece out. It makes your entire speech look weak and unconvincing.

Before you start writing a single word of your speech, be sure to do lots of research on all sides of the topic. Look at different sources and points of view to be sure you're getting the full picture, and if you know any experts on the topic, be sure to ask their opinion too.

Consider All the Angles

Persuasive speech topics are rarely black and white, which means there will be multiple sides and viewpoints on the topic. For example, for the topic "Should people be allowed to own pit bulls?" there are two obvious viewpoints: everyone should be allowed to own a pit bull if they want to, and no one should be allowed to own a pit bull. But there are other options you should also consider: people should only own a pit bull if they pass a dog training class, people should be able to own pit bulls, but only if it's the only dog they own, people should be able to own pi tbulls but only if they live a certain distance from schools, people should be able to own pit bulls only if the dog passes an obedience class, etc.

Thinking about all these angles and including them in your speech will make you seem well-informed on the topic, and it'll increase the quality of your speech by looking at difference nuances of the issue.

Know Your Audience

Whenever you give a speech, it's important to consider your audience, and this is especially true for persuasive speeches when you're trying to convince people to believe a certain viewpoint. When writing your speech, think about what your audience likely already knows about the topic, what they probably need explained, and what aspects of the topic they care about most. Also consider what the audience will be most concerned about for a certain topic, and be sure to address those concerns.

For example, if you're giving a speech to a Catholic organization on why you think priests should be allowed to marry, you don't need to go over the history of Catholicism or its core beliefs (which they probably already know), but you should mention any research or prominent opinions that support your view (which they likely don't know about). They may be concerned that priests who marry won't be as committed to God or their congregations, so be sure to address those concerns and why they shouldn't worry about them as much as they may think. Discussing your topic with people (ideally those with viewpoints similar to those of your future audience) before you give your speech is a good way to get a better understanding of how your audience thinks.

More Resources for Writing Persuasive Speeches

If you need more guidance or just want to check out some examples of great persuasive writing, consider checking out the following books:

  • Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History by William Safire—This collection of great speeches throughout history will help you decide how to style your own argument.
  • The Essentials of Persuasive Public Speaking by Sims Wyeth—For quick direct tips on public speaking, try this all-purpose guide.
  • Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds by Carmine Gallo—This popular book breaks down what makes TED talks work and how you can employ those skills in your own presentations.
  • We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Make Good Art by Neil Gaiman—These two recent speeches by contemporary writers offer stellar examples of how to craft a compelling (and engaging) argument.

Conclusion: Persuasive Speech Ideas

Good persuasive speech topics can be difficult to think of, but in this guide we've compiled a list of 105 interesting persuasive speech topics for you to look through.

The best persuasive speech ideas will be on a topic you're interested in, aren't overdone, and will be about something your audience cares about.

After you've chosen your topic, keep these three tips in mind when writing your persuasive speech:

  • Do your research
  • Consider all the angles
  • Know your audience

What's Next?

Now that you have persuasive speech topics, it's time to hone your persuasive speech techniques. Find out what ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos are and how to use them here .

Looking to take your persuasive technique from speech to sheets (of paper)? Get our three key tips on how to write an argumentative essay , or learn by reading through our thorough breakdown of how to build an essay, step by step .

Want a great GPA? Check out our step-by-step guide to getting good grades in high school so you can have a stellar transcript.

Interested in learning about other great extracurricular opportunities? Learn more about job shadowing , community service , and volunteer abroad programs.

Still trying to figure out your courses? Check out our expert guide on which classes you should take in high school.

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?   We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download them for free now:

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Trending Now

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

ACT vs. SAT: Which Test Should You Take?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Get Your Free

PrepScholar

Find Your Target SAT Score

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect SAT Score, by an Expert Full Scorer

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading and Writing

How to Improve Your Low SAT Score

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading and Writing

Find Your Target ACT Score

Complete Official Free ACT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect ACT Score, by a 36 Full Scorer

Get a 36 on ACT English

Get a 36 on ACT Math

Get a 36 on ACT Reading

Get a 36 on ACT Science

How to Improve Your Low ACT Score

Get a 24 on ACT English

Get a 24 on ACT Math

Get a 24 on ACT Reading

Get a 24 on ACT Science

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Follow us on Facebook (icon)

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

persuasive speech ideas reddit

Improve your practice.

Enhance your soft skills with a range of award-winning courses.

75 Persuasive Speech Topics and Ideas

October 4, 2018 - Gini Beqiri

To write a captivating and persuasive speech you must first decide on a topic that will engage, inform and also persuade the audience. We have discussed how to choose a topic and we have provided a list of speech ideas covering a wide range of categories.

What is persuasive speech?

The aim of a persuasive speech is to inform, educate and convince or motivate an audience to do something. You are essentially trying to sway the audience to adopt your own viewpoint.

The best persuasive speech topics are thought-provoking, daring and have a clear opinion. You should speak about something you are knowledgeable about and can argue your opinion for, as well as objectively discuss counter-arguments.

How to choose a topic for your speech

It’s not easy picking a topic for your speech as there are many options so consider the following factors when deciding.

Familiarity

Topics that you’re familiar with will make it easier to prepare for the speech.

It’s best if you decide on a topic in which you have a genuine interest in because you’ll be doing lots of research on it and if it’s something you enjoy the process will be significantly easier and more enjoyable. The audience will also see this enthusiasm when you’re presenting which will make the speech more persuasive.

The audience’s interest

The audience must care about the topic. You don’t want to lose their attention so choose something you think they’ll be interested in hearing about.

Consider choosing a topic that allows you to be more descriptive because this allows the audience to visualize which consequently helps persuade them.

Not overdone

When people have heard about a topic repeatedly they’re less likely to listen to you as it doesn’t interest them anymore. Avoid cliché or overdone topics as it’s difficult to maintain your audience’s attention because they feel like they’ve heard it all before.

An exception to this would be if you had new viewpoints or new facts to share. If this is the case then ensure you clarify early in your speech that you have unique views or information on the topic.

Emotional topics

Emotions are motivators so the audience is more likely to be persuaded and act on your requests if you present an emotional topic.

People like hearing about issues that affect them or their community, country etc. They find these topics more relatable which means they find them more interesting. Look at local issues and news to discover these topics.

Desired outcome

What do you want your audience to do as a result of your speech? Use this as a guide to choosing your topic, for example, maybe you want people to recycle more so you present a speech on the effect of microplastics in the ocean.

Jamie Oliver persuasive speech

Persuasive speech topics

Lots of timely persuasive topics can be found using social media, the radio, TV and newspapers. We have compiled a list of 75 persuasive speech topic ideas covering a wide range of categories.

Some of the topics also fall into other categories and we have posed the topics as questions so they can be easily adapted into statements to suit your own viewpoint.

  • Should pets be adopted rather than bought from a breeder?
  • Should wild animals be tamed?
  • Should people be allowed to own exotic animals like monkeys?
  • Should all zoos and aquariums be closed?

Arts/Culture

  • Should art and music therapy be covered by health insurance?
  • Should graffiti be considered art?
  • Should all students be required to learn an instrument in school?
  • Should automobile drivers be required to take a test every three years?
  • Are sports cars dangerous?
  • Should bicycles share the roads with cars?
  • Should bicycle riders be required by law to always wear helmets?

Business and economy

  • Do introverts make great leaders?
  • Does owning a business leave you feeling isolated?
  • What is to blame for the rise in energy prices?
  • Does hiring cheaper foreign employees hurt the economy?
  • Should interns be paid for their work?
  • Should employees receive bonuses for walking or biking to work?
  • Should tipping in restaurants be mandatory?
  • Should boys and girls should be taught in separate classrooms?
  • Should schools include meditation breaks during the day?
  • Should students be allowed to have their mobile phones with them during school?
  • Should teachers have to pass a test every decade to renew their certifications?
  • Should online teaching be given equal importance as the regular form of teaching?
  • Is higher education over-rated?
  • What are the best ways to stop bullying?
  • Should people with more than one DUI lose their drivers’ licenses?
  • Should prostitution be legalised?
  • Should guns be illegal in the US?
  • Should cannabis be legalised for medical reasons?
  • Is equality a myth?
  • Does what is “right” and “wrong” change from generation to generation?
  • Is there never a good enough reason to declare war?
  • Should governments tax sugary drinks and use the revenue for public health?
  • Has cosmetic surgery risen to a level that exceeds good sense?
  • Is the fast-food industry legally accountable for obesity?
  • Should school cafeterias only offer healthy food options?
  • Is acupuncture a valid medical technique?
  • Should assisted suicide be legal?
  • Does consuming meat affect health?
  • Is dieting a good way to lose weight?

Law and politics

  • Should voting be made compulsory?
  • Should the President (or similar position) be allowed to serve more than two terms?
  • Would poverty reduce by fixing housing?
  • Should drug addicts be sent for treatment in hospitals instead of prisons?
  • Would it be fair for the government to detain suspected terrorists without proper trial?
  • Is torture acceptable when used for national security?
  • Should celebrities who break the law receive stiffer penalties?
  • Should the government completely ban all cigarettes and tobacco products
  • Is it wrong for the media to promote a certain beauty standard?
  • Is the media responsible for the moral degradation of teenagers?
  • Should advertising be aimed at children?
  • Has freedom of press gone too far?
  • Should prayer be allowed in public schools?
  • Does religion have a place in government?
  • How do cults differ from religion?

Science and the environment

  • Should recycling be mandatory?
  • Should genetically modified foods be sold in supermarkets?
  • Should parents be allowed to choose the sex of their unborn children?
  • Should selling plastic bags be completely banned in shops?
  • Should smoking in public places be banned?
  • Should professional female athletes be paid the same as male athletes in the same sport?
  • Should doping be allowed in professional sports?
  • Should schools be required to teach all students how to swim?
  • How does parental pressure affect young athletes?
  • Will technology reduce or increase human employment opportunities?
  • What age should children be allowed to have mobile phones?
  • Should libraries be replaced with unlimited access to e-books?
  • Should we recognize Bitcoin as a legal currency?
  • Should bloggers and vloggers be treated as journalists and punished for indiscretions?
  • Has technology helped connect people or isolate them?
  • Should mobile phone use in public places be regulated?
  • Do violent video games make people more violent?

World peace

  • What is the safest country in the world?
  • Is planetary nuclear disarmament possible?
  • Is the idea of peace on earth naive?

These topics are just suggestions so you need to assess whether they would be suitable for your particular audience. You can easily adapt the topics to suit your interests and audience, for example, you could substitute “meat” in the topic “Does consuming meat affect health?” for many possibilities, such as “processed foods”, “mainly vegan food”, “dairy” and so on.

After choosing your topic

After you’ve chosen your topic it’s important to do the following:

  • Research thoroughly
  • Think about all of the different viewpoints
  • Tailor to your audience – discussing your topic with others is a helpful way to gain an understanding of your audience.
  • How involved are you with this topic – are you a key character?
  • Have you contributed to this area, perhaps through blogs, books, papers and products.
  • How qualified are you to speak on this topic?
  • Do you have personal experience in it? How many years?
  • How long have you been interested in the area?

While it may be difficult to choose from such a variety of persuasive speech topics, think about which of the above you have the most knowledge of and can argue your opinion on.

For advice about how to deliver your persuasive speech, check out our blog  Persuasive Speech Outline and Ideas .

Transizion

The Admissions Strategist

191 best persuasive speech topics: give an amazing speech.

Does the thought of public speaking make you cringe?

While almost everyone experiences some stage fright speaking in front of an audience, there are ways to tame this debilitating fear.

Half the battle of giving a speech is selecting a topic that engages your audience.

For any speech, whether informative or persuasive, your speech idea should meet these criteria:

  • Well-researched with solid examples and evidence
  • Broad enough to be universal, narrow enough to be original
  • Meaningful and customized to your audience

Additionally, you should possess a measure of expertise on your topic.

Understanding the nuances of what you are speaking about is a sure way to ease those jitters. This is how you come up with the best speech idea.

When choosing a persuasive speech topic, all of the above criteria apply, along with a few additional requirements.

191 Best Persuasive Speech Topics

Click above to watch a video on Speech Topics.

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

While an informative speech merely presents factual information, a good informative speech topic goes a step further.

  • The goal of a persuasive speech is to convince the audience that your perspective is valid.

This does not mean that the audience will agree with every opinion you present, but a good persuasive speech makes the audience think* .

A great persuasive speech makes an audience act.

As transcendentalist writer Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.”

Therefore, a strong persuasive speaker will:

  • Present a clear and sincere perspective. The audience should not be questioning your stance on an issue.
  • Exhibit passion that inspires others to think or act.
  • Be confident in both your perspective and topic.

Not all persuasive speeches need to be deeply controversial, but there should be some gray area in your chosen topic.

Political , social and ethical issues make compelling persuasive speech topics for this reason.

The persuasive speech should address a burning question that incites intellectual debate:

  • Should strict gun control laws be implemented?
  • Is it possible to be an animal lover and a carnivore?
  • Is the government at fault for the increasing homeless population?

Such questions may seem divisive, but, in a civilized society, they are essential to ask.

Posing such questions directly to your audience during your speech engages a group in the Socratic Method of critical thinking.

Furthermore, if a topic isn’t inherently controversial, then it might not make the most powerful speech.

Your job as a persuasive speaker is to argue your point, which is not necessary to do on topics that most people agree on.

In that vein, here are a handful of topics that would not make for good persuasive speeches.

  • Learning a foreign language is important.
  • Fighting in overseas wars can be dangerous.
  • Social Security income is not sufficient for many retired Americans.
  • Technical skills are crucial in the 21st-century job market.
  • Cardiovascular fitness improves longevity.

…And you get the picture. So, what does make a good persuasive speech topic? Well, there are at least 191 answers to that question.

Get personalized advice!

191 best persuasive speech topics.

Before we reveal the 191 best persuasive speech topics, let’s preview each of the categories:

  • Politics and law : This topic revolves around pressing issues including voting, Supreme Court decisions, political leadership, and criminal justice.
  • Environmental activism : Climate change, offshore oil drilling, and green technology are just a few of the hot-button issues you’ll discover in this category.
  • Social justice : Covering all issues of equality, social justice topics invite debate – and demand solid supporting facts or powerhouse emotional appeals .
  • Ethics : Comprising our basic morals and values that drive our behaviors, the ethics category examines how to deal with issues like animal abuse, abortion, and stem cell research.
  • Health : Regarding important issues like our food supply, how should we best protect and promote human health in the 21 st century?
  • Potpourri : And now we come to the miscellaneous category of “everything else.” You’ll find engaging or even entertaining ideas related to music, movies, curriculum, and more.

Take a deep breath and read on!

Politics and Law

  • Alternative political parties (i.e., Green Party, Libertarian Party, etc.)
  • Declaring “Independent” or “No Party Affiliation” on voter registration.
  • Should voters with no party affiliation be allowed to vote in primary elections?
  • Are newly proposed voter registration laws discriminatory?
  • How many terms should politicians be allowed to serve?
  • Popular vote vs. Electoral College
  • Are women underrepresented in Congress?
  • Swing states (i.e., Florida and Ohio)
  • Do current proposed abortion laws violate Roe v. Wade?
  • Political correctness versus freedom of speech
  • Terrorist watch lists – safety precaution or blatant prejudice?
  • Corporate lobbyists and campaign contributions
  • Are laws too lenient on violent criminals?
  • Tax responsibility: income tax, property tax, sales tax.
  • Should the voting age be increased or decreased?
  • Capital punishment: right or wrong?
  • DNA evidence in criminal cases: is it enough?
  • Should criminal minors be prosecuted and sentenced as adults?
  • How to deal with the issue of illegal immigration
  • Should cigarettes be taken off the market and made illegal?
  • Legalization of Marijuana
  • Should health insurance be mandatory by law?
  • Is the death penalty obsolete?
  • Private vs. Public Prisons
  • Should politicians be allowed to use private donations to campaign?
  • Is it right for the government to fund partisan organizations?
  • Appointment of Supreme Court Justice
  • How can the mass shooting crisis be solved?
  • Minimum wage: should it exist or be forgotten?
  • Should citizens be required to serve in the military for a period of time?
  • Gun rights on school campuses: is it safe?
  • Military members and income tax

Environmental Activism

  • Hybrid and electric cars on the road
  • Oil spills and world wildlife
  • Saving rainforests and their indigenous species
  • Palm oil: should it be outlawed?
  • Make all bills and business correspondence paperless.
  • Dangers of drilling for oil
  • Replacing plastic with glass and cardboard
  • Trophy hunting: should the penalties be harsher?
  • Banning disposable diapers in favor of cloth diapers
  • Benefits of public transportation, biking, walking, or carpooling
  • Conserving water in our everyday lives
  • Wildfires on the rise in California
  • Greenhouse gas emissions in Asia
  • Global climate change and increased severity of storms
  • Growing food as a homesteader
  • Impact of big box stores on the environment
  • Impact of online retailers’ packaging and shipping on the environment
  • Turning the practice of recycling into a law punishable by hefty fines
  • Overfishing and dwindling populations of marine wildlife
  • Factory farms and greenhouse gas emissions
  • Controlling E. Coli and other food borne illnesses
  • Are is worth it to ban plastic straws?
  • Drones and the environment
  • Should hunting be outlawed in national parks to protect its wildlife?
  • Hair care and air quality
  • Better education for at home waste management
  • Should it be illegal to flush certain things into the sewage system?
  • Is it right to cut down a tree for the holidays?
  • How do marijuana farms affect the surrounding area’s environment?
  • Water contamination: What preventative measures can be taken?
  • How to reduce your carbon footprint
  • Should new homes support solar energy only?
  • Organic farming practices

Social Justice

  • Do you agree with the research on equal pay between men and women?
  • Should government employees go without pay during a shutdown?
  • Police brutality and shootings (in general or a specific case in the news such as Philando Castile in Minnesota)
  • Should all policemen wear body cameras?
  • Is racial discrimination on the rise? Why or why not?
  • Scholarship opportunities for minority students
  • The benefits (or challenges) of a multicultural society
  • Should bullies be expelled from school?
  • What can be done about anonymous online bullying?
  • Unrealistic beauty/body standards and self-image
  • How to create a strong community
  • Welfare, SNAP, and other social assistance programs
  • The 40-hour work week is too long.
  • Comparing the work week in Europe to the work week in the United States
  • Caring for an aging population: are Social Security and Medicare enough?
  • Civil lawsuits should not receive so much attention in the media.
  • Racial and ethnic profiling (including FBI criminal profiling)
  • Being a foster or adoptive parent
  • Buying local builds up the community.
  • Refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance
  • Battling stereotypes and making them obsolete
  • Mandatory community service for all U.S. citizens
  • Is common law marriage outdated?
  • Should companies be allowed to deny service to anyone?
  • Changing gender on a driver’s license
  • Affirmative Action today
  • DACA DREAMers Movement
  • Legalization of gay marriage
  • Should individuals be allowed to adopt?
  • Re-sentencing for crimes involving marijuana in states where it is now legal
  • Unlimited Paid Time Off vs Accrued time off
  • License revoking for older drivers: is it against their rights?
  • Wearing fur or using fur for any profit
  • Mistreatment of farm animals: what is the solution?
  • How do we address the increasing problem of homelessness?
  • Tithing – how much should each person give?
  • Euthanasia for terminally ill individuals
  • Was it right for Dr. Kevorkian (assisted suicide physician) to be imprisoned?
  • Pet shops and breeders versus shelters
  • Returning or rehoming pets: is it right?
  • Preselecting the gender and other aspects of an unborn baby
  • Abortion: pro-choice or pro-life?
  • Product testing on animals in labs
  • Stem cell research
  • Protecting children from inappropriate websites
  • When should a child be allowed to have a smartphone?
  • Should children be allowed into an R-rated movie even with a guardian?
  • Should violent movies and video games be banned?
  • Do zoos and circuses abuse animals?
  • Arranged marriage: a cultural tradition or outdated practice?
  • Raising children without being married
  • How to impart ethical behavior to the next generation
  • Ethics as a mandatory high school class
  • Do parents deceive children by telling tales of Santa Claus?
  • Should pharmaceutical patents be removed so affordable generics can be made?
  • 13 Reasons Why: Did it glorify suicide?
  • Wrongful termination case study
  • Is the borrowing limit for student loans too high?
  • Pay for play in college athletics
  • Performance enhancing steroids in competitive sports
  • Is it right to own a gun for personal protection?
  • Mandated reporting (Mandated reporters are individuals who are required to report any information they receive about abuse, suicidal ideation, etc.)
  • Can an influencer be held responsible if they promote a harmful product unknowingly?
  • Conventional versus organic produce
  • Food additives, preservatives, and cancer rates
  • Meat consumption and its effects on life expectancy
  • Dangers of sitting at a desk all day
  • Fast food industry and obesity rates
  • Medical marijuana to treat chronic conditions
  • GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) in foods: to label or not to label?
  • Mandatory CPR and First Aid training for new parents
  • School cafeteria food and children’s health
  • Alternative uses of oral contraceptives
  • Restaurant responsibility with peanut, gluten, and other allergies
  • Everyday products that could be dangerous: deodorant, toothpaste, etc.
  • Teaching yoga and meditation in public schools
  • Moving from the “medical model” to holistic health
  • Massages as necessities rather than luxuries
  • Which vitamin supplements are worthless and should go off the market?
  • The mind-body connection and its influence on health
  • Social media and mental health
  • The cumulative effects of poor sleep (and how electronics impact our sleep)
  • IVF (Invitro fertilization): Should becoming a parent be covered?
  • Should there be more physical education in schools?
  • Is diabetes reversible?
  • Doctors and insurance: should they accept all insurance?
  • Do detox diets really work?
  • Is binge-watching Netflix bad for our health?
  • Keto vs Paleo vs Vegan: which is better?
  • Should a patient be allowed to deny medical care?
  • Pre-existing conditions and insurance rates
  • Employers should offer mental health days without question
  • Alternative sex education (not abstinence-only and inclusive of LGBT lifestyle)
  • Mind-body fitness versus traditional Western sports
  • Best genre and time period of music
  • Healthiest world cuisine
  • Uneven distribution of wealth: the top 1% versus everyone else
  • Cost of living versus average salaries
  • What to do about cults, gangs, and similar groups
  • How to get accepted into an Ivy League school
  • Religion versus spiritualism
  • Survival skills should be taught in school.
  • Benefits of forest schools for children
  • The best U.S. President in history
  • The most influential leader or figure in history
  • Most effective ways to manage stress
  • Obscure movies that people should watch
  • Multitasking: fact or fiction?
  • Buying a house versus renting an apartment
  • Most exciting travel destination
  • How to ace any test
  • Overcoming social anxiety
  • How our phones are hurting our eyes
  • Are multi-level marketing companies really pyramid schemes?
  • Protests: are they effective?
  • Is a wedding reception worth the price tag?
  • Should catfishing be a criminal offense?
  • Mandatory study abroad semester in college
  • Student loan borrowing: should it ever be forgiven?
  • Responsible credit card strategies
  • Living with parents to save money
  • Can someone find true love on The Bachelor?
  • Telemarketers and Harassment
  • Marvel vs DC

And there you have it – 100+ unique topics to stoke your imagination and help you identify your passion.

Feel free to go beyond these springboard ideas or customize them to your perspective.

Advice from Persuasive Speech Experts

To help you out even more, we asked the experts on the best tips for giving a persuasive speech.

From Melora Kordos, visiting assistant professor of theatre arts at Sweet Briar College:

When selecting a persuasive speech topic, a student should first look to her own interests and passions. If she chooses something that she cares deeply about or has great interest in, then she will be able to more easily identify the best three points that support her argument and focus on those in her speech. If she is not already engaged in the topic, it will be much harder to persuade others to agree with her point of view. She should use both logical and emotional appeals throughout her speech, giving her a better chance of resonating with a larger percentage of her audience.

From Dr. Allison Beltramini, associate professor of communications at Waubonsee Community College:

When doing a persuasive  speech , it’s helpful to choose a topic that you personally believe in or support. It’s much easier to speak on something that you have a connection to. The next tip is to do your homework. This includes exploring the opposite side of the issue. Your audience needs to know that you are well-versed in the topic. Incorporate this research to support the claims you are making. Curate your sources carefully. Know who/what organizations are behind the sources you are using. And please, verbally cite your sources. Using research without the verbal citations in your  speech  is plagiarism. Persuasion is incremental. You can’t just tell someone something and expect they will believe you. You have to set up the issue, show how the problem effect people, talk about what will help or fix the problem and show why the solutions will work. All of these steps are vital. Finally – practice is essential. Your  speech  should be prepared but conversational. Reading to an audience word for word is not a good idea.

From Nate Masterson, HR manager of Maple Holistics :

The key to giving a persuasive  speech  is to engage your audience, and there are several ways to do this. Firstly, make eye contact with different people in the audience, but make sure to scan the whole room and not just focus on one area. Also, research the group of people you will be addressing so that you better know their priorities, cultural norms, inside jokes, etc. To make sure that your speech is sufficiently compelling, stick to just a few main talking points or objectives. This will ensure that your speech stays focused and that you can spend adequate time and energy backing up these main points without boring your audience.

From Jeffrey Davis, executive speech coach at Speak Clear Communications :

First, the best speakers build their argument emotionally as well as logically. Every point has a complelling story attached to it. Second, they make arguments that are novel and innovative. The “how” of the argument is as important as the “why.” Lastly, great speakers do not hold back on hand gestures!  Gesturing is scientifically proven to enhance a speaker’s impression with the audience.

From Bridgett McGowen, CEO of BMcTALKS :

While it’s important your audience has a memorable experience during your presentation and that it learns something new or gains a new perspective on something it already knew, it is equally important to move the audience to actually do something with what you shared … something that will inspire or change their lives, professions, or communities … because you are there to persuade! Remember any time you present, consistently think to yourself “In what difference-making endeavor do I want my audience to join?” or “Now that everyone has heard this, now what?” Give them the answers to those questions to further your persuasive message.

From Martha Krejci, business coaching leader :

Don’t write everything out! The last thing you want to do is look like you’re reading a speech verbatim. You want to illuminate your authority in the field you are speaking about. Reading does not do that….at all. So, here’s what I do. I think about the end goal of what I’m trying to communicate. Then, reverse engineer the points that take us there. Write the points out on a notecard if you need it, or if you’re lucky enough to have a teleprompter, use that. And finally, above all…tell stories! Don’t just have a bunch of dry information that anyone with a wifi signal could google. Tell stories that bring your audience into your problem, but also your solution you propose. If you can master storytelling, you may just be surprised by how good you can get at public speaking.

From Neil Thompson, founder of Teach the Geek :

Telling an easy-to-follow story is crucial in being persuasive. If people have to think too hard to understand what you’re talking about, they’re less likely to listen. If they don’t listen, you won’t have a chance to persuade them. If there are studies, surveys, or other types of data that can vouch for what you’re saying, that’ll also go a long way to persuading others. Lastly, you have to believe what you’re talking about. If you truly believe your message, it’ll shine through and people will be inclined to believe you, too.

From Adam Cole, expert writer and author:

Number one is the invitation to listen. It ensures that the listener has a context in which to understand what you are presenting so that everyone is on the same page when the important information comes. The invitation may contain relevant humorous anecdotes to break the tension and present the speaker as appealing, and it must be accessible enough that the listener will at least know what the topic is and why they should care. Number two is the topic. Depending on the complexity of the topic, it should be structured for maximum clarity. While humor and anecdotes can be used to illustrate the point, they should not distract from it or become the focus (unless the task is to highlight the speaker, rather than the topic, which is ok). Number three is the follow-through. If the listener has learned something, a good summation will help them retain the most important points from the learning so that they can remember it and follow up with more learning (perhaps from the speaker’s books, videos, or other appearances!) Taking the topic and framing it in terms of an action step for the audience may be a powerful way for them to keep the presentation (and the speaker) in their heads.

Conclusion: Best Persuasive Speech Topics

Remember, your passion and expertise on the topic will translate to audience engagement – and hopefully a good grade!

  • Delivering a persuasive speech doesn’t have to be a nerve-wracking experience if you’re prepared and passionate.

In the words of Cicero: “A good orator is pointed and impassioned.”

To follow the advice of the great Roman orator, find your passion and then express it through your persuasive speech.

The skills you develop now in this area will benefit you throughout your professional and personal life.

*As an Amazon Associate, buying products recommended in this blog will help us create more amazing content.

Learn how we can help you with college and career guidance! Check out our YouTube channel!

Click Here to Schedule a Free Consult!

persuasive speech ideas reddit

Stay on track and ease your anxiety with our second-to-none college application assistance.

How to get into Carnegie Mellon

  • Ethics & Honesty
  • Privacy Policy
  • Join Our Team

(732) 339-3835

[email protected]

persuasive speech ideas reddit

*** Enter the $2,000 College Transitions No Essay Scholarship Contest ***

150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics for Students in 2024

April 1, 2024

Do you know that moment in your favorite film, when the soundtrack begins to swell and the main character stands up and delivers a speech so rousing, so impassioned, it has the entire room either weeping or cheering by the time it concludes? What distinguishes the effectiveness of such a speech is not only the protagonist’s stellar delivery but also the compelling nature of the subject matter at hand. Choosing an effective persuasive speech topic is essential for guaranteeing that your future speech or essay is as moving as these . If this sounds like a tall order, have no fear. Below you’ll find a list of some of the best and most interesting persuasive speech topics for high school students to tackle, from the playful (“Pets for President”) to the serious (“Should We Stop AI from Replacing Human Workers?”).

And if you’re craving more inspiration, feel free to check out this list of Great Debate Topics , which can be used to generate further ideas.

What is a Good Persuasive Speech?

Before we get to the list, we must address the question on everyone’s minds: what is a persuasive speech, and what the heck makes for a good persuasive speech topic? A persuasive speech is a speech that aims to convince its listeners of a particular point of view . At the heart of each persuasive speech is a central conflict . Note: The persuasive speech stands in contrast to a simple informative speech, which is intended purely to convey information. (I.e., an informative speech topic might read: “The History of Making One’s Bed,” while a persuasive speech topic would be: “Why Making One’s Bed is a Waste of Time”—understand?)

And lest you think that persuasive speeches are simply assigned by your teachers as a particularly cruel form of torture, remember that practicing your oratory skills will benefit you in all areas of life—from job interviews, to business negotiations, to your future college career in public policy or international relations . Knowing how to use your voice to enact meaningful change is a valuable skill that can empower you to make a difference in the world.

Components of a Great Persuasive Speech Topic

The ideal persuasive speech topic will inspire the audience to action via both logical arguments and emotional appeals. As such, we can summarize the question “what makes a good persuasive speech topic?” by saying that the topic must possess the following qualities:

  • Timeliness and Relevance . Great persuasive speech topics grapple with a contemporary issue that is meaningful to the listener at hand. The topic might be a current news item, or it might be a long-standing social issue. In either case, the topic should be one with real-world implications.
  • Complexity . A fruitful persuasive speech topic will have many facets. Topics that are controversial, with some gray area, lend themselves to a high degree of critical thinking. They also offer the speaker an opportunity to consider and refute all counterarguments before making a compelling case for his or her own position.
  • Evidence . You want to be able to back up your argument with clear evidence from reputable sources (i.e., not your best friend or dog). The more evidence and data you can gather, the more sound your position will be. In addition, your audience will be more inclined to trust you.
  • Personal Connection. Do you feel passionately about the topic you’ve chosen? If not, it may be time to go back to the drawing board. This does not mean you have to support the side you choose; sometimes, arguing for the opposing side of what you personally believe can be an effective exercise in building empathy and perspective. Either way, though, the key is to select a topic that you care deeply about. Your passion will be infectious to the audience.

150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Should tech companies regulate the development of AI systems and automation to protect humans’ jobs?
  • Should we limit screen time for children?
  • Is it ethical for AI models like Dall-E to train themselves on artists’ work without the artists’ permission?
  • Should the government regulate the use of personal drones?
  • Is mass surveillance ethical? Does its threat to civil liberties outweigh its benefits?
  • Are virtual reality experiences a valuable educational tool?
  • Do the positive effects of powerful AI systems outweigh the risks?
  • Do voice assistants like Siri and Alexa invade individuals’ privacy?
  • Are cell phone bans in the classroom effective for improving student learning?
  • Does the use of facial recognition technology in public violate individuals’ privacy?
  • Should students be allowed to use ChatGPT and other AI tools for writing assignments?
  • Should AI-generated art be allowed in art shows or contests?
  • Who holds responsibility for accidents caused by self-driving cars: the driver or the car company?

Business and Economy

  • Should we do away with the minimum wage? Why or why not?
  • Is it ethical for companies to use unpaid internships as a source of labor?
  • Does the gig economy benefit or harm workers?
  • Is capitalism the best economic system?
  • Is it ethical for companies to use sweatshops in developing countries?
  • Should the government provide free healthcare for all citizens?
  • Should the government regulate prices on pharmaceutical drugs?
  • Should the government enact a universal base income?
  • Should customers be required to tip a minimum amount in order to ensure food service workers make a living wage?
  • Should someone’s tattoos or personal appearance factor into the hiring process?
  • Should US workers have more vacation time?
  • Is big game hunting beneficial for local communities?
  • Should we legalize euthanasia?
  • Is it ethical to use animals for medical research?
  • Is it ethical to allow access to experimental treatments for terminally ill patients?
  • Should we allow genetic engineering in humans?
  • Is the death penalty obsolete?
  • Should we allow the cloning of humans?
  • Is it ethical to allow performance-enhancing drugs in sports?
  • Should embryonic stem cell collection be allowed?
  • Do frozen IVF embryos have rights?
  • Should state and federal investigators be allowed to use DNA from genealogy databases?
  • Should the government limit how many children a couple can have?
  • Is spanking children an acceptable form of discipline?
  • Should we allow parents to choose their children’s physical attributes through genetic engineering?
  • Should we require parents to vaccinate their children?
  • Should we require companies to give mandatory paternal and maternal leave?
  • Should children be allowed to watch violent movies and video games?
  • Should parents allow their teenagers to drink before they turn 21?
  • Should the government provide childcare?
  • Should telling your children about Santa Claus be considered lying?
  • Should one parent stay home?
  • Should parental consent be required for minors to receive birth control?
  • Is it an invasion of privacy for parents to post photographs of their children on social media?

Social Media

  • Should social media platforms ban political ads?
  • Do the benefits of social media outweigh the downsides?
  • Should the government hold social media companies responsible for hate speech on their platforms?
  • Is social media making us more or less social?
  • Do platforms like TikTok exacerbate mental health issues in teens?
  • Should the government regulate social media to protect citizens’ privacy?
  • Is it right for parents to monitor their children’s social media accounts?
  • Should social media companies enact a minimum user age restriction?
  • Should we require social media companies to protect user data?
  • Should we hold social media companies responsible for cyberbullying?
  • Should schools ban the use of social media from their networks?
  • Should we be allowed to record others without their consent?
  • Do online crime sleuths help or hurt criminal investigations?

Education – Persuasive Speech Topics 

  • Would trade schools and other forms of vocational training benefit a greater number of students than traditional institutions of higher education?
  • Should colleges use standardized testing in their admissions processes?
  • Is forcing students to say the Pledge a violation of their right to freedom of speech?
  • Should school districts offer bilingual education programs for non-native speakers?
  • Should schools do away with their physical education requirements?
  • Should schools incorporate a remote learning option into their curriculum?
  • Should we allow school libraries to ban certain books?
  • Should we remove historical figures who owned slaves from school textbooks and other educational materials?
  • Should we have mixed-level classrooms or divide students according to ability?
  • Should grading on a curve be allowed?
  • Should graphic novels be considered literature?
  • Should all students have to take financial literacy classes before graduating?
  • Should colleges pay student athletes?
  • Should we ban violent contact sports like boxing and MMA?
  • Should sports leagues require professional athletes to stand during the national anthem?
  • Should sports teams ban players like Kyrie Irving when they spread misinformation or hate speech?
  • Should high schools require their athletes to maintain a certain GPA?
  • Should the Olympic committee allow transgender athletes to compete?
  • Should high schools ban football due to its safety risks to players?
  • Should all high school students be required to play a team sport?
  • Should sports teams be mixed instead of single-gender?
  • Should there be different athletic standards for men and women?
  • In which renewable energy option would the US do best to invest?
  • Should the US prioritize space exploration over domestic initiatives?
  • Should companies with a high carbon footprint be punished?
  • Should the FDA ban GMOs?
  • Would the world be a safer place without nuclear weapons?
  • Does AI pose a greater threat to humanity than it does the potential for advancement?
  • Who holds the most responsibility for mitigating climate change: individuals or corporations?
  • Should we be allowed to resurrect extinct species?
  • Are cancer screening programs ethical?

Social Issues – Persuasive Speech Topics

  • College education: should the government make it free for all?
  • Should we provide free healthcare for undocumented immigrants?
  • Is physician-assisted suicide morally justifiable?
  • Does social media have a negative impact on democracy?
  • Does cancel culture impede free speech?
  • Does affirmative action help or hinder minority groups in the workplace?
  • Should we hold public figures and celebrities to a higher standard of morality?
  • Should abortion be an issue that is decided at the federal or state level?
  • Should the sex offender registry be available to the public?
  • Should undocumented immigrants have a path to amnesty?
  • Do syringe services programs reduce or increase harmful behaviors?
  • Should there be a statute of limitations?
  • Should those who are convicted of a crime be required to report their criminal history on job and housing applications?

Politics and Government

  • Is the Electoral College still an effective way to elect the President of the US?
  • Should we allow judges to serve on the Supreme Court indefinitely?
  • Should the US establish a national gun registry?
  • Countries like Israel and China require all citizens to serve in the military. Is this a good or bad policy?
  • Should the police force require all its officers to wear body cameras while on duty?
  • Should the US invest in the development of clean meat as a sustainable protein source?
  • Should the US adopt ranked-choice voting?
  • Should institutions that profited from slavery provide reparations?
  • Should the government return land to Native American tribes?
  • Should there be term limits for representatives and senators?
  • Should there be an age limit for presidential candidates?
  • Should women be allowed in special forces units?

Easy Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Should schools have uniforms?
  • Can video games improve problem-solving skills?
  • Are online classes as effective as in-person classes?
  • Should companies implement a four-day work week?
  • Co-ed learning versus single-sex: which is more effective?
  • Should the school day start later?
  • Is homework an effective teaching tool?
  • Are electric cars really better for the environment?
  • Should schools require all students to study a foreign language?
  • Do professional athletes get paid too much money?

Fun Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Should we allow pets to run for public office?
  • Does pineapple belong on pizza?
  • Would students benefit from schools swapping out desks with more comfortable seating arrangements (i.e., bean bag chairs and couches)?
  • Is procrastination the key to success?
  • Should Americans adopt British accents to sound more intelligent?
  • The age-old dilemma: cats or dogs?
  • Should meme creators receive royalties when their memes go viral?
  • Should there be a minimum drinking age for coffee?
  • Are people who make their beds every day more successful than those who don’t?

Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Is the movie ranking system an effective way to evaluate the appropriateness of films?
  • Should the government place a “health tax” on junk food?
  • Is it ethical to create artificial life forms that are capable of complex emotions?
  • Should parents let children choose their own names?
  • Creating clones of ourselves to serve as organ donors: ethical or not?
  • Is it ethical to engineer humans to be better and more optimized than nature intended?
  • Should we adopt a universal language to communicate with people from all countries?
  • Should there be a penalty for people who don’t vote?
  • Should calories be printed on menus?
  • Does tourism positively or negatively impact local communities?
  • When used by non-Natives, are dreamcatchers cultural appropriation?
  • Should companies require their employees to specify pronouns in their signature line?
  • Should commercial fishing be banned?
  • Are cemeteries sustainable?
  • Is it okay to change the race, culture, and/or gender of historical figures in movies or TV shows?

I’ve Chosen My Topic, Now What?

Once you’ve selected your topic, it’s time to get to work crafting your argument. Preparation for a persuasive speech or essay involves some key steps, which we’ve outlined for you below.

How to Create a Successful Persuasive Speech, Step by Step

  • Research your topic. Read widely and smartly. Stick to credible sources, such as peer-reviewed articles, published books, government reports, textbooks, and news articles. The right sources and data will be necessary to help you establish your authority. As you go, take notes on the details and nuances of your topic as well as potential counterarguments. Research the counterarguments, too.
  • Choose an angle. For example, if you chose the topic “Should we limit screen time for children?” your speech should come down firmly on one side of that debate. If your topic is frequently debated, such as abortion, capital punishment, gun control, social media, etc. try to find a niche angle or new research. For example, instead of “Should abortion be legal?” you might consider “Should you be able to order abortion pills online?” Another example: “Should the death penalty be banned?” might become “How long is it ethical for someone to stay on death row?” If you do some digging, even the most cliche topics have incredibly interesting and relatively unexplored sub-topics.
  • Create an outline. Your outline should include an introduction with a thesis statement, a body that uses evidence to elaborate and support your position while refuting any counterarguments, and a conclusion. The conclusion will both summarize the points made earlier and serve as your final chance to persuade your audience.
  • Write your speech. Use your outline to help you as well as the data you’ve collected. Remember: this is not dry writing; this writing has a point of view, and that point of view is yours . Accordingly, use anecdotes and examples to back up your argument. The essential components of this speech are logos (logic), ethos (credibility), and pathos (emotion) . The ideal speech will use all three of these functions to engage the audience.

How to Practice and Deliver a Persuasive Speech

  • Talk to yourself in the mirror, record yourself, and/or hold a practice speech for family or friends. If you’ll be using visual cues, a slide deck, or notecards, practice incorporating them seamlessly into your speech. You should practice until your speech feels very familiar, at least 5-10 times.
  • Practice body language. Are you making eye contact with your audience, or looking at the ground? Crossing your arms over your chest or walking back and forth across the room? Playing with your hair, cracking your knuckles, or picking at your clothes? Practicing what to do with your body, face, and hands will help you feel more confident on speech day.
  • Take it slow. It’s common to talk quickly while delivering a speech—most of us want to get it over with! However, your audience will be able to connect with you much more effectively if you speak at a moderate pace, breathe, and pause when appropriate.
  • Give yourself grace. How you recover from a mistake is much more important than the mistake itself. Typically, the best approach is to good-naturedly shrug off a blip and move on. 99% of the time, your audience won’t even notice!

Good Persuasive Speech Topics—Final Thoughts

The art of persuasive speaking is a tricky one, but the tips and tricks laid out here will help you craft a compelling argument that will sway even the most dubious audience to your side. Mastering this art takes both time and practice, so don’t fret if it doesn’t come to you right away. Remember to draw upon your sources, speak with authority, and have fun. Once you have the skill of persuasive speaking down, go out there and use your voice to impact change!

Looking for some hot-button topics in college admissions? You might consider checking out the following:

  • Do Colleges Look at Social Media?
  • Should I Apply Test-Optional to College?
  • Should I Waive My Right to See Letters of Recommendation?
  • Should I Use the Common App Additional Information Section?
  • High School Success

Lauren Green

With a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from Columbia University and an MFA in Fiction from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin, Lauren has been a professional writer for over a decade. She is the author of the chapbook  A Great Dark House  (Poetry Society of America, 2023) and a forthcoming novel (Viking/Penguin).

  • 2-Year Colleges
  • ADHD/LD/Autism/Executive Functioning
  • Application Strategies
  • Best Colleges by Major
  • Best Colleges by State
  • Big Picture
  • Career & Personality Assessment
  • College Essay
  • College Search/Knowledge
  • College Success
  • Costs & Financial Aid
  • Data Visualizations
  • Dental School Admissions
  • Extracurricular Activities
  • General Knowledge
  • Graduate School Admissions
  • High Schools
  • Homeschool Resources
  • Law School Admissions
  • Medical School Admissions
  • Navigating the Admissions Process
  • Online Learning
  • Outdoor Adventure
  • Private High School Spotlight
  • Research Programs
  • Summer Program Spotlight
  • Summer Programs
  • Teacher Tools
  • Test Prep Provider Spotlight

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

$2,000 No Essay Scholarship

Presented by College Transitions

  • Win $2,000 for college • 1 minute or less to enter • No essay required • Open to students and parents in the U.S.

Create your account today and easily enter all future sweepstakes!

Enter to Win $2,000 Today!

  • How It Works
  • PhD thesis writing
  • Master thesis writing
  • Bachelor thesis writing
  • Dissertation writing service
  • Dissertation abstract writing
  • Thesis proposal writing
  • Thesis editing service
  • Thesis proofreading service
  • Thesis formatting service
  • Coursework writing service
  • Research paper writing service
  • Architecture thesis writing
  • Computer science thesis writing
  • Engineering thesis writing
  • History thesis writing
  • MBA thesis writing
  • Nursing dissertation writing
  • Psychology dissertation writing
  • Sociology thesis writing
  • Statistics dissertation writing
  • Buy dissertation online
  • Write my dissertation
  • Cheap thesis
  • Cheap dissertation
  • Custom dissertation
  • Dissertation help
  • Pay for thesis
  • Pay for dissertation
  • Senior thesis
  • Write my thesis

250 Best Persuasive Speech Topics For All

persuasive speech topics

Some students struggle to find persuasive speech topics. That’s because they must have the audiences’ interest in mind. They must also consider their interest level. Nevertheless, learners can find engaging persuasive topics for speech. They only need compelling and unique ideas to help them generate the best topics for persuasive speech.

What are Persuasive Speech Topics?

Good topics for persuasive speech, persuasive speech topics about animals, simple persuasive speech topics, persuasive speech topics for college, persuasive speech topics for teens, health persuasive speech topics, funny persuasive speech topics, environmental persuasive speech topics, problem solution persuasive speech topic, sports persuasive speech topics, persuasive speech topics about music.

The purpose of a persuasive speech is to educate the target audience. Therefore, good persuasive speech topics focus on educating a target audience about a specific issue. Writing a speech about these topics is mainly about convincing the audience to agree with your viewpoint.

Topic selection is an essential thing to recall when writing a persuasive speech. A learner can write about a specific idea that will engage the audience. The topic should also be interesting and help the audience to understand the idea and the viewpoint. In simple terms, students should look for engaging, interesting, and compelling topics for a persuasive speech. Here is a list of persuasive speech topics ideas that students should consider.

Some persuasive speech topics college and high school students write about are just good. That’s because they are engaging and interesting to read about. Here are examples of good topics to do a persuasive speech on.

  • Should people continue to use plastic bags when buying groceries?
  • NASA’s budget should be increased
  • Should tourists be allowed to continue taking selfies with animals?
  • Is coffee consumption harmful?
  • Plastic surgery is no longer a medical procedure but a habit
  • The disadvantages of social networks outweigh their advantages
  • Patients’ dedication influences the outcome of a therapy
  • Men can’t understand women
  • Governments should abolish the death penalty
  • Free media needs some control
  • Lack of finances is a major challenge for people that need education
  • People should embrace and promote surrogacy more
  • Artificial intelligence has improved the daily lives of many people
  • Religious-related animal slaughter should be prohibited
  • Self-driving vehicles should be illegal
  • People should avoid using cell phones while driving
  • Celebrities should get stiffer penalties when they go against the law
  • The basic exam should be mandatory for teachers to refresh their knowledge
  • Every city should have a free bike-sharing program
  • Humans have a lot to do to end world hunger and poverty
  • Money cannot buy happiness or love
  • Junk food outlets should be banned
  • Society should value elders and learn more from them
  • Parents should provide incentives to their children when they do right instead of punishing them for wrongdoing
  • Governments should encourage recycling.

These are easy persuasive speech topics that most learners can research and write about. Nevertheless, each of these topics requires creativity to come up with an interesting speech that people will be glad to listen to from the beginning to the end. Some of these history research topics may also be helpful.

Students can also write interesting speeches about animal topics. Here is a list of interesting persuasive speech topics about animals you can consider.

  • Some pets are dangerous to the community
  • Owners should be held responsible if their pets hurt the health of another person
  • Humans should tame more animals and turn them into their household pets
  • Battery farming is unethical
  • Factory farming is too cruel and should be illegal
  • Adopting a kitten versus buying one
  • Is breeding pets and selling them a good idea?
  • Keeping a pet can make your life better
  • The government should do more to save the animals that are facing the extinction threat
  • What should humans do to save some animal species from extinction?
  • Why humans should adopt more forest animals
  • Humans should safeguard the dolphin populations
  • Keeping a cat is beneficial to humans
  • Advantages of keeping a horse
  • Why you should neuter your cat
  • Benefits of keeping a snake pet
  • Effects of a pet on a child
  • A cat is a perfect pet
  • Effects of puppy mills on humans
  • Wild animals like sharks and lions should be tamed
  • Is excluding a dog for biting somebody ethical?
  • Pit bulls are a vicious breed
  • People should adopt more pets instead of buying them from breeders
  • The government should close all aquariums and zoos
  • The government should legalize the ownership of monkeys and other exotic animals
  • The government should ban animal hunting ]
  • Dogs are the best pets
  • Every high school student should have a pet
  • Children are not safe in zoos
  • A mosquito is the most annoying bug

These are undoubtedly fun persuasive speech topics to research and write about. Nevertheless, students should be ready to spend time researching before writing about some of these topics.

Maybe you want to write about something simple. In that case, consider any of these easy persuasive speech topics for college.

  • Learning and practicing martial arts benefits the body and mind
  • Reality television shows exploit the audience
  • People can learn more about life from competitive sports
  • What makes an individual a hero?
  • All high school graduates should provide community service after graduating
  • Benefits of growing plants in the garden
  • The world is an interesting place to live due to human differences
  • How song lyrics affect our lives
  • Benefits of studying and traveling abroad
  • Therapeutic benefits of journal writing
  • How learning a second language benefits a person
  • People should travel to different countries to learn outside the classroom
  • All countries should use the same currency
  • Every kid should have a friend outside their country
  • Taking cereal for breakfast is not healthy
  • A daily shower is not important
  • Kids should design their clothing
  • Boredom is beneficial for kids
  • Every human is unique
  • Benefits of growing in a city
  • Why being the only child for your parents is good
  • Every kid should have a television in the bedroom
  • Men should not wear pink clothing
  • Following your dreams is not easy
  • Setting goals is important for human success

These are some of the easiest public speaking persuasive speech topics to write about. However, they also require some level of research to gather relevant information that the audience will be interested to listen to.

If in college, consider any of these topics for your speech.

  • The major changes in the cost of education over the past decade
  • The government should legalize gambling
  • The impact of corporate corruption
  • What are the effects of zoning laws
  • Popular election reforms
  • Causes of corruption among the police officers
  • The most essential women rights
  • Advantages of purchasing products made in your country
  • Is copying or downloading copyrighted materials legal?
  • The major causes of inflation
  • How people become young billionaires
  • Why is the education cost always increasing
  • Describe the primary economic principles
  • What is the principle behind funding medical research?
  • Describe the most effective investment strategies
  • Books are the best learning materials
  • Sports can enhance learning effectiveness
  • Why online learning is becoming increasingly popular
  • Virtual reality is education’s future
  • Extracurricular activities waste a lot of time

These are some of the top persuasive speech topics for college students. Nevertheless, you should be ready to research extensively if you opt to write about any of these persuasive speech topics for college students.

If you’re in high school and you want to write a persuasive speech, you need topics your target audience can relate to. Here are some of the best persuasive speech topics for teenagers.

  • The government should allow kids to divorce their parents
  • Kids should be allowed to pick their families
  • Why it’s good to have siblings
  • Teens should be allowed free therapy sessions after breakups
  • Schools should allow students to choose what to pursue at an early age
  • Boys and girls should belong to the same sport teams
  • Talking to pets is sometimes better than talking to parents
  • Students need tablets and iPads more than books
  • Teaching sex education is useless and awkward
  • Every teen should have a pet
  • Teens should be allowed more time to sleep
  • Parents are not giving teen suicide enough attention
  • Personality is better than beauty
  • Teens should be comfortable to share everything with their parents
  • High school students should be allowed to study abroad
  • Students should be allowed to eat at any time at school
  • Home-schooling make some teens socially awkward
  • Teen girls and boys should have separate classes
  • Teens should not be allowed to have tattoos
  • Bullied teens behavior changes forever
  • Teens should be allowed more time to hang out with their elderly
  • Beauty contests do more harm than good
  • Teens should not start dating at an early age
  • Mental illnesses cause eating disorders
  • No parent should embarrass a teen
  • More teens should participate in volunteer activities
  • All teens should participate in cooking lessons
  • Influence of TV shows on teens
  • Why teens should wear a uniform in school
  • Teens should be allowed more quiet time

Most teens will most likely enjoy writing about these topics. This list also has some of the best persuasive speech topics Reddit audiences will be glad to read about.

Perhaps, you want to write a speech on a health topic. In that case, this list has some of the best health and medical persuasive speech topics to consider.

  • How to eat healthily
  • Overcoming stress and leading a healthy life
  • The government should prohibit drug advertisements
  • Why wearing pajamas when sleeping is good for human health
  • Using aborted fetuses for medical research should be legalized
  • What is the best age to learn about medical treatment for contraception?
  • Fast food is to blame for most cases of child obesity
  • Is vegetarianism good for children?
  • Advantages and disadvantages of medical marijuana
  • Are placebos important in medicine?
  • Are there animal testing alternatives?
  • How to prevent and treat child violence
  • Reasons and solutions to mental illnesses
  • How different music genres affect the human brain
  • Impacts of depression on a person’s immune system
  • Impact of insomnia on the overall health of a person
  • How dieting helps a person lose weight
  • Effects of meat consumption on health
  • The government should legalize assisted suicide
  • Acupuncture as a medical technique
  • Governments should increase taxes on sugary drinks
  • Revenue collected from taxes on sugary drinks should be used in promoting public health
  • The fast-food industry is legally accountable for most obesity cases
  • School cafeterias should provide healthy foods only
  • Birth control should be legal for female minors
  • The government should allow doctors to prescribe contraception to teens under 16 years
  • Every country should provide universal health care to its citizens
  • Regular exercise improves human health
  • Should schools distribute free condoms?
  • Is using animals for medical research a necessary evil?

This list also has controversial persuasive speech topics that can elicit different reactions from the audiences. Nevertheless, you need to come up with evidence to support your standpoint. What’s more, this category also has call to action persuasive speech topics in which the writer ends by asking the audience to do something or take a specific stance.

Maybe you want to write a funny but persuasive speech for your audience. In that case, choose one of these humorous persuasive speech topics.

  • How to make somebody stop their annoying behaviors
  • Why males don’t consider females funny
  • Do vegetarians love animals?
  • Colleges should add parking fees to the tuition
  • Christmas is more of a pagan holiday rather than a Christian celebration
  • Procrastinating is a way to avoid working
  • Playing by the set rules is for losers and boring
  • People choose to grow up
  • Having cupcakes in both hands is a balanced diet
  • Acting on rage should not be your thing
  • The more you’re honest with your partner the more you get in trouble
  • Girls and boys are equally smart
  • Life is an exam without retakes and preparations
  • First sight love doesn’t exist
  • Men should always be prepared with pick-up lines

These are hilarious persuasive speech topics to research and write about. Nevertheless, you need to be creative to compose a great speech on these topics.

If you love conserving the environment, you may want to write a speech about this issue. This category also has agriculture persuasive speech topics because farming can affect the environment. Here are environmental topics to consider for your persuasive speech.

  • How agricultural practices ruin the environment
  • The current environmental protection regulations are not enough
  • Garden owners should grow more exotic plants
  • The government should regulate the use of vehicles to protect the environment
  • Effects of disposable diapers on the environment
  • Why governments should enforce recycling
  • How single-use bags affect the environment
  • The current fishing restrictions are not sufficient
  • Governments should do more to protect rare species
  • Governments should do more to protect the ocean life
  • How the environment will benefit from a reduction in paper usage
  • Humans should stop using natural resources recklessly
  • How noise pollution affects human development negatively
  • Humans are responsible for environmental degradation
  • Humans should use renewable energy more
  • Governments should limit the use of fossil fuels and natural resources
  • Effects of greenhouses on humans
  • Developed countries are responsible for global warming
  • Every country should be concerned about global warming
  • Governments should implement strict penalties to conserve endangered species
  • Governments should encourage more people to use public transport
  • Negative effects of pollution on humans
  • Benefits of hybrid cars for the environment
  • Everybody is responsible for keeping their community clean
  • How carpooling protects the environment

This list also has political persuasive speech topics because governments are responsible for making policies that conserve the environment.

This category comprises topics that present a problem and a solution. For instance, you can find business persuasive speech topics that present problems and solutions in this category. Here are examples of problem solution topics for persuasive speeches.

  • How students can become better at tests and exams
  • How to make college environments safer
  • Best criteria for selecting a college
  • How to help your suicidal friend
  • Ways to reduce stress among students
  • How to balance study, work, and active social lives
  • How to reduce student procrastination
  • How to deal with homesickness
  • How to improve your college or school
  • How to prepare home-schooled learners for college
  • How to help a depressed person
  • What schools can do to improve literacy
  • Best ways to deal with illegal immigration
  • Best ways to deal with terrorism
  • How to punish people caught using cell phones while driving
  • How to make driving a more pleasant and less stressful experience
  • How to reform the school system
  • How to deal with the identity theft problem
  • How governments should deal with advertisements that target children
  • How to deal with cyber-attacks
  • How to prevent deaths that arise from drunk-driving
  • Effective ways to manage college class attendance in college
  • How to help college students that fail and don’t want their parents to know
  • Ways to manage student finances
  • How students can stay healthy and fit

Pick any of these topics if you want to present a problem and a solution in your speech.

If you’re a fan of sports, you may want to write a persuasive speech about this subject. This category can also include video game persuasive speech topics. Here are some of the ideas to explore in this category.

  • Drug tests should be more frequent among professional athletes
  • What are the impacts of violent video games on the youth?
  • How do gaming consoles benefit the youth
  • Gender should not be a factor in sports
  • Male athletes should compete with female athletes
  • Female and male athletes should be paid equally
  • Marching band should be considered a sport
  • Boxing should be illegalized
  • Effects of parental pressure on athletic kids
  • Every student should learn to swim in the school
  • Cheerleading is not a sport
  • Fan-girls know nothing about sports
  • Comparing footballers is foolish
  • People should stop being mean to opposing teams
  • Home workouts are not effective

Pick any of these topics if you love writing about sports.

If you love music, pick your speech topic from this list.

  • Rap is a violent music genre
  • Jazz music is almost extinct
  • Music country is less famous
  • Pop music is undergoing a tough transformation
  • White people don’t love rap music
  • Anybody can write good music
  • Governments should ban loud music
  • Not every piece of music soothes the mind
  • Music is not always positive
  • How music and psychology are related

Pick and research about any of these topics to write a speech your audience will love to listen to. You can also contact our professional dissertation writers who are ready to help you with topic selection, writing, editing, and other things.

how to write a term paper

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment * Error message

Name * Error message

Email * Error message

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

As Putin continues killing civilians, bombing kindergartens, and threatening WWIII, Ukraine fights for the world's peaceful future.

Ukraine Live Updates

persuasive speech ideas reddit

27 Persuasive Speech Topics to Captivate Your Audience

  • The Speaker Lab
  • June 13, 2024

Table of Contents

If you’ve ever written a persuasive speech, chances are you’ve struggled to choose a persuasive speech topic . It makes sense, right? You want to speak on something relevant yet unique, timely but timeless. Sometimes it feels like every good idea is already taken or too controversial. Or maybe the topic you’re considering seems too bland and won’t stir the pot enough. CEOs, entrepreneurs, authors—everyone with something important to say faces this challenge.

Well, fear not. We’ve got some fresh ideas for persuasive speech topics coming right up. These aren’t your high school debate prompts; they’re designed for individuals ready to make waves across industries and impact audiences. So if you’re on a mission to reshape perceptions and create genuine transformation, stick around.

Understanding the Power of Persuasion

Before we dive into these topics, let’s get one thing straight: understanding persuasion in speech is like having a superpower. But what makes some speeches stick with us forever? Persuasive speaking works its charm by tapping into our emotions and reasoning. It’s that perfect blend of ethos, pathos, and logos that the Greek philosopher Aristotle talked about centuries ago.

  • Ethos: This is all about credibility. If the audience trusts the speaker (you), they’re more likely to be on board with your message.
  • Pathos: Here’s where emotions come into play. The right emotional appeal can make an audience start to see things your way.
  • Logos: Logic seals the deal. A well-reasoned argument backed by solid facts? Hard to argue against that.

This trio works together to create a kind of spellbinding effect that doesn’t just persuade, but also sticks with your audience long after the talk has ended. With these three rhetorical appeals in hand, you can do more than convince; you can transform thinking and ignite action because your persuasive speech topic resonates on a deeply personal level for each listener.

Learn How You Could Get Your First (Or Next) Paid Speaking Gig In 90 Days or Less

We receive thousands of applications every day, but we only work with the top 5% of speakers .

Book a FREE call with our team to get started — you’ll learn why the vast majority of our students get a paid speaking gig within 90 days of finishing our program .

Choosing Persuasive Speech Topics That Resonate With Your Audience

Tailoring your topic to your audience isn’t just important; it’s everything when it comes to persuasion. After all, if you don’t know who you’re talking to, how will you grab their attention? Imagine chatting about quantum physics with a room full of poets or discussing poetry at a tech conference. See the mismatch? Choosing the right persuasive speech topic means finding one that resonates deeply with your listeners’ lives and experiences.

To analyze your audience effectively, you’re going to want to do a little digging ahead of time.

  • Dig into Demographics: Age, occupation, education level—these aren’t just numbers and titles; they’re clues into what might spark interest.
  • Catch the Cultural Cues: What cultural backgrounds are present in your audience? Understanding their cultural fabric can influence what makes them laugh, what they hold sacred, and even the subjects that might be touchy.
  • Tune into their Concerns: What keeps them up at night? Whether it’s climate change or personal finance, aligning your speech here can keep your audience engaged.

In essence, knowing your audience means respecting them enough to make sure they walk away feeling heard and understood rather than preached at or overlooked. And guess what? When folks feel respected and valued, they listen more closely.

Exploring Persuasive Speech Topics

Whether you’re a seasoned speaker or just starting out on your public speaking journey, choosing persuasive speech topics that resonate with audiences can feel difficult. However, knowing who’s sitting in your audience can make that decision a lot easier. Analyzing your audience ensures that your message hits home and sparks interest and debate. Consider some of the categories below as you brainstorm your speech topic.

  • Current Events and Social Issues: Hot off the press. These topics are fresh, relevant, and have everyone talking already. You’re halfway there.
  • Ethical Dilemmas and Moral Questions: Moral dilemmas offer rich soil for persuasion because they invite listeners to explore their values.
  • Technology and Innovation: Tech shapes our future every day. Discuss its impacts or ethical considerations for endless engagement.
  • Health and Wellness: This area touches everyone’s life at some point. From diet fads to healthcare policies—if it affects well-being, people want to hear about it.
  • Educational Reform and Policy Changes: Schools shape societies’ futures; thus discussions around education reforms carry weight for many listeners looking toward tomorrow’s promise.

Your chosen topic doesn’t need to be grandiose or controversial. Sometimes simplicity speaks volumes more than we give it credit for. When crafting your persuasive speech, the goal is simply to choose a topic that both informs and transforms perspectives.

Current Events and Social Issues

Diving into the realm of current events and societal debates has the power to transform a decent speech into one that lingers in memory. Why? By engaging with present-day events and societal dilemmas, we are moved, provoked, and occasionally our perspectives on life are profoundly altered.

So, let’s dive right in. Here are some persuasive speech topics that are not just timely but packed with potential to spark debate, drive change, or at least get people thinking.

  • Climate Change: It’s been talked about for years, but with wildfires raging and ice caps melting it’s a more critical topic than ever. How can we not only stop but reverse the damage?
  • Social Justice Movements: From Black Lives Matter to Stop Asian Hate, these movements have stirred conversations worldwide. In what ways are governments expected to step up and guarantee fairness among their citizens? How can each person pitch in meaningfully to support these vital movements?
  • The Tech Takeover: Technology is shaping our future, but at what cost? Let’s talk digital privacy rights or AI ethics.
  • Mental Health Awareness: With a global pandemic throwing life as we know it out of balance, mental health has taken center stage. How do we build societies that support mental wellness?

Right now, we’re smack in the middle of events that will fill history books for generations to come. Each of these topics isn’t just relevant; they’re urgent. But remember this: while diving deep into any of them could make for powerful persuasive speeches, always aim for empathy over controversy.

Ethical Dilemmas and Moral Questions

We live in an era teeming with issues ripe for debate—climate change action versus economic growth challenges; genetic engineering marvels against ethical quandaries; digital age freedoms wrestling with security needs—the list goes on. Persuasive essay topics that deal with ethical dilemmas and moral questions can be great ways to challenge your audience—and even yourself. Take a look:

  • Government Surveillance: Is it a necessary protection or an invasion of privacy?
  • Vaccine Mandates: Is it a public health safety net or a personal freedom infringement?
  • Data Privacy vs. Technological Advancement: Where do we draw the line?
  • Artificial Intelligence: Should machines have rights like humans do?

Good persuasive speeches do more than wade through facts. They spark engaging dialogues, challenge people’s beliefs, and maybe even alter their viewpoints. Exploring persuasive speech topics about ethics and morality forces us to dig deeper and frequently nudges us beyond the boundaries of our comfort zones. But here’s the kicker: they also make your speech unforgettable.

Technology and Innovation

Technology’s relentless pace has us all on our toes, wondering what’s next. As a result, it gives us plenty of persuasive speech topics to consider.

  • AI Ethics: Artifical intelligence can be a force for good, but it can also have negative outcomes, like the loss of jobs. Should it be regulated? If so, how?
  • Data Privacy: What responsibility do corporations have to consumers when it comes to data privacy? This would be a great topic to explore data and privacy rights.
  • Gene Editing: Thanks to technology like CRISPR, it’s now possible to edit genetic code. But is it ethical to edit the genes of humans, either born or unborn? How far is too far?
  • Elon’s Mars Mission: Is exploring other planets our human duty or a waste of resources?

With technology moving faster than legislation can keep up, posing these questions is vital. Without scrutiny, technology can quickly become a dangerous tool, so it’s important to spend time exploring its implications. Whether you’re prepping for your next persuasive speech or simply want to stay informed, digging into these topics is a great way to keep your audience engaged and informed.

Health and Wellness

When it comes to persuasive speech topics, health-related issues pack a punch like no other because, well, who isn’t interested in living their best life? In addition, it’s a topic that everyone can easily relate to because our well-being is something that we all think about. As far the specific issue you choose, you’ll want to look back on the research you did on your audience. Are they fitness buffs looking for the next challenge or parents concerned about family nutrition? Tailor your topic accordingly.

  • Effects of the Pandemic: Dive into how global pandemics reshape public health policies.
  • Mental Health: In what capacity is mental health affected by technology? Is social media a concern? If so, what steps should parents take to protect themselves and their children in an increasingly digital world?
  • Artificial Intelligence:  Chat about wearable tech transforming personal wellness or AI’s role in advancing healthcare solutions.
  • Educational Reform & Policy Changes: Debate the necessity of nutritional education in schools or argue for more accessible healthcare services.

Health is a great topic for persuasive speeches because if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s wanting good health—not just for us but generations to come.

Find Out Exactly How Much You Could Make As a Paid Speaker

Use The Official Speaker Fee Calculator to tell you what you should charge for your first (or next) speaking gig — virtual or in-person! 

Education Reform and Policy Changes

Schooling serves as the cornerstone for nurturing groundbreaking advancements, fostering fairness, and upholding democratic values. However, these days, many are calling for education reform . These voices challenge us to question norms, imagine new possibilities, and rally for collective action. Of course, not everyone sees eye-to-eye on what needs changing in our schools or how to do it. So before you pick one of the topics below, again, make sure you understand who you’re talking to. That’s step one towards making an impact.

  • Standardized Testing: How necessary is it and who really benefits from it?
  • Educational Funding: What is causing funding inequities between rich and poor districts? How might this be addressed? What solutions have been tried and have they worked?
  • School Curriculum: How should schools implement inclusive curriculums reflecting diverse histories and experiences?

Before change can occur, questions must be asked. By posing questions about the state of education in the U.S., you can challenge what people really know about the system in place. And who knows? You just might surprise yourself by what you find.

Exploring persuasive speech topics is the first step towards delivering a memorable speech. When you understand the power behind every word and meet your audience’s expectations, you can craft messages that resonate.

Potential topics range from current events to technology and innovation. Even ethical dilemmas can turn into a great persuasive speech when handled carefully. Similarly, speaking on health and wellness turns personal goals into universal concerns that are sure to grip your audience. Last but not least, educational reform provides plenty of room for conversation, as it’s sure to affect generations to come.

These aren’t just topics, though. When you stand before an audience next time around, remember: you’re not just delivering a speech—you’re igniting change one word at a time.

  • Last Updated: June 12, 2024

Picture of The Speaker Lab

Explore Related Resources

Book a call with our team to get started — you’ll learn why the vast majority of our students get a paid speaking gig within 90 days of finishing our program .

If you’re ready to control your schedule, grow your income, and make an impact in the world – it’s time to take the first step. Book a FREE consulting call and let’s get you Booked and Paid to Speak ® .

About The Speaker Lab

We teach speakers how to consistently get booked and paid to speak.  Since 2015, we’ve helped thousands of speakers find clarity, confidence, and a clear path to make an impact.

Get Started

Let's connect.

[email protected]

Copyright ©2023 The Speaker Lab. All rights reserved.

  • Games, topic printables & more
  • The 4 main speech types
  • Example speeches
  • Commemorative
  • Declamation
  • Demonstration
  • Informative
  • Introduction
  • Student Council
  • Speech topics
  • Poems to read aloud
  • How to write a speech
  • Using props/visual aids
  • Acute anxiety help
  • Breathing exercises
  • Letting go - free e-course
  • Using self-hypnosis
  • Delivery overview
  • 4 modes of delivery
  • How to make cue cards
  • How to read a speech
  • 9 vocal aspects
  • Vocal variety
  • Diction/articulation
  • Pronunciation
  • Speaking rate
  • How to use pauses
  • Eye contact
  • Body language
  • Voice image
  • Voice health
  • Public speaking activities and games
  • Blogging Aloud
  • About me/contact
  • Writing a persuasive speech

50 good persuasive speech topics

Good persuasive speech topics.

By:  Susan Dugdale  | Last modified: 08-06-2022

50 persuasive speech ideas, plus example topic treatments

You want good persuasive speech topics and, fortunately I've got quite a few here.☺

My list of 50 is below.

However, whether they are good for you and your audience is something to seriously think about before making your final choice.

What's on this page:

  • How to use this list of persuasive topics effectively  
  • What makes a good persuasive speech topic?
  • How to 'angle' or position a topic to fit your audience and speech purpose
  • Links to more persuasive speech resources  

Image: retro cartoon of girl exclaiming with delighted surprise: 50 good persuasive speech topics

How to be sure you are choosing the best topic

To be sure you make an informed decision, before you settle on a topic check the guidelines about what makes a good persuasive speech topic and the "how to" examples, as well as the list itself.

( Hint -  a not so subtle one : The absolutely best way to use my list is as a prompt to get your own creative juices working. That tip, combined with the series questions in the infographic below will help you cut through the time you spend dithering about trying to decide what topic to do.)

What makes a persuasive speech topic good?

A persuasive speech topic is good if it:

  • fits with the audience - Are they interested in it? Does it benefit them in anyway? How is it of value to them? Can you make it appealing? If it's an old topic, (one that has done a million times before),  can you make it fresh and interesting?
  • is a fit with you - You already know something about it, or you're really interested in finding out more, and you know what want you to achieve through giving the speech.
  • can be researched and prepared within the time frame you need the speech for
  • fits the criteria and the purpose of your speech - set by yourself, your teacher, club, the organization who hired you to speak ...

Use the series of questions in the infographic below to narrow down your search for a good topic. As I've said in the infographic,  the winner is the topic with the highest number of YES answers.

Infographic: How to choose the best persuasive speech topic - a series of questions to ask about each topic you consider.

How to use this list of topics effectively

Treat each idea as a starting point - a hook to give your brain something to latch on to.

As you scan the list look for the speech topics triggering more than a flicker of interest.

Stop and consider those more carefully.  Examine the topic from as many angles as you can. Apply imagination. Shake, rattle and roll that idea around and u se the questions in the infographic  to see whether it fits your needs.

And remember, any topic can be handled multiple ways.

Same persuasive topic - different treatment

Here are two examples to show you how the same topic can be adapted for different audiences. The topic is "Voice Matters".

" Voice Matters - the impact of a teacher's voice on students" - Example 1

cartoon - a line of happy children

The Intended Audience: teachers

Speaker Credibility: many years of teaching English and drama, plus public speaking experience

Speech Angle: to persuade the listeners (teachers) that how their voices sound in their student's ears influences how they are responded to, how their students behave and ultimately how they learn.

Specific Speech Purpose: to have them sign up for a voice workshop

Main ideas:

  • Voice image - how we are perceived by others is influenced by voice quality. This in turn impacts on how we are responded to. (Do check the link. It's really interesting how much voice quality influences our lives.)
  • What is a good quality voice? What personality or character traits are attributed to a person who has a good voice? Use sound clips to demonstrate. Ask for suggestions from the floor. How could that affect students?
  • What is a poor quality voice? What do people assume about the speaker with that type of voice? How could that affect students?
  • How do you know what you sound like to others? Use prepared sound clip of self to demonstrate.
  • Can voice quality or voice image be changed? Why would you do/not do that? Provide researched examples of before and after work on voice.
  • Consequences of working/not working on voice image - Give results - better classroom atmosphere, more on-target behavior, less time off with voice strain ... * For sound, trustworthy information on how voice quality impacts on student learning please visit my page: How is your teaching voice?  You'll find links to academic studies, and more. Voice does matter!
  • How to work on voice image - outline of action and time line involved
  • Sign up for workshop and ongoing public speaking course

"Voice Matters - the benefit of a good telephone voice" Example 2

Image: retro drawing - young girl on phone. Text: "Voice Matters".

Someone else might come along looking for a good persuasive speech topic and pick "Voice Matters" too. This time the treatment goes like this:

Audience: job seekers

Speaker Credibility: senior recruitment specialist for a major firm in town

Speech Angle: to persuade listeners that their telephone voice, (how they say what they say), is their initial calling card to getting an interview

Specific Speech Purpose: to have the seekers sign up for course on telephone skills to get the appointment they need

Main Ideas: As illustrated in the first example above because the core material is the same or similar but the examples used to carry the persuasive argument and benefits will be relevant to the audience.

  • Sport is the new religion.
  • Social media affects mental health.
  • There should be a law against drugged driving
  • Truth and politics seldom mix.
  • Protests are effective.
  • All guns should be registered.
  • Should single people be allowed to adopt a child.
  • Exploitative advertising should be banned.
  • Love is not a defense or an excuse.
  • Adoption of other-race children should be encouraged.
  • Space aliens exist.
  • Euphemisms are dangerous.
  • Children should not be allowed mind altering drugs of any sort.
  • Arranged marriages have more chance of succeeding.
  • The quality of our voice matters.
  • Assisted suicide should be made legal.
  • Government benefits weaken a country.
  • Discrimination makes you stronger.
  • Private education/schools promote elitism.
  • Religion has no place in schools.
  • Good or right thinking is a matter of opinion.
  • Multi-national corporates should be outlawed.
  • Immigration laws are there to protect us.
  • We should buy locally to support our communities.
  • To be vegan is the only right and moral way to live.
  • Fashion cripples creativity
  • Cars and city centers should not mix.
  • Birth control should be compulsory for people with genetically inheritable diseases.
  • A young single girl who has a child should give it up for adoption.
  • Age gives a face character.
  • The earth is smaller today.
  • Swearing has lost its shock value.
  • Organic farming is the way for the future.
  • Plastic packaging should be banned.
  • Manners are essential.
  • Allowing yourself to have fun is good for your health.
  • Reincarnation is the only way to explain some experiences.
  • The death penalty is obsolete.
  • Drones need to be regulated to protect privacy.
  • Safety legislation leads to diminished personal responsibility.
  • A big brand doesn't necessarily mean big value.
  • Diets do more harm than good.
  • Oil drilling is dangerous for the environment.
  • Food does not make you fat.
  • Advances in medicine are not necessarily good for us.
  • Big brother is more alive and well every day.
  • Death is not final.
  • Community service should be compulsory for everyone.
  • Everyone should have the right to wear what they wish.
  • Addiction is an illness, not a crime. Alcoholics or drug addicts do not belong in prison.

More persuasive speech resources

For help turning your good persuasive speech topic into a fully fledged speech check these pages:

  • Persuasive speech outline Find out how to prepare an excellent speech outline using the classic persuasive speech structure: the 5 steps of  Monroe's Motivated Sequence , (fully explained with an example speech)  and then download a blank speech outline to complete.
  • How to write a persuasive speech Step by step easily followed instructions for refining your outline into an effective speech.

Another 822 persuasive speech topic ideas

If you haven't found the persuasive topic you want yet, check these pages: 

  • 100 persuasive speech ideas ,  
  • 309 'easy' persuasive speech topics   
  • 105 fun persuasive speech topics
  • 310 persuasive speech topics for college
  • 108 feminist persuasive speech topics

Graphic: women with raised fists. Text: 108 feminist persuasive speech topics

  • And last but not least, read a sample persuasive speech that follows the persuasive speech outline referenced above. Please note though before you go to that page the subject is somber: the impact of suicide on families.
  • Return to the top of the page

speaking out loud 

Subscribe for  FREE weekly alerts about what's new For more see  speaking out loud  

Susan Dugdale - write-out-loud.com - Contact

Top 10 popular pages

  • Welcome speech
  • Demonstration speech topics
  • Impromptu speech topic cards
  • Thank you quotes
  • Impromptu public speaking topics
  • Farewell speeches
  • Phrases for welcome speeches
  • Student council speeches
  • Free sample eulogies

From fear to fun in 28 ways

A complete one stop resource to scuttle fear in the best of all possible ways - with laughter.

Public speaking games ebook cover - write-out-loud.com

Useful pages

  • Search this site
  • About me & Contact
  • Free e-course
  • Privacy policy

©Copyright 2006-24 www.write-out-loud.com

Designed and built by Clickstream Designs

persuasive speech ideas reddit

Speech And Debate

Persuasive Speech Topics

Last updated on: Nov 20, 2023

Persuasive Speech Topics - 150+ Topics for Students

By: Cordon J.

11 min read

Reviewed By: Melisa C.

Published on: Sep 22, 2020

Persuasive Speech Topics

Finding perfect persuasive speech topics for  writing a speech  can be challenging. Since the students have to keep in mind their interest level and the interest of the audience.

However, it’s not impossible.

Unique and compelling topic ideas can play an important role in engaging and persuading the audience.

Persuasive Speech Topics

On this Page

What is a Persuasive Speech?

A persuasive speech aims to educate the audience about a particular topic. The main purpose of a persuasive speech is to convince your audience of your points of view.

When writing a persuasive essay, the most important thing to remember is the selection of the topic. You can write about an idea that will engage your audience and would be interesting for them.

The persuasive speech topics should be bold and should serve the purpose of your speech. This will also help them understand your purpose for writing the piece in the first place.

Persuasive Speech Topics for Students

  • Should we give away the pet that harmed someone else?
  • Should we use horses for transportation in the city?
  • Reasons for not keeping forest animals as pets.
  • Should drivers apply for a driver’s license know how to drive a manual automobile?
  • Advertisements should be changed; they play with our minds.
  • Should animal selfies in tourist locations be allowed?
  • Should animal slaughter for religious purposes be allowed?
  • Self-driving cars: legal or not?
  • Should plastic bags at grocery stores still be used?
  • Should NASA’s budget be increased?

Topic Generator

Discover Captivating Topics in a Click!

Persuasive Speech Topics for University Students

  • How to procrastinate to avoid work?
  • Why do men consider women to be not funny?
  • College parking should be added to the tuition fee.
  • Do vegetarians really love animals?
  • How can you get someone to stop being annoying?
  • Medical experiments shouldn’t be done on animals.
  • It isn’t ethical to date your coworker.
  • Women getting paid less is justified
  • Child pornography laws should be improved and made much stricter.
  • The Kardashians are more influential than the president.

Persuasive Speech Topics for College Students

  • Ipads and tablets should replace textbooks and other college books.
  • Students should always take detailed notes during a lecture.
  • College students should attend all lectures and not skip classes.
  • Students must be careful about what they post on social media.
  • Elderly people are at more risk for identity theft.
  • Students should consider opting for their passion as their major.
  • Taking a gap year is an intelligent choice.
  • Students should take summer classes to get ahead of schedule.
  • Students should enhance their vocabulary and not rely on auto-correct.
  • Can the internet crash worldwide?

Persuasive Speech Topics for High School

  • Community service should be compulsory for everyone.
  • Is it okay to get your pet neutered?
  • Should school field trips be within the same city or country?
  • Exams shouldn’t be introduced until College.
  • Palm oil: good or bad?
  • Is education in prison any good?
  • Disposable diapers are dangerous for the environment, thus must be banned.
  • Young adults and children should be kept away from chat rooms on the internet.
  • Should all kids be taught how to cook?
  • Should C++ be eliminated from the face of the earth?

Persuasive Speech Topics for Kids

  • Boxing should be legal.
  • Playing instruments in school should be a part of teaching.
  • Kids required to learn basic essay writing skills
  • Fangirls don’t know anything about sports.
  • Athletes should be careful with how they spend their money.
  • Public schools should not restrict kids from wearing a uniform.
  • How to convince your mom to bake pizza for you
  • Comparing Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi is foolish.
  • How to convince your dad to buy you Xbox
  • We should have a six months summer break twice a year.

Good Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Does consuming coffee cause any harm?
  • Plastic surgery is becoming a habit instead of a medical procedure.
  • Social networks cause more damage than good.
  • The free media should be controlled.
  • Lack of financial education is a real problem in society.
  • Therapy depends on the patients’ dedication.
  • The death penalty should be banned.
  • Surrogacy should be promoted more.
  • How has Artificial Intelligence improved our daily lives?
  • Men are unable to understand women.

Order Essay

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

Persuasive Speech Topics About Mental Health

  • Genetically modified foods have a bad effect on people’s mental health.
  • People experiencing mental health problems should not be considered mad.
  • Mental health problems are nothing to be ashamed of.
  • Ten effective ways to prevent mental health
  • Working out at home isn’t effective.
  • People shouldn’t be mean towards the opponent team.
  • What are the five most common mental health problems?
  • You should not be rude towards others.
  • A bipolar patient should be treated with care.
  • People with autism can lead healthy and normal life.

Easy Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Same-sex schools are better than co-ed school systems.
  • Parents should go through their kid’s belongings daily to look for drugs.
  • Teenage kids shouldn’t be given birth control pills without their parents' permission.
  • Students involved in cyberbullying should be expelled from school.
  • Kids under the age of 17 should have a 9 PM curfew.
  • It should be mandatory that kids should learn a second language.
  • Children of single parents are not confident.
  • One child policy should be implemented to control the population.
  • Breastfeeding in public places should be allowed.
  • There should be free WiFi in public places.

Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Are internet relationships beneficial for college students?
  • Women and men have different perspectives on love and relationships.
  • Is it possible to maintain a long-distance relationship?
  • Should you live with your fiancé before marriage?
  • Teens should have more freedom of using cell phones.
  • Jealousy can destroy all relationships, no matter how strong.
  • Why is it challenging to break up with dishonest partners these days?
  • Counseling is a great solution for handling damaged relationships.
  • Men cheat more in comparison to women.
  • The secret to having a fruitful relationship is intimacy.

Sports Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Are gaming consoles and violent video games hurting the youth?
  • Men are competing against women.
  • Athletes should be made to take a drug test frequently.
  • Gender shouldn’t matter in sports.
  • Should Male and female athletes be paid equally?
  • Should marching band be considered a sport?
  • Parental pressure and its effect on athletic kids.
  • Should swimming be taught to every student in school?
  • Should boxing be made illegal?
  • Cheerleading should not be considered a sport.

Persuasive Speech Topics on Health and Fitness

  • Preventing and treating violence against children.
  • Solutions and reasons for mental illness in society.
  • How do various genres of music affect the brain?
  • Depression impacts the immune system of a person.
  • How does insomnia impact overall health?
  • Is there an alternative to animal testing?
  • The significance of placebos in medicine.
  • The pros and cons of medical marijuana.
  • Is it safe for children to become vegetarians?
  • Fast food is the major reason for obesity among children.

Funny Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Playing it by the rules is boring and for losers.
  • Acting on your rage shouldn’t be a thing.
  • Having a cupcake in both hands is a perfect example of a balanced diet.
  • Growing up is an option.
  • Being honest with your parents can get you in trouble.
  • Girls are as smart as boys.
  • Life is a test with no preparation and retakes.
  • There is no such thing as love at first sight.
  • Pick-up lines can come in handy at times.
  • Christmas is a pagan holiday, not a Christian one.

Controversial Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Can money buy happiness?
  • Have we lost the art of listening?
  • Does kindness make the world a better place?
  • Should people keep their complaints to themselves?
  • What is more important: talent or hard work?
  • When should you compromise?
  • Can society be moral without religion?
  • Violent video games create aggressive teenagers.
  • Can the government be trusted?
  • Should world leaders place morality above all else?

Persuasive Speech Topics about Environment

  • Solutions for reducing the impact of global warming.
  • Is it possible to handle the population explosion?
  • How do humans destroy forests?
  • The potential dangers of GMO food.
  • Is it safe to utilize nuclear power?
  • Can flood impact be predicted?
  • Previously undiscussed impacts of earthquakes.
  • How can minimizing paper waste help to preserve trees?
  • Fossil fuels are ruining the atmosphere.
  • Exotic animals should be allowed to live in their natural habitat.

Unique Persuasive Speech Topics

  • What is happening in the field of space exploration?
  • Why is Pluto not a planet?
  • The United States should make further technological advancements.
  • Should Apple Music always be free?
  • Too much screen time will make children lazy.
  • Why are people so addicted to the internet?
  • How is deforestation impacting the planet?
  • High school students should be taught a foreign language.
  • How can we expand renewable energy on a global scale?
  • Assisted suicide should be allowed for terminally ill patients.

Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writers!

Informative Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Should you go after your passion for business with little experience?
  • Is the history of the Bible correct?
  • Why is driving a sports car not practical for everyday use?
  • Transgender people should be allowed to join the military.
  • Is preschool necessary?
  • Is it ethical to pay a surrogate?
  • Why is alien abduction real?
  • Anime should be taught at school.
  • The main cause of obesity in America is the fast-food industry.
  • Pink should be a gender-neutral color.

Simple Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Libraries should be closed down, and everyone should get unlimited access to e-books.
  • Can you really trust a therapist?
  • Love plays the greatest role in our lives.
  • How important is the brand name for their success?
  • Polygamy should be banned everywhere.
  • Schools should not have physical punishments.
  • Assigning a police officer at every club can decrease drinking while driving.
  • Netflix is the reason for eyesight problems in young adults today.
  • Can looks impact your success in life?
  • Minors shouldn’t be allowed to work in the fashion industry.

General Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Facts that prove there’s life on other planets.
  • Is it possible for humans to survive on Mars?
  • China’s government shouldn’t put restrictions on the number of kids a couple can have.
  • Distance learning should replace traditional schools.
  • Can clones replace actual humans?
  • Is acupuncture a valid medical technique?
  • Self-driving cars should be legal.
  • Factory farming should be banned.
  • How do puppy mills affect us?
  • Entry to museums should be free.

What are Good Persuasive Speech Topics?

It is important to know the criteria for good persuasive speech topics if you want to write on an interesting and engaging topic.

The first step is to look for something that you find compelling.

You have to research your topic to write an impressive and persuasive speech. It will be easier if your selected speech idea matches your interest level.

Secondly, the audience is also equally important.

Who is this speech for? Is it for your peers and your instructor?

Once you identify your audience, you will be better equipped to write your speech. Think about how you can make your speech relatable yet unique.

Choosing a topic that is too simple might be a mistake. The reason is that it may cause your audience to lose interest in what you are saying. If you choose a common topic for your speech, then use a different angle for this. You can explain it from a different perspective to your audience.

Since it is not something new, some unique information will be interesting. Research is crucial to know what catchy and fun persuasive speech topics you want to write about. The research will also allow you to write well and appear well informed about your subject.

Being familiar with your subject matter will allow you to write it in a better way. This aspect is really important to convince your audience.

Now that you have explored the list of our best public speaking persuasive speech topics, you can choose one for your speech. Select a topic that will help you to write an engaging, outstanding, and impressive speech.

Once you have decided on a topic to talk about, polish your skills by learning some important factors of persuasive speech. Start writing your speech and make an impressive public appearance.

If you feel that you do not have enough skills for writing your persuasive speech, you can hire professional help. You can provide your topic of interest to the essay writers. They will conduct research and write a persuasive speech for you.

The essay writers at  5StarEssays.com  will provide you with the best persuasive speech that will help you impress your audience. Our  write my essay  website is the one that you need for writing an impressive speech.

Or if you are in a but of a hurry, we have AI powered essay writer for your help that can help you generate a speech within 90 seconds!

Cordon J.

Cordon. is a published author and writing specialist. He has worked in the publishing industry for many years, providing writing services and digital content. His own writing career began with a focus on literature and linguistics, which he continues to pursue. Cordon is an engaging and professional individual, always looking to help others achieve their goals.

Was This Blog Helpful?

Keep reading.

  • How to Write a Speech - Outline With Example

Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Informative Speech Topics - Interesting Ideas By Experts

Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Commemorative Speech: Guide to Craft an Engaging Speech

Persuasive Speech Topics

  • 50+ Demonstration Speech Ideas for Your Next Great Speech

Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Impromptu Speech Topics - 150+ Interesting Ideas

Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Debate Topics (2024) - Top 200+ Compelling Topics

Persuasive Speech Topics

  • 100+ Motivational Speech Topics for an Inspirational Speech

Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Extemporaneous Speech - How to Write One Successfully?

Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Graduation Speech - Write Your Best Graduation Speech

Persuasive Speech Topics

Say Goodbye to Academic Stress!

With FREE AI report, Turnitin report, bibliography, title page, and a lot more!

LIMITED TIME ONLY

People Also Read

  • history research paper topics
  • what is a topic sentence
  • compare and contrast essay
  • informative essay topics
  • autobiography vs memoir

Burdened With Assignments?

Bottom Slider

Advertisement

OFFER EXPIRES SOON!

© 2024 - All rights reserved

Facebook Social Icon

IMAGES

  1. 100 Persuasive Speech Topics for Students

    persuasive speech ideas reddit

  2. Explore 100+ Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics and Ideas

    persuasive speech ideas reddit

  3. How to Write a Persuasive Speech: Expert Tips and Topic Ideas

    persuasive speech ideas reddit

  4. Good persuasive speech topics

    persuasive speech ideas reddit

  5. 🎉 Persuasive speech topics for students. 60 Best Ideas For Persuasive

    persuasive speech ideas reddit

  6. ⚡ Persuasive presentation examples. 25+ Persuasive Essay Examples. 2022

    persuasive speech ideas reddit

COMMENTS

  1. 50 Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics : u/AshleyGardnerr

    50 Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics. An enthralling convincing discourse is relying upon a decent point. The subject will connect with, educate, and convince the crowd. The convincing discourse's principle point is to advise, teach, and inspire the crowd to accomplish something. You are attempting to persuade the peruser of your perspective.

  2. What are some interesting Persuasive Speech topics? : r/college

    The categories my professor has listed is Policy, Health and Wellness, Supporting A Cause, and Boycott. If you guys have any ideas to share that'll be helpful! Topics that OFF THE TABLE -Covid 19 -Legalize Weed -Abortion -Legalize Prostitution. There's half a dozen ongoing crises you can talk about if ongoing issues are allowed.

  3. Hey Reddit, what should I use as a topic for a persuasive speech?

    In debate and in Congress, they have a method that you can use. First, show the harms of the status quo (the way things are). Pick 3 to 5 examples. For education: (1) You can show the harms of the current system as it fails so many drop outs. (2) You can show the lack of educated workers in the modern work place.

  4. 112 Persuasive Speech Topics That Are Actually Engaging

    112 Engaging Persuasive Speech Topics. Tips for Preparing Your Persuasive Speech. Writing a stellar persuasive speech requires a carefully crafted argument that will resonate with your audience to sway them to your side. This feat can be challenging to accomplish, but an engaging, thought-provoking speech topic is an excellent place to start.

  5. Fun Persuasive Speech Topics

    Parents should take an active role in their children's education. Okay, so that's my list of fun persuasive speech topics. Hopefully, they will inspire you to come up with some of your own! Below you will find a sample fun persuasive speech about topic #51 - "Walmart is the best place to shop!" I know just how creative the folks who visit Best ...

  6. 110 Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics to Impress Your Audience

    We've compiled a list of 110 persuasive speech topics—broken down by category—for you to choose from or use as inspiration. Use the set of three questions we shared above to determine which of these interesting persuasive speech topics is right for you. Art, Media, and Culture.

  7. 105 Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics for Any Project

    105 Topics for a Persuasive Speech. Here's our list of 105 great persuasive speech ideas. We made sure to choose topics that aren't overdone, yet that many people will have an interest in, and we also made a point of choosing topics with multiple viewpoints rather than simplistic topics that have a more obvious right answer (i.e.

  8. Persuasive Speech Topics? : r/Stoicism

    I found this blog post on Peachy Essay with good number of persuasive speech topics. You can find the whole blog post here. Also I can add some of the topics down here for you: Daily Life and health-related persuasive topics. Communication between men and women Is it a good idea to take a year off Existence of extraterrestrials

  9. 100 Good Persuasive Speech Topics & Ideas

    There are multiple factors that make some persuasive speech topic ideas better than others. Three major things to think about when choosing a persuasive speech topic from this list are: 1) make ...

  10. Persuasive speech ideas

    What you'll find on this page: 100+ persuasive speech ideas grouped by theme: animals/birds, arts/culture, automotive, business/economy, social/community, environment, education, ethics, global/world, sports... Notes covering: what makes a speech topic 'good'. why some topics are potentially boring for an audience to listen to and best left alone.

  11. 75 Persuasive Speech Topics and Ideas

    The aim of a persuasive speech is to inform, educate and convince or motivate an audience to do something. You are essentially trying to sway the audience to adopt your own viewpoint. The best persuasive speech topics are thought-provoking, daring and have a clear opinion. You should speak about something you are knowledgeable about and can ...

  12. 191 Best Persuasive Speech Topics: Give an Amazing Speech!

    191 Best Persuasive Speech Topics. Before we reveal the 191 best persuasive speech topics, let's preview each of the categories: Politics and law: This topic revolves around pressing issues including voting, Supreme Court decisions, political leadership, and criminal justice.; Environmental activism: Climate change, offshore oil drilling, and green technology are just a few of the hot-button ...

  13. 150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics for Students in 2024

    How to Practice and Deliver a Persuasive Speech. Talk to yourself in the mirror, record yourself, and/or hold a practice speech for family or friends. If you'll be using visual cues, a slide deck, or notecards, practice incorporating them seamlessly into your speech. You should practice until your speech feels very familiar, at least 5-10 ...

  14. Persuasive Speech Ideas? : r/college

    If it's for a formal English writing class, then this probably isn't for you. However, if it's for a public speaking class (where the focus is more on delivery and the way the topic is framed), then you can make the speech as fun as you want! The speech can be something as simple as "peanut butter is the superior spread" to something as silly ...

  15. Top 250 Persuasive Speech Topics

    Looking for the best persuasive speech topics to write about? If yes, here is a list of the top 250 topics for persuasive speech to consider. Toll-free: +1 (877) 401 ... This list also has some of the best persuasive speech topics Reddit audiences will be glad to read about. Health Persuasive Speech Topics. Perhaps, you want to write a speech ...

  16. 27 Persuasive Speech Topics to Captivate Your Audience

    These topics are fresh, relevant, and have everyone talking already. You're halfway there. Ethical Dilemmas and Moral Questions: Moral dilemmas offer rich soil for persuasion because they invite listeners to explore their values. Technology and Innovation: Tech shapes our future every day.

  17. Good persuasive speech topics

    50 good persuasive speech topics. Sport is the new religion. Social media affects mental health. There should be a law against drugged driving. Truth and politics seldom mix. Protests are effective. All guns should be registered. Should single people be allowed to adopt a child. Exploitative advertising should be banned.

  18. Any ideas for a persuasive speech topics? : r/PublicSpeaking

    Have a clear structure with 3 points. Make sure your conclusion summarises your main points. Avoid topics that divide people into two opinions. Tell it naturally and with confidence. Reply. Constant-Excitement6. • 2 yr. ago. I just did a persuasive speech today about the Harm of family vloggers on youtube. It was very well recieved if you're ...

  19. 150+ Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics and Ideas

    The main purpose of a persuasive speech is to convince your audience of your points of view. When writing a persuasive essay, the most important thing to remember is the selection of the topic. You can write about an idea that will engage your audience and would be interesting for them. The persuasive speech topics should be bold and should ...

  20. Persuasive speech ideas? : r/college

    When I did my persuasive speech, my topic was about whether books should be banned. I don't even remember what mine all were but every speech I made for my speech class was ridiculous. One was trying to sell Kettle brand salt and vinegar chips. I don't remember the others. 2.1M subscribers in the college community.