Using HTML in Blogging

* UPDATED - I forgot that my program converts classic HTML so I updated the code to reflect the transition taking place into newer mark up.


Have you ever wondered how to snazz up your blog posts or comments, by doing, say:

this, or this or this or this? Maybe you still haven’t figured out how to add a link to some text. Well, today I’ll tell you how with just a few of the basics of HTML. There is loads more to be learned if you find your interest peaked by the examples below.

1. Make a word or words bold
Add the following opening and closing tags to the word or words that you want bold, like so.

<strong>I want to make this sentence bold.</strong>

Now this sentence is bold.

2. Make a word or words italic.
Add the following opening and closing tags to the word or words that you want italic, like so.

<em>I want to make this sentence italic.</em>

Now this sentence is in italics.

3. Make a word or words a different color.
Add the following opening and closing tags to the word or words that you want a different color, like so.

<p style="color:red">I want to make this sentence red.</p>

Now this sentence is red.

4. Make a word or words underlined
Add the following opening and closing tags to the word or words that you want underlined, like so.

<u>I want to make this sentence underlined.</u>

Now this sentence is underlined.

5. Make text smaller or larger
Add the following opening and closing tags to the word or words that you want change, like so.

I want to make this <p style="font-size:6">word</p>larger

Now this word is larger.

Note that you could change the 6 out for a 1 to make it super small or a 9 to make it even bigger. Play around with numbers and see what size suits your purpose.

6. Make text link to a different page
Add the following opening and closing tags to the word or words that you want linked, like so.

I want to make this <a href="http://yourlinkhere.com">word</a> a link.

Now this word is a link.

7. Create a blockquote
Add the following opening and closing tags to the word or words that you want put in a blockquote, like so.

<blockquote>I want to put this sentence in a blockquote</blockquote>

Now this sentence is in a blockquote

8. Center a picture or text
Add the following opening and closing tags to the word or words that you want centered, like so.

<p style="text-align: center;">I want to center this sentence.</p>

Now this sentence is centered.

Want the text aligned right, just change the center command to, right.

9. Strike through a word or words
Add the following opening and closing tags to the word or words that you want struck through, like so.

<del>I want to strike through this sentence.</del>

Now this sentence has a strike through.

HTML works for me!

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Comments (36)

Carol ~ I Throw Like A GirlJuly 9th, 2008 at 12:21 am

This is so great. I’m going to save this post in favorites. Thanks for sharing!

Carol ~ I Throw Like A Girls last blog post..WFMW ~ Deodorant, It’s Just a Suggestion

KelseyJuly 9th, 2008 at 12:40 am

Thanks!

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The Apron QueenJuly 9th, 2008 at 12:47 am

HTML is my friend! :D Thanks.

Come try my finger licking good, sticky, messy, but SUPER easy BBQ ribs: http://anapronaday.blogspot.com/2008/07/easy-bbq-ribs-recipe.html

The Apron Queens last blog post..Easy BBQ Ribs Recipe

AmandaJuly 9th, 2008 at 1:12 am

Thanks for the tips!! HTML is so amazing and it’s a completely different language I’m still learning ~ and crazily one day it will be a language all of our kids will know by heart.

SheriJuly 9th, 2008 at 1:13 am

I’m definitely bookmarking this post, I’m still clueless about html. Thank you!

themotherboardJuly 9th, 2008 at 1:26 am

Thank You!

No. REALLY!
Thank You!

Please teach me more!!

themotherboards last blog post..Wonder Woman. Have you seen her?

The MomJuly 9th, 2008 at 2:18 am

Cool tips, thanks!

The Moms last blog post..Communicating with a Tween

HAdiasJuly 9th, 2008 at 6:49 am

Thank you for sharing. These are some basci html codes that every blogger should be familiar with.

HAdiass last blog post..July To-Do: Get in Shape

KatieJuly 9th, 2008 at 7:02 am

Ohh…thanks! I hate when I try to change the font size for a part of my post in blogger and it ends up changing the entire post’s font size! So this may be the trick!

Katies last blog post..Works For Me Wednesday

JackiJuly 9th, 2008 at 8:05 am

Hey thanks for the tips! I didn’t know a couple of those, but now I do.

Jackis last blog post..The countdown has begun

ToniJuly 9th, 2008 at 9:07 am

What a great post I am including it in my midweek blog shout out!

Tonis last blog post..Mid-week Blog Shout Out!

CarolJuly 9th, 2008 at 9:55 am

I’d add: capitalize and punctuate semi-correctly. It’s so hard to read creative mis-use of the written word. So I don’t.

Great tips here!

Carols last blog post..Please Click My Ribbon

Playful ProfessionalJuly 9th, 2008 at 9:58 am

My other favorites are delete tags. I love crossing things out!!

Playful Professionals last blog post..WFMW: Easy Cupcake Frosting

Jordan (MamaBlogga)July 9th, 2008 at 10:14 am

Unfortunately, a lot of these tags are “deprecated,” meaning that they’re outdated in the latest versions of HTML and may stop working in the near future. (Which I think is stupid for a lot of them.)

b is now strong
i is now em
font is deprecated; use <p style="color:red"> for color and <p style="font-size:10"> (the 10 here is points; it can also be a percent like 80% or in “em” like 1.4em (1.4x the default size)).

When using any of these with quotation marks, straight quotations marks (like " this) work better than curly ones (like ” this). (Summer—you can change the curly quotes here to straight ones by replacing the ” with &quot; .)

HTML entities are fun!

I agree with the PP, striking through text is way fun. Use <del>.

Jordan (MamaBlogga)s last blog post..Guest blogging at Blogging Basics 101

SummerJuly 9th, 2008 at 10:23 am

I know Jordan, isn’t that sad? Maybe I’ll update these to reflect the newer stuff. My program just converts it but others probably don’t. And thank you SO much for the hint about the skewed quotation marks. I learn something new every day.

jodiJuly 9th, 2008 at 10:35 am

thanks - I’ve always wondered how folks strike through text but have never taken time to look it up.

jodis last blog post..Sweet Buddy

Jordan (MamaBlogga)July 9th, 2008 at 10:41 am

It’s way sad when they go and make things needlessly complicated. Oh, they’ll say something about separating the form from the content, etc. etc., but it doesn’t seem to make a difference to me other than to take a million extra characters.

Jordan (MamaBlogga)s last blog post..Guest blogging at Blogging Basics 101

KirstinJuly 9th, 2008 at 10:50 am

cool, thanks..I’m so lame at HTML. This will help.

Kirstins last blog post..The 4th of July

CristyJuly 9th, 2008 at 11:02 am

I think it’s cool you write these. I know it helps people learn how to blog and those who’ve been blogging catch a thing now and again too!

KimberlyJuly 9th, 2008 at 11:37 am

Brilliant post Summer! You know, I’ve never bothered to learn how to change the font color and size!

Kimberlys last blog post..On A Happier Note

Lisa@blessedwithgraceJuly 9th, 2008 at 11:41 am

Thanks for sharing these tips with some of the less HTML literate.

JoannaJuly 9th, 2008 at 12:26 pm

THANK YOU!! I needed the block quote one. I knew all the others because I have played around and done so much research but couldn’t find that one. So thank you!!

MelissaJuly 9th, 2008 at 12:52 pm

Hurrah! I know very little about HTML and this will be a fun thing to play with :) Thanks!!

Melissas last blog post..

Kim @ What's That Smell?July 9th, 2008 at 12:57 pm

Cool, there were a few things I didn’t know!

BTW, thanks for stopping by and leaving get well wishes for my friend.

Kim @ What’s That Smell?s last blog post..Why do they make things so complicated?

Deb - Mom of 3 GirlsJuly 9th, 2008 at 3:46 pm

Huh - I didn’t know that the actual mark-up had changed, I just thought that some of them were interchangeable (my program converts them too). Interesting! :)

Audra KrellJuly 9th, 2008 at 7:18 pm

These are incredible tips and very timely for me. I can’t wait to make them “work for me!” Thanks for sharing!

Audra Krells last blog post..Wordless Wednesday

Carol VrJuly 9th, 2008 at 11:03 pm

My first website ever required scripting ALL the HTML. I’m so glad that isn’t the case anymore however I always love to change things up and enjoy the challenge. Thanx for the offer of help on my template.

Should I require anything I’ll surely send a post your way.

Carol Vrs last blog post..

Slacker MomJuly 10th, 2008 at 12:59 am

Thanks for sharing - I had been wondering about the strike through - now I can do it!

Slacker Moms last blog post..You Like Me … You REALLY Like Me

Stacey@Look, Mom, Look!July 10th, 2008 at 8:15 am

Thanks for the great little summary, Summer! Sorry, I had to put those two words next to each other “summary, Summer” :)
I am still trying to learn html for my new site that I am STILL trying to get just so. It’s so fun, like a puzzle to me but it’s slow going because I can only work on it in short bursts. So, thanks for this quick reference!

Stacey@Look, Mom, Look!s last blog post..Cow Farts: A Hot Environmental Issue

Mozi Esme's MommyJuly 10th, 2008 at 1:59 pm

Hi Summer! Just a response to your question about Mozambique - I have no idea how long we’ll be here! Maybe for the length of the project - which is supposed to be 1001 churches & schools - initial estimate was 3-5 years. But that depends on how fast money comes in. One of those situations that drive one crazy because it’s hard to plan for the future . . .

Mozi Esme’s Mommys last blog post..Thursday 13 - Growin’ Up in Mozambique

DenaJuly 10th, 2008 at 8:23 pm

Thanks. That’s awesome.

Denas last blog post..Design a Custom T-Shirt

Veggie MomJuly 10th, 2008 at 10:29 pm

Great tips! Thanks so much for sharing–BTW, I’m new to blogging and I’m running a Great Giveaway on my blog this week. Please stop in–I’d love to see ya, SITSta!

Veggie Moms last blog post..You Won’t Wipe Out If You Enter Our Giveaway!

Sher :)July 10th, 2008 at 10:29 pm

Great tips! Thanks

Sher :)s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday

marissaJuly 10th, 2008 at 11:53 pm

Wow, thanks so much for the info…I can definitely use some of these tips. You must be an expert at HTML!

marissas last blog post..Comic-Con Costumes

JessicaJuly 13th, 2008 at 2:01 am

Thanks so much for the post! I have a problem though! On the sidebar of my blog I want to change something so it is centered, colored brown and in very small font. I can center it, but I can’t seem to get it to do the rest. What am I doing wrong?? Please help me!!

Jessicas last blog post..Craigslist Treasures

SummerJuly 13th, 2008 at 8:34 am

@Jessica:

<p style="text-align: center;"><p style="font-size:1"><p style="color:brown">I want this sentence brown, small and centered.</p></p></p>

That ought to do it for you. :)

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