Mark highlights part of text because it is relevant to the reader right now, such as a matched search term.
What You Need to Know
For importance, strong is usually more appropriate; for general emphasis, em may be better. Mark is about relevance in context.
The goal is not to collect as many tags as possible. Pick the element that best describes what the content really is.
Example: See It in Action
This example keeps the idea small. Copy it carefully, then follow the explanation instead of guessing what the browser will do.
This is a short HTML fragment. To try it as a webpage, put it inside the body element of a complete HTML document.
<p>Search result: <mark>photosynthesis</mark> appears here.</p>
<p>The mark points to text relevant to the search.</p>
<p>It is not a replacement for strong emphasis.</p>Let’s Understand the Example
- Mark highlights text relevant to the current context, for example a search match.
- A p groups a paragraph of related text. Start another paragraph for a new thought.
Look for the text “Search result:” in the page. If the visible result surprises you, inspect the rendered elements to see what the browser actually built.
What Should You See?
The page should include “Search result:”. If it looks different from what you expected, open developer tools and compare the source with the elements the browser created.
Try removing one piece of markup in a scratch copy, refresh the page, and compare the behavior. This is often the fastest way to understand what that piece contributes.
Try It Yourself
- Mark the exact word that matches a search in one sentence.
- Save your changes, open or refresh the page, and compare the result with the original example.
- Tell a friend what your change did. If you are not sure, undo it, refresh the page, and compare.
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Highlighting entire paragraphs until nothing stands out.
- Avoid picking tags just for their default bold, italic or spaced appearance. Use CSS for presentation.
Key Takeaways
- Mark highlights part of text because it is relevant to the reader right now, such as a matched search term.
- Mark highlights text relevant to the current context, for example a search match.
- For importance, strong is usually more appropriate; for general emphasis, em may be better. Mark is about relevance in context.