Incorporating textual quotes is a common practice in writing content, not only because it gives credibility to the text but also because it allows pertinent references to be made. In the digital world, HTML tags play a fundamental role in structuring and presenting content on the web. An essential etiquette for presenting quotes is blockquote
. Join me in discovering how to use and style it so that your dates stand out with professionalism and elegance.
Table of Contents
ToggleWhat is and When to Use the blockquote Tag?
The label blockquote
in HTML it is used to indicate that a text is a quote from another source. This tag is essential to maintaining the correct semantics of the content, as it helps search engines and assistive technologies understand that this fragment of text is a quote.
Uses blockquote
whenever you want to include an extensive quote or an extract of content from an external site or another author, always respecting copyright and properly citing the original source.
How is the blockquote Tag Used?
The basic syntax for the tag blockquote
It's very simple:
This is an example quote to illustrate how the tag is used.
Additionally, it is good practice to include an attribute quote
Provide the URL of the source from which the quote was taken:
This quote was taken from the main page of our literary references.
Now, although the default browser usually indents the text within a blockquote
, this alone is usually not enough for the quote to stand out properly or fit the style of your website.
Styling blockquote with CSS
To customize the look of your quotes and make sure they integrate seamlessly with the rest of your site, here I show you how to add CSS styling to your blockquote
.
Margin and Padding
Most browsers apply a default margin to blockquote
. You can adjust it to fit your design:
blockquote { margin: 20px 0; padding-left: 20px; }
Border and Background
A side border is a common method of visually signaling that a text is cited:
blockquote { border-left: 4px solid #ccc; background-color: #f9f9f9; }
Typography
The choice of font can also help differentiate the quote from the rest of the text. Consider changing the font, its size and style like this:
blockquote { font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-style: italic; }
Line Spacing and Style
Line spacing and the use of graphic quotes can improve readability and aesthetics:
blockquote { line-height: 1.6; quotes: "“" "”" "'" "'"; } blockquote:before { content: open-quote; } blockquote:after { content: close-quote; }
Advanced Styling
If you're feeling adventurous, you can add shadows, animations or transformations so your quotes don't go unnoticed:
blockquote { box-shadow: 10px 10px 5px #aaa; transform: rotate(-2deg); transition: transform 0.3s ease-in-out; } blockquote:hover { transform: rotate(0deg); }
The key is to experiment until you find the style that makes your quotes not only visible, but also consistent with the overall design of your site.
Let's Practice with blockquote!
There is no better way to understand how it works. blockquote
than practicing it in your projects. I invite you to visit my blog For more advice on web design and development, and if you have any questions or want personalized advice, contact me.
In short, use and stylize the label blockquote
in HTML is a simple but powerful way to enrich your texts and give them the recognition that the words of others deserve. With a little practice and creativity in CSS, your quotes will be far from going unnoticed. Dare to try different styles and turn your quotes into focal points of your articles or web pages!