By default, Microsoft Word automatically changes straight quotation marks ( ' or " ) to curly (smart or typographer's) quotes as you type. This is fine if you are only authoring your works for applications not relating to article marketing. When smart quotes are converted to HTML, the quotes are converted to non-standard characters which end up littering your document with question mark symbols and/or other garbage code.
When in doubt, don't allow your Ezine Articles to contain smart quotes:
Most articles that are put into article marketing distribution eventually end up being sent to an email newsletter audience. Email newsletter servers have near zero-tolerance for MS Word smart quotes; they will not recognize them as valid ASCII characters (because they are not valid). They are a figment of the Microsoft ASCII imagination. In most cases they will show up as garbage code; thus making you, and your article, look like a real novice lacking proper formatting skills.
At risk are: quotes, apostrophes, double dashes, and 3 periods in a row.
This is what smart quotes looks like when properly displayed:
"smart quotes" aren't very smart?
This is what STANDARD quotes looks like when properly displayed:
"smart quotes" aren't very smart...
This is what smart quotes looks like when NOT properly displayed:
???smart quotes??? aren???t very smart???
Do you see the downside potential of leaving smart quotes in your articles that you put into distribution? Standard quotes use the lowest common denominator in the ASCII character standards world and this ensures that your articles will look great in any HTML or TEXT format.
How To Disable Microsoft Word's Smart Quotes:
1. On the Tools menu, click AutoCorrect Options, then click the AutoFormat As You Type tab.
2. Under Replace as you type, select or clear the "Straight quotes" with "smart quotes" check box.
Alternatively, you can copy your entire MS Word document over to a non Microsoft text editor (EditPlus, UltraEdit, TextPad, etc) and do a simple search and replace. Search and replace the smart quotes into standard quotes, apostrophe's, dashes and dots if applicable.
Caution For Authors Who Do HTML Code For Their Articles in MS Word:
Unless you have smart quotes disabled, it should be noted that smart quotes are not valid HTML code. Therefore, don't even consider using MS Word to do HTML code unless you have the smart quotes feature disabled.
Article Marketing Smart Quotes Conclusion
Smart quotes are best left for e-books, physical books in print, PDF documents and any non-HTML related document. If you want to increase the portability of your ezine articles, do the smart thing and turn off Microsoft Word's smart quotes or do a search/replace before you upload your next article to the web.
About The Author:
Christopher M. Knight invites you to submit your best articles for massive exposure to the high-traffic ezinearticles.com directory. When you submit your articles to EzineArticles.com, your articles will be picked up by ezine publishers who will reprint your articles with your content and links in tact giving you traffic surges to help you increase your sales. To submit your article, setup a membership account today: ezinearticles.com
same day cleaning service Morton Grove ..Find definitions from Q to Z... ~~~~~~~~~~~ Q ~~~~~~~~~~~ Query... Read More
Not writing articles yet? You really should try it, if... Read More
Much has been touted about the effectiveness of article writing... Read More
Submitting articles once or twice a week can yield 15... Read More
Are you a reluctant marketer for your book? Do you... Read More
It is pretty obvious that content is king online. It... Read More
Increase your ezine subscribers by submitting articles once or twice... Read More
Most authors are wasting their time producing dozens to hundreds... Read More
Online readers love information, but be sure your information is... Read More
I've been involved in publishing for over a decade now... Read More
Writing articles is possibly the best way to generated free... Read More
The goal of free publicity is to get your name... Read More
Writing articles is one of the most powerful, if not... Read More
In order to answer the question I've just asked in... Read More
Adsense is a program designed by Google to help publishers... Read More
I recently became aware that promoting your web site in... Read More
Currently many online writers and would-be online writers, feel very... Read More
Every successful website needs to be, what the experts consider,... Read More
Have you been writing and submitting your free reprint articles... Read More
Writing and leveraging articles is my most successful strategy for... Read More
Rejection is part of a writer's life. You must cope... Read More
By default, Microsoft Word automatically changes straight quotation marks (... Read More
By now you probably understand how important writing for trade... Read More
Gathering information from interviews is really simple. You ask the... Read More
One of the most effective (and free!) ways to get... Read More
recurring housekeeping Mundelein ..This article is dedicated to those who are afraid to... Read More
What's the quickest, easiest way to get exposure for your... Read More
We all know that online publishers earn revenue from our... Read More
This author started with a clean website and wrote 5... Read More
Writing effectively on the internet is the most effective way... Read More
You say, I can't write an article, I have no... Read More
These 7 Important Elements are your Blueprint to Article Writing... Read More
1) Don't use all capitals in your title:People don't like... Read More
Gathering information from interviews is really simple. You ask the... Read More
Most Internet marketers worth their salt know how effective articles... Read More
Often all the Web Surfer will see is your title,... Read More
Take a look around the Web and you'll find thousands... Read More
If you want to really make your article "SELL" then... Read More
I have seen the question asked so many times. How... Read More
We all know that article writing is a great way... Read More
There is no doubt that Spam has affected online business... Read More
The biggest challenge facing any online business today is how... Read More
For me, to decide to start a home business was... Read More
Need traffic? Write an article.Need sales? Write an article.Need Your... Read More
Strategically developing online content helps to ensure a small-business owner's... Read More
I've been involved in publishing for over a decade now... Read More
The Most Economical Way to Advertise online is to Submit... Read More
There is probably no easier way of earning extra money... Read More
There are times when I want to write an article... Read More
I am sure that there would have been a moment... Read More
Article Writing |