Microsoft Word Smart Quotes and Article Marketers Dont Mix

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

Willow Springs bmw rental chicago .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

Hackers sometimes find ways to exploit iPhones, and Apple recently discovered a vulnerability in iOS that may have been exploited for over a year.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Lynx the robot dog from China is pushing boundaries of what autonomous mobile robots can achieve with a groundbreaking design and unique mobility.
A startup claims to have developed the world's first entirely artificial intelligence-designed and 3D-printed shoe, the brainchild of a 25-year-old.
Creating an email alias can help clean up your inbox by organizing emails based on purpose, like creating different aliases for shopping, newsletters and work.
A multipurpose robotic system promises to transform how items are stacked onto pallets, aiming to maximize space utilization and reduce shipping costs.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
The number of people affected by a UnitedHealth data breach in February 2024 was actually higher than previously reported and was the largest medical data breach in U.S. history.
A phishing campaign uses Google Calendar to schedule fake meeting invitations that appear legitimate, redirecting targets to phishing sites.
Toll road text scam: Fake messages claim unpaid fees, seek payment via fraudulent links. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says this scam is becoming increasingly sophisticated and widespread.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says these steps ensure that your friends and family get to the exact moment you want them to see. Try it out and streamline your sharing experience.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers tips on how to protect your identity: Be vigilant, monitor accounts, use smart security, know theft response.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says cybercriminals are exploiting iMessage phishing protection, tricking users to reactivate links.
It's hard to imagine life without in-flight Wi-Fi these days – but sky-high web surfing comes with its own set of privacy concerns. Here's how to protect yourself.
Over 400,000 cases of credit card fraud were reported in 2024 to the Federal Trade Commission. The CyberGuy explains how to protect against becoming another victim.
A nondescript metal box transforms into a fully functional electric motorcycle that blurs the line between vehicle and urban infrastructure.
Many apps unrelated to location still ask users for tracking permission, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit seeking to end this alleged practice by Allstate.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Melody, the artificial intelligence-powered robot, is life-sized and represents a move toward creating robots that resemble people in appearance and interaction.
Here are five easy smartphone rules from the National Security Agency that you can follow to better protect your mobile device from hackers and scammers.
A U.S. robotics company has developed "Jennie," a robotic pet powered by artificial intelligence that's designed to comfort those facing mental health challenges.
Healthcare records for more than 184 million Americans were breached in 2024, but you can take steps to minimize that risk. Kurt the CyberGuy explains.
The Skyrider X1 from Rictor claims to be the "first amphibious flying passenger motorcycle," and it combines land and air travel in one sleek design.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Home inventory and restoration apps help itemize and track every item in your home in the event you have to make an insurance claim after a natural disaster.

Articles: Why You Need to Write Them

Every webmaster knows that to gain ranking positions in search... Read More

Article Writing Strategies To Get Into Zen Flow ? 7 Tips

The more you write, the larger your impact. If that's... Read More

1000 Ways to Improve Your Business

One of the best things you can do for your... Read More

How to Create a Viral Lead-Generating Machine

Whether you own your own affiliate website, or subscription website,... Read More

Wise Article Marketing Strategies

If you are an article writer, you may have been... Read More

Ezine Article Writing In 10 Easy Steps

1. Choose A Topic.You need to choose either a hot... Read More

How to Write Articles that Sell

In order to sell your article must do three things:1.... Read More

Writing Articles for Ezines ? The Greatest Little Known Secret

Well maybe it's not that "little known" but some people... Read More

Web Design Information And Resources

People who have an idea for a website sometimes require... Read More

How To Edit Your Articles As You Write

Increase your ezine subscribers by submitting articles once or twice... Read More

Direct Sales Reps CAN Write Articles - Heres How!

We all know that article writing is a great way... Read More

Promote Your Home Business with Keyword Rich Articles

Do you wonder what easy, cheap, and fast way you... Read More

The Real Reason You Should Be Marketing With Articles

Article marketing has become very popular of late, especially with... Read More

Why You Should Write Articles or At Least Get a Ghostwriter to Write for You

Overture reports over 1 million queries for article keyword related... Read More

How to Write Inspirational Articles for Newsletters

Inspirational articles were once limited to self-help and religious publications,... Read More

Article Writing: Breaking Writers Block

It is amazing to see how much we all still... Read More

Exposing Your Expertise

Writing and leveraging articles is my most successful strategy for... Read More

Do You Have the Characteristics of an Article Writer?

In order to answer the question I've just asked in... Read More

There is an Article Deep Down Inside of You Just Looking to Bust Out

The Most Economical Way to Advertise online is to Submit... Read More

Six Whys of Writing

You pick a pen, grab a piece of paper and... Read More

Get Traffic to Your Web Site with Articles

It is not my intention to give you a 5... Read More

Secrets About Freelance Writing They Dont Want You To Know

The first step to getting published is to find your... Read More

Should You Hire a Famous Writer or Write Your Own Articles?

Proven and Exceptional Click-Through ResultsTesting has proven again and again... Read More

What to Write About

This is a perennial question among writers and wannabe's. Many... Read More

The Difference Between Article Marketing and Traditional Article Writing

Lately, there seems to be some confusion between Article Marketing... Read More

Oak Lawn car service to O'Hare ..