- Span tag — what it means
- A Span tag is the name of a tag used in HTML, and you use it when you want to change the style of only one part of a sentence. In Webflow it works in text set with the Paragraph and Text elements.
Note: this is a verification write-up from January 2022. Webflow updates quickly, so check the official documentation as well for the current Rich text specification.
How do you use a Span tag in Webflow?
What do you do when you want to restyle only part of a sentence?
Can you not style just one part inside Rich text?
This article answers those questions.
✓ What this article covers
- How to use Span tags in Webflow
- Why Webflow’s Rich text cannot use Span tags
- How to restyle only part of the text inside Rich text
I build websites with Webflow for a living and
earn around ¥300,000 a month from it.
(2026 update: that was my sole-proprietor period. Today I run Webharu Inc. in Sendai, doing website production and AI development.)
This blog is also built and managed in Webflow, and
I update it through the Rich text element.
Drawing on that experience, here is how Rich text actually behaves.
How to use Span tags in Webflow
What is a Span in the first place?
Span is the name of a tag used in HTML.
You use it when you want to change the style of only one part of a sentence.
For the full explanation, see Saruwaka Sensei (Japanese).
Available in Paragraph and Text elements
In Webflow, Spans work mainly in text set with the Paragraph and Text elements.
Click the brush-pen icon to add a Span tag.
To remove one, click the ✗A at the far right.
Rich text cannot use Span tags.
Webflow’s Rich text does not support Spans. (as of January 2022)
If you copy text written in a Paragraph together with its Span and
paste it into Rich text, the Span is added temporarily, but it can no longer be edited.
Rich text is a convenient feature, but it may be wise not to lean on it too heavily.
How to restyle only part of the text in Rich text
You can change the style using Rich text’s Bold and Italicize.
It may feel like a slightly forced approach, but
there should be no SEO problem with it.
That is because in HTML these controls map to real tags:
- Bold = the strong tag
- Italicize = the em tag
Let us look at the actual HTML of a blog I built in Webflow.
You can see that the red text (Bold) carries strong, and the yellow-underlined text (italic) carries em.
Styling each of those is how I
change styles inside Rich text.
The difference between the strong tag and the em tag
The difference between strong and em is explained simply on SEO Laboratory.
Once you understand what the two tags mean, you can change styles
with no SEO problem.
Make a point of using the tags correctly.
Summary
Rich text is a convenient feature, but you cannot give it class names or IDs,
so it takes a certain amount of trial and error.
I share that trial and error on my Twitter, so
follow along if you are interested.
(2026 update: everything I publish now is gathered on this blog. For Webflow usage in general, see the how-to roundup.)
If you have not signed up for Webflow yet,
it is worth registering and having a play with it.
Try it for a little while and
pick the no-code tool that suits you.
FAQ
Can I use Span tags in Webflow’s Rich text?
No (as of January 2022). If you copy text written in a Paragraph together with its Span and paste it in, the Span is added temporarily, but it can no longer be edited.
How do I add a Span tag in Webflow?
You can use it in text set with the Paragraph and Text elements. Click the brush-pen icon to add a Span tag, and click the ✗A at the far right to remove one.
How do I change the style of only part of the text in Rich text?
You can change the style using Rich text’s Bold and Italicize. In HTML, Bold maps to the strong tag and Italicize to the em tag, so as long as you understand what the two tags mean there is no SEO problem.
What kind of tag is the HTML Span tag?
It is an HTML tag used when you want to change the style of only one part of a sentence. Where a div creates a block-level range, a Span marks an inline range within the text.
What is the difference between the strong tag and the em tag?
In Rich text, Bold maps to the strong tag and Italicize to the em tag. strong means strong importance and em means emphasis, so once you understand the two meanings and use them correctly there is no SEO problem.
