The <b> tag is used to make text bold for visual purposes without adding semantic meaning. It's a presentational element that draws attention to text without implying importance.

Visual Styling Only

Unlike <strong>, which indicates semantic importance, the <b> tag is purely for visual styling. Screen readers don't treat <b> differently from regular text, making it suitable for cases where you want visual emphasis without semantic meaning.

When to Use <b>

Use <b> for:

• Highlighting keywords in a summary or review
• Making product names or brand names stand out visually
• Styling text that needs to be bold but isn't semantically important
• Cases where you specifically want bold styling without semantic emphasis

<b> vs <strong>

Use <strong> when: The text is actually important, urgent, or needs emphasis for meaning. Screen readers will emphasize it, and search engines may give it more weight.

Use <b> when: You just want visual bold styling without semantic meaning. The text isn't more important—it just needs to stand out visually.

Best Practices

For most styling needs, CSS is preferred. However, <b> is still valid HTML5 and appropriate when you specifically want bold styling without semantic meaning. Avoid overusing bold text, as it can reduce readability and make it harder to identify truly important information.