<?php
$content = "This is an image: <img src='/img.jpeg' /> This is a <a href='/abc.htm'/>Link</a>";
$regex = '~<[^>]+>(*SKIP)(*FAIL)|\b\w+\b~';
$wrapped_content = preg_replace($regex, "<span>\\0</span>", $content); echo $wrapped_content;
PD9waHAKJGNvbnRlbnQgPSAiVGhpcyBpcyBhbiBpbWFnZTogPGltZyBzcmM9Jy9pbWcuanBlZycgLz4gVGhpcyBpcyBhIDxhIGhyZWY9Jy9hYmMuaHRtJy8+TGluazwvYT4iOwokcmVnZXggPSAnfjxbXj5dKz4oKlNLSVApKCpGQUlMKXxcYlx3K1xific7Cgokd3JhcHBlZF9jb250ZW50ID0gcHJlZ19yZXBsYWNlKCRyZWdleCwgIjxzcGFuPlxcMDwvc3Bhbj4iLCAkY29udGVudCk7CmVjaG8gJHdyYXBwZWRfY29udGVudDs=