How to Add a Logo to Your Twenty Ten Theme: A Step-by-Step Guide

Many users of the classic Twenty Ten theme want to add a logo to their site's header, either next to or in place of the site title. This is a common request to improve branding and site appearance. Based on community discussions, here are the most effective methods to achieve this.

Why This Can Be Tricky

The Twenty Ten theme, while highly customizable, was created before the WordPress Customizer with its built-in logo support became standard. Therefore, adding a logo isn't always a simple one-click option and often requires some customization.

Recommended Solution: Using CSS

The simplest and least invasive method for adding a logo to the left of your site title is by using Custom CSS. This method does not require editing theme files directly.

1. Install a Custom CSS Plugin: To add custom CSS safely, use a plugin like "Simple Custom CSS". This ensures your changes are not overwritten by theme updates.
2. Add the CSS Code: In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Custom CSS (or the menu provided by your plugin). Add the following code, replacing the URL with the direct link to your own logo image:

   #site-title {
       background: url("https://yoursite.com/image/logo.png") no-repeat scroll 0 0 transparent;
       padding-left: 90px; /* Adjust this value based on your logo's width */
       height: 90px; /* Adjust to match your logo's height */
       line-height: 90px; /* This helps vertically center the text */
   }

3. Adjust the Values: You will need to adjust the padding-left, height, and line-height values to match the dimensions of your specific logo. This creates space for the logo and positions the site title correctly beside it.

Alternative Method: Replacing the Title with a Logo

If you wish to completely replace the site title text with a clickable logo image, a more advanced approach is needed. This involves creating a child theme.

1. Create a Child Theme: Always use a child theme for modifications beyond CSS. This is a critical best practice that protects your changes when the parent Twenty Ten theme is updated. You can find many tutorials online by searching for "WordPress Twenty Ten child theme."
2. Modify the Header: In your child theme, you would create a copy of the header.php file. Within this file, you can modify the code for the #site-title and #site-description sections to output your logo image instead of, or in addition to, the text.

Important Considerations

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Even if you visually replace the site title with a logo, it is recommended to keep the title text in the HTML code. This is because search engines still rely on this tag for indexing. The CSS method above preserves the text for SEO while displaying the logo.
• Accessibility: If you replace the title entirely, ensure you use appropriate alt text for the logo image so that screen readers can understand what it represents.

By following these methods, you can successfully integrate a logo into your Twenty Ten theme's header. For further assistance, sharing a link to your site can help the community provide more targeted advice.