Since it takes sooooo looong to convert a WordPress theme to Search Engine Optimized (SEOing a theme in particular takes forever) and AdSense Ready (not too difficult to add AdSense if the options are limited) I decided to convert some new and very popular WordPress Themes lacking AdSense and the sort of search engine optimization only an SEO consultant like myself could add :) to Free AdSense Ready WordPress Themes (not adding SEO optimization, at least not yet).

IF I find a free AdSense WordPress theme like Arclite is a popular free download, then I might convert it to fully search engine optimized and even better AdSense coding: this version of Arclite with AdSense has a very limited AdSense options page, can only change the Google AdSense pub ID (so you get paid) and the AdSense ad unit colours without editing lots of theme files (better than most AdSense themes options, but not as good as the ones I sell).

Arclite WordPress Theme with AdSense

Arclite is my first free AdSense Ready WordPress Theme I’ve converted on this site. I found the Arclite theme via http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/ where it is currently (August 2009) listed as the 4th most popular WordPress theme (Downloaded 4,478 times ).

Arclite was created by Digitalnature : at http://digitalnature.ro/projects/arclite

Theme Tags: custom-header, threaded-comments, theme-options, flexible-width, brown, light and now AdSense ready

I worked with version 1.5.4 of the Arclite theme, I’ve add three AdSense content ad units in some of the most clicked areas on a page. Since I only use my fully converted SEO versions of AdSense Ready WordPress themes I don’t have a demo site to show of this WordPress theme including AdSense. That being said look at the Digitalnature page above to find a demo of the standard Arclite theme and see the screenshot below (click to see a larger Arclite image) of what it looked like on one of my sites when I tested it.

Arclite Free AdSense Ready WordPress Theme

One sidebar content ad unit (also available via widgets) : 160×600
One content ad unit within the main content : 336×280
One content ad unit just above the footer : 336×280

The second content ad unit above tends to get most clicks.

If I convert Arclite to fully SEO and AdSense ready I’ll also add three text link ad units (like you see with the Talian theme I run on this site).

Installing Arclite AdSense Ready Theme

1. Download the free theme below:

2. Unzip, you should have the folder /arclite-adsense-01/

3. Load adsense.php in a text editor like notepad.

4. Change the pub-######## to your pub-######## number: you get this from Google AdSense, login to Google AdSense create an ad unit and copy the pub- code.

5. After saving the edited adsense.php file upload the entire /arclite-adsense-01/ folder to your WordPress themes folder (/wp-content/themes/arclite-adsense-01/) just like any other WordPress them you want to try out.

6. Log into your WordPress blogs Dashboard and go to the theme options page and click on the Arclite AdSense 01 theme to activate it.

7. Check your WordPress blog to see if it’s working correctly.

If you use Arclite with AdSense please post a comment below.

BTW I’ve downloaded the 15 most popular WordPress themes, I plan to convert all 15 to be free AdSense Ready WordPress themes and see how they go.