Best method for sorting options

[realmaverick]

I'm about to make a site wide change on my websites galleries, so that popular items are first in the list, vs the current setup, which displays the latest.

This will improve bounce rate, as much better content will be shown as default. It will also help prevent mass uploaders, from taking over the galleries.

Now, how to deal with the newer content, that obviously needs to be indexed.

Our sorting options, are currently loaded with Ajax to prevent Google from seeing them. The URL doesn't change either.

My feeling is to create a text link, that leads to a URL that displays the content in date order, and has a canonical tag, back to the main URL which is in date order.

[goodroi]

"Most Popular" is a subjective term. Some sites will show the most popular of all time and other sites will show the most popular in the last 7 days (with a secondary option to show popular of all time).

Adding a related gallery feature that interlinks old & new content outside of ajax can help. Personally I like to have some boring, old fashion text links to back-up newer technology like ajax.

[realmaverick]

Yes, you're right. At present, ours is most popular of all time. Most popular in the past week, would be a good option to add.

Do you think its necessary to add the canonical tag in these situations?

[g1smd]

So, once people have looked at the most popular items, what's new on that page when they return next week or next month?

Perhaps the page should have (at least) a two way split, with most popular listed against latest/newest?

[realmaverick]

Well, the sorting options choice, is remembered via Cookie. My plan would be to make the "Latest" link prominent.

At present, we do have featured uploads, at the top of the page. Perhaps we could go as far as featured, most popular and then latest taking up the rest of the gallery. Hmmm