Add a Popular Posts Gallery just above your Blogger posts

The most popular web design trend over last couple of years are horizontal sliding panels, also known as sliders or carousels. One of the effective ways to increase the site usability and engage the user is to add a popular posts gallery above Blogger posts to display the most viewed 10 posts on your blog.

To see it live, please visit the demo blog below.

Demo blog

Adding Popular Posts Gallery Above Blogger Posts

Before adding the Popular posts widget as gallery in Blogger, please note that this widget is not fully compatible with all templates, so it's recommended to make a backup before making any changes in your Blogger template.

Now, follow these steps:

1. Go to Dashboard, click "Template" > hit the "Edit HTML" button and click anywhere inside the code area > press the CTRL + F keys to open the Blogger search box.

2. Type or paste this tag inside the search box:

]]></b:skin>

Note: you may have to click the arrow next to it, then try to find ]]></b:skin> again.

3. Just above/before it, add the following CSS:

#gallery{position:relative;margin:0 0 20px;height:126px;}
#gallery .belt{position:absolute;top:0;left:0;list-style-type:none}
#gallery .panel{float:left;margin:0px 10px 20px 0;width:84px;height:86px;background:url(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6rI_HoKqKqcAWeSInOz7UR_ugBtKJIhbv02XWSpWVlrbHShhyK8Npf3Ry8-sBD4h11FAr4kMkQmODlcgxDEAn69XUv2crnrKzjwZzw1gR2UW-YzxTRXCMoDHXgCX8zYVLSCIG5Eo7eK_j/s1600/bg-slider.png) bottom center no-repeat;overflow:hidden}
#gallery .panel img{border:1px solid #DDD;margin:7px 6px 6px;width:72px;height:72px;background:#FFF;padding:0px}

Note: change the value in red (126px) to adjust the gallery height.

4. Now search the following tag:

</head>

5. Just above/before it, add the script for the Popular Posts gallery and jQuery:

<script src='https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.4.2/jquery.min.js' type='text/javascript'/><script type='text/javascript'>
//<![CDATA[
var stepcarousel={ajaxloadingmsg:'<div style="margin: 1em; font-weight: bold"><img src="ajaxloadr.gif" style="vertical-align: middle" /> Fetching Content. Please wait...</div>',defaultbuttonsfade:0.4,configholder:{},getCSSValue:function(val){return(val=="auto")?0:parseInt(val)},getremotepanels:function($,config){config.$belt.html(this.ajaxloadingmsg)
$.ajax({url:config.contenttype[1],async:true,error:function(ajaxrequest){config.$belt.html('Error fetching content.<br />Server Response: '+ajaxrequest.responseText)},success:function(content){config.$belt.html(content)
config.$panels=config.$gallery.find('.'+config.panelclass)
stepcarousel.alignpanels($,config)}})},getoffset:function(what,offsettype){return(what.offsetParent)?what[offsettype]+this.getoffset(what.offsetParent,offsettype):what[offsettype]},getCookie:function(Name){var re=new RegExp(Name+"=[^;]+","i");if(document.cookie.match(re))
return document.cookie.match(re)[0].split("=")[1]
return null},setCookie:function(name,value){document.cookie=name+"="+value},fadebuttons:function(config,currentpanel){config.$leftnavbutton.fadeTo('fast',currentpanel==0?this.defaultbuttonsfade:1)
config.$rightnavbutton.fadeTo('fast',currentpanel==config.lastvisiblepanel?this.defaultbuttonsfade:1)},addnavbuttons:function(config,currentpanel){config.$leftnavbutton=jQuery('<img src="'+config.defaultbuttons.leftnav[0]+'">').css({zIndex:50,position:'absolute',left:config.offsets.left+config.defaultbuttons.leftnav[1]+'px',top:config.offsets.top+config.defaultbuttons.leftnav[2]+'px',cursor:'hand',cursor:'pointer'}).attr({title:'Back '+config.defaultbuttons.moveby+' panels'}).appendTo('body')
config.$rightnavbutton=jQuery('<img src="'+config.defaultbuttons.rightnav[0]+'">').css({zIndex:50,position:'absolute',left:config.offsets.left+config.$gallery.get(0).offsetWidth+config.defaultbuttons.rightnav[1]+'px',top:config.offsets.top+config.defaultbuttons.rightnav[2]+'px',cursor:'hand',cursor:'pointer'}).attr({title:'Forward '+config.defaultbuttons.moveby+' panels'}).appendTo('body')
config.$leftnavbutton.bind('click',function(){stepcarousel.stepBy(config.galleryid,-config.defaultbuttons.moveby)})
config.$rightnavbutton.bind('click',function(){stepcarousel.stepBy(config.galleryid,config.defaultbuttons.moveby)})
if(config.panelbehavior.wraparound==false){this.fadebuttons(config,currentpanel)}
return config.$leftnavbutton.add(config.$rightnavbutton)},stopautostep:function(config){clearTimeout(config.steptimer)
clearTimeout(config.resumeautostep)},alignpanels:function($,config){var paneloffset=0
config.paneloffsets=[paneloffset]
config.panelwidths=[]
config.$panels.each(function(index){var $currentpanel=$(this)
$currentpanel.css({float:'none',position:'absolute',left:paneloffset+'px'})
$currentpanel.bind('click',function(e){return config.onpanelclick(e.target)})
paneloffset+=stepcarousel.getCSSValue($currentpanel.css('marginRight'))+parseInt($currentpanel.get(0).offsetWidth||$currentpanel.css('width'))
config.paneloffsets.push(paneloffset)
config.panelwidths.push(paneloffset-config.paneloffsets[config.paneloffsets.length-2])})
config.paneloffsets.pop()
var addpanelwidths=0
var lastpanelindex=config.$panels.length-1
config.lastvisiblepanel=lastpanelindex
for(var i=config.$panels.length-1;i>=0;i--){addpanelwidths+=(i==lastpanelindex?config.panelwidths[lastpanelindex]:config.paneloffsets[i+1]-config.paneloffsets[i])
if(config.gallerywidth>addpanelwidths){config.lastvisiblepanel=i}}
config.$belt.css({width:paneloffset+'px'})
config.currentpanel=(config.panelbehavior.persist)?parseInt(this.getCookie(window[config.galleryid+"persist"])):0
config.currentpanel=(typeof config.currentpanel=="number"&&config.currentpanel<config.$panels.length)?config.currentpanel:0
if(config.currentpanel!=0){var endpoint=config.paneloffsets[config.currentpanel]+(config.currentpanel==0?0:config.beltoffset)
config.$belt.css({left:-endpoint+'px'})}
if(config.defaultbuttons.enable==true){var $navbuttons=this.addnavbuttons(config,config.currentpanel)
$(window).bind("load resize",function(){config.offsets={left:stepcarousel.getoffset(config.$gallery.get(0),"offsetLeft"),top:stepcarousel.getoffset(config.$gallery.get(0),"offsetTop")}
config.$leftnavbutton.css({left:config.offsets.left+config.defaultbuttons.leftnav[1]+'px',top:config.offsets.top+config.defaultbuttons.leftnav[2]+'px'})
config.$rightnavbutton.css({left:config.offsets.left+config.$gallery.get(0).offsetWidth+config.defaultbuttons.rightnav[1]+'px',top:config.offsets.top+config.defaultbuttons.rightnav[2]+'px'})})}
if(config.autostep&&config.autostep.enable){var $carouselparts=config.$gallery.add(typeof $navbuttons!="undefined"?$navbuttons:null)
$carouselparts.bind('click',function(){stepcarousel.stopautostep(config)
config.autostep.status="stopped"})
$carouselparts.hover(function(){stepcarousel.stopautostep(config)
config.autostep.hoverstate="over"},function(){if(config.steptimer&&config.autostep.hoverstate=="over"&&config.autostep.status!="stopped"){config.resumeautostep=setTimeout(function(){stepcarousel.autorotate(config.galleryid)
config.autostep.hoverstate="out"},500)}})
config.steptimer=setTimeout(function(){stepcarousel.autorotate(config.galleryid)},config.autostep.pause)}
this.statusreport(config.galleryid)
config.oninit()
config.onslideaction(this)},stepTo:function(galleryid,pindex){var config=stepcarousel.configholder[galleryid]
if(typeof config=="undefined"){alert("There's an error with your set up of Carousel Viewer \""+galleryid+"\"!")
return}
stepcarousel.stopautostep(config)
var pindex=Math.min(pindex-1,config.paneloffsets.length-1)
var endpoint=config.paneloffsets[pindex]+(pindex==0?0:config.beltoffset)
if(config.panelbehavior.wraparound==false&&config.defaultbuttons.enable==true){this.fadebuttons(config,pindex)}
config.$belt.animate({left:-endpoint+'px'},config.panelbehavior.speed,function(){config.onslideaction(this)})
config.currentpanel=pindex
this.statusreport(galleryid)},stepBy:function(galleryid,steps){var config=stepcarousel.configholder[galleryid]
if(typeof config=="undefined"){alert("There's an error with your set up of Carousel Viewer \""+galleryid+"\"!")
return}
stepcarousel.stopautostep(config)
var direction=(steps>0)?'forward':'back'
var pindex=config.currentpanel+steps
if(config.panelbehavior.wraparound==false){pindex=(direction=="back"&&pindex<=0)?0:(direction=="forward")?Math.min(pindex,config.lastvisiblepanel):pindex
if(config.defaultbuttons.enable==true){stepcarousel.fadebuttons(config,pindex)}}
else{if(pindex>config.lastvisiblepanel&&direction=="forward"){pindex=(config.currentpanel<config.lastvisiblepanel)?config.lastvisiblepanel:0}
else if(pindex<0&&direction=="back"){pindex=(config.currentpanel>0)?0:config.lastvisiblepanel}}
var endpoint=config.paneloffsets[pindex]+(pindex==0?0:config.beltoffset)
if(pindex==0&&direction=='forward'||config.currentpanel==0&&direction=='back'&&config.panelbehavior.wraparound==true){config.$belt.animate({left:-config.paneloffsets[config.currentpanel]-(direction=='forward'?100:-30)+'px'},'normal',function(){config.$belt.animate({left:-endpoint+'px'},config.panelbehavior.speed,function(){config.onslideaction(this)})})}
else
config.$belt.animate({left:-endpoint+'px'},config.panelbehavior.speed,function(){config.onslideaction(this)})
config.currentpanel=pindex
this.statusreport(galleryid)},autorotate:function(galleryid){var config=stepcarousel.configholder[galleryid]
if(config.$gallery.attr('_ismouseover')!="yes"){this.stepBy(galleryid,config.autostep.moveby)}
config.steptimer=setTimeout(function(){stepcarousel.autorotate(galleryid)},config.autostep.pause)},statusreport:function(galleryid){var config=stepcarousel.configholder[galleryid]
var startpoint=config.currentpanel
var visiblewidth=0
for(var endpoint=startpoint;endpoint<config.paneloffsets.length;endpoint++){visiblewidth+=config.panelwidths[endpoint]
if(visiblewidth>config.gallerywidth){break}}
startpoint+=1
endpoint=(endpoint+1==startpoint)?startpoint:endpoint
var valuearray=[startpoint,endpoint,config.panelwidths.length]
for(var i=0;i<config.statusvars.length;i++){window[config.statusvars[i]]=valuearray[i]
config.$statusobjs[i].text(valuearray[i]+" ")}},setup:function(config){document.write('<style type="text/css">\n#'+config.galleryid+'{overflow: hidden;}\n</style>')
jQuery(document).ready(function($){config.$gallery=$('#'+config.galleryid)
config.gallerywidth=config.$gallery.width()
config.offsets={left:stepcarousel.getoffset(config.$gallery.get(0),"offsetLeft"),top:stepcarousel.getoffset(config.$gallery.get(0),"offsetTop")}
config.$belt=config.$gallery.find('.'+config.beltclass)
config.$panels=config.$gallery.find('.'+config.panelclass)
config.panelbehavior.wraparound=(config.autostep&&config.autostep.enable)?true:config.panelbehavior.wraparound
config.onpanelclick=(typeof config.onpanelclick=="undefined")?function(target){}:config.onpanelclick
config.onslideaction=(typeof config.onslide=="undefined")?function(){}:function(beltobj){$(beltobj).stop();config.onslide()}
config.oninit=(typeof config.oninit=="undefined")?function(){}:config.oninit
config.beltoffset=stepcarousel.getCSSValue(config.$belt.css('marginLeft'))
config.statusvars=config.statusvars||[]
config.$statusobjs=[$('#'+config.statusvars[0]),$('#'+config.statusvars[1]),$('#'+config.statusvars[2])]
config.currentpanel=0
stepcarousel.configholder[config.galleryid]=config
if(config.contenttype[0]=="ajax"&&typeof config.contenttype[1]!="undefined")
stepcarousel.getremotepanels($,config)
else
stepcarousel.alignpanels($,config)})
jQuery(window).bind('unload',function(){if(config.panelbehavior.persist){stepcarousel.setCookie(window[config.galleryid+"persist"],config.currentpanel)}
jQuery.each(config,function(ai,oi){oi=null})
config=null})}}
//]]>
</script>
<script type='text/javascript'>
//<![CDATA[
stepcarousel.setup({
galleryid: "gallery",
beltclass: "belt",
panelclass: "panel",
autostep: {enable:true, moveby:1, pause:5000},
panelbehavior: {speed:800, wraparound:true, persist:true},
defaultbuttons: {enable: true, moveby: 2, leftnav: ["https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtTwf4uLDzSYUWKpMY-9G9FlM4eVZLB4rueieTOPFO8UeEUa2O8yQaB3iwsV1FVu2BnV9k01YO7iRdGEwzIsEopEfy1yl9nVhkPm-Pf_H5WY_UBdTrrqMVYoCo7kwMkTNpXm6QP1XtKxt/s1600/prev.png", -40, 25], rightnav: ["https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_BfpbAMC7FIUQsb2ul0_r6KiJxu3N6oraesNIQGtJkQgchsDB-tr4yu_M0Na2yCnh137JZ2e515mT9SuE36xe0j3QN_ypoFvN8Ams6kxF6O4AKSIZ0dseFNjRZ8hNjje2HOd7TNil1EY/s1600/next.png", -10, 25]},
contenttype: ["external"]
})
//]]>
</script>

Now that we added the scripts to make our gallery work, let's add the HTML of the Popular Posts widget above the Blogger posts.

6. Search this line:

<b:section class='main' id='main' name='Main' showaddelement='yes'>

Note: If you can't find it, search this one:

<b:section class='main' id='main' name='Main' showaddelement='no'>

7. Just below it, add the following code:

<b:widget id='PopularPosts281' locked='false' title='Popular Posts' type='PopularPosts'>
<b:includable id='main'>
<b:if cond='data:blog.url == data:blog.homepageUrl'>
<div style='margin:20px 0;'>
  <div id='gallery'>
   <ul class='belt'>
    <b:loop values='data:posts' var='post'>
     <li class='panel'>
      <b:if cond='data:showThumbnails == &quot;false&quot;'>
       <b:if cond='data:showSnippets == &quot;false&quot;'>
        <a expr:href='data:post.href' expr:title='data:post.title' rel='bookmark'><data:post.title/></a>
       <b:else/>
        <div class='item-title'>
         <a expr:href='data:post.href' expr:title='data:post.title' rel='bookmark'><data:post.title/></a>
        </div>
        <div class='item-snippet'>
         <data:post.snippet/>
        </div>
       </b:if>
      <b:else/>
       <a expr:href='data:post.href' expr:title='data:post.title' rel='bookmark'>
        <b:if cond='data:post.thumbnail'>
         <img expr:alt='data:post.title' expr:src='data:post.thumbnail'/>
        <b:else/>
         <img alt='no image' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGjcVHQCdjylG09_zUIyQDqgQJ6YK550teGQQY-8_w_hY9xDYCggeuIoPMBwMIw0JOEmTQqfOOzDASapQgCXGnQjDWWTqlUcVVx_xlzP80irXIDmFxkIgu6NGeRNMG9yycXh7bTVW-2Vr/s1600/no-image.PNG'/>
        </b:if>
       </a>
      </b:if>
     </li>
    </b:loop>
   </ul>
  </div></div></b:if>
 </b:includable>
</b:widget>

Note: Delete the lines in blue if you want this widget to be displayed in posts pages, as well.

8. Preview your template and if everything is OK, press the 'Save Template'.  Now you're done adding the Popular Posts Gallery! Just view your blog and see it live above the Blogger posts.