A user may request a presentation of a content item set, such as a social network comprising a set of status messages or an image database comprising a set of images. However, the volume and diversity of content items of the content item set may reduce the interest of the user in the presented content items. The potential interest of the user in the presented content items may be improved by selecting content items that are associated with one or more topics of potential interest to the user, and having a positive trending popularity among users of the content item set. Moreover, the interaction of the user with a presented content item may be monitored and used to determine the interest of the user in the topics associated with the presented content item and the popularity of the content item.