Google News Monday added stars in Google News that highlight a specific story topic, the same feature offered in Gmail and Google Reader. MG Siegler describes how to use the feature, and provides insights on ways to keep track of the starred items. Siegler explains the stars in Google News let you personalize the news. When there is new news about a headline previously starred, Google News will bold it for you, making it easier for you to find on a quick scan.

Michael Gray describes how to use and get the most benefit from tags, pitfalls to watch for, and some advanced strategies. He looks at several ways to arrange your Web site or blog: by subject, date, or tagging. Duplicate content remains one thing all three have in common. Since this can create issues, because search engines must determine what page they should really list in the SERPs, he provides suggestions on how to block all the data achieves from being indexed.

Tina Kelleher writes that it's not too late to optimize Web sites to take advantage of paid search ads targeted at Valentine's Day. She taps into the National Retail Federation survey on what people plan to give on Valentine's Day to provide tips. For example, couples plan to spend less this year on their significant other, about 6% less, for an average of $63.34. The average person plans to spend 13% more, about $5.37 on their friends, compared with last year. The post predicts total holiday spend, and suggests tweaking your adCenter campaign to take advantage of the last few …

Johanna Wright highlights Google's product releases from last week, including Social Search, Google Squared, and better labels for Time/Life images. In October, Google launched Social Search in Google Labs, but the tools has now become accessible for all who signs into google.com in English. The post runs weekly under the heading "This week in search." It describes changes to features and provides examples.

Googling your name might not always return the queries you expect. On the Grammy Award's red carpet Sunday night, Katy Perry admitted to discovering that Russell Brand would propose to her after reading in a Google Alert he had been spotted shopping for a ring. Perry, who sings the song, "I Kissed A Girl," still Googles herself to stay informed on what reporters write about her.

In a checklist, Julie Batten provides several key points and a list of free tools to help analyze consumer search intent and behavior. Google Insights for Search, Microsoft adCenter Keywords Research Tools and Google Trends are among the tools she highlights.

Google the phrase "disruptive technology" and you won't find the Mountain View, Calif., search engine in the definition. But Terry Van Horne, however, tells us why he believes Google has become the "king" of all disruptive technologies. He moves through examples in the travel and the newspapers industries, but provides deeper insight when arriving at the topics of Google Caffeine and Nexus One. Van Horne's major concern resides with Google's lead-generating business through Caffeine, and the "horsepower it provides to gather leads" in AdWords ads creates an interesting prospect for PPA compared with other click-based pricing.