If I’m not wrong, there have been no such happenings earlier on Google. Here’s an instance.
When you explore for “Internet Card” on Google engine and you get this page on Google.
The website URL that pops up is not even a static URL. When anyone click on it and it will go to redirect dynamic page (possibly a shopping cart).
Here’s the actual URL it points to.
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/explore/?page=data
When I opened the web sources file and found that another webpage was connecting to this page (the above URL) with the similar keyword I searched “Mobile Broadband”. Nothing unusual there, except that the text link wasn’t seeable on the linking page (http://www.verizonbusiness.com/br/Products/mobility/mobile-internet/) However, you can look the link from the source file.
<div class="portfolio"><ul class="arrow">
<li><a href="https://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobilebroadband/">Mobile Broadband</a></li><li><a href="https://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobilebroadband/?page=products_built-in">Mobile Broadband Built-in</a></li><li><a href="http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobilebroadband/?page=products_connect">Mobile Broadband Connect</a></li><li><a href="https://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobilebroadband/?page=wifiaccess">Verizon Wi-Fi Access</a></li><li><a href="http://www.vzam.net/">VZAccess Manager</a></li></ul>
So, I wasn’t complete sure about this if this happened after consideration from Verizon or an error by Google. I researched further, and look what I found.
One More thing,
This outcome whether it takes you to a no results page.
http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/search/noResults.jsp?kw=3209040
I couldn’t notice anything particularly wrong with the URL listings, but wonder how they look on Google where there are improve pages. It seems more like a slip by to me.
If they have solid backlinks and authority that makes them appear on first page then we are viewing a clear overrule of other onsite factors. But Google is ever clear that they never backed any one SEO factor like backlinks or on-site factors. Even if they did, there will be more questions on why these pages are on the first page in the first place.