This can happen if the page is quite new and fresh - and Google feels the topic is one where some users are looking for "the latest". In cases like this, the query term gets a flag on the back end that we've been calling QDF (Query Deserves Freshness).

If this page is ranking because of QDF, then it will probably be short lived unless it develops a strong link profile because of its attention.

Thanks for the reply Tedster, I understand about the freshness issue in the SERPS, however this is not a fresh page and has been in the rankings for over one year now. Its just an agent site advertising the exact same "widgets" that can be found in the other nine results from the first page.

As I said its a "location + widget" search and the URL ranking around number 7 is from a big site that has widget for locations all over the world. The top level URL has plenty of backlinks, but the URL specific to the location, that ranks, does not have any external backlinks but still ranks No.7.

Could it be that enough juice is passed down from the homepage? or from internal links?

Why does the URL rank with no backlinks? when others around it do have backlinks.

domain trust?

How about 301 redirects from properties that do have a good backlink profile?

Are you sure there are no backlinks? If you are using Google to check for backlinks - they don't always show up. Using [link:] isn't going to find them most of time.

Could it be that enough juice is passed down from the homepage? or from internal links?

Yes, most definitely that can happen too.

Thanks again Tedster, I think you are right, it was my gut feeling that internal link juice got it up there, its not (yet) a competitive keyword search. Having two good backlinks was enough to get my site to number 4, thats how un-competitive it is.

I only checked the link profile using yahoo link:domain, does anyone else no off a better way?

How would I look for a 301 redirect

How would I look for a 301 redirect

Dunno, but if someone does I'd be interested in hearing how too.

There are several companies who sell their private spidering of link data and also include 301 information when you pay for access. I'm not going to promote any one of them here by name - but just knowing that they exist should help you find one if you are interested.

If you want to play detective on your own, you can often find such 301s by checking for other domains on the same IP address as the main site. If all a domain does is 301 redirect, it is unlikely to serve it on a unique IP, although sometimes you will find a portfolio of 301 domains on one IP address and the main domain on a second.

You can also find them by searching for domains with the preferred text and then checking the whois of those domains to determine if they are owned by the same person but on a different ip.

Thanks guys