First click on SEO redirecting to a competitor site?

[Red_Mud_Rookie]

I just experienced something VERY odd and wondered if any of you had an idea of what it might be.

• When I did a search on Google and clicked the top SEO listing I was taken to a competitor of the number 1 listed site i.e. NOT the site I clicked on.
• When I clicked the back button and clicked it again, I was taken to the correct site.
• This happened with two different searches and I was taken to two different sites.

Could this be a clever/sinister cookie implemented by the competitor; a site I frequent regularly?

Could this be malware implemented by an affiliate?

Could this be a Google glitch?

[KeriMorgret]

Hi Ralph, just wondering if this happened to you again at all, or if you figured out what was causing it.

[IM_Learner]

Yeah, i too would like to know about it. Can you provide more details - query, Google (which country) and the sites in question?

[DanDeceuster]

Well this has never happened to me before, so I'm guessing a Google glitch is unlikely, as I use Google dozens of times each day and haven't seen this. Chances are its one of your other two possibilities, although I'm not sure how any type of cookie could cause this. Very interesting find, I would post it on the Google help forums as well to see what any of the Googlers think about it.