How did a competitor's brand name get in google's related search list?

[jhogan80]

When doing a google search for the term "ulster county real estate" the related search list at the bottom of the serp includes 7 obviously related search terms and 1 brand name of a competitor. (see attachment)

The competitor doesn't rank for this term organically at all yet he enjoys a link on the first page with those of us that do by being in the related search list?  I don't get it.

Anyone know how something like this happens?

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[jhogan80]

Thanks Paul, I understand what you're saying, although I don't believe that applies to my question.

The search was not done on companies. It was a general and broad real estate search. The related searches listed all are real estate related to the initial search performed. Except for 1 single related search, which displays the company name of a competitor.

I've also seen this competitor do this on Bing & Yahoo, for another website they have, which does not rank for the search term, yet appears as a related search.

For example - go to Bing.com. Type in the search "ulster county real estate" - now look to the left at the related searches - See "Fitzgerald Real Estate" - that's the same competitor. Some how, he is able to reach these related searches. See screen shot.......

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[Ticket_King]

Google has so much user data, that it will sometimes post suggested sites that might be competitors of yours.  When someone enters my company name in Google, one of my local competitors comes up because people who have searched for my site (or my products,) could have also checked our their site, or the "algo" has enough historical data to know that you are looking for a product in a certain region, etc.  Did you use your competitor's name in a general search and see your company name come up in the suggested sites?  It can go both ways, depending on a number of factors.