Why do singular terms I don't target rank so high - but not the plural?

[np2003]

Not sure why this occurs but when I get links on other sites, I always use the anchor link "widgets". However when I check Google rankings, we always rank extremely high for just "widget" without the (s). Despite all our link development having "widgets" in the anchor text link.

Does anyone know why this occurs and how I can make it so that "widgets" ranks high and not "widget". I am dumbfounded as to why the link without the (s) ranks so high and we don't even target those links.

Thank you!

[tedster]

This can happen especially when you are targeting the more common - and therefore the more competitive - of the two searches. Are you getting some long tail traffic for phrases that use the plural form?

[np2003]

Yes, I guest that's probably why. I am getting some traffic from the plural form. I initially thought Google just wanted to mess with me by ranking up terms that I didn't SEO for..... :|

Does anyone know if this type of SEO still works, for example, you are targeting the term "widgetkeyword" but for the anchor link you use:

examples:
CompanyName widgetkeyword
ABC Web Cameras

Would Google give some SEO credit to widgetkeyword, even though the anchor link has the company name within it or would this just be a lost cause exercise?