HubSpot Guide to Direct and Indirect Competition

Understanding how HubSpot frames direct and indirect competition can transform the way you analyze rivals, position your brand, and protect your market share.

This guide walks through the core ideas from the original HubSpot article on competition and turns them into a practical, step‑by‑step process you can apply to your own business today.

What HubSpot Means by Direct Competition

In the original HubSpot overview of direct and indirect competition, direct competitors are companies that offer almost the same product or service to the same audience at similar price points.

They typically share:

• The same core problem they solve
• Similar features or services
• Overlapping target markets
• Comparable pricing tiers

Think of two similar software tools, two local gyms, or two coffee shops across the street from each other. Customers weigh them side by side because they see them as nearly interchangeable.

How HubSpot Frames Indirect Competition

HubSpot defines indirect competitors as businesses that solve the same underlying problem in a different way, or for a slightly different audience segment.

In practice, this looks like:

• Different product categories serving the same need
• Alternative solutions that change how people solve the problem
• DIY methods or substitutes that reduce demand for your offer

An example might be project management software versus a set of spreadsheets, or a home fitness app versus a traditional gym membership. They compete for the same time, budget, and attention with distinct approaches.

Step‑by‑Step: Apply the HubSpot Competition Framework

Use this simple process, inspired by the HubSpot article, to map your competitive landscape and make it actionable.

Step 1: Define the Core Problem and Audience

Before identifying rivals, clarify the problem you solve and for whom. HubSpot emphasizes starting with the customer and their pain points.

1. Write a one‑sentence description of the main problem your product or service addresses.

2. List your primary customer segments (for example, SMB marketers, enterprise IT teams, local consumers).

3. Note the key outcomes your customers want (such as more leads, fewer manual tasks, lower costs).

This clarity helps you distinguish between direct and indirect rivals later.

Step 2: List Your Obvious Direct Competitors

Next, use a HubSpot‑style filter to identify businesses that look most similar to you.

• Search for your main product or service keyword in Google
• Review marketplace or directory listings in your niche
• Ask new customers which alternatives they considered

For each potential rival, check:

• Do they solve the same primary problem?
• Do they target the same audience segments?
• Are their prices in a similar range?
• Are their features or services comparable?

If the answer is yes across these questions, you have a direct competitor according to the HubSpot framework.

Step 3: Identify Indirect Competitors and Substitutes

HubSpot also urges marketers to look beyond obvious look‑alike brands. Indirect competitors can quietly siphon off demand.

To find them, ask:

• What else could customers use instead of my solution?
• How do non‑buyers currently handle this problem?
• Are there emerging tools or methods changing buyer behavior?

Examples of indirect competition include:

• Different product categories that solve the same job
• Lower‑tech or manual alternatives
• Premium or budget options that attract specific segments

Document these options even if they feel less threatening. The HubSpot approach highlights that substitutes often shape pricing and positioning decisions.

How HubSpot Suggests Using Competitive Insights

Once you understand direct and indirect competition, you can follow a HubSpot‑inspired playbook to turn insight into strategic action.

Analyze Strengths and Weaknesses

For each main competitor, list what they do well and where they fall short.

• Strengths: Features, pricing, brand authority, distribution
• Weaknesses: Support gaps, missing integrations, complex UX, narrow features

Look for patterns where several direct rivals share the same weakness—that is often where you can build a compelling point of differentiation.

Position Your Offer More Clearly

The HubSpot model encourages you to position your brand relative to both types of competition.

Ask yourself:

• What can I offer that direct competitors cannot match easily?
• How do I make switching from indirect solutions feel simple and low‑risk?
• Which unique benefits can I emphasize in messaging and content?

Use this thinking to refine headlines, value propositions, and sales collateral so prospects instantly see why your solution stands out.

Guide Product and Service Roadmaps

HubSpot’s competitive lens is also useful for roadmap decisions. Comparing your features and experience to both direct and indirect competitors can show where investment matters most.

Consider:

• Which features matter most in head‑to‑head comparisons?
• Where are customers consistently choosing substitutes?
• Which improvements would make switching from an indirect solution compelling?

Prioritize enhancements that reduce friction versus your most common alternatives.

HubSpot‑Style Tips for Ongoing Competitor Monitoring

Competition is never static. Borrow this HubSpot‑inspired cadence to keep your analysis up to date.

Set a Regular Review Schedule

Create a simple calendar:

• Monthly: Scan direct competitors’ sites and pricing pages
• Quarterly: Reassess indirect competitors and substitutes
• Annually: Revisit your segment definitions and problem statement

This schedule keeps you current without overwhelming your team.

Track Content and SEO Moves

You can adopt a HubSpot‑like content mindset by watching how rivals show up in search.

• Note topics they publish on repeatedly
• Observe which formats they use (guides, templates, calculators)
• Track shifts in messaging or positioning

Use insights to refine your own SEO strategy and to spot content gaps you can fill more effectively.

Bring the HubSpot Framework Into Your Strategy

By applying the competition model popularized by HubSpot, you can build a sharper view of your market, communicate clearer value, and make smarter product and marketing bets.

To go deeper into search and content strategy built on solid competitive analysis, you can review specialist insights from agencies such as Consultevo, then adapt those methods to your own stack and workflows.

Blend this structured perspective on direct and indirect competitors with your knowledge of customers, and you will have a practical system for staying ahead in a changing market.