In conversation with Jas Krdzalic, CEO of BodyBuilding.com
‘Our content helps people not quit early on in their fitness journey’: BodyBuilding.com CEO
“The more time BodyBuilding.com spends on educating the consumer, the better industry is going to get over time, because an educated consumer is the best consumer,” said Krdzalic, who took over the reins at the online retail giant in early 2017.
While the name ‘BodyBuilding.com’ elicits an immediate perception for consumers, Krdzalic notes that 90% of the company’s customer base does not compete in any bodybuilding events. “As a matter of fact, our customer base is anyone embarking on a fitness journey of any kind,” he said.
“Bodybuilding.com – the name – on one hand is a blessing because you have an immediate recognition of what you are associated with. It has to be something to do with fitness and bodybuilding, and there’s probably weight lifting involved. On the other hand it can be a challenge because somebody may think they don’t want to be a bodybuilder so why would they visit BodyBuilding.com,” said Krdzalic.
“In today’s e-commerce and digital media world, [a consumer’s journey] probably starts with her typing into Google, ‘How do I lose weight?’ Our publishing team has created so many articles and videos – a ton of content – she’ll probably land on BodyBuilding.com anyway.
“The first thing somebody wants to know is, ‘Where do I start?’ And the start is really about educating yourself about what it is you’re about to do. The worst thing we can say is, ‘Go deadlift and eat well’.
“Where content is very helpful is educating them [consumers] about where they are on their journey, what requirements are sitting in front of them, and then guiding them down the path of what supplements are useful and will accelerate their targets and goals.
“They will learn through the content on BodyBuilding.com that it’s not as simple as wake up one day, go to the gym and do what someone who is far along on their fitness journey is doing. They’ll get hurt, it will be too hard, and they’ll quit. Through our content we help people not quit early on in their journey,” said Krdzalic
Customizing the fitness journey
When asked about whether a consumer new to fitness would be scared off by some of the more ‘aggressive’ names of sports nutrition products and the potentially intimidating images used, Krdzalic notes that this is where customization plays an important role.
“If you look at someone who’s an advanced supplement consumer or an advanced bodybuilder, they are not going to be intimidated by the words or the ingredients or the look and feel of a certain product. They’re probably going to be seeking that product out,” he said. “But if someone is coming in early on [in their fitness journey], and we are customizing their journey for them, then they’re not even going to see that product as an option for them. What we should be doing for our customer base is leading them down the right path.”
To watch Parts 1 and 2 of this interview, please click the links below:
