The connection between media consumption and active outdoor lifestyles might seem contradictory at first glance. After all, how does scrolling through content on a screen inspire someone to put that device down and head outside? This apparent paradox is exactly what Outside Inc. is addressing with its innovative approach to outdoor media and lifestyle content.
In a recent episode of The Future of Fitness podcast, I spoke with Heather Dietrick, Chief Media Officer at Outside Inc., about how the company is transforming from a traditional publisher to a comprehensive active lifestyle platform. A fascinating conversation emerged about the future of media, outdoor recreation, and the growing intersection between technology and active living.
Beyond the Magazine: Outside Inc.'s Evolving Media Empire
Most people know Outside Magazine, the iconic publication that has inspired outdoor enthusiasts for decades. However, Outside Inc. has evolved into something much more comprehensive. The company now encompasses a diverse portfolio of beloved outdoor media brands, including Ski, Backpacker, and Warren Miller films, alongside powerful utility applications like Trail Forks, Gaia GPS, and the recently reacquired Map My Fitness collection of apps.
"Outside is a collection of media brands, longstanding beloved media brands in the outdoor world, like Outside Magazine, Ski, Backpacker, etc., and a collection of utilities - Trail Forks, Gaia, GPS mapping apps," explains Dietrick. "Together it is, or we are building, the number one active lifestyle platform."
This strategic combination of content and utility tools serves a user base of over 100 million registered users, with nearly one million paying subscribers. The scale alone makes Outside Inc. a significant player in both the media and active lifestyle spaces.
The "Inspire, Activate, Celebrate" Approach
What makes Outside Inc.'s strategy particularly innovative is its three-pronged approach to engagement, which Dietrick describes as "Inspire, Activate, Celebrate."
Inspire
The content side of the business focuses on inspiring people to get outdoors through compelling storytelling, educational resources, and breathtaking visuals. This ranges from traditional magazine articles to streaming video content across their multiple brands.
Activate
The utility side of the business provides practical tools to help people plan and execute their outdoor adventures. GPS mapping applications, trail guides, fitness tracking, and even race registration capabilities give users everything they need to transform inspiration into action.
Celebrate
User-generated content and community features allow people to share their experiences, accomplishments, and photos, creating a virtuous cycle of engagement. "When you go out and do something, you can celebrate it," notes Dietrick. "We provide UGC tools so you can post your photos, you climbing a mountain, your routes, et cetera."
This integrated approach creates what Dietrick describes as a "flywheel" - a self-reinforcing ecosystem where each component strengthens the others.
Beyond Social Media: Building a Sustainable Media Business
In today's uncertain media landscape, where publications increasingly depend on social media platforms for traffic and engagement, Outside Inc. is charting a different course. Their model reduces dependency on third-party platforms by creating their own ecosystem of engagement.
"Building a platform like this that really amps up engagement, has people wanting to engage and click and scroll and post their own content, really builds a moat around a media platform company that lets you be your own source of audience," Dietrick explains. "It lets you start generating that flywheel and not just relying on someone passively stumbling into your post on Facebook and clicking through."
This strategy mirrors the approach of other successful media companies like The New York Times, which has expanded beyond pure content into utilities like games (Wordle), cooking applications, and other engagement tools that provide clear value to users.
Outdoor Recreation vs. Traditional Fitness: The Advantage of Immediate Gratification
One particularly intriguing insight from our conversation was the contrast between outdoor recreation and traditional gym-based fitness. While gym workouts often involve discomfort and delayed gratification, outdoor activities can provide immediate rewards.
"You can go on a hike to a lake and immediately be rewarded with that feeling," I noted during our conversation. Dietrick agreed: "That's exactly right."
This immediate positive reinforcement represents a significant advantage for outdoor activities when it comes to behavior change and habit formation. In an era where many struggle to maintain consistent fitness routines, the inherent joy and immediate gratification of outdoor experiences could be a powerful motivational tool.
The Post-Pandemic Outdoor Boom
The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed many people's relationship with the outdoors. As Dietrick explains, "You certainly saw some spike during the pandemic of people getting more of a taste of the outdoors than many people had in a long time. Just because things shut down and everyone's cooped up, you could feel people understanding that personal value of getting outside and into open space."
This renewed appreciation for outdoor experiences appears to have created lasting behavioral changes. Even as people have returned to offices and urban centers, the "excellent dopamine hit of the outdoors has lingered," as Dietrick puts it.
This trend is visible across multiple sectors, from the proliferation of hotels near national parks to changing patterns in younger generations who are drinking less and focusing more on wellness and self-care.
GLP-1 Medications and Outdoor Participation
Another fascinating topic we explored was the potential impact of GLP-1 medications (like Ozempic) on outdoor recreation. As these medications help people lose weight, they may simultaneously remove physical barriers to outdoor participation.
"Every 10 pounds you lose or whatever it is, you are so much more likely to want to get outside and do something," Dietrick notes. "This opens up like a vast audience to us, like a vast addressable audience. Just because when people lose weight, they're definitely more likely to tie their sneakers and get out there."
While it's still too early to measure this effect directly, the potential for these medications to transform participation in outdoor activities represents a significant opportunity for companies like Outside Inc. and the broader outdoor industry.
Technology Focus and Future Growth
Looking ahead, Outside Inc. is heavily investing in their technological infrastructure to better integrate their diverse properties and enhance the user experience. "All of these properties have been acquired and plugged in on the backend, which is amazing. So you have a single sign-on through our O+ subscription if you have the top-level subscription," Dietrick explains.
However, there's still considerable work to be done on the platform side. "There's just a lot to be built," she acknowledges. "That means we are leaning heavily on data analytics, engineering, product, all of that."
This technology focus speaks to the company's ambition to create a seamless experience that serves outdoor enthusiasts at every stage of their journey - from initial inspiration to planning, execution, and celebration.
Lessons for Fitness Professionals
For fitness professionals and businesses, Outside Inc.'s approach offers several valuable lessons:
Integrate content with utility: Providing both inspirational content and practical tools creates a more complete user experience.
Build community features: Enabling users to share experiences and celebrate achievements fosters deeper engagement.
Leverage immediate gratification: Highlighting the immediate emotional rewards of activities can help overcome motivation barriers.
Think beyond facility walls: Consider how outdoor experiences can complement traditional fitness offerings.
Use data to personalize experiences: First-party data enables more relevant recommendations and a better user experience.
As the fitness industry continues to evolve, the integration of outdoor recreation, digital tools, and community engagement represents a significant opportunity for innovation and growth.
Conclusion
Outside Inc.'s transformation from traditional publisher to comprehensive active lifestyle platform demonstrates how media companies can adapt and thrive in today's challenging environment. By combining compelling content with useful tools and community features, they've created an ecosystem that not only sustains their business but also effectively fulfills their mission of getting more people outside.
As Dietrick summarizes their approach: "We want you to spend a little time on that screen, but ultimately we want you to put it down and get outside." It's a mission that balances business goals with genuine positive impact - something all companies in the wellness space should aspire to achieve.
To hear the full conversation with Heather Dietrick, check out the latest episode of The Future of Fitness podcast, available on all major podcast platforms.