The Death of Expertise? Navigating Communications in an Anti-Expert Era
For years, my career as a journalist hinged on a fundamental principle: when in doubt, call an expert. Heck, even when I knew, I still called an expert just to verify.
Any given day, I was calling or texting dozens of credible professionals for news stories. Covering complex issues — whether it was healthcare policy, economic trends or even environmental concerns — meant reaching out to trusted sources who could provide clarity, context and credibility.
I didn’t just ask questions. I asked the right people the right questions. I won awards for journalistic excellence because of it.
Scientists, academics, government officials and industry specialists weren’t just good sources. They were necessary sources. A reporter’s job isn’t to be the expert. It’s to connect the public with those who are.
Something changed.
I watched as public trust in experts — doctors, researchers, educators, policymakers — began to erode. (In my opinion, this happened because of politics and the systematic dumbing down of society, but that’s a conversation for a later day.)
This has caused a dramatic shift in how professional communicators must navigate this anti-expert era. Not just in journalism – but also in public relations, digital marketing, nonprofit fundraising and more.
Understanding the Anti-Expert Era: A Struggle for Professional Communicators Against Public Perception
Of course, all this didn’t happen overnight. By the time the COVID-19 pandemic hit, growing hints of skepticism toward experts had evolved into an internet cold war. The fight at hand? “What’s the truth?”
Public health officials were dismissed as fearmongers. Seasoned epidemiologists were placed on the same playing field as Facebook commenters who passed along “YouTube wisdom.” Entire institutions — agencies with decades or even centuries of experience and mountains of research — were brushed aside as “corrupt,” “agenda-driven” or “elitist.”
I’ve lost longtime friends who think I’m “elitist” for bringing up facts from my own areas of professional expertise. They know me personally and dismiss me as if I had somehow been “bought.” (My bank accounts must not have gotten that memo.)
Nonetheless, comms professionals today are at a crossroads. If the old playbook was about amplifying expert voices, the new playbook requires something radically different: redefining expertise itself and finding new ways to earn trust.
The Rise of Anti-Expert Sentiment
We live in an era where emotions often trump facts. That’s not hyperbole. It’s a data-backed reality. Trust in institutions — including government, academia, public health and mainstream media — is at historic lows, according to recent Pew Research. More Americans are getting their information from social media influencers than from credentialed professionals.
This isn’t just about politics. It’s about perception.
There’s a growing sense among large portions of the population that experts are out of touch. People believe experts and people in power don’t understand the struggles of “everyday people.” Let’s be frank, many of them don’t. A medical researcher studying rural healthcare trends might have the data, but they don’t live in a rural community. A candidate for Congress with strong credentials in economic policy couldn’t grasp stretching a paycheck when the bills are passed due as he drives his Aston Martin.
Understandable.
The perception isn’t just that experts are wrong. It’s that they don’t care.
That’s why traditional communication strategies are falling flat. People don’t want to be lectured. They don’t want statistics thrown at them like darts. And they certainly don’t want to be told what to do by people who don’t understand them.
Rebuilding Trust: A New Approach to Communication in a Post-Truth World
So what does this mean for professional communicators? If citing experts no longer carries the same weight it once did, how do we get people to listen?
We have to adapt. Here’s how:
1. Elevate the Right Messengers
The hard truth is that a PhD behind someone’s name no longer guarantees credibility with the public. But you know who still has influence? Local leaders, faith-based communities and social influencers whom people already trust.
For example, during COVID-19 vaccine rollouts, many communities were resistant to health experts that they felt were essentially forcing them to get it. Worse, many felt they would be considered “sheep” or “easily manipulated.” That’s brainless to many of us, but remember: reality doesn’t matter because so many have simply tuned it out. Yet, as professional communicators, we’re still tasked with reaching the masses somehow.
But when celebrities, pastors, community leaders or even local barbershops started talking about the benefits, the message landed differently. It’s not enough to have the right information. We need the right people delivering it, or at least being the face of it.
2. Stop Telling, Start Listening
One of the biggest mistakes communicators make today is talking more than listening.
If someone believes vaccines are dangerous or climate change is a hoax, throwing a pile of research papers at them isn’t going to change their mind. But asking why they feel the way they do? Engaging in meaningful dialogue instead of debating? That builds trust.
Instead of shutting down skepticism or throwing facts at people, professional communicators must engage with them and help them feel heard.
3. Frame Messaging Around Personal Impact
People don’t always care about the big picture — they care about how issues affect them personally. The most altruistic among us find this belief system to be stupid and even crazy. Of course we care about flooding in North Carolina or the federal government cutting funding to daycare programs. But so many people just don’t care if it isn’t happening directly to them.
Want parents to vaccinate their kids? Don’t talk about herd immunity. Instead, explain how an unvaccinated child missing school could mean parents missing work — and lost wages.
Trying to raise awareness about climate change? Forget broad statistics about rising sea levels. Instead, talk about the increase in hurricanes that are destroying homes and skyrocketing insurance premiums.
The key is shifting from abstract arguments to concrete, personal stakes.
4. Rebrand Expertise as Empowerment
One of the biggest hurdles we face is the belief that experts are trying to control people rather than empower them. This is another problem with perception.
Instead of “experts say you should do this,” the framing should be: “Here’s what the data says — here’s what people in your community are doing — what do you think is best for your family?”
Make it about giving people the tools to make informed choices, not dictating their decisions.
The Future of Professional Communications in a World of Anti-Expert Sentiment
The old ways of public relations — issuing press releases, quoting experts, expecting people to listen — aren’t working like they used to. We’re in a new reality, one where distrust runs deep and emotions often outweigh logic.
But let’s reframe our own perspective as professional communicators. This isn’t just a challenge. It’s an opportunity. This is a moment to rethink our approach. To rebuild bridges instead of burning them. To engage instead of dismiss. To empower instead of dictate.
The death of expertise? No.
But expertise, as we once knew it, has changed. And if we don’t adapt, we’ll find ourselves talking to an audience that stopped listening a long time ago.
Contact me at ke****@gr**************.org.
President and Founder, Grand River Agency
With over 19 years of diverse experience in print journalism, digital media marketing, and nonprofit administration, Kelsey Boudin founded Grand River Agency (formerly Southern Tier Communications Strategies) in 2020. The agency specializes in offering contract-based strategic communications, content marketing, grant proposals, website design, and public relations services to small businesses and nonprofits. Kelsey’s career spans roles as an editor, content creator, and grant writer, reflecting his expertise in leading successful digital marketing campaigns, securing funding, and executing various projects.
