If the idea of “putting yourself out there” online makes you uncomfortable, you’re not alone.
A lot of smart, experienced professionals hesitate to create content because they associate it with self-promotion, hot takes, or performance. It can feel awkward to talk about what you know especially if you’ve spent your career letting your work speak for itself.
Here’s the truth, though:
You don’t need to be an influencer to share your expertise.
You just need clarity and intention.
The most effective content doesn’t come from trying to impress people. It comes from explaining things clearly in a way that’s genuinely useful.
Why Sharing Expertise Feels So Awkward
Most people struggle with this because they’re asking the wrong question.
They ask:
“What should I post?”
A better question is:
“What do people already come to me for?”
When content feels cringey, it’s usually because the focus is on how we look, not how we help. Once you shift that mindset, content creation becomes a lot simpler and a lot more natural.
Your Expertise Is Hiding in Plain Sight
You probably already have more content ideas than you realize.
Start here:
- What do people regularly ask you for help with?
- What do you find yourself explaining over and over at work?
- What skills did you have to learn the hard way?
- What mistakes do you see people make all the time?
If something feels “obvious” to you, that’s usually a sign it’s valuable. Expertise often becomes invisible to the person who has it.
A Simple Framework to Turn Expertise Into Content
You don’t need a complicated strategy to get started. Use this simple structure:
- Name the problem
What’s the thing you see people struggle with? - Add context
Why does this matter? What are people misunderstanding? - Share what works
Based on experience—not theory or trends.
That’s it. No performance required.
For example, instead of trying to sound impressive, you might say:
“Here’s a mistake I see people make all the time and what actually works instead.”
That’s not bragging. That’s teaching.
Expertise Isn’t Showing Off: It’s Explaining
This is the mindset shift that changes everything:
Expertise is not about proving how much you know.
It’s about making things clearer for someone else.
You don’t need viral hooks.
You don’t need flashy edits.
You don’t need to share every detail of your life.
What you do need is:
- Clear thinking
- A real point of view
- A willingness to be helpful
When you approach content as service, not self-promotion, it stops feeling awkward and starts feeling useful.
Start Small and Stay Consistent
You don’t need to post every day or reinvent yourself online.
One clear post a week that explains:
- a concept,
- a process,
- or a lesson learned
is more powerful than chasing reach or trends.
Consistency builds trust.
Clarity builds credibility.
And over time, that’s what turns your expertise into opportunity.
Final Thought
If you’ve been holding back because you’re worried about sounding cringey, consider this your permission slip.
You don’t need to perform.
You don’t need to overshare.
You just need to explain what you already know—clearly and honestly.
That’s more than enough.
If this was helpful, you can find more practical, low-noise content strategy over on the Sonia Says Instagram.
Sonia Says: Social Media Coach, Marketing Consultant 
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