How to Vet Loud People on the Internet: Spotting Substance vs. Hype

We’ve all seen them. The loud, charismatic voices who dominate our feeds—dropping buzzwords, flexing flashy videos, and positioning themselves as the ultimate experts in their field. They seem to be everywhere, rubbing elbows with influencers, making bold claims about their success, and promising game-changing results.

But when you dig deeper? There’s nothing under the hood.

This is the Wizard of Oz scenario—big, bright lights, a booming voice, and well-positioned marketing… but behind the curtain? Just smoke and mirrors.

So how do you separate real expertise from empty hype? Before you let someone into your trusted space—or worse, pay them for a product or service—here’s how to vet them effectively.

Don’t Fall for the Loudest Voice—Look for Substance

The ability to be seen does not equal actual expertise. Many people are brilliant at marketing themselves, but their success is based on perception, not results.

Before you get sucked in, ask yourself:
✅ Do they share real insights and knowledge, or just vague motivational fluff?
✅ Do they have specific, tangible results to back up their claims?
✅ Are they teaching you something valuable for free, or just constantly selling?

Action Tip: Instead of getting caught up in their charisma, look at what they’re actually saying. Real experts provide insights, case studies, and proof of work—not just hype.

Ask for Referrals & Recommendations

Want to know if someone is legit? Talk to the people they’ve actually worked with.

A credible expert will have:
✔️ Past clients willing to vouch for them
✔️ Real testimonials from reputable sources (not just vague first names and stock photos)
✔️ A portfolio of work they can showcase

🚩 Red Flag: If they dodge requests for client referrals, claim “all my clients are under NDA,” or give you a long-winded excuse, they probably don’t have real results to show.

Action Tip: Ask for direct introductions to past clients or businesses they’ve helped. If no one will vouch for them, take that as a major warning sign.

Dig Into Their Track Record

The internet makes it easy to fake credibility—but a real expert has receipts.

Before trusting someone, research:
🔎 Their work history – Are they consistent in their field or have they jumped industries every six months?
🔎 Press & features – Have they been featured in credible publications or just self-published blogs?
🔎 Social proof – Do respected professionals engage with them, or is their following built on vanity metrics?

🚩 Red Flag: If their biggest selling point is how many followers they have, but they can’t show a history of actual work, proceed with caution.

Action Tip: Do a Google deep dive—check their LinkedIn, old projects, media mentions, and company history. See if their story aligns with reality.

Ask Who’s Actually Doing the Work

Many “experts” are just faces of a brand, selling their personality while outsourcing the actual work to inexperienced freelancers or underpaid team members.

Before hiring someone, ask:
❓ Who on your team will be working on my project?
❓ Can I meet or speak to the person actually doing the work?
❓ What is your direct role in the process?

🚩 Red Flag: If they get defensive, vague, or insist “you’re working with me” but later pass you off to a random team member, you’re dealing with a middleman, not an expert.

Action Tip: Request to speak to the actual team members handling your project. If they refuse, that’s a major red flag.

Look for Depth, Not Just Presence

Social media makes it easy to look like an authority—all you need is:
📸 Professionally staged photos
📹 High-energy videos
✍️ Generic “expert advice” posts

But looking the part doesn’t mean they can actually deliver.

Instead of being impressed by their visibility, check:
✅ Do they offer deep, well-thought-out insights, or just recycled ideas?
✅ Do they have long-form content (blogs, podcasts, books) that shows deep expertise?
✅ Do real professionals respect them, or are they mostly engaging with casual followers?

🚩 Red Flag: If their content is highly produced but lacks substance, they may be more performance than practitioner.

Action Tip: Look for long-form, detailed content that proves they truly understand their field. Anyone can shoot a 60-second hype video—but can they actually break down complex topics?

Watch How They Handle Criticism or Tough Questions

Real experts welcome intelligent discussion and challenges—because they have real knowledge to back up their claims.

🚩 Red Flags:
❌ Do they get defensive or dismissive when asked hard questions?
❌ Do they attack critics instead of providing thoughtful responses?
❌ Do they only engage with people who praise them and ignore dissenting voices?

Action Tip: Pay attention to how they respond when someone challenges their expertise. If they can’t handle it with grace, facts, and logic, that’s a major warning sign.

Trust Your Gut & Look for Consistency

🚨 Biggest Rule: If it feels off, it probably is.

The best way to avoid falling for fake internet experts? Take your time and observe.

✔️ Do they show consistency in their messaging and work history?
✔️ Do they actually engage with and support their audience, or just push sales?
✔️ Do they have reputable people vouching for them over time?

🚩 Red Flag: If something feels overly polished, too good to be true, or just doesn’t sit right—trust that instinct.

Action Tip: Follow them for a while before making a decision. Look for patterns, consistency, and depth—not just loud marketing.

Stop Falling for Internet Snake Oil

In a world where visibility is often mistaken for credibility, it’s more important than ever to vet people before trusting them with your time, money, or business.

🔹 Just because someone is loud and everywhere, doesn’t mean they’re good.
🔹 Charisma is not the same as competence.
🔹 Real experts have results, not just followers.
🔹 You owe it to yourself and your business to dig deeper before believing the hype.

Before you hire, invest, or trust someone, do your homework. The right people will stand up to scrutiny—because they have nothing to hide.