How to find your trusted messengers
Written by emily swartzlander
Report after report shows that trust in most institutions has been trending downward for years. That trend is likely to continue, as Millennials and Gen Zers are less likely than older generations to trust institutions.
This means they’re less likely to donate. To volunteer. To join your organization. To advocate.
That’s why in times of mistrust, it’s time to call in the reinforcements and boost your trusted messenger game.
Messengers are the people who influence your target audiences. They can support your work in a variety of ways – from sharing your posts on social media, to posting about your programs on their neighborhood listservs to sponsoring your programs.
Trusted messengers are people, or groups of people, your audiences are most likely to listen to.
the don’t list: who do we trust the least?
Three groups stand out as the least trusted:
The federal government. According to the Pew Research Institute, public trust in the federal government has reached near historical lows, regardless of political party. And 85 percent of Americans say they don’t think elected officials care what they (or people like them) think.
The national news media. Trust in the mainstream news media is also low – though there’s a big partisan divide here. While just over half of Democrats (54 percent) say they trust the mass media to report the news “fairly and accurately,” only 12 percent of Republicans say the same.
Big business. According to a 2025 report on trust worldwide, 68 percent of people say business leaders “purposely mislead people by saying things they know are false or gross exaggerations.”
the do list: who do we trust the most?
On the other hand, scientists and local and state community leaders remain trusted sources of information for most people in America.
Small business leaders. Nearly 9 in 10 Americans say small businesses have a positive impact on the country.
Local and state government leaders. Unlike the federal government, a majority of American adults trust leaders in their local government (67 percent) and state government (55 percent) to handle problems.
Scientists and medical professionals. While trust has fallen a bit for scientists, the majority of Americans (76 percent) still believe scientists act in the public’s best interest. Medical professionals (especially nurses) are also highly trusted.
Elementary school teachers. School districts and organizations that work with children and families will be happy to know that elementary school teachers rank as the second most trusted profession behind nurses.
finding your trusted messengers.
When determining a trusted messenger for your audience, here are five tips to remember:
Know your audience. Remember, the categories above are generalizations. The data on who people trust changes depending on a number of factors, including income, education level, race and political party.
Understand the context. You can’t find a trusted messenger without knowing the history and cultural context behind people’s mistrust.
For example, nearly half of LGBTQIA+ employees report experiencing harassment at work. This makes them less likely to trust big businesses that say they celebrate Pride, but erase workplace protections for queer people.
In another example, indigenous people, who have a collective history of being medically abused, are less likely to trust doctors. It’s up to you to intentionally understand why your audiences don’t trust certain groups of people.
Community matters. People are way more likely to trust people who look like them, live near them or speak the same language they speak. Americans consistently rank friends, family and neighbors among their most trusted advisers.
Local news matters. While trust is declining for national news outlets, 85 percent of adults say local news is at least somewhat important in their community.
Think outside the box. Sometimes you’ve got to think outside the box to find new community connections. You may already be engaging local pediatricians for your work, but have you thought about pharmacists?
Finding and engaging trusted messengers is a sure fire way to make sure your audiences really hear your core messaging and take the actions you want them to take. Together, we’ll build trust in your work – and better futures for children and families!
P.S. If you need help with your audience research or core messaging, let us know!
