Leaving Academia: Becoming a Freelance Editor22 Mai 2025

The Academic Website Mistakes You Don't Know You're Making (and How to Fix Them)

Are you an academic editor or coach struggling to show up online without feeling salesy? You're not alone — and today's guest has the solution.

Jennifer van Alstyne, founder of The Academic Designer, helps faculty and researchers around the world craft powerful online presences — from strategic websites to clear social media marketing.

In this episode, Jennifer explains how she turned an unexpected opportunity in grad school into a thriving business, why most academics are making their bios WAY too boring, and how a well-crafted website can actually free up your time while attracting the right people.

Whether you're building your editing or coaching business, or simply want to stop hiding online, this conversation is packed with actionable insights.

We cover:

👉 The #1 place to start if you're building your own website

👉 What most faculty websites are missing (and how to fix it)

👉 The shift from chasing engagement to creating deep connections

👉 Why visibility doesn’t mean selling out — and how to post with purpose

👉 How to think about testimonials, even if you're new to business

If you’ve been thinking about starting an editing or coaching business — or already have one and want to grow — this episode will give you mindset and strategy tools to move forward.

📌 Connect with Jennifer:

Website: TheAcademicDesigner.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifervanalstyne/

YouTube: https://youtube.com/jennifervanalstyne

Socials: @HigherEdPR / @JenVanAlstyne

Resources:

🔧 Mentioned tool: Owlstown.com – free academic website builder

🔧 AI Tool Mentioned: Minvo.pro – for podcast clip editing

Want to end burnout and become an academic editor or coach? Go to AcadiaEditing.com/BecomeAnEditor

0:00 - Welcome & Introduction to Jennifer Van Alstyne

0:20 - Understanding Online Presence for Academics

1:06 - Jennifer's Academic Background & Business Journey

2:48 - How to Build a Strong Website

6:34 - Why Academics Struggle with Self-Promotion

12:44 - Navigating Social Media for Client Engagement

13:31 - The Importance of Deep Engagement Over Likes

15:07 - Shifting to Inbound Marketing Strategies

19:04 - What Clients Typically Seek from Jennifer

20:55 - The Range of Services Offered for Different Budgets

26:58 - Maximizing Website Functionality for Academics

29:15 - Crafting a Compelling Bio for Your Website

30:37 - The Dynamic Nature of Your Website Content

33:26 - Creating Clear Calls to Action on Your Website

34:56 - Adapting Your Website as Your Business Evolves

39:13 - The Value of Testimonials and Client Feedback

41:19 - Overcoming Content Creation Challenges

44:12 - Repurposing Existing Content Effectively

47:39 - Final Thoughts & How to Contact Jennifer

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(91)

Group Coaching or 1:1? How to Choose the Right Path Out of Academia

You know you're ready to leave academia. What you don't know is whether you need a program with a syllabus and a group cohort, or one person in your corner helping you move at your own speed.Here's th...

2 Jul 53min

$10k Months as an Editor? The Exact Homepage Structure I Used to Hit This Major Revenue Goal

Your website is losing you clients before they even scroll down.If your editing or coaching website leads with your credentials, your degree, your publications—you're doing it backwards. And it's prob...

25 Jun 1h 3min

"I Can't Leave, I Need the Insurance": How to Leave Academia and Freelance With a Chronic Illness

Is the fear of losing your health insurance keeping you trapped in academia? This worry keeps a lot of chronically ill academics stuck in jobs that are making them sicker—and the premise is worth ques...

18 Jun 46min

7 Clients in 12 Weeks: How Annie Left a 20-Year Teaching Career and Launched Her Editing Business

You've been doing everything right—teaching, advising, serving on committees, even organizing a union—and still hitting a wall.Annie Brubaker did all of that for 20 years, watched her salary get froze...

4 Jun 58min

The AI Editing Backlash Nobody's Talking About (And Why It's Good News for You)

You're worried AI is going to kill academic editing and coaching. Here's what's actually happening—and why it might be the best news you've heard all year.If you've asked yourself, "Should I even both...

28 Mai 46min

The 1 Thing Killing Your Academic Business Before You Even Start

You spent months preparing to launch your editing or coaching business, and you still haven't started.Or maybe you launched, got crickets, and shelved the whole idea. Here's the truth: it's not your i...

21 Mai 45min

The Academic Skills You're Giving Away for Free (and What They're Actually Worth)

⏱️ Stop doing this academic work for free.Every Tuesday, you wake up, drink your coffee, read a dissertation chapter, meet with a struggling grad student, teach a seminar, peer review an article, and ...

14 Mai 45min

The Identity Shift Every Academic Needs Before Becoming a Paid Editor or Coach

Does selling your editing or coaching services make you feel gross, salesy, or like a fraud?You're not alone, and there's a reason behind that discomfort, but it has nothing to do with selling itself....

7 Mai 44min