For Podcast Interview Guests
What to know about our recording
A page for podcast guests on The Social Academic with Jennifer van Alstyne.
This is a video and audio show that is broadcast live to YouTube. There is no editing. You’ll be on camera the whole time. For many guests, it has been either their 1st time on a podcast or 1st time going live. So please know that I’m here to support you and help our conversation feel comfortable for you.
At a glance
Podcast: The Social Academic
Host: Jennifer van Alstyne | Read bio
Recording platform: Restream
Format: Video + audio, broadcast live
Share live on: YouTube and Instagram while we record
Later shared on: Spotify and The Social Academic blog
LINKS
Here’s what to expect
After you accept your invitation to the show…
Book a time using the online calendar
Please check your invitation for the scheduling link. Choose a time that works for you. Can’t find a time that works for you? I’m based in San Diego, California (Pacific Timezone). Let’s find a day to record that works for both of us. Please email Jennifer@TheAcademicDesigner.com
Here’s what you’ll need when scheduling our time to record
- Name that you want to appear on the video
- Bio (in 3rd person)
- Photo of you for the episode thumbnail
- Confirm that you agree for the episode to be recorded and shared online
- Confirm whether you’d like to receive the questions in advance (I’ll email you with these at least 2 days before we record together)
When scheduling: choose a time, fill out the form, and hit the ‘Submit’ button at the end of the page. You’ll receive a confirmation email for our scheduled meeting time.
2 days before we record
A couple of days before our scheduled interview, I’ll email you with
- our Restream recording link
- questions for our interview if you’ve requested them
While organic questions do come up while we’re recording, I’ll create space for you to not answer. Please be open about it if you prefer not to talk about something.
Recording Day!
There’s no need to log in early. We don’t promote the live aspect of this video in advance to help people feel comfortable. And, because it’s recommended for digital safety to avoid trolling if sensitive topics arise. After attending a workshop on helping keep events safe, I put that practice into place.
We will have time to catch up and say hi before we hit ‘Record’ together. We will not be live when you login to Restream.
While we record it is also broadcast live to Instagram. But, Instagram has found the videos too long to stay. Folks enjoy catching it live though, so we’ll continue to do that in 2026. The episode will be shared on Spotify later in the same day we record.
There isn’t time for audience questions. But there is time for what you most want to share. If you have a final thought as we wrap up, please feel open to use that space.
The video typically takes 24 hours to process on YouTube. Because of that, I’ll start sharing our episode the day after we record. It’s typically disseminated on Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
Connect with Jennifer on social media @HigherEdPR and @JenVanAlstyne
The episode will later go up on The Social Academic blog with full transcript of the interview. I love this process because it makes our interview more accessible for people. We do a human review of all captions and transcripts so this process can take 1-2 months to complete. Once that’s up on The Social Academic blog, I’ll be sure to share it with you.
Note: Did I make a typo or error in your bio or the video description? I’m happy to fix it for you. Please reach out at Jennifer@TheAcademicDesigner.com
The Experience
When thinking about the podcast vibes? I hope it feels relaxed for you. I hope it feels lighter than expected. Like it fits into your day.
I want you to know that there is space for you to consider your answer. You can take time after I ask a question to consider how you respond. Conversations in real life have pauses, and tangents too! This is an organic interview, non-scripted, non formal.
Target duration in 2026: 25 min (no more than 30 min)
As an expert with so much lived experience, I know that you might want to give as much value as possible 🙂 And I appreciate that! What I’ve found to be most effective for the listeners is when sharing your answers, keeping it to ~3 minutes max so that I can ask a follow up question. This way, we can have a “back and forth momentum” that makes it an even more engaging experience for the listeners.
Feeling sick? Did something come up? I’m happy for us to find a new time when life happens. When you know in advance, please use the Reschedule link in your confirmation email. If you need to cancel the day of, I understand. Please email Jennifer@TheAcademicDesigner.com and we can find a new time to record together at your convenience.
The Tech: Restream
We use Restream to record and broadcast our interview. Here’s their guide on what to expect as a guest.
Wanna check out the features / what it will look like once you’re in the studio? Check out this Restream guide on what you can do as a guest.
Tips to make this a great interview
- Use headphones and a microphone
- Lighting
- Quiet space, time of day
- Bring a glass of water or drink of choice
First time podcast guest? You may find this episode helpful for you.
Sharing the episode
I’ll be sharing our episode on social media, in the newsletter, and as resources for folks. I hope you’re open to sharing your episode too.
I’ll be sure to tag you in mentions of our episode. Thank you for sharing your social media links (if any) in your form when scheduling our recording time. Sometimes these feel relevant even years later, so I may be tagging you 3 years from now too lol. I’d so appreciate if you’d repost, comment on, or share our episode when I post about it 🫶
Please also share the episode yourself if you’re open to it. You can share it with your academic community and department. I’d also love it if you’re open to sharing our conversation with family and friends.
What’s the best link to share? Oftentimes you’ll find me sharing both the Spotify and YouTube links on social media. It helps people get to the platform they watch on. Once the blog post version is up, I’ll share that because it includes both links for people!
Other ways to share our episode: Add our episode to the Media section of your website and CV. You might start a playlist for videos or appearances on Spotify or YouTube.
Can I tag you, Jennifer, when sharing the post? Yes! I would love that. I’m on social media @HigherEdPR and @JenVanAlstyne. There’s also a LinkedIn page for The Academic Designer LLC. Let’s get connected!
Are there graphics to help share the episode? Yes. I’ll share the graphic design I created for the YouTube thumbnail with you by email after we record. Please feel open to share that with folks and on social media. Some guests like to include the podcast logo on their website too or to use it in a graphic design of the episode for social media. Here’s a few versions of the podcast logo for you:
Want to appear on the show?
Are you interested in guesting on a future episode of The Social Academic podcast? Fun. I’d love to hear from you. Let’s connect about a potential episode in the future.
- Do you have an idea in mind for our conversation? Please share it in the email or message.
- Think you’d be a great fit (but aren’t sure what we should focus on)? Let’s connect and explore together.
Email Jennifer@TheAcademicDesigner.com
Or, reach out via message on social media @HigherEdPR / @JenVanAlstyne