Taylor & Francis has partnered with the Charlesworth Group to integrate its manuscript submission workflow into WeChat, using the Charlesworth Gateway. Authors based in China submitting articles to over a thousand Taylor & Francis journals will now be able to access regular status updates on their submission, in Chinese via WeChat.
The Gateway is Charlesworth’s proprietary technology platform. It integrates with STM Publisher platforms and systems and can be connected to any WeChat account. The platform’s analytics service provides real-time data on the engagement of authors with the service and provides WeChat follower analytics.
WeChat has over 1.25 billion monthly active users, as well as a social platform it seamlessly offers ecommerce and payments, making it the most widely used social platform in the country. WeChat users expect to be able to engage with brands via the app and through enhancing the service offered via their WeChat account, Taylor & Francis can create a more engaging community hub for its China based author community.
“In today’s global market, authors understandably expect a seamless end-to-end submission experience, and we are working to constantly refine and develop this”, says Heather St Pierre, Director of Product Management, Taylor & Francis. “We’re delighted that by partnering with Charlesworth, we’re able to further enhance that experience by integrating the publishing process into the digital channels most aligned with how authors want to work.”
Michael Evans, Global CEO of The Charlesworth Group, comments, “Authors in China are used to engaging with brands which offer access to their services via WeChat. Through creating a great localised experience via WeChat for its authors, Taylor & Francis is positioning itself as a publishing brand which understands author needs in China, to further grow its already strong position in the market.”
