When it comes to mobile, the key to driving interaction and purchase behavior for retailers lies in mobile-first messaging strategies that can adapt to consumers’ dynamic preferences in a way that is timely, personalised and always relevant.

That is the key conclusion of OtherLevels’ 2015 Retail Mobile Messaging Study, based on analysis of data from the firm’s global retail and loyalty clients’ messaging campaigns from late 2014 and early 2015. The report also includes data from third-party providers charting growth of mobile marketing and mobile commerce within the retail sector.

The report found that well-crafted, well-timed messaging sent to app users increased engagement by up to 22 per cent and boosted lift by up to 28 per cent, while relevant content can create a 19 per cent increase in users’ views and clicks (which some might find a tad obvious).

It also notes the power of messaging to re-engage users with a retailer’s app, identifying an increase in usage of app of between 8.5 per cent and 19 per cent among those who received messages in the last 14 days. This rises to an increase of between 8.2 per cent and 25.3 per cent among those who received messages in the last seven days, and rises again to between 1.4 per cent and 28 per cent among consumers who received messages in the last two days.

Retargeting increases open rates and responses, the report also concludes, citing an example where a second message, sent to app users who had not opened the first message sent a couple of days earlier, boosted response rates by between 36 per cent and 66 per cent.

The report concludes that retailers and brands around the world are already succeeding at and benefitting from mobile marketing initiatives and strategies that meet the realities of today’s marketplace, testing, refining and succeeding with savvy mobile marketing campaigns.

The full report is available for download here.