Social networking has become a platform for real-time communication between customers and businesses, but it seems only Pinterest is twice as likely to get sales for retailers, or so says recent analysis from SteelHouse.

Facebook and Twitter are good for promoting specials, but Pinterest’s platform of “pinning” ideas or products is superior to a standard view on Facebook’s newsfeed. What SteelHouse has found is that Pinterest users are twice as likely to buy something they see posted, or “pinned” from their followers, versus just seeing a friend’s Facebook wall post.

When asked if Facebook or Pinterest played a pivotal role in purchasing decisions, all respondents said yes, with only 33 percent of Facebook users saying they actually purchased an item they saw on a Facebook ad. Conversely, 59 percent of Pinterst users made a purchase based on an item they saw posted.

Despite Pinterest’s prominence in social media purchasing power, Facebook is still the preferred platform for getting an idea for what products or services should be shared socially. Over half of those surveyed said they flaunt their purchases on Facebook. Twenty-two percent share via Twitter, while 14 percent share via Pinterest.

Many companies are now more versed in targeting content to the various social audiences they communicate with on the different social networks through past experience, and social network analytics that have become more advanced.

The value of having a fan base interested in a brand, versus just trying to get as many fans/followers as possible without regard to their connection to any one company, is becoming much more apparent as marketers shift focus to engagement.

What Pinterest has done is give the power to the customer, as pinners are doing the posting versus a lone marketer with a Facebook account. Businesses are joining Pinterest to display product, create brand awareness, build communities, and in some cases grow profits exponentially.

FlowTown recently tried to explain with their infographic, “Why Is Pinterest So Addictive?” The statistics are a huge reason why so many people are flocking to understand and use this new service. It’s simple: everyone wants to be where everyone is hanging out.