• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, September 28, 2012

About 56% of consumers participating in a study analyzing how Twitter tweets, Facebook posts and Pinterest Pins influence offline behavior said they have never used a mobile app to help achieve a personal goal. Those changing their offline behavior based on an app relate more to topics on improving fitness and knowledge of specific subjects.

The Active Network study also names Facebook and LinkedIn as the top platforms for driving direct contact or in-person meetings. After a social interaction on Facebook, 70% of the survey participants said they contacted someone offline, compared with 55% for LinkedIn; 37%, Twitter; 25%, Google+; and about 8% for Pinterest.

A social interaction online had different influences when it came to meeting in person. After a social interaction on Facebook, 40% of the survey participants said they met in person, compared with about 24% for LinkedIn; 18%, Twitter; 10%, Google+; and about 3% for Pinterest.

An interaction on LinkedIn, at 7%, proved the most likely platform to prompt people to make a job change, followed by Pinterest, Facebook and Google+. No one reported changing their job based on a Twitter interaction. Twitter and Google+ drive the fewest offline interactions, whereas 58% of Facebook users and about 31% of Twitter followers said interactions on those platforms are most likely to drive event attendance, respectively.

When it comes to feeling generous, people tend to give more often after an interaction on Facebook. In fact, 28% of Facebook members donated to a cause following an interaction on the social site, followed by 11%, Twitter; Google+, 9%, LinkedIn, 7%; and 2%, Pinterest.

Pinterest and Facebook drive the most purchasing actions, at 23% and 21%, respectively.

Pinterest tends to spark creativity or interest in new hobbies. Some 63% of Pinterest users have been prompted to create something new as a result of an online interaction. Facebook follows with about 28%; Twitter, 12%; Google+, 2%; and LinkedIn, 1%. Pinterest also inspired 10% of users to take up a new hobby compared with Facebook at 5%; Twitter, 2%; Google+, 1%; and LinkedIn, 1%.

Responses were collected through a Web-based survey of The Active Lifestyle Panel in September 2012, from a network of more than 55,000 registered Active.com users.