Use Instagram effectively for your business

Beth Robertson, owner and designer of Sarasota-based children's clothing line Shades Kids, uses Facebook and Instagram to promote her company. While Facebook has a higher volume of followers — 34,100 to 15,6000 — Instagram gets a better better return on her social media investment.

Instagram, says Robertson, gets more likes and comments, and has an overall better engagement with customers and would-be customers.

The most important aspect of Instagram, Robertson says, is an eye-catching image. “Once you have that,” she says, “it helps if you can do something that's engaging.” That could be tagging a friend who might be interested in the product or asking a question. Robertson says if she posts a photo of new products, she might include a question at the end such as “Do you love them as much as we do?”