New Meta App - Instants

Written By Alicia Vial

Instagram’s parent company, Meta, just launched a new standalone app call Instants. It is designed for quick, casual sharing. Think disappearing photos and short videos that your friends can only view once, and they’re gone within 24 hours.  

If this sounds familiar, it’s because Instagram already tested something similar inside the app, but now they are pulling it to their own platform. The big difference is the focus. This isn’t about curated posts or aesthetics. It’s about real, in-the-moment sharing with close friends. No pressure to be perfect. 

Meta has a long history of responding to competitors, and this is clearly aimed at Snapchat and even apps like BeReal. The goal is to give users a more private, authentic way to connect, especially as people move away from posting everything publicly.  

User behavior is changing. People are a little more cautious about what they post publicly, and they’re craving more authentic, smaller interactions. Platforms are responding by creating spaces that feel more personal, less performative and more like texting your friends than broadcasting to the world.  

Right now, Instants is being tested in a few countries like Spain and Italy and is not available in the U.S. yet. Meta is watching how people use it before deciding if it will roll out more broadly, including here in the U.S.  

This is a really important signal, though. Social media is moving toward authenticity and private engagement. For brands, that means less polished, overly produced content and more real, behind-the-scenes storytelling. It’s also a reminder to diversify, because platforms are constantly evolving and even spinning off into entirely new apps. 

We’re seeing platforms build more tools for close connections rather than mass audiences. For users, it means more control. For businesses, it means finding ways to build trust and connect in more personal, meaningful ways.  

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Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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