# Ephermeral Messaging Apps Instagram Bolt Shares Images Instantly to Smaller Groups of People By Meghan Young | Published 2014-07-30 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/instagram-bolt References: [theverge](http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/29/5948845/this-is-bolt-instagrams-new-messaging-app) & [bolt.instagram](http://bolt.instagram.com/) The Instagram Bolt messaging app has currently debuted as a soft launch in New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa. It provides an instant way for people to share private images to a small group of friends with the tap of a finger. Like Snapchat, once the image is viewed it disappears right after. Yet Instagram Bolt has more similarities to Taptalk and [Slingshot](http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/slingshot-app), Facebook's own answer to this messaging craze. The main difference is that Instagram Bolt focuses on sending photo and video messages to one person at a time. Of course, it boasts a favorites bar so that users can potentially send an image to up to 20 people at a time. Hopefully Instagram Bolt comes overseas sooner rather than later to see what all the fuss is about. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.4/10 - Popularity: 59% | Activity: 95% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe, Asia, Africa ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Mobile](https://www.trendhunter.com/mobile) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Ephemeral Messaging:** Businesses in the social media industry can capitalize on the trend of ephemeral messaging apps like Instagram Bolt to create alternatives to traditional messaging platforms. - **Private Group Sharing:** Industries like social media and communications can explore private group sharing features like those in Instagram Bolt to offer more secure and exclusive communication channels for users. - **One-on-one Photo Messaging:** Entrepreneurs in the messaging industry can develop solutions like Instagram Bolt to cater to users who prefer one-on-one photo messaging with the option to share with a small group of people. ### Where This Applies - **Social Media:** Social media platforms can incorporate features similar to those of Instagram Bolt to provide users with an ephemeral and private means of sharing images with a select group of people. - **Communications:** The communications industry can leverage the trend of private group sharing found in apps like Instagram Bolt to provide more secure and controlled communication channels for businesses and individuals alike. - **Messaging:** Startups in the messaging space can adopt the one-on-one photo messaging approach of apps like Instagram Bolt to offer a unique and personalized messaging experience for their users. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Invite-Only Social Medias](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lapse.md) - [Image-Based Alternative Social Medias](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/noteit.md) - [Disappearing Chat Messages](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/midnight-disappearing-chats.md) - [Image-Sharing Social Applications](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lapse-1.md) - [Secondary Social Profile Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/flipside-1.md) - [Private Social Photo Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/retro-app.md) - [Hidden Social App Mini-Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/minigame.md) - [Creator-Focused Messaging Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/instagram-4.md) - [Location-Based Social Media Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/instagram-map.md)