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Exploring an array of promoted tweets that have been documented by myself and others. Tweets have a standard format (and can be paid for by almost anyone. Seeking the answers to why people or pages will promote certain content, asking what their motivator is, and what the goal is.
Promoted tweets have become a local (Twitter) phenomenon as the twitter account @advertisedtwit went viral. The whole point of the account is posting obscure tweets that were paid for by the original poster. The amusement that twitter users get from this account is viewing the absurd, obscure, and often cringey posts people pay to have shown to others. The point in paying to promote or advertise a tweet is to reach a larger audience than they normally would. This feeds directly into capitalist ideals and the need for attention on the internet with the evolution of “influencer culture”. Everyday writing by individuals are often the subject of @advertisedtwit's posts and screencaps. The most interesting, nuanced, and sometimes enigmatic content comes from personal accounts that decide to pay for and promote a tweet.

Promotion of tweets is available to nearly every account with a verified email and valid form of payment. Promoted tweets have been used for personal entertainment in the efforts to get on @advertisedtwit or to go viral with the added interaction, some have made their way onto the account by pure happenstance, and some are promoted for personal branding purposes or to raise awareness. The most common goal seems to be trying to gain momentum by getting interaction stats up on said tweet.

Tweets by personal accounts can be considered everyday writing because Twitter is a personal diary to some for live tweeting shows and events, it is a platform to stay connected to a fanbase or other group, and some use it as a way to catch breaking and entertainment news.