Logan Paul is one of the most recognizable YouTube stars on the planet - but it wasn't always like that. So, how did Logan Paul become so famous? Paul's rise to fame is typical of many first- and second-generation YouTube stars who got on the video sharing site early enough in the site's still-short lifespan that it allowed them to grow their audience as the site grew. Today, Paul has parlayed his YouTube success into sponsorship deals, guest-starring roles on television shows, roles in indie films, and running his own business.
Paul, still a student at Ohio University, got his start as an internet personality when he came to the video-making app Vine in 2014. Paul began making short comedy videos, often bringing in his friends and younger brother, Jake Paul. His Vines became well-known for big stunts, featuring him making a fool of himself in public, and doing dangerous, attention-seeking activities. In 2015, the final year of his Vine presence, Paul had left college in order to pursue making Vines full time. He was crowned one of Vine's most influential YouTube stars by Business Insider which, in combination with his popularity, likely helped him strike sponsorship deals with companies like Pepsi, Ritz, Virgin Mobile, and HBO. By the time the app shut down in 2016, Paul had approximately 9.4 million followers.
When Vine eventually shuttered, Paul was able to comfortably transition over to YouTube. From September 12, 2016 to January 1, 2018, Paul uploaded almost daily vlogs to his channel, later shifting to videos that ran longer but focused more on one subject rather than functioning a straight vlog. Paul's style of content remained mostly the same, if not ratcheted up a little bit so the stunts were bigger, the pranks were more shocking, and the bravado was amplified. The changes clearly haven't affected his following too much because both of his channels - TheOfficialLoganPaul and Logan Paul Vlogs - have a combined following of more than 24.2 million subscribers.
With his success and incredible following in hand, Paul has been able to secure more career opportunities. He's appeared in guest roles on shows like Disney's Bizaardvark and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; he was the star of the YouTube Red film The Thinning and had a small role in the film The Space Between Us; and he runs his own merchandise company, Maverick by Logan Paul. With his success, Paul has been able to get celebrities like the late Verne Troyer and Dwayne Johnson.
Paul's fame hasn't come without controversy, especially an incident in early 2018 where he visited the Aokigahara in Japan where he filmed and uploaded a suicide victim. Despite a mainstream backlash, he has been able to maintain his foothold among YouTube's elite. He continues to make videos and capitalize on his reputation as a hyper-masculine YouTuber always ready to go the extra mile for one of his videos. There's no end of the line for Paul yet, so it will definitely be interesting to see where he decides to go next with his career.