Video Creators at a Crossroads: Maintaining Traditional Content or Embracing Innovation Amidst Creative Bottlenecks

In today's dynamic landscape of rapidly evolving short-form and medium-to-long-form video content, numerous creators who initially achieved virality through a singular piece of content frequently face a plateau characterized by diminishing viewership and engagement metrics, attributable to the attenuation of audience novelty. Using theoretical analysis and case studies, this paper discusses two self-rescue paths: "continuing to output the traditional contents" and "switching to a new track". The results show that the optimal approach is not to change the theme completely, but to extend the creative boundaries within the existing professional field, which creators are familiar with, while retaining the core knowledge or content, introducing new forms of expression and narrative method, and expanding new work contents. This innovation strengthens existing fan loyalty and leverages the platform's algorithm to favor novelty, creating a mutually beneficial scenario for fan engagement and growth. The study highlights that diversification involves not just content transfer, but also deep exploration and innovative presentation within specialized areas, which is crucial for the sustained growth of creators and the diversification of platform ecosystems.