10 Questions x 10 Creators: Laura Deller

In this edition, DIY-focused creator Laura Deller (@houseproject_36) speaks with us about how sharing her renovation experience has motivated her and what she predicts for the future of influencer marketing.

What do you love most about being an influencer/creator?

For me, the fact that it was a completely unintentional path makes it the most special. I shy away from the word Influencer and prefer to ‘create’.

Setting up my Instagram account allowed me to vlog and remain motivated during my home renovation. I could seek inspiration from new places and take comfort in sharing my renovation experience with others. It excites me that my page and projects now inspire others too. I particularly love seeing a DIY project that I have shared become the inspiration for a design in someone else’s home.

What's your biggest challenge as a creator at the moment?

For me, the challenge always has and will be time. My reels are mostly crafted around DIY or interior decorating so production of content at the rate which Instagram seems to crave can be challenging.

I am trying to help this by sharing more of the process and taking the emphasis off the ‘before and afters’ which really do dilute the work and effort that has gone into the finished product.

Are you a full-time influencer or juggling another job?

I am a part-time content creator, but my career has always been teaching. I teach 3 days a week as a Secondary Science teacher, but up until last year that was a 4-day job. Content creation takes me into my evenings and weekends, but I love the creativity and contrast this work has with my everyday job. I have been a teacher since I was 22, so it is hard to imagine a week without that job in my life. I am definitely at a point where I need to evaluate my next step.

Do you have an agent?

Yes! I am managed by Farq Media and this has been the best decision I have made. Georgia Farquharson and her phenomenal team have helped me carve out partnerships I could never have dreamed of. They navigate the logistics of brand partnerships and make it much easier for me to just create. I will always be grateful for the day they slid into my DMS.

What's your ideal brief and brand to work with?

I love home improvement collaborations that feel doable and achievable. Maybe it's panelling a wall or painting a colour block. But for me the ideal brief allows others to feel inspired to replicate the same project in their homes. British DIY brands like B&Q, Wickes or Homebase have all the items needed to take on these space transformations. That being said, I also love the opportunity to style a space and working with homeware stores like La Redoute and Next are on the wish list.

What makes a successful collaboration or brand partnership?

A successful collaboration stems from the brand’s product being an organic fit with my home and the content that I create. I only ever collaborate with brands that I would use / shop with normally.

No one wants to see staged and awkward ads! I always love it when a brand allows the brief to be interpreted in different ways, so it fits naturally into my content style. The team at Farq Media are brilliant at ensuring all these deliverables line up.

What are your pet hates when it comes to working with brands?

I am always grateful to work with brands and see it as a privilege, so I guess it is hard to have ‘pet hates’. If I was pushed to say something, I guess if a brand changes part of the brief or adds something in after the content has been created, that can be frustrating. But that has only happened once, and not since I have had management!

How do you stay on top of trends?

In terms of trends, I look for trending audio, but I also know that my content is mainly focused on inspiring others to improve their homes which are longer-term decisions.

I try and create reels which followers can save and refer to. I was once told ‘Either make it helpful or make it entertaining’. I try and be 75% helpful (which doesn’t need to track a trend) and 25% entertaining (where I will look at what formats are performing well and adapt them to my niche).

What are your predictions for the future of influencer marketing?

My prediction is that authenticity and remaining humble are key.

People see through content that seems disingenuous or staged and I predict that the more raw and unedited style of TikTok will migrate onto other platforms, as people seek content that feels relatable and relevant in what are very challenging times.

Which influencers do you admire and why?

My two faves are @jade.doutch and @the_house_acc. Jade and Robyn were my idols when I first joined Instagram in 2019. I loved the improvements they were making to their homes, punctuated with glimpses into their real lives. I love ladies that graft! I am very proud and humbled to be represented by the same management team and can say after meeting both of them in real life, that they are as lovely in the flesh as they appear on my phone.