I launched Heavenly Desserts Derby’s TikTok account in February 2025 and built its local presence through organic content. The recorded 365-day period reached 1M post views, 10.5K profile views and 8K shares, without paid promotion.
As an employee within a franchise, I handled strategy, filming, editing, copywriting, scheduling, community responses and performance review. My role now extends to Instagram; the results shown here are TikTok results.
My role
Organic Social ✦ Social media strategy ✦ Filming and editing ✦ Copywriting ✦ Scheduling ✦ Community management ✦ Performance analysis
Project period
February 2025 - Ongoing
Tools & workflow
CapCut · Instagram Edits · Buffer · TikTok Business Suite · Instagram / Meta analytics
Objectives
Build a consistent local account from scratch.
Make desserts, brunch and the restaurant experience relevant to Derby audiences.
Connect with a primary female audience aged 16–35.
Maintain the established franchise identity.
THE DECISIONS BEHIND THE CONTENT
Challenge
Build a recognisable local TikTok account from scratch while working within an established franchise identity and limited creative freedom.
Insight
A dessert can be appealing on screen, but an occasion makes it relevant. Catch-ups, brunch and everyday treats connect the menu to a reason to visit.
Response
Pair food close-ups with relatable hooks, restaurant moments and Derby references. Maintain a regular publishing routine, then refine topics and openings using platform analytics.
02 · STRATEGY
Content strategy
Local relevance guided the content direction. I reviewed Derby competitors, including Cheat Daze and Glamberry, and paired the familiar luxury of Heavenly Desserts with approachable ideas for treats, catch-ups and shared occasions.
Each idea had a purpose: introduce a product, help viewers picture the experience or make the post worth sharing. Platform analytics informed the next round of topics, hooks and edits.
Audience & occasions
Primary audience: women aged 16–35. Local occasions: brunch, catch-ups, celebrations and spontaneous dessert plans in Derby.
Content pillars
Dessert discovery
Close-ups make texture, toppings and menu items easy to recognise.
Review: views and profile interest
Brunch & catch-ups
Connect food with a familiar reason to spend time together.
Review: saves and shares
Restaurant experience
Show the setting and atmosphere behind the local visit.
Review: profile activity
People & personality
Staff moments and relevant humour make the franchise feel local.
Review: comments and shares
Offers & occasions
Link seasonal drinks, celebrations and offers to timely plans.
Review: saves and enquiries
Brand voice
Warm, polished and lightly playful: familiar luxury made approachable for everyday treats and plans with friends.
The local customer journey
01
Awareness
Need: discover a local dessert spot.
Content: product videos and Derby keywords.
02
Consideration
Need: picture the food and atmosphere.
Content: menu close-ups and restaurant footage.
03
Visit intent
Need: find a reason to make plans.
Content: brunch, catch-ups, occasions and offers.
04
Experience
Need: recognise what to expect.
Content: familiar dishes, setting and staff moments.
05
Advocacy
Need: share the idea with someone else.
Content: relatable hooks and shareable occasions.
FEATURED CREATIVE
A relatable hook, with the dessert at the centre.
Raspberry white chocolate croffle
A product reveal with a conversational setup and playful payoff.
✦Objective: product discovery and shareability
✦Contribution: filming, editing and on-screen copy
✦Creative decision: keep the dessert prominent throughout
Hook
“If you think you can bribe me with a…” introduces the idea; the raspberry white chocolate croffle reveal sets up “you’re right”.
Audience insight
An everyday joke gives viewers a reason to relate to the video and share it with someone who loves dessert.
Creative decision
Keep the plated dessert and restaurant setting visible. Use a short setup, named product reveal and playful payoff.
Copy & discoverability
The product name supplies useful detail while concise on-screen wording lets the food carry the story. Local keywords support Derby relevance.
03 · EXECUTION
Content execution
I filmed product and restaurant footage, edited short-form videos, wrote captions, scheduled posts and managed community responses. A routine of three short-form videos and three story reposts each week supported consistent publishing within franchise guidelines.
Product close-ups to introduce dishes and menu details.
Restaurant and staff footage to show the local experience.
Relatable trends, offers and occasion-led posts to give the content a timely purpose.
Reels & short-form video
Short openings, recognisable products and a clear payoff helped each video communicate one idea. Food footage remained central, with restaurant details reinforcing the setting.
Content formats
Story reposts maintained contact between videos. Product and restaurant footage also provided material for menu features, trends and occasion-led content.
Staff humour, in a familiar setting
A coffee-making moment paired with a relatable workplace hook and a trending audio.
✦Objective: show local personality
✦Contribution: short-form content creation and messaging
✦Creative decision: connect everyday humour with the restaurant setting, something Gen Z will relate to.
A reason to treat yourself
Food and table details connect the menu with a relatable occasion.
✦Objective: consideration
✦Contribution: short-form content and messaging
✦Creative decision: show the food as part of a shared experience
Useful information between videos
An opening-hours Story keeps a practical detail visible.
✦Objective: support visit planning
✦Contribution: Story presentation
✦Creative decision: keep the message brief and readable
The croffle hook, explained
A visual breakdown of the setup, product reference and short payoff.
✦Objective: make product messaging relatable
✦Contribution: copywriting and on-screen text
Kids’ Dessert Masterclass
Event footage connects the restaurant with a local experience.
✦Objective: occasion-led awareness
✦Contribution: filming, editing and event messaging
Explore more content examples10 more examples · Select to expandSelect to collapse
New Menu Introduction
🍪 Strategy: before
A new local account, with an audience and posting routine to build from the ground up.
🍪 Strategy: after
A consistent mix of product, experience and personality-led content, shaped around the local audience and established franchise identity.
Content execution
Valentine’s occasion-led content
An example connecting a seasonal offer with a reason to make plans.
✦Objective: timely consideration
A trending audio paired with preparing a hot chocolate
What seems like ordinary footage has a deeper message when you’ve got the audio on. Showcasing a scam? or marketing tactic? (The 100k+ views prove the latter)
✦Objective: show the experience behind the menu as well as personality behind the brand.
Visual identity board
Mother’s Day content
A timely message connects the restaurant with a celebration.
✦Objective: occasion-led consideration
April offer content
A menu offer supplies a specific reason to consider a visit.
✦Objective: timely product awareness
Final content grid
04 · COPY & SEARCH
Copywriting
Conversational hooks made the content approachable without losing the established brand tone. Product names anchored playful wording to the menu, while concise captions kept attention on the visuals.
Caption structure
Open with a relatable idea.
Name the product clearly.
Complete the story with a short payoff.
Keep location and menu references natural.
Keywords & discoverability
Derby location references and tags for local relevance.
Product names that make the menu identifiable.
Relevant local keywords and hashtags.
Natural wording in captions and on-screen text.
Visual identity
I worked within the existing Heavenly Desserts identity. Food close-ups, the restaurant’s marble surfaces and plum seating carried its familiar luxury into the local account. Brief overlays added personality while leaving the dessert prominent.
05 · PLANNING & IMPROVEMENT
Content optimisation
TikTok Business Suite and Instagram / Meta analytics informed reviews of topics, hooks, video lengths and posting times. I looked at standout posts alongside account totals to identify ideas worth testing again, with Buffer supporting a regular publishing routine.
01
Research
Review Derby competitors, audience interests and franchise guidelines.
02
Plan
Balance product, experience and personality-led ideas in the content calendar.
03
Produce
Film and edit short-form content, then write concise product-led captions.
04
Publish & respond
Schedule three short-form videos and three story reposts each week; manage community responses.
05
Review
Use platform analytics to revisit topics, hooks, video lengths and posting times.
September 2026 content calendar
A view of the planning behind a regular publishing routine.
✦Process evidence: topics organised before production
Derby relevance and searchable copy
Location hooks, product keywords and captions keep the message locally relevant.
✦Objective: local discovery
✦Contribution: location and keyword choices
Seasonal content
Autumn drinks, Mother’s Day, Eid, student discounts and in-store events gave the account timely topics. Each connected the menu and setting with a reason to celebrate, catch up or enjoy a treat.
06 · PERFORMANCE & EVIDENCE
Results
100% organic TikTok activity. Management began in February 2025; the figures below cover 1 October 2025–30 September 2026, rather than the full period since launch.
Organic results
Reporting period: 1 October 2025–30 September 2026
Source: TikTok Analytics · 365-day overview
I launched the account in February 2025. During my organic management period, the TikTok account recorded the figures below, without paid promotion. Post views count content views, profile views count profile activity and shares count sharing actions. These are activity totals, rather than unique people or confirmed visits / orders.
1M
Post views
Content views recorded by TikTok
10.5K
Profile views
Profile-view activity recorded by TikTok
8K
Shares
Sharing actions recorded by TikTok
TikTok Analytics · 365-day overview
1 October 2025–30 September 2026. Account-level organic activity.
