Social Media Marketing Strategist | Organic Growth & Travel Bookings

Budget: $300 for the first month. Continued work will be agreed month by month at $300/month initially, with a performance review after 30 days. ABOUT US We run premium small-group expeditions to Socotra Island, Yemen. Our trips combine hiking, camping, remote beaches and distinctive landscapes, with a maximum of 20 guests per trip. Our season runs from September 29, 2026 to May 6, 2027, with two flights per week departing from Jeddah. We are an authorized Yemenia Airways sales agent and expect to receive access to the airline’s reservation and ticketing system within the next two weeks, enabling our team to arrange flights alongside our expedition packages. We have a completed booking website, an existing library of travel footage, and a video editor. Our target this season is 220 travelers. The primary goal of this role is to generate paid bookings through organic social media marketing. Relevant audience growth and engagement should support that goal. The first phase of this role is 100% organic, with no paid social advertising. ABOUT THE ROLE This is a hands-on role. You will develop the strategy and personally execute the day-to-day work, including content planning, captions, publishing and community engagement. You will also direct our video editor’s weekly output, review edits before publication, and use performance data to improve content and drive booking interest. This is a part-time freelance role with an initial retainer of $300/month. Specify the weekly hours and deliverables you can commit to within this budget. We will agree on the scope before starting. RESPONSIBILITIES • Own and grow our presence across TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. • Build and execute a content calendar tailored to each platform and target market. • Write strong English hooks, captions and calls to action that encourage inquiries and website bookings. • Handle comments and direct messages within agreed coverage hours, answer questions using approved information, and coordinate booking inquiries with our team. • Brief our video editor weekly on concepts, clip quantities, priorities and required edits. • Review content before publishing for quality, accuracy and brand consistency. • Deliver a written 30-day action plan and 90-day organic growth strategy within your first two weeks. • Create content that addresses travelers’ booking questions, including the experience, itinerary, flights, visas and what the package includes. • Use tracked links where supported and coordinate tracking needs with our website team. • Provide a concise weekly performance report with findings and next steps. TARGET AUDIENCE We want to reach international travelers interested in nature, adventure, hiking and camping. Our target markets include Europe, North America, East Asia—including China and Japan—and Russia. You do not need to cover every market. Tell us which one or two markets you understand best, which languages you work in, and where you would focus first through the platforms in this role. SUCCESS MEASURES Commercial results are the priority. We will agree on realistic 30-day and 90-day targets after reviewing our current accounts, baseline performance and tracking setup. Your weekly report should cover: • Paid bookings and booking revenue attributed to social media, where tracking allows. • Qualified travel inquiries and their progress towards booking. • Website visits and booking starts from social media. • Audience growth and audience countries. • Content reach, engagement, saves and shares. • Posting consistency. • Tests completed, lessons learned and next week’s actions. Follower growth alone will not define success. We want relevant travelers moving towards a booking, and we expect you to explain how your work contributes to that outcome. Our team handles pricing, availability, payment and trip operations. You will work closely with us to turn social media interest into sales. PHASE 2: PAID ADVERTISING Once agreed organic growth and commercial performance targets are met, this role may expand to managing Meta and TikTok advertising, subject to our approval. The initial advertising budget would be $1,500/month, with potential to increase to $3,000/month based on results. Advertising spend is separate from your retainer. The additional scope and compensation for managing paid campaigns will be agreed before this phase begins. SEO and Google Ads are handled separately and are outside this role’s scope. REQUIREMENTS • Proven organic social media experience in travel, tourism, adventure travel, hiking or camping. • Experience reaching at least one of our target international markets. • Excellent written English. • A portfolio or case studies showing your personal contribution and measurable results. • Evidence of generating qualified leads or bookings is strongly preferred, alongside audience growth results. • Ability to execute the daily work yourself. • Experience briefing video editors or content creators. • Familiarity with TikTok Studio, Instagram Insights and Meta Business Suite. • Ability to interpret analytics and turn findings into practical improvements. WORKING GUIDELINES • Group size must always be described as “maximum 20 guests per trip,” never as a seasonal cap. • Travel details, prices and availability must be confirmed with our team before publication. • No paid advertising until agreed targets are met and we approve the next phase. • No purchased followers, fake engagement or engagement pods. • Company accounts, commissioned content and campaign data remain company-owned. COMPENSATION • Initial retainer: $300/month for an agreed part-time scope. • Performance review after 30 days against agreed deliverables and KPIs, including progress towards generating qualified inquiries and bookings. • Potential for an increased retainer as results and responsibilities grow. • We provide existing footage and a separate video editor. Your role includes directing and reviewing the editor’s work; video editing production is not included in your retainer. HOW TO APPLY Please answer these questions: Share one or two relevant travel or outdoor case studies. Include the timeframe, starting point, results, your personal contribution, and whether the work was organic or paid. Include leads, bookings or revenue results if available. Which one or two target markets would you prioritize for a Socotra expedition brand, and why? What weekly hours and deliverables can you commit to for $300/month? How would you use organic content to generate qualified inquiries and paid bookings for an expedition priced at USD 2,000, excluding flights and visa? Have you managed a video editor before? Briefly describe your workflow. Include links to accounts you have personally managed and clearly explain your role. Please apply and communicate through Upwork only. Brand details and account links will be shared privately with shortlisted candidates. Do not contact businesses outside Upwork in connection with this listing.