How to Import Eventbrite, Meetup and iCal Events into GeoDirectory
If you run a city guide or business directory on GeoDirectory, events are one of the best ways to keep people coming back. The hard part is the upkeep. Events live on Eventbrite, Facebook, Meetup and in calendar feeds, and copying them into GeoDirectory by hand takes a lot of time, especially when new ones appear every week.
The WPEA GeoDirectory Events Addon fixes that. It connects WP Event Aggregator with GeoDirectory, so events from your favourite sources land in your directory as proper GeoDirectory Events, with categories, location and image already filled in.
In this guide I’ll show you what you need, how to set it up, and how to import events from Eventbrite, Facebook, Meetup and iCal. If you like having the docs open while you work, here is the WPEA GeoDirectory Events Addon documentation.
What You Need Before You Start
This addon sits on top of a few other plugins, so make sure all of these are installed and active:
- GeoDirectory and the Events Calendar for GeoDirectory add-on. The events are created as GeoDirectory Events, so both are required.
- WP Event Aggregator, the plugin that does the actual importing.
- WP Event Aggregator Pro. The GeoDirectory addon will not work without it, and it also unlocks scheduled imports and organizer, group and calendar URL imports.
- WPEA GeoDirectory Events Addon itself.
If something is missing, the addon shows a notice in your dashboard telling you which plugin to install, so you will not be left guessing.
Step 1: Activate Your License
After activating the addon, go to WP Event Aggregator → GeoDirectory Events Addon License and enter your license key. This is what keeps the addon updated.
Step 2: Connect the Sources You Want to Use
Each source needs a little setup in WP Event Aggregator → Settings. You only need to do this for the sources you plan to use. The WP Event Aggregator documentation explains each one in detail.
- Eventbrite: add your Eventbrite private token (or use the authorization option).
- Facebook: add your Facebook App ID and App Secret.
- Meetup: use Meetup authorization, an OAuth key and secret, or an API key, depending on what you have.
- iCal: nothing to connect. You only need a calendar URL or an .ics file.
The settings page also has an Update existing events option for each source, and an Advanced Synchronization option for scheduled imports. We will come back to those later.
Step 3: Choose GeoDirectory Events as the Destination
This is the part that makes the addon useful. Open any source tab under WP Event Aggregator and look for the Import Into dropdown. Once the addon is active, GeoDirectory Events appears as an option.
Pick it, then choose:
- Event categories from your GeoDirectory event categories. The first category you pick becomes the default one for the imported events.
- Event status. Imported events come in as pending unless you choose something else. Pending is a good starting point because you can review events before they go live.
How to Import Eventbrite Events into GeoDirectory
Open the Eventbrite tab. The Import by dropdown gives you three options: Event ID, Organizer ID and Collection ID. Organizer ID and Collection ID need the Pro plugin, which you already have if the GeoDirectory addon is running.
Option 1: Import a Single Event with Its Event ID
Use this when you want to feature one specific event. Open the event on Eventbrite and look at the end of the page URL. The long number at the end is the Event ID.
Paste it into the Event ID field, select GeoDirectory Events under Import Into, pick your category and status, and run the import.
Option 2: Import All Events from an Organizer with Organizer ID
This is the better choice for local promoters, venues and clubs that publish events regularly. Open the organizer’s page on Eventbrite and copy the number at the end of its URL. That is the Organizer ID.
Paste it into the Organizer ID field and choose GeoDirectory Events as the destination. Then pick the import type:
- One-time import brings in whatever events are available right now.
- Scheduled import runs again and again on the frequency you choose: hourly, twice daily, daily, weekly or monthly. New events from that organizer show up in your directory without any extra work.
Scheduled imports are listed under the Scheduled Imports tab, so you can see and manage them later. If you turned on Advanced Synchronization for Eventbrite in the settings, old or removed events are cleaned up automatically on these runs.
You can also import by Collection ID if you want every event in an Eventbrite collection.
How to Import Facebook Events into GeoDirectory
On the Facebook tab you can import by:
- Facebook Event ID: one event at a time. Open the event on Facebook and copy the number from its URL.
- Facebook Page: all events from a page. Enter the page username, which is the part after facebook.com/ in the page URL.
Page imports work well for venues, bars, clubs and local organizers who post their events on Facebook. Just like with Eventbrite, you can run the import once or schedule it.
How to Import Meetup Events into GeoDirectory
On the Meetup tab you can import by:
- Event ID: one event at a time.
- Group URL: all events from a Meetup group.
Group URL imports suit local communities such as running clubs, startup groups and hobby meetups, which tend to host regular events in your area. Just like with Eventbrite, you can run the import once or schedule it.
How to Import iCal and .ics Events into GeoDirectory
The iCal tab is handy when a venue, school, council or club publishes a calendar feed. You can import from:
- .ics file: upload a file from your computer.
- iCal URL: paste a calendar feed link.
- Outlook Calendar: pull events from a connected Outlook calendar.
For iCal imports you can also set a date range, such as 6 months, 1 year, 2 years or a custom range, so you only bring in the events you need.
Other Sources Work Too
The same Import Into → GeoDirectory Events choice is available for other WP Event Aggregator sources. The Pro plugin also has a CSV, XML, JSON import for bulk files. If you want ticketed concerts and sports, the WPEA Ticketmaster Addon adds Ticketmaster as another source.
What Gets Imported into GeoDirectory
- Event title and description
- Start and end date and time, including the all-day setting
- Featured image, added as the listing image
- Venue details: city, region, country, postal code and map coordinates
- Your chosen GeoDirectory event categories and tags
- A link back to the original event, stored with the event
After the import finishes, open GeoDirectory → Events in your dashboard. Your imported events are listed there, ready to review, edit or publish.
A few things worth knowing:
- Each imported event is created as a single event. Repeating events from a source are not set up as GeoDirectory recurring events.
- The venue name is saved in the Street field and the address in the Street 2 field. Take a look at one imported event on your site to make sure it displays the way you want.
- If the GeoDirectory Location Manager is part of your setup, the addon passes along the event’s city, region and country so the location can be created.
Who Is This For?
- City guides and local directories that want a live events section.
- Business directories where venues, bars and studios host events.
- Tourism and community websites that pull events from many places.
- Agencies building GeoDirectory sites for clients who do not want to enter events by hand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need WP Event Aggregator Pro?
Yes. The GeoDirectory addon requires WP Event Aggregator Pro to be installed and active.
Do I need GeoDirectory Events as well?
Yes. You need both GeoDirectory and the GeoDirectory Events add-on, because events are created as GeoDirectory Events.
Which sources can I import from?
Eventbrite, Facebook, Meetup and iCal, plus the other sources available in your WP Event Aggregator setup.
Can I import events automatically?
Yes. Choose a scheduled import, for example with an Eventbrite Organizer ID, and pick how often it should run, from hourly to monthly.
Will events be published straight away?
Not unless you want them to be. Imported events default to pending, so you can review them first. You can choose a different status in the import form.
Can imported events be updated later?
Yes, if you turn on Update existing events for that source in the settings.
Where do I enter my license key?
Go to WP Event Aggregator → GeoDirectory Events Addon License.
Wrapping Up
Once the setup is done, getting events into GeoDirectory is simple: pick a source, choose GeoDirectory Events under Import Into, select a category and run the import.
My advice is to start with a single Eventbrite Event ID so you can see how an imported event looks on your directory. After that, move on to Organizer ID imports and schedule them.
For more detail, see the GeoDirectory addon docs and the WP Event Aggregator docs, or visit the WPEA GeoDirectory Events Addon page and the WP Event Aggregator page.
