Displaying your Facebook events on your WordPress website can be a great way to keep your site updated with your latest happenings and make it easy for people to see what you have coming up. However, WordPress doesn’t have built-in functionality to connect to and display Facebook events. So you’ll need to use a plugin to bridge the gap between the two platforms.
In this guide, we’ll walk through the entire process step-by-step, covering:
- Why you should display Facebook events on your WordPress site
- Choosing the right Facebook events plugin for WordPress
- Installing and setting up the plugin
- Configuring the plugin settings
- Displaying your Facebook events in WordPress
- Customizing the display with CSS
- Troubleshooting common problems
Whether you’re using WordPress.org self-hosted WordPress or WordPress.com, this guide will show you how to seamlessly integrate your Facebook events into your WordPress website.
Why Display Facebook Events on Your WordPress Site?
Here are some of the key reasons you should consider showing your Facebook events on your WordPress website:
1. Avoid duplicate data entry
Entering your event data both on Facebook and then again in WordPress is time consuming and inefficient. Rather than manually inputting it in two places, you can save time by only entering it once on Facebook.
2. Tap into Facebook’s audience
There’s a good chance at least some segment of your target audience is already engaging with your brand’s Facebook page. Displaying those events on your WordPress site makes them visible to your site visitors as well.
3. Increase event attendance
The broader your event promotion reach, the more potential attendees you can drive. Showing the events on your WordPress site exposes them to more people and gives you another platform to promote them.
4. Keep your site updated
Your WordPress events page will automatically stay up to date with your latest Facebook events without any manual updating required. As you add new events on Facebook, they’ll be visible on your site.
Choosing the Best Facebook Events Plugin for WordPress
There are a handful of good Facebook events plugins available for WordPress. Here are some of the top options to consider:
1. The Events Calendar
The Events Calendar from Modern Tribe is a popular WordPress events management plugin. It provides robust event management tools for your WordPress site.
The free version supports Facebook event integration. The premium version adds support for multiple Facebook event sources, automatic imports, and other advanced features.
2. EventON
EventON is an event management plugin for WordPress that includes support for displaying Facebook events. It can import events from a Facebook page and display them alongside any events you create natively in EventON.
The free version has the Facebook integration while premium add-ons are available for additional functionality.
3. Facebook Events for WordPress
As its name suggests, Facebook Events for WordPress is a plugin specifically focused on bringing Facebook events into WordPress automatically. Once connected, it pulls events from your Facebook page and shows them on your site.
The free version has basic integration while a paid “Pro” version adds features like custom layouts, widgets, custom CSS, and priority support.
4. WP Event Aggregator
WP Event Aggregator is another plugin built specifically to aggregate events from sources like Facebook, Meetup, iCalendar, Google Calendar, and more into your WordPress site.
It’s easy to set up and the free version enables connecting to and displaying events from a Facebook page or group. A premium version is available for more advanced functionality.
Installing the Facebook Events Plugin
Once you’ve chosen the Facebook events plugin you want to use, it’s time to get it installed and configured. Here are the steps to install most WordPress plugins:
WordPress.org Self-Hosted Installation
1. Log into your WordPress dashboard.
2. Go to Plugins > Add New.
3. Search for the plugin name.
4. Click Install Now for the plugin you want.
5. After installation completes, click Activate.
WordPress.com Installation
1. Log into your WordPress.com dashboard.
2. Go to My Sites and select your site.
3. Go to Plugins > Add New.
4. Search for the plugin name.
5. Click Install Now for the plugin you want.
6. After installation completes, click Activate.
The plugin will now be installed and activated on your WordPress site, ready for configuration.
Configuring the Facebook Plugin Settings
Once your chosen plugin is activated, the next step is connecting it to your Facebook page and configuring the settings. The specifics vary slightly depending on which plugin you’re using, but the general process is:
1. Get your Facebook access token
You’ll need an access token to allow the plugin to access your Facebook events. The plugin will walk you through how to set this up. It usually involves using the Graph API Explorer tool to generate the access token.
2. Connect your Facebook page
In the plugin settings, you’ll enter the ID of the Facebook page that contains the events you want to display.
3. Select sync options
Choose whether you want events to import automatically or manually. Automatic syncs will keep everything updated while manual can give you more control.
4. Customize settings
Configure options like:
- Event limit – how many events to show.
- Date range – only show events within a certain date range.
- Event details – choose which details to import.
- Design – customize colors, fonts, etc.
Refer to your plugin’s documentation for specifics on the available settings and options.
Displaying Facebook Events in WordPress
Once you’ve connected your Facebook page and configured the plugin settings, it’s time to put your events on your site!
Here are some ways you can display Facebook events in WordPress:
Events page
Use the plugin to create an events page where it will automatically show a list of your upcoming Facebook events. Update the page title, content, design, etc. to match your site.
Events widget
Many Facebook events plugins include widgets to display a list of upcoming events anywhere on your site. Add the widget to sidebars, footers, or any widgetized area.
Events shortcode
Use the plugin’s shortcode to embed a list of events into any page or post content. For example:
`[facebook-events]`
Single events
When visitors click an event from a list, take them to a single event page with all the details imported from Facebook.
Customizing the Display with CSS
You may want to customize the visual design of your Facebook events. For example, making the colors match your theme or adjusting the sizing and spacing.
To do this, you can use some custom CSS. The basics:
1. Add custom CSS plugin
A plugin like Simple Custom CSS allows adding CSS directly in WordPress.
2. Target CSS selectors
Use your browser inspector to find class names and element selectors from the plugin output.
3. Override CSS properties
Add CSS rules that override padding, color, fonts, etc. to customize the design.
Refer to your specific plugin’s documentation for details on CSS hooks available. Start small by tweaking colors, then expand to layout adjustments as needed.
Troubleshooting Common Facebook Event Problems
Here are some common issues you may encounter, along with fixes:
Events not displaying
If events aren’t showing up, first ensure you’ve connected your Facebook page properly in the plugin settings. If it’s connected, try manually syncing the events.
Wrong events displaying
Double check you’ve entered the correct Facebook page ID. Also confirm the date range settings aren’t filtering out current events.
Plugin event conflict
If using another events plugin alongside the Facebook plugin, there could be conflict. Try disabling the other plugin as a test.
Events out of order
Facebook events may not be in chronological order. Adjust date sorting in the plugin settings.
Access token expired
Facebook access tokens eventually expire. Regenerate a new token and update it in the plugin.
Debugging specific issues may require contacting the plugin developer’s support. But these tips can help troubleshoot most common scenarios.
Conclusion
Displaying Facebook events on your WordPress site is a great way to increase promotion and simplify your event management workflow.
The key steps are:
- Choosing your Facebook integration plugin
- Installing and activating the plugin
- Connecting your Facebook page
- Configuring sync and display settings
- Placing the event listings on your site
- Customizing the design with CSS
Once it’s all set up, your WordPress site will automatically stay in sync with your Facebook events. No more duplicating work across platforms!
Using this guide, you now have a complete overview of how to integrate Facebook events into your WordPress website.