Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions and answers
Read answers to frequently asked questions as you explore how to use our tool. View FAQs about the applications, possibilities, subscriptions, prices, and support for your Destination Marketing, City Marketing, or cultural organisation. Can’t find the answer to your question? Please contact us.
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FAQ: our tool
Why was the name changed from The Feed Factory?
Our tool used to be called ‘The Feed Factory’, but that name no longer fully reflects what we do now that we offer a smart editor, translations, AI functionalities, and other useful applications that go beyond simply connecting feeds. We see our tool as a headless CMS for online destination marketing and city marketing. Furthermore, the name ‘The Feed Factory’ literally translates to ‘animal feed factory’ in English. That’s why we chose the name ‘Event Connectors’. We couldn’t think of any other creative names, so we now call our tool ‘Tool’
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Can I request a demo of your tool?
You can request a demo without obligation. Please provide your preferred date, time, and contact details. We will then schedule your demo of our tool.
Is there a manual and support for your tool?
Yes, we have an online help centre, a support desk for users, and a user manual to help you get started right away. We also regularly organize online sessions specifically for users, where we answer questions and demonstrate new features.
Can partners also access the tool?
Yes, the Plus and Pro packages include the partner module. This allows you to give partners such as hotels, restaurants, theatres, conference or meeting venues, shops, libraries, etc. in your city, region, or industry access to the tool so they can enter their own events and activities, update their own location details, and thus work together to offer an up-to-date range of services.
Do I need special software or support for your tool?
Our tool works in your browser. All you need is an internet connection and a browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. To link the tool to your website’s CMS, you will need the help of your web developer or web agency. We can also do this for you or provide guidance.
What is a Headless Content Management System or Headless CMS?
A headless CMS is a central tool that allows you to manage all your content in one place. This includes events, activities, locations, shops, restaurants, and cycling and walking routes. You can also manage all your texts, photos, and videos in this central location. The unique feature of a headless CMS is that this content can be displayed automatically in different places: on your website, in your app, in a magazine, in a flyer, and, for example, on information screens (TV screens) in the city.
What is an API?
An API is an abbreviation for Application Programming Interface. It is a combination of rules and guidelines for linking systems. With the help of an API, different software applications can communicate with each other and exchange data after authorisation.
Is there support available when starting to use your tool?
Yes, we assist with setting up the tool, creating users, styling the form, connecting local sources, configuring the correct languages, and providing support for connecting to the CMS used by your web developer. We charge a one-time setup fee for this. This also includes a one-hour online kick-off meeting (training) for users with an explanation of how to use the tool. We also have documentation and instructions for connecting feeds and our tool for web developers.
Can I also create routes myself with your tool?
No, we do not offer route planning functionality. However, we do offer the option to link routes from Routemaker and other route planning tools to our tool. You can also include a description of a route yourself. By including routes in our tool, you can display an overview of all routes in your city or region on your website.
Which DMOs, municipalities, and other organisations use your tool, solutions, and support?
The list is getting too long to mention them all here, but we have been working for VVV Nederland since 2017 and subsequently with cities such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Haarlem, Velsen/Ijmuiden, Apeldoorn, and now also for the largest nature reserve in the Netherlands—the Veluwe—to provide the most comprehensive range of events, locations, and routes in their destination.
More about our toolFAQ: about the subscription
What are the subscriptions and prices?
We offer three subscriptions with various add-ons to expand your package. We can also provide customised solutions by offering specific links, exchange, and export options. Other support and customisation options are available and will be quoted separately. View our packages, subscriptions, and prices.
For which organisations are Event Connectors’ tools and services interesting?
Our services, support, and applications are of interest to:
- Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs)
- City Marketing Organisations (CMOs)
- BIZ/city centre management/centre management culture
- Institutions such as theatres, pop venues, and other cultural institutions
- Route agencies and recreation boards
- Regional and provincial recreational, tourist, and cultural organisations
- National recreational, tourist, and cultural organisations
- Libraries
- Municipalities (e.g., for issuing event permits)
Our tool is often used by destination marketers, city marketers, editors, content creators, and digital/data marketers.
Can I add additional users or partners?
Each package has a number of standard users. If you want to add an extra user, this is possible for a small fee and without having to purchase a larger package.
More about our subscriptionsFAQ: about our solutions and applications
Can I display imported events on my website?
You can display events you have entered in an event list, event calendar, events calendar, or activities overview. These can be events you have entered yourself, but also events you have selected from theatres, venues, cinemas, and other partners in your city, area, or region.
Can others also add events and activities?
Yes, anyone who organises an event, conference, course, performance, festival, musical, concert, tour, city walk, and/or other activity can register it via an online web form. Locations such as restaurants and hotels can also be registered. Your editorial team selects, enriches, and publishes the desired events, activities, and locations. Anyone can submit an event, but you decide whether or not to display it. For organisers with multiple events, we also have a partner login, and they can connect an automatic link (‘feed’). The latter saves a lot of manual work in terms of ‘double’ entries.
How many languages can I translate my events into?
In principle, this is possible in any language with our automatic translation module. By default, we offer German, English, French, Italian, and Spanish, among others. Each package can be translated into one, two, or more languages. Upon request, we can add specific languages to the tool. Translation is possible from Dutch to any other language, but also vice versa. For example, content supplied in English can also be translated into Dutch.
Can I also enter and display cafés, restaurants, hotels, boat and bicycle rentals, and shops?
In addition to theatres, pop venues, cinemas, and festival locations, our tool also allows you to include locations such as cafes, restaurants, hotels, bed & breakfasts, shops, and conference venues in your city, area, or region. You can also display these on your website(s), TV screens, and UitAgenda.
Can I (also) create a website with conference venues and meeting locations in my city (‘Venuefinder’)?
Yes, with our tool, you can also provide a website, overview, or magazine with all conference venues and meeting locations in your city or region. For each conference venue, rooms, layouts, facilities, and business contact details can be included. Such a “Venue Finder” informs and inspires conference organisers to organise conferences in your city or region.
Can I compile a cultural agenda, magazine or event guide on paper?
With our export module, you can select events in, for example, the coming month(s). If desired, you can filter these specifically for young people and/or categorise them by genre, such as culture, music, or … You can export the selection of events to the designer of your cultural paper. This also makes it easy to export a top 10 list of interesting locations in your city, for example. This makes it easy to prepare a publication.
Can I display imported events on a TV screen?
You can display events you have entered on TV screens in your store, museum, theatre, library, or tourist information centre using a narrowcasting/digital signage solution. The information can also be displayed on information kiosks and on TV screens in shop windows. These can be your own entered events, but also events selected by you from theatres, venues, cinemas, and other partners in your city, district, or region. We also offer narrowcasting of routes and locations.
FAQ: for (web) developers
Is your API documented?
Yes, technical documentation is available via Swagger to access the API and link the relevant data in CMS, database, or system.
Which CMSs and systems do you support?
We have created links to the following Content Management Systems:
- WordPress (with our own WordPress plugin)
- Sitecore
- Umbraco
- Craft CMS
- Drupal
In addition, we support import and export (and synchronisation) with Headless CMS, with CRM systems such as Salesforce, and with Open data platforms.
Do you have a special plugin for WordPress?
WordPress CMS is a widely used CMS, which is why we have built a special link between our tool and WordPress CMS. This makes it very easy to exchange events, locations, and routes, ensuring that your website is always up to date. Our WordPress plugin is a secure and convenient way to exchange events, locations, and/or routes.
Can I also become a technical implementation partner?
Yes, we enjoy working with web developers and web agencies on a structural and pleasant basis to link our tool to publications such as websites, apps, widgets, and various systems/tools. We are primarily looking for programmers who are skilled at coding, willing to adhere to a number of mutual coding agreements, able to communicate well, and, above all, who enjoy developing great applications together.
Is it possible to contact you/other developers directly?
Yes, through our #developers channel on Slack and by collaborating on code, code reviews, and commits on GitHub, you have direct contact and work directly with our developers.
FAQ: about Event Connectors
What is Event Connectors?
Event Connectors B.V. is the company owned by Maurice Jumelet and Arne Keuning. Together with the development team, they developed the tool and services. Event Connectors provides further development and support for users of the tool. Event Connectors B.V. is registered with the Chamber of Commerce under number 82426961.
What is your experience in the cultural, recreational, and tourism sector?
Since 2015, we have gained experience with solutions, advice, and tools for organisations such as the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions, VVV Nederland, NDTRC, amsterdam&partners, Rotterdam Partners, Rotterdam Festivals, Rotterdam Centrum, De Buik Van Rotterdam, De Buik van Amsterdam, NBTC, Kennisnetwerk Destinatie Nederland, libraries, cultural institutions, and the Municipality of Velsen / Citymarketing Velsen.
How was Event Connectors established?
In 2017, IT Helden and Upstream developed a solution called “The Feed Factory” for VVV Nederland, with amsterdam&partners as its main user, to automatically collect as much relevant content as possible before the start of the cultural season and offer it to the National Database for Tourist, Recreational, and Cultural Information (NDTRC). In 2020, VVV Nederland announced that it would no longer support the NDTRC, and The Feed Factory took over this role and function from the NDTRC and is now supported by Event Connectors B.V.
Meet the team