When Matt Kanner acquired PortsmouthNH.com in 2016, he saw an opportunity to transform how locals and tourists engaged with the Seacoast region's vibrant arts and culture scene. Based on his journalism background and passion for the community, Kanner has grown the site into a go-to resource for everything happening in Portsmouth and beyond.
"We have an events calendar, we explain things to do, area attractions, restaurants, lodging, and shopping options, whether you're visiting the area or you live in the area. We're just trying to give people an idea of what they can do around town," explains Kanner.
Building on a Strong Foundation
But PortsmouthNH.com's success story begins long before Kanner entered the picture. In 1996, when Portsmouth was still a sleepy seaside town, the site's founder had the foresight to secure the domain name. "Doug had a lot of foresight because back in '96, Portsmouth wasn't as much of a tourist destination as it is now, but getting that URL, PortsmouthNH.com, proved to be a really wise decision," Kanner recalls.
When Kanner, a veteran journalist with a stint as a newspaper editor under his belt, took over two decades later, he recognized the untapped potential in PortsmouthNH.com. He set out to capitalize on the site's SEO strength and establish it as the most comprehensive guide to the region.
"The biggest strength of our site is its SEO strength, and whatever people are looking for in Portsmouth when they punch in 'Portsmouth NH,' you name it, whatever it is, we want to be up towards the top of the Google rankings," says Kanner.
Crafting an Unparalleled Events Calendar
To achieve that goal, Kanner dove headfirst into the nitty-gritty of building out an unparalleled events calendar. "One of the things we focus on is trying to have the most comprehensive events calendar in the area... So I'm always actively looking for events. If they're not getting submitted to us, we have various ways that we gather information about events. But part of that is really being proactive and going out looking for events," he shares.
That proactive, community-minded approach paid off. As PortsmouthNH.com's audience grew, Kanner spotted another opportunity: ticketing. In 2019, he launched PortsmouthNHTickets.com, a local ticketing platform that partners with venues and event organizers.
Launching a Local Ticketing Platform
"The idea is that we partner with local venues that host events or organizations... and we promote these events using PortsmouthNH.com and its social media accounts and newsletters. We're going to promote any event for which we're selling tickets as much as we can. And that's all free of charge for the event host," explains Kanner.
The ticketing platform was an instant hit with local venues. Kanner's hands-on, service-oriented approach starkly contrasted with the impersonal ticketing giants. "I'm really accessible and can work with people... many venues and organizations in the area, all other things being equal, they'd rather work with a local partner than work with some kind of faceless national ticketing company," he notes.
Partnering with the Community
Kanner's team dove in head-first, even helping venues plan and market their events. "A lot of my job is really just promoting these events and helping them be successful... if it's an event that we're selling tickets for, we're giving them a little extra love and trying to help them sell out those shows," he says.
That support was on full display earlier this year, when Kanner's team helped a local comic book store owner put on a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mini Comic-Con for the franchise's 40th anniversary. "It was fun to get the word out about that and explain like, here's who's going to be there. Here are the different vendors that are going to be there, and you can get their autographs. Writing about that was a lot of fun, and it was a pretty successful event," Kanner recalls with a smile.
Driving Revenue and Future Growth
Just three years after launching, PortsmouthNHTickets.com now generates nearly 50% of the company's total revenue. But Kanner is just getting started. He has his sights set on partnering with more large-scale annual festivals and events while still maintaining the local touch that has become his calling card.
Shaping Portsmouth's Cultural Landscape
Looking ahead, Kanner sees an even greater role for his company in shaping Portsmouth's cultural landscape. "Our mission is really just to cover what's happening in this little part of the globe here... We want it to be useful to as many people as possible, both locals and visitors, or even people who are thinking about moving to Portsmouth," he reflects.
Kanner has some simple advice for other publishers looking to build a similar events-focused media business: "You really have to be proactive... You need to go out looking and find out what's happening in your town," he stresses.
Kanner's proactive, community-first approach has struck a chord in Portsmouth. By combining cutting-edge ticketing technology with old-fashioned relationship building, he's not just covering the city's arts scene—he's helping to shape its future. As Portsmouth continues to grow and evolve, one thing is certain: with Kanner at the helm of PortsmouthNH.com, its vibrant creative spirit is in good hands.