Adobe to Acquire Semrush for $1.9 Bn to Power Next-Gen AI Marketing

Adobe has struck a deal to acquire Semrush, the search engine optimisation and brand visibility platform, in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $1.9 billion, or $12 per share.

The boards of both companies have approved the agreement, which is expected to close in the first half of 2026, pending shareholder and regulatory approvals.

Adobe says the acquisition will help marketers navigate the shift from traditional SEO to a Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) world, where large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Gemini increasingly shape how brands are discovered.

“Brand visibility is being reshaped by generative AI, and brands that don’t embrace this new opportunity risk losing relevance and revenue. With Semrush, we’re unlocking GEO for marketers as a new growth channel alongside their SEO … driving more visibility, customer engagement and conversions across the ecosystem,” Anil Chakravarthy, President of Adobe’s Digital Experience Business, said.

"Adobe is an industry leader in helping marketers create personalized customer experiences at scale. With the advent of LLMs and AI-driven search, brands need to understand where and how their customers are engaging in these new channels … this combination provides marketers more insights and capabilities to increase their discoverability across today’s evolving digital landscape,” Bill Wagner, CEO of Semrush, added.

Adobe plans to integrate Semrush’s SEO and GEO tools into its Experience Cloud suite — including Adobe Experience Manager, Adobe Analytics, and its new Brand Concierge — to give marketers a unified view of brand presence across websites, LLMs, and traditional search.

According to Adobe, traffic from generative-AI sources to U.S. retail sites jumped 1,200% year-over-year in October, underscoring the urgency for brands to adapt.