Adobe to Acquire Semrush in $1.9 Billion All-Cash Deal
A new all-cash agreement will see Semrush acquired for US$12.00 per share, valuing the deal at approximately US$1.9 billion. Since the transaction has already been approved by the Boards of both companies, it is expected to close in the first half of 2026, although it still requires regulatory clearance and the fulfillment of final conditions. Semrush is widely recognised for its data-driven solutions in generative engine optimisation (GEO) and search engine optimisation (SEO), and the acquisition aims to expand capabilities that support fast-evolving digital visibility demands.
Anil Chakravarthy, president of the Digital Experience Business, said: “Brand visibility is being reshaped by generative AI, and brands that don’t embrace this new opportunity risk losing relevance and revenue.” He continued, “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.”
Enhancing Discoverability in the AI Search Era
Bill Wagner, chief executive officer of Semrush, added: “Adobe is an industry leader in helping marketers create personalised 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.”
The integration aims to give marketers a deeper understanding of how audiences interact with brands across traditional search, owned platforms and emerging AI-driven interfaces. Moreover, Semrush brings more than a decade of SEO expertise and GEO technology, helping organisations remain discoverable as consumers shift toward LLM-powered recommendations. In its latest quarter, Semrush achieved 33% year-over-year Annual Recurring Revenue growth in its enterprise segment, earning the trust of global leaders such as Amazon, JPMorgan Chase and TikTok.
A Unified Platform for Brand Insights and Engagement
The combined tools will support marketers in navigating new customer touchpoints, especially as LLMs increasingly influence information discovery and purchase decisions. Because brands now compete for visibility in both AI search and traditional channels, the collaboration aims to offer a unified solution covering content workflows, analytics, customer engagement and brand monitoring. With established products like AEM, advanced analytics and new visibility-focused tools, the unified platform will help teams understand how their brands appear across the wider digital ecosystem.
Since generative AI continues to reshape discoverability, organisations that invest in GEO alongside SEO will be better positioned to maintain representation, trust and relevance. As the transaction moves toward completion in 2026, both companies expect the partnership to boost brand visibility strategies and expand marketing capabilities across global markets.
