TL;DR
Adobe is buying Semrush for $1.9 billion to help brands optimize for AI search engines like ChatGPT and Google Gemini. This acquisition highlights how generative AI is reshaping how customers discover brands online.
Adobe announced it will acquire SEO platform Semrush for $1.9 billion in cash, marking the company's biggest bet on the future of brand visibility in an AI-driven world. The deal, valued at $12 per share, represents nearly double Semrush's closing price and is expected to close in the first half of 2026.
The acquisition comes as consumer behavior shifts dramatically toward AI-powered search. Traffic from generative AI sources to U.S. retail sites increased 1,200% year-over-year in October 2025, signaling a fundamental change in how people discover products and services.
"Brand visibility is being reshaped by generative AI, and brands that don't embrace this new opportunity risk losing relevance and revenue," said Anil Chakravarthy, Adobe's Digital Experience Business President. The company plans to integrate Semrush's SEO expertise with what it calls "Generative Engine Optimization" (GEO) - optimizing for AI engines like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity alongside traditional search engines.
Background
Semrush is a leading online visibility platform that helps businesses optimize for search engines, manage advertising campaigns, and conduct competitive research. The Boston-based company serves enterprise clients including Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, and TikTok, with particularly strong growth in its enterprise segment showing 33% year-over-year growth in Annual Recurring Revenue.
Adobe, which serves 99% of Fortune 100 companies, has been aggressively expanding its marketing technology stack. The company's Experience Cloud platform already includes content management, analytics, and customer engagement tools. Adding Semrush's decade of SEO expertise positions Adobe to offer comprehensive visibility management as AI transforms how customers interact with brands.
What This Means for You
This acquisition signals that the marketing landscape is splitting into two distinct channels: traditional SEO for Google and Bing, plus the emerging GEO for AI platforms. Small businesses that have invested heavily in SEO will need to adapt their strategies to remain discoverable as consumers increasingly turn to AI chatbots for recommendations and information.
For your marketing budget, this could mean either investing in Adobe's integrated solution once it launches, or cobbling together separate tools for SEO and AI optimization. The good news is that many SEO fundamentals (quality content, clear brand messaging, structured data) likely translate well to GEO strategies.
The risk for smaller businesses is getting squeezed out. Larger brands with dedicated marketing teams and bigger budgets may dominate AI-powered recommendations if they optimize aggressively for these new channels. You'll need to move quickly to understand how your customers are using AI tools and ensure your business appears in those results.
My Take
I think Adobe is making a smart move here, even if $1.9 billion feels steep. The shift to AI search is happening faster than most people realize, and traditional SEO agencies are scrambling to figure out GEO strategies. By owning both the content creation tools and the optimization platform, Adobe could become the go-to solution for enterprise marketing teams. My concern is what this means for small businesses using Semrush today. Adobe has a track record of raising prices post-acquisition, and their enterprise focus might leave smaller users behind. If you're currently using Semrush, start exploring alternatives now - even if the integration goes smoothly, your costs will likely increase over the next two years.