Adobe’s $1.9 billion Semrush deal signals a new marketing play

Adobe is moving to expand its marketing technology portfolio with a $1.9 billion acquisition of Semrush, a platform known for its AI-driven search engine optimization, social media and digital advertising tools. The all-cash offer values Semrush at $12 per share, nearly doubling its previous closing price and sending its stock sharply higher. The transaction is expected to complete in the first half of next year.

The deal positions Adobe to integrate Semrush’s capabilities into its broader suite of creative and marketing software, enabling brands to understand online visibility not just through traditional web searches but also through generative AI systems such as ChatGPT and Gemini. Semrush has been developing methods to optimise content for these AI-powered surfaces, reflecting shifting consumer behaviour as traffic from generative AI tools to retail websites recorded a dramatic jump over the past year, according to Adobe’s analytics.

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Adobe’s long-established tools like Photoshop, Illustrator and Acrobat remain widely used, yet the company faces intensifying competition and growing investor scrutiny over the monetisation of AI features. Its share performance this year has lagged, with concerns around Creative Cloud still surfacing despite Adobe’s history of successful acquisitions.

The company sees Semrush as a strategic fit, particularly as marketers adapt to emerging “generative engine optimisation” practices. Semrush’s newest tools aim to help businesses track performance across both search engines and AI chatbots including Claude, Copilot, Grok and Perplexity. Adobe expects that combining these capabilities with its existing digital experience products will create stronger growth channels for brands aiming to stay visible as AI reshapes discovery and engagement online.