Adobe to Acquire Semrush for $1.9 Billion in Cash
Adobe will buy Semrush for $1.9 billion, paying $12 per share to add the SEO and AI-visibility platform to its marketing tools as web traffic from AI assistants grows.
Adobe said on Wednesday it will acquire Semrush for $1.9 billion, adding the search-focused marketing company to its portfolio of digital tools. The purchase will be made entirely in cash.
Adobe stated it will pay $12 per share, nearly twice Semrush’s closing price of $6.89 on Tuesday. Semrush’s market value at the close of trading that day was roughly $1 billion.
The acquisition gives Adobe a direct entry into the fast-growing area of content visibility for AI-driven browsing and information tools. As more users turn to AI chatbots and assistants for product searches, news lookups, shopping, and travel planning, companies are increasing their spending on tools that help websites appear inside AI-generated responses.
Adobe said its internal analytics show this shift is already underway. According to Adobe Analytics, traffic from AI chatbots to retail websites in October was 1,200% higher than the same month last year.
Semrush has been building tools aimed at what it calls “generative engine optimization,” a set of methods designed to improve visibility inside AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Grok, and Perplexity. The company recently introduced a tracking system that evaluates website performance across both traditional SEO and AI-based discovery.
Anil Chakravarthy, president of Adobe’s Digital Experience Business, said the addition of Semrush will give companies a way to strengthen their presence across both search and AI-driven channels. He said brands that ignore the shift risk losing reach and sales as user habits move toward AI-powered tools.
The acquisition brings Semrush’s search and AI-discovery tools into Adobe’s marketing lineup. With Semrush folded in, Adobe will be able to offer companies a single place to manage content performance across both traditional search engines and AI assistants, alongside the analytics and customer tools it already provides.
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