Adobe announced that it will acquire search engine Semrush for US$1.9 billion to boost its tools for marketers in the age of AI.
The digital creative platform said it will acquire Semrush in an all-cash transaction for US$12 per share.
Semrush offers a search engine optimisation tool to marketers, with some of its biggest customers including Amazon and TikTok.
Adobe’s Digital Experience Business president, Anil Chakravarthy, said brand visibility is at the top of mind for the business and is being reshaped by AI.
“Brands that don’t embrace this new opportunity risk losing relevance and revenue,” Chakravarthy said.
“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.”
The acquisition also comes as Semrush drove 33% year-over-year Annual Recurring Revenue growth in its enterprise customer segment.
Adobe Analytics data showed that traffic from generative AU sourced to U.S. retail sites skyrocketed by 1,200% year-over-year in October.
At the time of writing, Semrush (NYSE: SEMR) shares were up by 73.84% to US$11.76, while Adobe’s (NASDAQ: ADBE) shares were down 1.96% to US$318.11.
Adobe has had a tough time winning over investors, shedding more than a quarter of its value this year, while Semrush remains flat.
