The news: Adobe is acquiring software platform Semrush for $1.9 billion. The deal, which is expected to close in the first half of next year, will help Adobe expand beyond creative tools into a full-service marketing and analytics suite that can compete with Google and Meta.

Semrush, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform, offers tools like keyword discovery, competitive benchmarking, site diagnostics, backlink monitoring, and online visibility insights.

Why it matters: The acquisition will give Adobe clients a better view of how their brands appear across owned channels, genAI platforms, and traditional search engines, per Adobe.

Bundling Semrush’s services into Adobe’s AI content, analytics, and cloud products will strengthen the Adobe ecosystem and help marketers simplify their tech stack and avoid needing additional visibility tracking tools.

That’s especially valuable as GEO strategies become increasingly important and as AI platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity develop into hubs for content and product discovery.

Zooming out: Growing competition in digital design and investor pressure to accelerate monetization of AI products and features have contributed to Adobe’s stock falling nearly 28% since the beginning of 2025, per Reuters.

Folding in Semrush’s competitive intelligence gives Adobe a clearer path to AI-driven marketing revenues. That could help counter competitive pressure and justify its broader push into AI.

What marketers should do: Whether or not marketers use Adobe today, the deal presents an opportunity to check tech stacks and evaluate search, design, and analytics tools.

• Adobe customers should look for overlapping tools Semrush might replace and plan for tighter workflows as Adobe links creation tools with Semrush’s performance data.
• Non-customers should assess whether current search and design tools deliver enough value, whether the merged platform could consolidate stacks, and whether existing tools support GEO readiness.

The acquisition could also help marketers trim martech spending—which we expect to grow to $43.1 billion in 2027—by streamlining the tools they need to create content and stay on top of brand visibility and performance.