Adobe to acquire Semrush for $1.9B to expand in the GEO sector
On 19 November 2025, Adobe announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Semrush in a $1.9 billion deal. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and Semrush shareholder approval. The founders and other shareholders holding more than 75% of the votes have committed to vote in favour of the deal.
The deal aims to expand Adobe’s capabilities in customer experience management and brand visibility. The acquisition is driven by the rapid proliferation of large language models (LLMs) and generative AI platforms as sources of information and recommendations for consumers.
The shift from SEO to GEO
According to the official press release, Semrush brings more than a decade of SEO expertise and evolving solutions in generative engine optimisation (GEO). The new format solutions help brands maintain visibility and trust in AI-based search and recommendation interfaces. According to the company, Semrush’s enterprise customer segment showed 33% annual growth in recurring revenue in the last quarter. The company’s customers include giants such as Amazon, JPMorganChase and TikTok.
For Adobe, the integration of Semrush complements existing products such as Adobe Experience Manager, Adobe Analytics, and the recently introduced Adobe Brand Concierge. The new product is designed to be a unified tool for marketers to evaluate brand presence across their own channels, search results, and the web at large.
Adobe’s management notes a significant shift in consumer behaviour, which reinforces the need to invest in GEO alongside SEO. According to Adobe Analytics, traffic from generative sources to US retail websites grew by 1,200% in 2025. Anil Chakravarty, president of Adobe’s Digital Experience Business, noted this fact in official comments. According to him, the acquisition of Semrush opens up a new channel of growth for companies alongside SEO: ‘Brand visibility is changing under the influence of generative AI, and brands that don’t take advantage of this new opportunity risk losing relevance and revenue.’
Bill Wagner, CEO of Semrush, noted that the merger with Adobe will give companies more data and tools to increase brand visibility in a dynamic digital landscape. ‘With the advent of LLM and AI-powered search, brands need to understand where and how their customers are engaging with new channels,’ he emphasises.
Impact on the iGaming industry
For the iGaming industry, which relies on search visibility, this acquisition could be a significant technological and strategic development. The market actively uses specialised SEO approaches and tools such as Semrush to select key niches and improve traffic quality. Adobe’s addition of Semrush’s advanced tools will enhance its customers’ ability to optimise content, track brand visibility and manage traffic in the new environment.
The affiliate marketing market in 2025 is shifting towards the integration of AI into performance metrics, which is driving demand for tools that measure and monetise traffic from new search channels. In-depth analytics and GEO capabilities will enable affiliate programmes to conduct more accurate segmentation and analysis of competitive platforms. That will allow SEO specialists to optimise landing pages to improve lead quality and conversion rates, and advertisers to reduce costs while maintaining traffic volume.
The integration of Semrush with Adobe products can simplify analytics transfer and automation for iGaming affiliate ecosystems. Automatic reports on keywords and visibility in LLM, traffic source tracking, and creative performance will enable faster campaign optimisation and reinvestment in profitable channels. That is particularly relevant for the iGaming market, where mobile and web traffic requires rapid adjustment of offers and creatives.
This article was first published in Russian on 20 November 2025.
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