Did you hear that? Adobe, the software giant known for Photoshop (and now a good 100 other programs, tools and services), has hit and grabbed one of the most important platforms for online visibility: Semrush!
This deal is much more than just an ordinary acquisition. It is a clear and loud statement that Adobe is leading theAgentic AI era Will to take over. For you marketers, this means: Your strategies need to change, and now.
Facts about the mega-deal
The message came on 19 November 2025: Adobe (Nasdaq:ADBE) and Semrush (NYSE:SEMR) have agreed on an acquisition.
- The purchase price: Satte $1.9 billion (Equity value).
- The price per share: Adobe is paying $12.00 In a bar business.
- The premium: A real bargain for Semrush shareholders! The $12 corresponds to a premium of proud 77.5 percent against the last closing price. No wonder Semrush stock jumped 75 percent directly in pre-trade trading.
The deal was approved by both boards and, subject to customary approvals and approval by Semrush shareholders (with founders and major shareholders representing more than 75% who hold voting rights, have already consented), in the first half of 2026 to be completed.
Why Semrush? The key word is GEO!
Why does a company like Adobe put so much money on the table for an SEO and analytics platform? The answer is in two letters: AI.
The way consumers discover brands is changing dramatically. It used to be the classic search engine, now it's more Large Language Models (LLMs) ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. Consumers are increasingly using these generative AI platforms for information, recommendations and purchasing decisions – they are becoming new interface between customer and brand.
This is where the new technical term comes into play, which you have to remember: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
While SEO aims to optimise content for conventional search engines (so that it ranks as high as possible), specialises in GEO to prepare content so that it can be better found, understood and cited by AI models in AI responses or chatbots.
If you're looking for more input, check out this webinar:
Fun fact: New data from Adobe Analytics showed that traffic from generative AI sources to U.S. retail sites in October was incredible compared to the previous year. 1,200 percent It has risen! This shows how quickly the game is changing.
The turning point: Why Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is now the be-all and end-all
We briefly touched on it, but this point is so crucial that we should go into detail here. Adobe didn't just buy an SEO company, they got into the Future of brand visibility invested.
The new playing field: From the list to the answer
You know the game: SEO (Search Engine Optimization) The goal is for your website to appear as high up as possible on the results page (SERP) of Google or Bing. It's about generating clicks via organic rankings and being part of a long list of results.
But that has changed! With the advent of AI systems such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google Gemini and Co., we are moving away from the list and towards Direct, synthesized response.
What is GEO and why is it different from SEO?
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the strategic process of preparing your content, your brand presence and your digital assets in such a way that they are preferably processed, cited or directly integrated by generative AI systems.
GEO is not just about appearing in search results, but directly Part of the response logic Become the AI system!
Imagine: The AI creates a summary or makes a purchase recommendation. The goal of GEO is for your brand, product or solution to be directly mentioned, linked or accessed as background information in these responses.
Because the space in these AI responses (unlike Google's infinite scroll list) is extremely limited, the competition for visibility will be here. Significantly harder.
The three AI engine types and your strategy
To be visible in the AI era, you need to understand what kind of AI you're targeting right now. The experts roughly distinguish three types of generative AI engines, and each requires slightly different GEO measures:
| AI engine type | functioning | What can you do (GEO strategy)? |
| 1. Search-based (e.g. Google AI Overviews, Perplexity) | Utilize real-time indexing and web access. | Here you score with classic, high-quality SEO. Make sure that your content belongs to the referenced and cited sources (keyword: Structured content). |
| 2. Training based (e.g. Claude, Llama) | Based purely on their training data (static). | Influence only by Long-term measures possible: Expand your digital footprint and rely on digital PR to become part of the high-quality, long-term training data base. |
| 3. Hybrid systems (e.g. Google Gemini, ChatGPT Search) | Combine training data (basic knowledge) with current web content (current recommendations). | Sitting on one OmniSEO®Strategy: Produces contextual, structured content that answers direct questions and builds authority on trusted platforms. |
The GEO measures: How to become an 'Answer Star'
Since the traffic from generative AI sources such as Adobe Analytics data with the Incredible increase of 1,200 percent have exploded, your measures must go beyond the ranking in the results list:
- Content quality and structure: Published contextually, structured and unique information from your trusted sources. Make sure your content answer questions directly (Search Everywhere Optimization)
- Authority building: Focus on Platforms that actively feed into LLM training (such as Wikipedia, Reddit or top-tier media). This requires strategic PR, data leadership and thought leadership.
- Machine comprehensibility: Your content must be technically and semantically comprehensible for AI systems.
In short: Brands that manage to build their authority (brand authority) across multiple web platforms and directly in the AI responses To appear, gain significantly more visibility.
That's why the combination of Adobe and Semrush is so explosive: Adobe wants to give you the tool to optimize your brand not only through traditional SEO, but also with Semrush's expertise and new GEO capabilities. directly the response logic of the AI systems influence.
What does fusion mean for your work?
Adobe already offers you solutions such as the Adobe Experience Manager (AEM), Adobe Analytics and the newly introduced Adobe brand concierge to solve the pain points of the Agentic AI era.
With the acquisition of Semrush, which has more than ten years of SEO experience and the crucial GEO capabilities, a complete package is now being created.
The result for you:
- Holistic visibility: You'll gain a deep understanding of how your brand is perceived through your own channels, LLMs, traditional search engines, and the entire web.
- GEO as a new growth lever: Anil Chakravarthy, president of Adobe's Digital Experience Business, sums it up: “With Semrush, we are opening up GEO to marketers as a new growth channel alongside their SEO.”
- More insights: Semrush CEO Bill Wagner emphasizes that combining marketers provides more insights and skills to navigate the rapidly evolving digital landscape. searchable to stay.
In short: Companies that are now investing in GEO in addition to their SEO skills are well positioned to represent, promote and build trust in their brands across all new and old channels.
Conclusion: It's time to rethink!
Adobe's purchase of Semrush is a turning point. It confirms that brand perception is being redesigned through generative AI, and that brands that are not participating in this change are actually at risk of losing relevance and revenue.
So, dear marketers, have your strategies ready. Semrush has already gained the trust of industry leaders such as Amazon, JPMorganChase and TikTok. With Adobe's power behind it, this team will fundamentally change the way we measure and control visibility.
TL:DR
The era of generative engine optimization has officially begun!
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