Semrush is an online visibility and competitive research suite, founded in 2008 and based in Boston. It began as a keyword research tool and expanded into content, advertising, social media and search analysis.
How founders use it
Founders use it to research keywords, compare their site with competitors and track rankings. In October 2025 the company launched Semrush One, which combines classic search metrics with tracking of how a brand appears in AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Claude. See Answer engine optimization and Content marketing.
Background
An analysis reported about 117,000 paying customers in 143 countries in the third quarter of 2025. Adobe announced on 19 November 2025 that it would acquire Semrush for 12 dollars a share, about 1.9 billion dollars. Shareholders approved the deal in February 2026, and closing was targeted for the first half of 2026, so the current status should be checked.
Alternatives
Ahrefs and the free Google Search Console.
Related entries
See Ahrefs, Google Search Console and Answer engine optimization.
Semrush is part of Authority and links.
Sources
Acquiry analysis of the Adobe and Semrush deal. Customer figures are as reported there. Reviewed October 2026.
