Authentic Digital named Semrush's first NZ partner

Authentic Digital has been named Semrush's first New Zealand Enterprise Partner, giving New Zealand organisations a local channel to access Semrush's enterprise search and AI visibility tools.

The partnership follows Adobe's acquisition of Semrush for USD $1.9 billion and responds to demand from brands that want to track how they appear in both conventional search results and AI-generated answers.

Authentic Digital said the designation reflects its existing search business and its work in AI Visibility, also known as Answer Engine Optimisation and Generative Engine Optimisation. It plans to combine Semrush's data with local advisory services for New Zealand marketing teams navigating a broader search landscape.

That shift comes as marketers look beyond Google's traditional search results. Consumers still use standard web search, but they are also turning to tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Perplexity for product research, provider comparisons and recommendations.

In those settings, brands may appear in several ways, or not at all. A company may be cited, summarised, compared or recommended by an AI system even if its website ranks well in standard search listings.

For marketing teams, that creates a different measurement challenge. They must assess not only keyword rankings and website traffic, but also which questions prompt brand mentions, which sources AI systems use, how competitors are described and whether technical issues are limiting visibility.

Craig Martin, General Manager at Authentic Digital, said a first-page Google result no longer provided a complete picture.

"For New Zealand brands, a first-page Google position still matters, but it no longer tells the whole story. You also need to know whether AI systems mention you, cite you, compare you accurately and recommend you in the moments that influence a decision," Martin said.

He said the Semrush arrangement would help extend that work for local clients.

"Ensuring a competitive advantage demands the best tools and data in the industry. That's why we're excited to be New Zealand's first Semrush for Enterprise AIO Partner. Semrush's data moat and brand visibility expertise help us deliver peerless SEO and AI Visibility strategies and clear growth for Kiwi clients."

Martin added that the value for clients would depend on how the data was applied.

"The partnership gives our clients access to enterprise-grade Semrush intelligence, interpreted by senior local practitioners who know how to turn those signals into practical decisions about content, technical, paid media and commercial priorities."

Local interpretation

Semrush's enterprise products are used by large international organisations and are designed to bring together search performance, market monitoring and reporting. Published customer case studies include Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and Roche.

Authentic Digital said the New Zealand market has its own constraints, including smaller datasets, regional competition and tighter investment decisions. It argues these factors make local interpretation important when companies are deciding where to focus search, content and media spending.

The agency expects the partnership to be most relevant for organisations managing multiple sites, product lines, markets or stakeholder groups. In those cases, separate dashboards and tools can make it harder to identify which work is likely to have the biggest business impact.

The combined offering is intended to help teams compare conventional search and AI visibility, monitor brand mentions and citations, identify gaps against competitors, assess website health and produce reporting for both marketing and leadership teams.

Search changes

Semrush said the tie-up would strengthen its reach in New Zealand through a local partner with an established digital marketing practice.

"We're thrilled to team up with Authentic Digital in New Zealand. Authentic Digital has built a fantastic reputation for forward-thinking digital marketing, making them an ideal partner as we look to empower brands navigating the evolving search landscape. By combining Semrush data with their local expertise, Authentic Digital is set to be a real thought leader for AIO in the region. There's huge potential here to drive serious results for Kiwi brands, and we're excited to see what we can achieve together," said Alex Sibois, Head of International Partnerships & Alliances at Semrush.

Martin said the practical test would be whether the partnership changed decision-making rather than simply adding another source of analytics.

"Enterprise technology is only useful when it changes what a team does next. Our job is to work out which gaps matter and what should be fixed first. That could mean strengthening a page that already ranks, making expert information easier for AI systems to understand and cite, resolving technical barriers, or aligning paid and organic activity around the same commercial opportunity."