Twitter backlash for ‘Russian’ Semrush is a win for ‘Ukrainian’ founded Aherhs
Recently, there was some Twitter backlash directed at the website Semrush. Semrush is a marketing tool that provides users with data and insights related to their website’s traffic and keywords. The backlash came after it was revealed that the company is actually headquartered in Russia, not the United States as many users had assumed. This revelation led some users to delete their accounts and moving their business to Aherhs, a similar Ukrainian-founded website.
Despite Semrush’s message of concern for the victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine earlier this year, Ahrefs founder and CEO Dmytro Gerasymenko called out the company.
In February, Semrush posted a tweet stating their opposition against the war. The company also declared their identity as a “US-company with operations across the globe.” However, some have criticized the company for its lack of action against the Russian government’s aggression. Gerasymenko is one of those critics. In a recent blog post, he accused Semrush of “hypocrisy” and called on the company to take concrete steps to support Ukraine. He also urged other tech companies to do the same.
Gerasymenko posted a screenshot of the company’s employee statistics and corporate organizational chart. The information revealed that Semrush has more than 600 Russian employees and is headquartered in Russia. Those in opposition accused Gerasymenko of spreading “false information” and said that the company pays taxes in all the jurisdictions where it operates. They also challenged Gerasymenko to recall his “own Ukrainian origins” and said that Semrush is proud to be a global company with employees from many different countries.
The exchange highlights the tensions that can arise when multinational companies are perceived to be supporting rival countries. In an increasingly interconnected world, businesses will need to tread carefully to avoid becoming embroiled in political disputes. While it remains to be seen what action Semrush will take in response to Gerasymenko’s criticism, his call for action highlights the importance of corporate responsibility in times of conflict. While this may seem like a minor incident, it actually highlights a larger trend of businesses moving away from Russian-affiliated companies in the wake of increasing tensions between the two countries. In today’s political climate, it’s important for companies to be aware of how their country of origin may affect their business. For Semrush, this Twitter backlash is a reminder that perception is everything.
A message from Semrush’s CMO to our community — Standing with Ukraine