Is BIMI required for Gmail Markup to work?

No, BIMI is not a requirement for Gmail Markup. They are separate technologies. BIMI focuses on displaying your brand's logo for visual identity and trust, while Gmail Markup (or annotations) uses structured data to enhance the display of information within the email, like flight details or promotional offers.

What is the setup needed for AMP for email?

To set up AMP for email, you need to write your emails using AMP HTML and submit your sending domain to Google for whitelisting. This approval process ensures your AMP emails meet strict security and performance standards. It also requires handling CORS headers for any dynamic content.

What are the core requirements for BIMI?

The primary requirement for BIMI is having a DMARC policy enforced at p=quarantine or p=reject , along with a publicly hosted SVG logo and a BIMI TXT record in your DNS. While a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) was previously required by Google, a Common Mark Certificate (CMC) is now sufficient for Gmail, though a VMC might still be needed for other clients.

Do BIMI, Gmail Markup, and AMP for email depend on each other?

No, there is no direct dependency. You can implement Gmail Markup and AMP for email independently of BIMI. Each serves a different purpose: BIMI for sender identity, Markup for structured content display, and AMP for interactive experiences.

Is BIMI required for Gmail Markup and what setup is needed for AMP? - Technical - Email deliverability - Knowledge base

When delving into email deliverability and enhanced recipient experiences, questions often arise about the interplay between various technologies. Specifically, many wonder if Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) is a prerequisite for Gmail Markup, or if a separate setup is needed for Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) within emails. These are distinct technologies serving different purposes, though they all aim to improve the email experience.

The short answer is no, BIMI is not required for Gmail Markup. While both enhance the email display, they operate independently. Gmail Markup focuses on adding rich, structured data to emails for features like package tracking, event updates, or promotional highlights. BIMI, on the other hand, is about displaying your brand's verified logo next to your sender's address in supporting inboxes.

Similarly, AMP for email is a separate technology altogether, enabling interactive and dynamic content within the email itself. Each of these requires its own specific implementation steps and adheres to different technical standards. Understanding their individual requirements is key to leveraging them effectively for your email strategy.

BIMI setup and requirements

BIMI, or Brand Indicators for Message Identification, is an email specification designed to display your brand logo in the recipient's inbox. This visual verification builds trust and recognition. For your logo to appear, your domain must adhere to strict email authentication standards, primarily DMARC enforcement. Your DMARC policy needs to be set to p=quarantine or p=reject, ensuring that unauthenticated emails are either quarantined or rejected, rather than just monitored.

Beyond DMARC, you'll need a Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) version of your logo hosted at a stable URL. For many years, a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) was a mandatory requirement, particularly for

Gmail. However, Google changed this requirement in late 2023. Now, a more accessible Common Mark Certificate (CMC) is sufficient for Gmail to display your BIMI logo, significantly lowering the barrier to entry. Other email clients, like

Yahoo Mail, may still require a VMC.

The setup process involves publishing a BIMI TXT record in your DNS, which points to your logo's URL and, if applicable, your certificate. This record tells supporting mail servers where to find and verify your brand's visual identity. For a comprehensive guide on the requirements, consider reading our article, What are the requirements and implementation steps for BIMI?.

Understanding Gmail markup (annotations)

Gmail Markup, also known as schema markup or annotations, allows you to embed structured data within your emails. This data helps Gmail understand the content of your messages and display rich snippets or actions directly in the inbox or promotional tabs. For example, a flight confirmation email can show check-in buttons, or a retail email can display a deal badge and expiry date in the promotions tab.

The implementation of Gmail Markup involves adding JSON-LD or Microdata to the HTML of your emails. This is entirely separate from BIMI. While BIMI focuses on sender identification and branding, Markup enhances the user experience by making email content more actionable and digestible at a glance. There is no requirement for BIMI to be in place for Gmail Markup to function.

For specific types of actions or high-volume senders, Google may require you to register your sender email address and demonstrate adherence to their guidelines to ensure the quality and security of the interactive elements. This is a vetting process to prevent misuse and provide a consistent experience for users.

Example: promotional tab markup

JSON-LD for Gmail promotional tabhtml

<script type="application/ld+json">{"@context": "http://schema.org","@type": "PromotionCard","url": "https://www.example.com/promo","headline": "20% off all summer wear!","image": "https://www.example.com/images/promo.jpg","callToAction": {"url": "https://www.example.com/shop","text": "Shop now"},"validUntil": "2024-09-01T23:59:59-07:00"}</script>

AMP for email: interactive content

AMP for email takes email interactivity to the next level by allowing developers to create dynamic, app-like experiences directly within the email client. This means users can fill out forms, browse catalogs, or respond to polls without ever leaving their inbox. It essentially transforms a static email into a mini-web application.

Implementing AMP for email is a more complex undertaking than standard HTML emails or even Gmail Markup. It requires a deep understanding of AMP HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Crucially, senders must be whitelisted by Google to send AMP emails, which involves a vetting process to ensure compliance with strict security and performance requirements. This also includes adhering to Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) policies for any external data fetches.

The core purpose of this rigorous approval process is to maintain a secure and reliable experience for users. Because AMP emails can execute scripts and fetch live data, Google (and other supporting clients) needs to ensure that senders are trustworthy and capable of delivering a good user experience. This setup has no direct dependency on BIMI, as it focuses purely on the interactive content within the email body.

Differences and coexistence

While BIMI, Gmail Markup, and AMP for email all enhance the email experience, they address different aspects of it and function independently. BIMI provides visual brand recognition, leveraging strong authentication (DMARC) to display your logo. It’s about building trust and immediate brand association.

Gmail Markup helps mail clients understand the content of your email, enabling rich snippets and contextual actions. This uses structured data to improve discoverability and provide relevant information at a glance, especially in promotional tabs or for transactional emails. It streamlines how recipients interact with key information.

AMP for email, on the other hand, revolutionizes email content by making it dynamic and interactive. It’s less about information display and more about enabling direct engagement within the email itself, offering functionality similar to a mini-website or app. This can include anything from carousels and forms to real-time updates.

Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI)

Purpose: Displays your verified brand logo in the inbox.
Setup: Requires DMARC enforcement (p=quarantine/reject), an SVG logo, and a DNS TXT record. A VMC or CMC may be needed depending on the mail client.
Dependencies: Relies heavily on DMARC authentication for verification.

Gmail Markup & AMP for email

Purpose (Markup): Adds structured data for rich snippets and actions.
Purpose (AMP): Enables dynamic and interactive email content.
Setup (Markup): Embeds JSON-LD or Microdata in email HTML. Registration with Google may be required for some actions.
Setup (AMP): Requires AMP HTML, strict security, and sender whitelisting by Google.
Dependencies: Independent of email authentication protocols like BIMI. Focused on content structure and interactivity.

Views from the trenches

Best practices

Ensure your DMARC policy is at p=quarantine or p=reject to enable BIMI.

Use a high-resolution, square SVG file for your BIMI logo, publicly accessible.

Test your BIMI DNS record thoroughly before expecting logo display.

Common pitfalls

Neglecting DMARC enforcement will prevent BIMI logos from ever displaying.

Using an improperly formatted SVG logo will lead to BIMI display failures.

Failing to get whitelisted by Google for AMP emails results in them being rejected.

Expert tips

BIMI enhances visual trust, but content and deliverability are still paramount.

Gmail Markup can significantly improve open rates for promotional emails via annotations.

AMP for email offers unparalleled engagement but demands significant technical investment.

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks says Gmail annotations and AMP for email are quite different. Annotations are more about static display hints, while AMP is for truly interactive experiences.

2024-07-22 - Email Geeks

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks says you don't need BIMI for Gmail Markup. Markup works independently and allows for rich snippets in the inbox or promotional tab.

2024-07-22 - Email Geeks

Key takeaways

BIMI, Gmail Markup, and AMP for email are distinct tools, each with unique purposes and implementation requirements. BIMI is crucial for enhancing brand visibility and trust through logo display, contingent on strong email authentication like DMARC. Gmail Markup allows for structured data to create rich, informative snippets within standard emails, improving content presentation without requiring BIMI.

AMP for email, on the other hand, brings full interactivity to emails, transforming them into dynamic applications. This requires significant technical expertise and a stringent approval process with Google due to its advanced capabilities. While all three aim to improve the recipient's experience, they operate independently, meaning that implementing one does not necessitate the implementation of the others.

By understanding these differences, you can strategically choose and implement the technologies that best align with your email marketing and communication goals, ensuring your messages are not only delivered but also maximally engaging and trustworthy.