Summary
Implementing BIMI involves a multi-stage process with associated costs and technical requirements. Initially, email authentication using SPF and DKIM, combined with a DMARC policy of 'quarantine' or 'reject,' is essential. The main costs stem from trademark registration (ranging from $250 to $600) and obtaining a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC), which can cost between $1200 and $1900 annually, though self-asserted BIMI (without a VMC) can be used for testing with some providers like Yahoo. A VMC validates the brand's logo and is required by Gmail. Creating a BIMI DNS record pointing to the SVG logo file (hosted securely over HTTPS) is necessary. The SVG logo must meet specific criteria, including being a square aspect ratio, having a solid background, and being under 32KB. Maintaining good email hygiene and sender reputation is paramount for maximizing BIMI's benefits, such as increased brand visibility, improved deliverability, and enhanced trust. Before a full rollout, testing with a small audience segment is recommended. Careful planning and monitoring of deliverability metrics are also crucial for successful BIMI implementation.
Key findings
- VMC Cost & Requirement: Verified Mark Certificates (VMCs) are a significant cost (approximately $1200-$1900 annually) and are required for Gmail.
- Trademark Requirement: A registered trademark is necessary to obtain a VMC.
- Email Authentication is Key: SPF, DKIM, and a DMARC policy set to 'quarantine' or 'reject' are prerequisites for BIMI implementation.
- SVG Logo Specifications: The SVG logo must adhere to specific technical requirements, including size, aspect ratio, and security.
- Brand Visibility and Deliverability: BIMI enhances brand visibility in inboxes, builds trust with recipients, and can improve email deliverability.
Key considerations
- Budget Planning: Factor in the costs associated with trademark registration and the annual VMC fee.
- Technical Expertise: Ensure you have the technical expertise to set up SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and create the BIMI DNS record correctly.
- Sender Reputation Monitoring: Continuously monitor sender reputation and email deliverability metrics to assess BIMI's impact and identify any issues.
- Gradual Rollout: Consider a gradual rollout, starting with a small segment of your audience, to test and refine your implementation.
- Good Email Hygiene: Maintain good email hygiene practices, including list management and suppression, to maximize BIMI's effectiveness.
What email marketers say
15 marketer opinions
Implementing BIMI involves several steps and costs. Initially, ensuring email authentication through SPF, DKIM, and a DMARC policy set to 'quarantine' or 'reject' is essential. For Gmail, a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) for your registered trademark logo is necessary, costing approximately $1200-$1900 annually, though some initial testing can be done with self-asserted BIMI for Yahoo. The process includes creating a BIMI DNS record pointing to the SVG logo file hosted on HTTPS. Benefits include enhanced brand visibility, increased trust, and improved deliverability, potentially leading to a good ROI despite the costs. Trademark registration costs vary ($250-$600), and maintaining a good sender reputation is crucial for BIMI to be effective.
Key opinions
- VMC Cost: VMC (Verified Mark Certificate) costs range from $1200 to $1900 annually per domain, depending on the vendor.
- Trademark Required: A registered trademark is generally required for a VMC and full BIMI implementation, especially for Gmail.
- DMARC Enforcement: A DMARC policy of 'quarantine' or 'reject' is a prerequisite for BIMI implementation.
- Brand Visibility: BIMI enhances brand visibility in email inboxes, building trust and providing a competitive edge.
- Self-Asserted Option: Self-asserted BIMI (without a VMC) is possible for testing and may work with some mailbox providers like Yahoo.
Key considerations
- Sender Reputation: Maintaining a good sender reputation is crucial for BIMI to positively impact deliverability.
- SVG Logo Requirements: The SVG logo must meet specific technical requirements, including a square aspect ratio and accessibility via HTTPS.
- ROI: Assess the potential ROI of BIMI based on increased visibility, brand recognition, and deliverability improvements.
- Trademark Costs: Factor in the costs associated with trademark registration, which can range from $250 to $600 or more.
- Implementation Steps: Ensure all necessary steps are followed, including setting up SPF, DKIM, DMARC, obtaining a VMC (if needed), and creating the BIMI DNS record.
Marketer view
Email marketer from OnlyMyEmail shares a step-by-step guide including: checking your current DMARC, DKIM and SPF settings, generating a DMARC record, update the DMARC record, get a VMC if your provider requires it and then create the BIMI record.
26 Apr 2022 - OnlyMyEmail
Marketer view
Email marketer from Entrust shares that the cost of a VMC (Verified Mark Certificate) can vary depending on the vendor and any promotions. Expect to pay in the range of $1,300 to $1,900 per year per domain for a VMC. They suggest checking with multiple providers to see which offers the best deal.
4 Dec 2022 - Entrust
What the experts say
2 expert opinions
Experts from Spam Resource and Word to the Wise emphasize the importance of careful planning and maintaining good email hygiene and sender reputation before implementing BIMI. Consistent email authentication practices and monitoring deliverability metrics are also advised to maximize the benefits of BIMI. Testing with a small segment of the audience is suggested before a full rollout.
Key opinions
- Importance of Sender Reputation: Good email hygiene and sender reputation are crucial for successful BIMI implementation.
- Need for Careful Planning: BIMI implementation requires careful planning and consideration of its impact on email deliverability.
- Consistent Authentication Practices: Consistent email authentication practices (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are essential for BIMI effectiveness.
Key considerations
- Monitoring Deliverability Metrics: Continuously monitor deliverability metrics to assess the impact of BIMI.
- Testing Before Full Rollout: Test BIMI implementation with a small audience segment before deploying it across all emails.
- Email Hygiene: Ensure strong email hygiene practices, including list management and suppression.
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that BIMI implementation requires careful planning, and it is important to consider your current sender reputation and the impact on email deliverability. He also suggests starting with a small segment of your audience to test the implementation.
16 Mar 2025 - Spam Resource
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise emphasizes the importance of maintaining good email hygiene and sender reputation before implementing BIMI. They advise ensuring consistent email authentication practices and monitoring deliverability metrics to maximize the benefits of BIMI.
18 May 2023 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
Implementing BIMI involves several technical steps, primarily focused on email authentication and logo validation. Email authentication via SPF and DKIM, coupled with a DMARC policy of 'quarantine' or 'reject', is fundamental. A Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) is required by some mailbox providers, like Gmail, to validate the logo, which must be a registered trademark. The logo should adhere to specific SVG constraints, including a square aspect ratio, solid background, size under 32KB, and accessibility via HTTPS as an 'SVG Tiny Portable/Secure' profile. BIMI enables the display of brand logos in inboxes, with platforms like Fastmail ensuring no tracking is enabled during this process.
Key findings
- Email Authentication: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC ('quarantine' or 'reject') are required for BIMI.
- VMC Requirement: A Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) is necessary for Gmail and validates the logo.
- SVG Logo Constraints: Logos must meet specific SVG requirements, including size, aspect ratio, and profile.
- Logo Validation: Logo needs to be associated with a registered trademark.
Key considerations
- Technical Compliance: Ensure all technical requirements for email authentication and logo format are met.
- Mailbox Provider Requirements: Be aware that mailbox providers may have varying specific requirements for BIMI implementation (e.g., VMC for Gmail).
- Logo Security: Ensure the SVG logo is hosted securely over HTTPS.
- Privacy: Some platforms are designed with privacy in mind, and will not track any data in displaying logos.
Technical article
Documentation from DigiCert explains that a VMC (Verified Mark Certificate) is a digital certificate that validates your logo and associates it with your domain. It is required by some mailbox providers like Gmail to display your BIMI logo. The logo must be a registered trademark and the certificate must be issued by an authorized Certification Authority.
16 Nov 2022 - DigiCert
Technical article
Documentation from GlobalSign explains that SVG files need to meet certain constraints, such as being a square aspect ratio, having a solid background color (no transparency), should be under 32KB and being accessible via HTTPS. They should also be a 'SVG Tiny Portable/Secure' profile.
30 Aug 2023 - GlobalSign
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How do I implement BIMI and get my logo to show in Gmail and Yahoo Mail?
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