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Summary

The question of whether a parent (organizational) domain needs a BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) record for a subdomain's BIMI to display is common among senders managing complex domain structures. While a parent domain BIMI can offer inheritance, it is not a strict prerequisite for a subdomain to successfully implement and display its own BIMI logo. The critical factor for any domain or subdomain using BIMI is the proper configuration and enforcement of DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) at the organizational level.

What email marketers say

Email marketers often encounter challenges and questions when implementing BIMI, particularly concerning subdomain setups and interactions with parent domains. The common sentiment is that while BIMI offers significant branding advantages, its dependency on a robust DMARC implementation can be a hurdle, especially when managing multiple domains or subdomains. Marketers frequently seek clarity on whether they need to control the parent domain's DNS for subdomain BIMI to work and how to troubleshoot visibility issues.

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks asks whether the parent domain requires a BIMI record for a subdomain's BIMI to display, noting they struggled for a year to get their subdomain BIMI string working.

22 Jul 2022 - Email Geeks

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks observes that their subdomain BIMI is not being found by the BIMI Group's online generator tool, indicating a replication issue.

22 Jul 2022 - Email Geeks

What the experts say

Email deliverability experts highlight that BIMI's flexibility allows for implementation at both the organizational domain and subdomain levels, without requiring a parent BIMI for subdomain functionality. However, they consistently emphasize that the underlying DMARC authentication must be robustly in place at the organizational domain for BIMI to be recognized. Experts also clarify the nuances of BIMI inheritance and the current state of support for various BIMI selectors across mailbox providers.

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks states that if BIMI is set up on the organizational domain, it will be inherited by any qualifying subdomain, and Verified Mark Certificates (VMCs) can also be configured in a similar way.

22 Jul 2022 - Email Geeks

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks confirms that BIMI can indeed be deployed exclusively on a subdomain if that is the chosen setup preference.

22 Jul 2022 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says

Official BIMI documentation and related standards clearly outline the technical requirements for BIMI implementation, including its interplay with domain hierarchy and DMARC. The specifications confirm that while a BIMI record can be found at the organizational domain and apply to subdomains, explicit subdomain BIMI records take precedence. Crucially, the documentation reinforces DMARC as the foundational authentication protocol necessary for BIMI to function across any domain or subdomain.

Technical article

Documentation from BIMI Group FAQs clarifies that if a BIMI record is found at a subdomain, the mailbox provider is authorized to use it, even if it differs from the BIMI record published at the organizational domain.

20 Feb 2024 - BIMI Group FAQs

Technical article

Documentation from BIMI Group FAQs explains that the BIMI protocol is structured such that a record published at the organizational domain should automatically apply to any subdomains that do not have their own explicitly defined BIMI records.

20 Feb 2024 - BIMI Group FAQs

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