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Summary

BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is an email specification that allows organizations to display their registered brand logo next to their sender information in supported email clients. While it doesn't directly act as a filter that determines inbox placement, its indirect effects, primarily through the enforcement of DMARC, and its potential to boost recipient trust and engagement, can contribute to overall email deliverability. The main benefit often stems from the strengthened email authentication required to implement BIMI effectively.

What email marketers say

Email marketers often approach BIMI with the hope of a direct deliverability boost. While many acknowledge that the primary benefits are indirect, revolving around brand trust and the enforcement of authentication standards, some also report perceived improvements in engagement metrics. There's a consensus that the discipline required to implement BIMI (particularly strong DMARC policies) is where the real deliverability gains are made, rather than from the logo itself.

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks notes that it can be hard to determine BIMI's direct impact on deliverability because many senders adjust DMARC policies simultaneously. This makes it challenging to isolate the effect of BIMI alone.

22 Oct 2020 - Email Geeks

Marketer view

Email marketer from SendLayer explains that BIMI does not directly change email deliverability rates. They emphasize that senders still need to engage in email best practices and use a reputable email service for good inbox placement.

22 May 2024 - SendLayer

What the experts say

Industry experts largely concur that BIMI's role in deliverability is indirect. They emphasize that the real value lies in its stringent DMARC requirements, which compel senders to achieve proper authentication. The display of a verified logo is seen more as a trust signal that can enhance user engagement rather than a direct algorithmic factor for inbox placement. Experts caution against rushed implementations, highlighting that a poorly configured DMARC policy, or non-aligned domains, can negatively impact deliverability.

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks clarifies that BIMI has no direct impact on deliverability. However, they emphasize that DMARC, if set up incorrectly, can certainly cause significant issues that affect inbox placement.

22 Oct 2020 - Email Geeks

Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource suggests that while BIMI aims to secure email and brand identity, its direct impact on inbox placement is minimal compared to core authentication protocols like SPF and DKIM.

12 Jan 2024 - Spam Resource

What the documentation says

Official documentation and technical guides consistently present BIMI as a standard for visual brand verification and increased trust, rather than a direct deliverability enhancer. They clarify that its core function is to allow organizations to display their trademarked logo in the inbox, provided they have robust email authentication, specifically DMARC, implemented at an enforcing policy. The underlying message is that BIMI incentivizes strong email security practices, which are beneficial for deliverability, but BIMI itself is not an inbox placement algorithm.

Technical article

Documentation from Mailgun explains that BIMI helps recipients quickly identify legitimate emails by displaying verified brand logos and checkmarks. This increases trust and engagement, which are indirect positives for email deliverability.

22 Apr 2024 - Mailgun

Technical article

Documentation from Email on Acid clarifies that the BIMI email specification is not designed to directly impact email deliverability. However, it can certainly have an indirect effect through improved email authentication practices.

19 Aug 2019 - Email on Acid

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