Summary
The display of BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) logos in email inboxes can vary significantly between promotional and personal emails, and crucially, across different email providers. While BIMI aims to provide a consistent brand presence, each mailbox provider implements the standard with its own specific logic and considerations. This means a logo appearing for a promotional email in one inbox might not appear for a personal email from the same domain in another.
Key findings
- Provider discretion: Whether a BIMI logo is displayed for promotional or personal emails is ultimately up to the individual mailbox provider or email application developer, as highlighted by Yahoo's sender guidelines.
- Yahoo's policy: Yahoo explicitly states that it does not display brand logos for personal (one-to-one) emails, only for bulk mailings sent to a large number of recipients.
- Google's approach: Google (specifically Google Workspace) appears to display BIMI logos for both promotional and corporate/personal emails, with the BIMI logo taking precedence over a user's Google profile picture. This is a key difference from Yahoo.
- Logo precedence: If a BIMI record is properly configured and authenticated, its associated logo will typically override any personal profile pictures set by individual users within supporting email environments like Google Workspace.
Key considerations
- Brand consistency: Organizations need to decide if they want their brand logo to consistently appear across all email types (promotional and personal) sent from a specific domain, or if they prefer a distinction. This decision should align with overall brand strategy.
- Domain strategy: It is generally recommended to separate bulk or promotional email traffic onto dedicated (sub)domains from corporate or personal email domains. This separation can help manage deliverability and allow for more tailored BIMI implementation. Learn more about BIMI requirements and benefits.
- Mailbox provider policies: Before implementing BIMI, it's essential to understand the specific policies of major mailbox providers (like Gmail, Yahoo, and potentially Microsoft Outlook) regarding BIMI logo display for different email types. The official BIMI Group FAQs is a good resource.
- User experience: Consider how consistent logo display impacts the recipient's experience and perception of brand authenticity, whether it's a marketing campaign or a direct communication.
What email marketers say
Email marketers often consider BIMI a powerful tool for brand recognition and trust, but the nuances of its display across different email types and providers present practical challenges. Their perspectives often focus on optimizing visibility for marketing campaigns while also managing expectations for individual communications.
Key opinions
- Brand visibility: Marketers largely see BIMI as a significant advantage for increasing brand visibility directly in the inbox, even before an email is opened, which is particularly valuable for promotional content.
- Trust and authentication: The authenticated logo helps build recipient trust, making emails look more legitimate and less like phishing attempts, which benefits both marketing and transactional emails. This is directly tied to the benefits of implementing DMARC.
- Differing displays: There's a common understanding that mailbox providers handle BIMI differently, meaning a logo might show up reliably for marketing campaigns on Gmail but not for personal replies on Yahoo.
- Domain separation importance: Many marketers advocate for using separate subdomains for bulk email versus personal or corporate communications to better manage BIMI display and overall sender reputation.
Key considerations
- Impact on personal emails: Marketers must consider if having a company logo appear on every individual employee email (e.g., customer service replies) is desirable or potentially distracting, depending on the recipient's email client.
- Strategic implementation: BIMI implementation isn't a 'set and forget' process. It requires strategic decisions about which domains to apply it to, particularly when distinguishing between marketing and personal communications. This also includes understanding how to implement BIMI for Gmail and Yahoo.
- VMC requirements: While some providers support BIMI without a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC), obtaining one generally offers broader and more reliable logo display, particularly for high-value marketing sends.
- Monitoring display: It's important to continuously monitor where and how the BIMI logo is displaying (or not displaying) across different email clients and email types to ensure it aligns with marketing goals. Knowing where the logo appears in various email clients is key.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests that BIMI is fantastic for brand recognition. Seeing the logo right in the inbox before opening the email builds instant trust and helps our promotional campaigns stand out from the crowd. It adds a professional touch that standard emails often lack, making our messages feel more legitimate.
Marketer view
A marketer from Klaviyo notes that BIMI is an untapped tool for email marketing that goes beyond a contact card. It involves a vetting process, including trademark validation and image hosting, which ensures higher brand credibility and distinguishes it from simpler avatar displays.
What the experts say
Experts in email deliverability and authentication emphasize the technical underpinnings of BIMI and the importance of adhering to authentication standards. They often provide insights into how mailbox providers interpret and display BIMI based on various factors beyond just email type, including DMARC policy and sender reputation.
Key opinions
- Mailbox provider control: Experts affirm that the decision to display a BIMI logo, and under what circumstances (promotional vs. personal), rests entirely with the individual mailbox provider or email application developer. This is a critical point for senders to understand.
- Domain separation best practice: It is strongly recommended by experts to separate bulk email traffic onto different domains or subdomains from corporate or personal email. This practice simplifies reputation management and BIMI application. This also aligns with technical solutions from top performing senders.
- Google Workspace behavior: Google Workspace typically displays the BIMI logo for all authenticated emails from a domain, including one-to-one communications, overriding any personal profile pictures set by employees.
- DMARC dependency: BIMI's functionality is dependent on a strong DMARC policy (p=quarantine or p=reject). Without proper DMARC implementation, BIMI will not display, regardless of email type. Learn more in a simple guide to DMARC, SPF, and DKIM.
Key considerations
- Granularity challenges: Achieving highly granular control over BIMI display (e.g., showing for marketing, hiding for personal) on a single domain is difficult, as it's often a domain-wide policy interpreted by the receiver.
- VMC benefits: While not always strictly required, obtaining a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) significantly enhances the likelihood of BIMI logo display, as it provides an additional layer of trust and verification for the brand logo.
- Reputation impacts: A strong sending reputation for a domain is often a prerequisite for BIMI display. Even with correct technical setup, poor sending practices can lead to the logo not being shown. Understand your email domain reputation.
- Monitoring differences: Senders should actively monitor BIMI display across various mailbox providers and client environments, as implementations and policies can change, affecting both promotional and personal email visibility.
Expert view
An expert from Email Geeks clarified that whether a BIMI logo displays for personal emails versus bulk emails is entirely at the discretion of the mailbox provider or email application developer. Each provider makes its own rules regarding this display logic, meaning there isn't a universal standard.
Expert view
An expert from Spamresource.com indicates that BIMI serves a dual purpose by enhancing brand visibility and combating email impersonation. The display of a verified logo helps recipients identify legitimate senders, which significantly reduces phishing risks and builds trust in brand communications.
What the documentation says
Official documentation from various sources, including the BIMI Group itself and mailbox providers, outlines the technical specifications and operational policies governing BIMI. This documentation provides the authoritative rules for how BIMI records are created, verified, and ultimately displayed or withheld by email platforms.
Key findings
- Core purpose: BIMI's fundamental purpose, as defined by the BIMI Group, is to allow senders to display a brand-controlled logo next to authenticated email messages in supporting email clients. This enhances email security by providing a visual sign of verified identity.
- DMARC prerequisite: All documentation emphasizes that a valid and enforced DMARC policy (p=quarantine or p=reject) is a strict requirement for BIMI to function. Without DMARC passing, the logo will not display. This dependency is central to how DMARC tags work in tandem with BIMI.
- Logo format and hosting: BIMI documentation specifies that the logo must be in an SVG format and hosted securely over HTTPS. It cannot be animated or interactive, ensuring static display consistency across various platforms.
- VMC significance: While initial BIMI implementations might not always require a VMC, official documentation from certain providers (like Google) indicates that a VMC is necessary for logo display in their inboxes. A VMC links the logo to a verified trademark.
Key considerations
- Mailbox provider policy differences: Documentation confirms that each mailbox provider has the autonomy to decide how they implement BIMI and under what conditions the logo is displayed. This includes distinguishing between bulk/promotional and personal emails, as demonstrated by Yahoo's stated policy.
- Technical requirements: Successful BIMI implementation hinges on precise adherence to technical standards for DNS records, SVG image formatting, and VMC issuance. Any deviation can prevent logo display, leading to troubleshooting scenarios like the wrong BIMI logo appearing.
- Anti-abuse efforts: Documentation from the BIMI Group and supporting providers positions BIMI as a key component in anti-abuse efforts. By requiring strong authentication, it helps combat email impersonation and reinforces trust, regardless of the email's content.
- Domain reputation: While not always explicitly stated as a BIMI requirement, good domain reputation is implicitly crucial. Providers are less likely to display a logo from a sender on a blocklist or with a history of spam, underscoring the importance of avoiding email blacklists.
Technical article
BIMI Group documentation outlines that BIMI depends on passing DMARC authentication. To ensure DMARC passing for logo display, it is crucial to verify email headers from providers such as Gmail, Microsoft, Yahoo, or AOL.
Technical article
Mailjet's documentation on technical email deliverability states that email clients handle and display BIMI logos in various ways. While Gmail, Yahoo, and Apple Mail currently support BIMI logos, Microsoft Outlook has different considerations for their display.
Related resources
14 resources
Related pages
How do I display my logo in email inboxes, particularly Gmail, and what are the BIMI requirements?
How do I implement BIMI and get my logo to show in Gmail and Yahoo Mail?
Does Microsoft Outlook support BIMI for displaying brand logos in email?
Where does the BIMI logo appear in email clients?
What are the benefits and requirements of BIMI for email deliverability and branding?
Which email clients actually support BIMI?
A simple guide to DMARC, SPF, and DKIM
The benefits of implementing DMARC
Understanding the business value and ROI of implementing BIMI
A guide to BIMI accredited certificate providers
