Is BIMI required for Gmail Markup and what setup is needed for AMP?

Key findings

• BIMI vs. Gmail Markup: BIMI is not a prerequisite for implementing Gmail Markup. Gmail Markup (also known as annotations), which adds rich previews and deals to emails, operates independently of BIMI and predates its widespread adoption.
• AMP for email setup: Unlike standard Gmail Markup, AMP for Email does require a specific registration and approval process with Google. This is due to its dynamic and interactive nature, which demands stricter security and quality controls.
• Authentication basics: While BIMI is not required for Gmail Markup, strong email authentication via DMARC, SPF, and DKIM is foundational for both BIMI and effective email deliverability in general. BIMI specifically requires an enforced DMARC policy (p=quarantine or p=reject).
• Verified mark certificate: For your logo to appear via BIMI in Gmail (and other supporting inboxes), you typically need a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) from an accredited certificate authority, along with a trademarked logo.

Key considerations

• Purpose differentiation: Recognize that Gmail Markup, BIMI, and AMP for Email serve distinct purposes. Gmail Markup enhances content display, BIMI builds brand trust with a visual logo, and AMP provides interactive experiences within the email itself.
• AMP for email complexity: Implementing AMP for Email is akin to developing mini-applications within an email. It requires a solid understanding of AMP specifications and careful adherence to Google's guidelines, including a registration process to ensure a positive user experience. More details can be found on Google's AMP for Email developer documentation.
• Prioritize core authentication: Before pursuing advanced features like BIMI or AMP, ensure your domain has robust SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records correctly configured. These are fundamental for email deliverability and sender reputation, whether or not you use these other technologies.
• Strategic implementation: Consider the specific goals for each technology. If your aim is to stand out visually and enhance trust, BIMI is key. If you want to provide interactive experiences, AMP for Email is the tool. If you want to highlight key information, Gmail Markup is helpful.

Key opinions

• Brand visibility is key: Marketers appreciate BIMI for its ability to display a brand logo, which helps increase brand recognition and builds trust directly in the inbox. This visual cue can make emails stand out in a crowded inbox.
• Engagement through interactivity: AMP for Email is seen as a powerful tool to boost engagement by allowing recipients to interact with content directly within the email, reducing friction and potentially increasing conversions.
• Markup for quick information: Gmail Markup (annotations) is valued for providing a quick glance at promotions or key information, which can entice users to open and engage with the full email content.
• Deliverability is paramount: Regardless of advanced features, marketers universally agree that foundational email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is essential to ensure emails reach the inbox and avoid spam folders or blocklists. Without it, even the most visually appealing emails may not be seen. Read more about email deliverability issues.

Key considerations

• Technical complexity: Marketers often find the technical setup for BIMI and AMP for Email challenging, requiring coordination with IT or a deep dive into DNS records and coding. This can be a barrier to adoption for some teams. Learn about BIMI implementation steps.
• ROI justification: For features like BIMI (especially with VMC costs) and AMP, marketers need to weigh the investment against potential returns in engagement, brand recognition, and conversions to justify the effort.
• Inbox provider support: Not all email clients support BIMI or AMP for Email, which means marketers need to be mindful of fallback content and the overall reach of these advanced features across their audience. Mailmodo's BIMI Guide for Email Marketers highlights various requirements.
• Content and design: With AMP for Email, marketers must also consider the additional effort in creating compelling and functional interactive content, which differs significantly from traditional static email design.

Key opinions

• No BIMI for markup: Experts confirm that BIMI is not a requirement for standard Gmail Markup (annotations). These are separate functionalities developed for different purposes within the email ecosystem.
• AMP registration is mandatory: AMP for Email does necessitate a registration process with Google. This ensures that senders understand and adhere to the strict guidelines required for dynamic, interactive content to function reliably and securely.
• Authentication underpins everything: Strong email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is the bedrock for both BIMI and effective AMP for Email deployment. A solid authentication posture is critical for maintaining sender reputation and avoiding email blacklists, which is essential for boosting email deliverability rates.
• User experience focus: The registration and approval processes for AMP are in place to safeguard the user experience, ensuring that interactive emails are well-behaved and do not introduce security risks or poor performance.

Key considerations

• Separate objectives: It's important to understand that BIMI is about brand identity and trust through a verified logo, while Gmail Markup and AMP are about enhancing the content and interactivity of the email itself. They operate on different layers of email technology.
• Gradual DMARC enforcement: For BIMI, experts advise gradually moving your DMARC policy from p=none to p=quarantine or p=reject to ensure proper authentication alignment before BIMI can function. This requires careful monitoring of DMARC reports.
• Complexity of interactive email: Developing AMP for Email is often compared to developing a mini-app, requiring specialized coding skills and attention to security. This is why Google imposes a registration process, ensuring senders are capable of producing high-quality, safe interactive emails. Learn more about AMP for Email on Customer.io's AMP for Email guide.
• Proactive monitoring: Experts recommend continuous monitoring of DMARC reports and email deliverability metrics to identify and address any issues that could prevent BIMI logos from displaying or AMP emails from rendering correctly, or even lead to your domain being placed on a blacklist or blocklist.

Key findings

• Markup independence: Documentation consistently shows that Gmail Markup does not have a BIMI dependency. Markup involves adding JSON-LD or Microdata to the email body to create rich snippets, requiring compliance with schema.org specifications.
• AMP registration requirement: To send dynamic emails using AMP for Email, senders must register their email address with Google. This is a per-sender email address registration, and it's a one-time process regardless of content changes. Google's developer documentation outlines this clearly.
• BIMI authentication: BIMI explicitly requires a domain with DMARC set to an enforced policy (p=quarantine or p=reject). This ensures emails are properly authenticated via SPF and DKIM before the logo can be displayed. Refer to Mailmodo's BIMI guide for more.
• Trademark and VMC for BIMI: For BIMI logos to appear in Gmail, the logo must be trademarked, and the sender needs a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC). The SVG logo format is also specifically required.

Key considerations

• AMP specifications: Senders must learn and adhere to AMP specifications and markup languages to correctly implement AMP for Email. This is a distinct skillset from standard HTML email development.
• Google approval for AMP: The Gmail team reviews AMP for Email senders to ensure compliance and a good user experience. This approval process is mandatory before dynamic emails can be sent to recipients through Gmail. Registering with Gmail for email markup is a crucial step.
• BIMI enforcement: Without a DMARC policy set to p=quarantine or p=reject, BIMI cannot function, as it directly relies on the DMARC verification process. This makes DMARC a foundational requirement for BIMI implementation.
• Logo compliance: The SVG logo used for BIMI must meet specific size and format requirements to ensure proper display across different email clients, as detailed in BIMI specifications.