BIMI stands for Brand Indicators for Message Identification. It's an email standard that allows brands to display their registered logo next to their authenticated emails in supporting inboxes, enhancing brand visibility and trust.

What are the core technical prerequisites for BIMI?

The primary technical requirements include having SPF, DKIM, and DMARC configured for your sending domain, with your DMARC policy set to p=quarantine or p=reject . You also need an SVG Tiny 1.2 formatted logo hosted on a secure server, and usually a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC).

Is a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) always necessary for BIMI?

A VMC is a digital certificate that verifies your ownership of a trademarked logo. While not all BIMI-supporting providers strictly require it, major mailbox providers like Gmail require a VMC for displaying the logo and a blue checkmark, adding a crucial layer of trust.

What are the specific requirements for the BIMI logo file?

Your logo must be in SVG Tiny 1.2 format, be a perfect square, and be hosted on a secure web server (HTTPS). It should also not contain any external references within the SVG file itself.

How do I create and publish a BIMI DNS record?

The BIMI DNS record is a TXT record that you add to your domain's DNS. It typically includes the BIMI version (e.g., v=BIMI1 ), the URL to your SVG logo (e.g., l=https://yourdomain.com/logo.svg ), and optionally the URL to your VMC (e.g., a=https://yourdomain.com/cert.pem ).

What are the requirements and implementation steps for BIMI? - Technical - Email deliverability - Knowledge base

Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) is an emerging email standard that allows organizations to display their brand logo next to authenticated emails in supported inboxes. This visual cue helps recipients instantly recognize legitimate messages, building trust and enhancing brand recall. For senders, BIMI is more than just a logo, it is a powerful signal of authenticity, reducing the likelihood of emails being flagged as spam or phishing attempts.

Implementing BIMI involves a series of technical requirements and careful configuration steps. Successfully navigating these steps ensures your brand logo appears consistently across various email clients and significantly boosts your email deliverability and overall brand presence. Understanding each prerequisite and implementation phase is key to unlocking BIMI's full potential.

The essential email authentication foundation

The foundation of BIMI relies heavily on robust email authentication protocols. Before you can even consider displaying your brand logo, your domain must have properly configured SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records in place. These protocols work together to verify that your emails are legitimate and originated from your domain, preventing spoofing and phishing attacks.

Sender Policy Framework (SPF) specifies which mail servers are authorized to send email on behalf of your domain, while DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) adds a digital signature to your emails, allowing recipients to verify that the message has not been tampered with in transit. Both are critical for establishing a trustworthy sending reputation and are prerequisites for DMARC.

Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) builds upon SPF and DKIM by allowing domain owners to specify how recipient mail servers should handle emails that fail authentication checks. For BIMI implementation, your DMARC policy must be set to either p=quarantine or p=reject. This strict enforcement level signals to mailbox providers that you have full control over your sending domain and are committed to preventing unauthorized use. You can learn more about setting up DMARC for BIMI.

Achieving and maintaining a DMARC policy at enforcement (quarantine or reject) is a critical step because it assures receiving mail servers that your domain is actively protected against impersonation. Without this level of enforcement, mailbox providers may not trust your BIMI record, preventing your logo from displaying.

Important: DMARC policy

Your DMARC policy must be set to at least p=quarantine or p=reject for BIMI to work. A p=none policy, while useful for monitoring, is insufficient for BIMI. Ensure full DMARC compliance before proceeding.

Crafting your brand's visual identity for BIMI

Your brand logo is the central visual element of BIMI, and it has specific technical requirements. The logo must be in Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) format, specifically SVG Tiny 1.2. This ensures the logo scales crisply across all devices and screen sizes without pixelation. It also needs to be a perfect square. Validating your SVG file against the BIMI specifications is a crucial step to avoid display issues.

Once your SVG logo is prepared, it must be hosted on a secure web server (HTTPS) accessible to email clients. The URL of this logo will be included in your BIMI DNS record, so ensuring its continuous availability and secure hosting is paramount. Avoid using redirects for the logo URL, as this can cause issues with some mailbox providers.

Example SVG Tiny 1.2 Headerxml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<svg width="400" height="400" viewBox="0 0 400 400" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
  <!-- SVG content here -->
</svg>

The appearance of your logo directly impacts brand recognition and recipient trust. A well-prepared logo that adheres to BIMI's technical specifications ensures a consistent and professional visual experience for your subscribers, reinforcing your brand identity with every email.

Logo specifications

Format: SVG Tiny 1.2 profile.
Aspect ratio: Must be a perfect square.
Accessibility: Logo must be publicly accessible via a HTTPS URL.
Security: No external references within the SVG file itself.

Hosting considerations

Reliability: Host your logo on a highly available server.
Stability: Avoid frequent URL changes or redirects.
Caching: Implement proper caching headers for efficient delivery.
Security: Ensure the hosting environment is secure and trusted.

Acquiring the verified mark certificate (VMC)

While not universally required by all BIMI-supporting mailbox providers, a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) is strongly recommended and often essential for your logo to display, especially with major providers like

Gmail and

Yahoo Mail. A VMC is a digital certificate that proves your ownership of the logo and confirms it is a registered trademark. This adds an additional layer of trust and security, assuring mailbox providers that your brand is indeed legitimate. It can be confusing whether a VMC is always required, but for broad support, it's generally best.

To obtain a VMC, your logo must be a registered trademark with a recognized trademark office, such as the USPTO, EUIPO, or others. This registration serves as legal proof of ownership and is a fundamental requirement for VMC issuance. This ensures that only official and legally protected brand logos are displayed. Read more about trademark registration for BIMI authentication.

VMCs are issued by accredited Certificate Authorities (CAs). The process typically involves submitting your trademark details, logo file, and other organizational documentation to a CA for verification. Upon successful validation, you receive a VMC file, which then needs to be securely hosted and referenced in your BIMI DNS record. You can find a list of accredited certificate providers.

Provider	VMC requirement	Additional notes
Google	Required for a visible blue checkmark and logo display.	Supports VMC for enhanced brand trust indicators.
Yahoo (AOL, Verizon Media)	Optional, but recommended for consistent logo display.	May display logos without VMC based on internal matching, but VMC provides assurance.
Fastmail	Optional, displays logo if DMARC enforced.	Focuses on DMARC compliance for logo display.
Netscape	Optional, displays logo if DMARC enforced.	Similar approach to Fastmail, primarily relies on DMARC.
Apple Mail	Does not currently support BIMI (as of early 2024).	Rely on standard email authentication, not BIMI, for display.

Publishing your BIMI DNS record

The final step in BIMI implementation is publishing a BIMI TXT record in your domain's DNS. This record acts as a pointer, instructing recipient mail servers where to find your SVG logo and, if applicable, your VMC. The BIMI record specifies the BIMI version, the URL to your SVG logo, and the URL to your VMC. The BIMI Group's implementation guide offers detailed syntax.

You'll add this TXT record to your domain's DNS settings, typically through your domain registrar or DNS hosting provider. The record usually looks something like default._bimi.yourdomain.com and contains the v=BIMI1; l= (logo URL); a= (VMC URL, if used) tags. Ensure that there are no typos, as even small errors can prevent your logo from appearing.

Example BIMI DNS TXT recorddns

default._bimi.yourdomain.com IN TXT "v=BIMI1; l=https://yourdomain.com/path/to/logo.svg; a=https://yourdomain.com/path/to/certificate.pem;"

After publishing the DNS record, allow some time for DNS propagation. You can then verify your BIMI record's setup to ensure it's correctly recognized by BIMI-supporting mail servers. Regular monitoring of your email deliverability and authentication reports will help confirm that your logo is consistently displayed. You can find more about the steps for BIMI verification and logo display.

Successful BIMI implementation enhances your brand's visibility and trustworthiness in the inbox. It’s a powerful tool for improving email deliverability and branding, making your emails stand out in crowded inboxes and building stronger connections with your audience.

Benefits of successful BIMI implementation

Increased brand recognition: Your logo appears directly in the inbox, making your emails instantly identifiable.
Enhanced trust: Recipients are more likely to open emails from verified senders, reducing phishing risks.
Improved deliverability: Strong authentication signals to mailbox providers that your emails are legitimate, reducing spam folder placement.
Better engagement: Visual trust cues can lead to higher open and click-through rates.

Final thoughts on BIMI implementation

Implementing BIMI is a strategic move that enhances your email marketing efforts and strengthens your brand's digital identity. By adhering to the stringent authentication requirements, preparing your logo correctly, and accurately publishing your DNS records, you can ensure your brand logo is prominently displayed in recipients' inboxes.

This commitment to email security and brand authentication not only improves trust and engagement but also safeguards your domain against malicious impersonation. As email clients increasingly adopt BIMI, its importance for deliverability and brand visibility will only continue to grow.

Views from the trenches

Best practices

Ensure DMARC is set to an enforcement policy (quarantine or reject) before BIMI implementation to avoid display issues and improve security.

Use the official BIMI Group specifications for SVG logo creation to ensure compatibility across all supported email clients.

Obtain a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) from an accredited Certificate Authority for broader support, especially with Gmail.

Host your SVG logo and VMC securely on an HTTPS server with a stable URL and no redirects.

Common pitfalls

Attempting BIMI implementation without a DMARC policy at enforcement (p=none) will result in logos not displaying.

Using an SVG logo that does not comply with the SVG Tiny 1.2 profile, causing display errors or rejection.

Failing to trademark your logo, which is a prerequisite for obtaining a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC).

Hosting your SVG logo or VMC on an insecure server or a URL that frequently changes or uses redirects.

Expert tips

Always validate your SVG Tiny 1.2 file before publishing. Many free online validators can help with this crucial step.

For large organizations with multiple sending domains, consider a phased rollout of BIMI to manage potential issues effectively.

Stay updated on BIMI requirements as they can evolve. Mailbox providers might adjust their policies or support for VMCs.

Don't forget the importance of your email's content and sender reputation, even with BIMI. These factors still heavily influence inbox placement.

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks says a clear list of brands that have adopted BIMI is not widely available, but the BIMI Group might have a small sample from earlier this year.

2023-04-25 - Email Geeks

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks says Westwing.com has a strong deliverability team and has discussed BIMI, although it is unconfirmed if they have fully implemented it yet.

2023-04-26 - Email Geeks