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Why has BIMI adoption been slow and what are its implementation challenges?

Summary

BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) promises enhanced brand visibility and trust by displaying a company's logo next to their emails in the inbox. Despite its clear benefits, widespread BIMI adoption has been notably slow, and its implementation presents several challenges for organizations. These challenges span technical complexities, security concerns, the financial burden of Verified Mark Certificates (VMCs), and the prerequisite of robust email authentication protocols like DMARC.

What email marketers say

Email marketers often express both enthusiasm for BIMI's potential and frustration with its slow adoption and perceived complexities. While the promise of enhanced brand visibility and trust is appealing, the practical hurdles, including technical setup, cost, and the prerequisite of a strong DMARC policy, often overshadow the immediate benefits, leading to a cautious approach.

Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks notes a lack of response after applying for BIMI, suggesting a slow or unclear process. They express concern that if Gmail Annotations become mainstream, BIMI might be deprecated by Google and Microsoft. This sentiment highlights the uncertainty surrounding BIMI's long-term viability in a rapidly evolving email ecosystem. The perception that BIMI could be superseded by proprietary features like Gmail Annotations can deter early adoption.

22 Feb 2019 - Email Geeks

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares a similar experience with slow BIMI progress, reinforcing the sentiment that adoption has been frustratingly slow or stagnant. This widespread experience among email professionals indicates systemic issues rather than isolated incidents. Such shared frustrations can lead to a collective hesitation within the industry to invest further resources into BIMI until clearer pathways and benefits emerge.

22 Feb 2019 - Email Geeks

What the experts say

Email deliverability experts highlight that BIMI's slow adoption is less about the technical simplicity of a DNS record and more about the stringent prerequisites and underlying complexities it mandates. They emphasize the critical role of strong authentication, VMCs, and the evolving ecosystem in the pace of its rollout. Experts often draw parallels to the early days of DMARC, where initial adoption was also slow until major mailbox providers exerted pressure.

Expert view

Deliverability Expert from SpamResource emphasizes that the primary obstacle to widespread BIMI adoption is the requirement for a DMARC policy at enforcement (p=quarantine or p=reject). Many organizations are still at p=none due to fear of legitimate mail blocking, a critical prerequisite that slows BIMI's rollout. This highlights a common challenge where companies prioritize not losing any mail over enhanced brand security, creating a bottleneck for new authentication standards that build upon DMARC.

01 Nov 2023 - SpamResource

Expert view

Email Authentication Specialist from Word to the Wise suggests that the cost and complexity associated with obtaining and maintaining a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) from an accredited Certificate Authority presents a significant barrier. This technical and financial hurdle disproportionately affects smaller businesses and those without dedicated security teams. Such specialized certification processes add a layer of bureaucracy and expense that many organizations are not prepared for, slowing down their ability to adopt BIMI even if their DMARC is in order.

15 Dec 2023 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says

Official documentation and research reports underscore the technical requirements and security considerations that underpin BIMI, explaining why its adoption curve is deliberately paced. They detail the necessity of a strong email authentication foundation (DMARC enforcement) and the verification process involving Verified Mark Certificates to ensure brand authenticity and prevent abuse.

Technical article

Uriports Blog, a research publication, highlights that while BIMI adoption is steadily increasing, error rates in implementation remain high. This suggests that the complexity of correctly configuring all components, including DNS records and VMCs, is a significant hurdle for organizations. The persistent high error rates indicate that the process is not as straightforward as it might seem, leading to frustration and extended deployment times for many brands attempting to implement BIMI.

20 Jan 2025 - Uriports Blog

Technical article

Mailgun's documentation for email marketers states that aligning all email authentication protocols isn't always easy, depending on the organization. This implies that the prerequisite of robust SPF, DKIM, and DMARC alignment can be a technical challenge for many companies attempting BIMI. This confirms that BIMI success hinges on an already mature email authentication posture, a standard that not all senders have fully achieved, thereby acting as a bottleneck for broader adoption.

10 Mar 2024 - Mailgun Blog

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