Summary
The absence of animated sender logos in Gmail for new subscribers stems from several factors. Gmail's caching of avatars, spam prevention measures linked to sender reputation, and BIMI compliance (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, VMC) all contribute. Technical issues like incorrect 'Content-Type' headers, CSP restrictions, CORS configurations, and overly complex email designs can also hinder logo display. Some users observe the logo in newsletters but not initial subscription confirmations. Consistent sending habits, IP warming, testing across different accounts, and optimizing HTML are recommended.
Key findings
- Caching: Gmail caches avatars; new subscribers might not see the animated logo immediately.
- Sender Reputation: Gmail limits logos for new senders as spam prevention; building reputation is vital.
- BIMI: Gmail's BIMI needs strong authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and a VMC.
- File Format/Size: Ensure correct GIF format and size compliance.
- Email Design: Complex HTML can trigger spam filters.
- Content-Type: Verify 'Content-Type' is 'image/gif'.
- CSP/CORS: CSP and CORS settings might block resources.
- Inconsistent Display: Logo may appear in newsletters but not initial confirmations.
Key considerations
- Improve Reputation: Focus on building a strong sender reputation.
- Implement BIMI: Configure SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and obtain a VMC.
- Optimize HTML: Simplify and clean email HTML.
- Check CSP/CORS: Ensure CSP and CORS allow image loading.
- Consistent Sending: Maintain consistent sending habits.
- IP Warmup: Warm up IP address gradually.
- Test: Test with different Gmail accounts.
- Confirmation Email: Note that the animated logo may not show in initial confirmation emails
What email marketers say
13 marketer opinions
Animated sender logos in Gmail may not display for new subscribers due to several reasons. Gmail's caching mechanisms, sender reputation, email authentication, file format/size of the logo, and email design complexity all play a role. Some users see the logo in newsletters but not initial subscription confirmations. Rendering differences across email clients and Gmail's spam prevention measures also contribute. Testing with different Gmail accounts and consistent sending habits are recommended.
Key opinions
- Caching: Gmail caches avatars, so new subscribers may not see the animated logo immediately.
- Sender Reputation: Gmail may limit animated logos for first-time senders as a spam prevention measure; building sender reputation is important.
- File Format/Size: The animated logo must be in the correct file format (GIF) and within Gmail's size limits.
- Email Design: Overly complex or poorly coded HTML emails can trigger spam filters.
- Authentication: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial for Gmail to verify the legitimacy of your emails.
- Rendering: Rendering differences may exist across various email clients, including Gmail.
Key considerations
- Test: Test the animated logo with different Gmail accounts to identify account-specific issues.
- Consistency: Maintain consistent sending habits and avoid sudden spikes in email volume to build trust with Gmail.
- IP Warmup: Warm up your IP address, especially if new or sending a larger volume of emails, to build a positive reputation.
- Monitor: Actively monitor your sender reputation and deliverability metrics to identify and address potential issues early.
- Confirmation Emails: Be aware that the animated logo may not show on confirmation emails initially, but is more likely to be shown in later emails.
Marketer view
Email marketer from ActiveCampaign says to maintain consistent sending habits and avoid sudden spikes in email volume. Consistent sending helps build trust with Gmail and improves the likelihood of displaying custom sender logos.
29 Dec 2023 - ActiveCampaign
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares test results indicating that GIF avatars no longer load for first-time email recipients, suggesting Gmail might be caching avatars for previously emailed users.
10 May 2025 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
2 expert opinions
Gmail's Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) requires strong authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) to display logos, particularly for new subscribers. Overly complex or poorly coded HTML emails, including those with animated logos, can trigger spam filters, negatively impacting logo display.
Key opinions
- BIMI Requirements: Gmail's BIMI requires strong authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and a VMC for logo display.
- New Subscriber Impact: Missing BIMI requirements are more likely to affect logo display for new subscribers.
- Email Design: Overly complex or poorly coded HTML can trigger spam filters.
- Deliverability Impact: Spam triggers from poor email design can prevent logo display.
Key considerations
- Implement BIMI: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are correctly configured and obtain a VMC to leverage BIMI.
- Optimize HTML: Keep email HTML clean and optimized to avoid triggering spam filters.
- Monitor Deliverability: Track deliverability metrics, especially for new subscribers, to identify and address issues.
- Email Complexity: Simplify your email designs to ensure they do not contain anything that might appear to spam filters
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that Gmail's BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) requires strong authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and a VMC (Verified Mark Certificate). If you're missing these, your logo won't display, especially for new subscribers who haven't yet built a relationship with your domain.
21 Nov 2022 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource comments that overly complex or poorly coded HTML emails, including those with animated logos, can sometimes trigger spam filters, especially for new subscribers. Ensure your email design is clean and optimized for deliverability.
16 Jan 2024 - Spam Resource
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Gmail may not display custom sender logos for new subscribers due to insufficient sender reputation. Technical configurations, like incorrect 'Content-Type' headers, Content Security Policy (CSP) blocking external resources, and improperly configured Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS), can also prevent logo display. Following email authentication best practices and ensuring secure hosting are crucial.
Key findings
- Sender Reputation: Insufficient sender reputation can prevent Gmail from displaying custom logos, especially for new subscribers.
- Content-Type Header: An incorrect 'Content-Type' header (should be 'image/gif') may prevent Gmail from recognizing the image.
- Content Security Policy (CSP): Gmail's CSP might block external resources; ensure the logo is hosted on a secure (HTTPS) server and your email's CSP allows loading images from that domain.
- Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS): If the logo is hosted on a different domain, improperly configured CORS can cause Gmail to block the image.
Key considerations
- Improve Reputation: Focus on establishing sufficient sender reputation through consistent email authentication, engagement, and best practices.
- Verify Header: Confirm that the 'Content-Type' header is correctly set to 'image/gif' for the animated logo.
- Configure CSP: Ensure that your email's CSP allows loading images from the domain hosting the animated logo.
- Setup CORS: If hosting the logo on a different domain, ensure CORS is properly configured to allow Gmail to access the image.
- HTTPS: Make sure the image is being served over HTTPS
Technical article
Documentation from Litmus mentions Gmail's Content Security Policy (CSP) might be blocking external resources. Ensure that the animated logo is hosted on a secure (HTTPS) server and that your email's CSP allows loading images from that domain.
29 Dec 2024 - Litmus
Technical article
Documentation from RFC Editor says to ensure the 'Content-Type' header is correctly set to 'image/gif' for the animated logo. Incorrect headers may prevent Gmail from recognizing and displaying the image properly.
18 Mar 2025 - RFC Editor
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