A BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) record is a way for organizations to show their official logo next to emails in people’s inboxes. It helps make the brand more recognizable and builds trust with recipients. For BIMI to work, the domain needs to have proper email authentication in place, especially DMARC, which ensures that only verified emails can display the logo.
A BIMI record uses specific tags within a DNS TXT entry to define its parameters. Here are the key tags and their definitions:
v (Version)
v=BIMI1l (Location)
l=https://example.com/logo.svga (Authority) (Optional)
a=https://example.com/vmc.pem1. Basic BIMI Record Without VMC
This is used when a VMC certificate is not available:
v=BIMI1; l=https://example.com/logo.svg;
2. BIMI Record With VMC
For organizations with a Verified Mark Certificate:
3. BIMI Record With CMC
For organizations with a Common Mark Certificates:
| Feature | BIMI Without VMC | BIMI With VMC | BIMI With CMC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free (beyond logo and DNS setup) | Paid (VMC can cost ~$1,000+/year) | Likely lower cost (depending on provider) |
| Logo Verification | None | Verified by an issuing authority | Verified by an authority, but potentially less formal |
| Gmail Logo Display | Unlikely | Guaranteed (if other BIMI criteria are met) | Possible, depending on CMC’s level of acceptance |
| Trust & Security | Moderate | High (validated ownership) | Moderate to high, depending on the authority issuing the CMC |
| Adoption Among Providers | Limited | Wider acceptance: Gmail, Yahoo, others | Potentially limited, depends on the email provider’s support |
| Verification Authority | None | Trusted certificate authorities (e.g., DigiCert, Entrust) | May vary, depending on the CMC issuer (not always recognized as widely as VMC) |
| Email Client Compatibility | Basic or no logo display | Full compatibility with major email clients (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) | Compatibility may vary, less widespread than VMC |
No, not all email providers support BIMI. Major providers like Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Fastmail, and Apple Mail (iOS 16+) currently support BIMI, but adoption varies.
A VMC is not mandatory for BIMI to work in some email clients like Yahoo Mail. However, email providers like Gmail require a VMC to display logos.
A VMC can be obtained from authorized certification authorities like DigiCert or Entrust. The process involves verifying your brand and trademarked logo.
BIMI itself does not directly improve deliverability. However, the required DMARC compliance helps enhance domain reputation and email authentication, which can indirectly improve deliverability.
If your BIMI logo is not displaying:
Yes, BIMI enhances email security indirectly by requiring DMARC enforcement. Additionally, BIMI itself does not alter the email but adds visual branding to authenticated messages.
You can verify your BIMI record using online tools like:
Additionally, test sending emails to BIMI-supporting email clients like Gmail or Yahoo Mail to see if the logo appears.
If your DMARC policy is set to p=none, BIMI will not work. You must enforce your DMARC policy with p=quarantine or p=reject to meet BIMI requirements.
No, BIMI does not support animated logos. The logo must be a static SVG Tiny 1.2 file.
Yes, BIMI logos can display in mobile email apps that support the standard, such as Gmail and Apple Mail (iOS 16+). However, support may vary by provider and app version.
Yes, you can set up and test BIMI without a VMC in environments like Yahoo Mail, which do not require VMCs. However, Gmail and some other providers will only display the logo if a VMC is in place.
If an email fails DMARC authentication, the BIMI logo will not be displayed, as BIMI requires DMARC compliance to function.
BIMI offers several benefits:
By requiring DMARC enforcement, BIMI indirectly reduces phishing and spoofing. Only authenticated emails can display the verified logo, making it harder for malicious actors to impersonate your brand.
DMARC is an email authentication protocol that ensures only authorized senders can use your domain. BIMI is a visual layer that uses DMARC compliance to display your brand logo in email clients. BIMI depends on DMARC but adds branding functionality.
The renewal frequency for VMCs depends on the issuing authority, but they typically require renewal annually to maintain validity.