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:
| 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 as widely recognized as VMC) |
| Adoption Among Providers | 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.
