What is BIMI?
BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is an email standard that displays your verified brand logo next to your emails in recipients' inboxes, building trust and recognition.
BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) lets you display your company logo directly in recipients' email clients, right next to your sender name. When recipients see your logo in their inbox—like they do with major brands—it signals legitimacy and builds trust before they even open your email.
BIMI isn't an authentication protocol itself; it's a reward for having strong authentication. To use BIMI, you must first have:
• SPF configured correctly • DKIM signing your emails • DMARC at enforcement level (p=quarantine or p=reject, not p=none)
Once your authentication is solid, BIMI requires:
1. A trademarked logo (required for VMC certificate) 2. Your logo in SVG Tiny PS format (specific technical requirements) 3. A Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) from DigiCert or Entrust (~$1,500/year) 4. A BIMI DNS record pointing to your logo and certificate 5. The logo hosted on an HTTPS server
Currently supported by Gmail, Apple Mail, Yahoo, and others—though not all email clients display BIMI logos yet.
Why BIMI Matters
BIMI provides a visual trust signal that's hard to fake. When recipients see your logo, they know the email passed authentication and genuinely came from your organization. Early research suggests BIMI can increase open rates by 10%+ because the visual recognition cuts through inbox clutter. Beyond engagement, BIMI protects your brand—phishers can't display your logo without passing all your authentication checks. As more inbox providers support BIMI, it's becoming a competitive advantage for brand visibility.
How Ark Handles BIMI
Ark ensures your emails pass the DMARC authentication required for BIMI. We configure proper SPF and DKIM alignment so your domain can achieve the enforcement-level DMARC policy BIMI requires. While Ark doesn't provide VMC certificates directly, our authentication setup creates the foundation you need. We can help verify your BIMI configuration is working once you've set up your certificate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does BIMI cost?
The Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) costs approximately $1,000-1,500/year from providers like DigiCert or Entrust. You also need a trademarked logo, which can cost $250-500 to register if you don't already have one. Implementation time and technical setup are additional considerations.
Do I need a VMC certificate for BIMI?
For Gmail, yes—Google requires a VMC. Some other email clients accept BIMI without VMC using a self-asserted logo, but adoption is limited. For maximum coverage and trust, VMC is recommended.
Which email providers support BIMI?
Gmail, Apple Mail (iOS 16+, macOS Ventura+), Yahoo Mail, and AOL currently display BIMI logos. Microsoft Outlook support is expected but not yet available. Support continues to grow.
Why is my BIMI logo not showing up?
Common issues include: DMARC policy not at enforcement level (must be quarantine or reject), SVG logo not meeting technical specifications, DNS record misconfigured, certificate not properly issued, or the recipient's email client doesn't support BIMI. Also, BIMI can take days to weeks to propagate after setup.
What logo format does BIMI require?
BIMI requires SVG Tiny PS format—a specific subset of SVG. The logo must be square, centered, and work at small sizes. It cannot contain scripts or external references. Many design tools export SVG that doesn't meet BIMI requirements, so you may need conversion tools.
Can I use BIMI without a trademark?
VMC certificates require a registered trademark for your logo. The trademark ensures only the legitimate brand owner can claim the logo. If your logo isn't trademarked, you'll need to register it first—which can take 6-12 months.
Related Terms
DMARC
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) is an email authentication p...
DKIM
DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) is an email authentication method that uses cryptographic signatur...
SPF
Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is an email authentication method that specifies which mail servers ar...
Email Authentication
Email authentication is the process of verifying that an email was actually sent by the claimed send...
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