BIMI
BIMI, which stands for Brand Indicators for Message Identification, is an email standard that allows brands to display their logo directly in the inbox next to authenticated emails. When BIMI is properly configured, recipients using a supported email client, including Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and Apple Mail, see the brand’s verified logo in the sender field before they even open the email. This visibility in the inbox is the result of a chain of authentication: the sending domain must have DMARC fully configured at enforcement level (p=quarantine or p=reject), and the logo must be hosted as an SVG file and verified through a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) issued by a recognised Certificate Authority.
The benefits of BIMI are primarily about trust and recognition. A verified logo signals to recipients that the email is genuinely from the brand it claims to be from, making it harder for phishing attempts to impersonate your domain convincingly. For brand teams, BIMI turns every email in the inbox into a small but consistent brand impression, even for emails that are never opened.
BIMI is one of the more recent developments in the email authentication stack, and adoption is growing steadily among major senders. For B2B marketers, implementing BIMI is a meaningful credibility signal. It requires having your DMARC policy in place first, which is also independently valuable for deliverability and domain protection. The VMC adds a cost and a process step, but the combination of brand visibility and authentication assurance makes it a worthwhile investment for organisations sending at scale.
Complete guide to implementing BIMI for your email programme
Learn how BIMI works, what you need to set it up, and how to get your brand logo appearing in supported inboxes.
What email clients support BIMI?
As of 2024, BIMI is supported by Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Apple Mail (iOS 16 and macOS Ventura onwards), and a growing number of other clients. Gmail requires a Verified Mark Certificate for the logo to display. Yahoo Mail has supported BIMI for longer and has slightly different requirements. Outlook does not currently support BIMI. Coverage is expanding as the standard gains adoption, but it is worth checking current support status when planning implementation.
Do I need a Verified Mark Certificate for BIMI?
For Gmail specifically, yes: a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) from an authorised Certificate Authority is required for the logo to display. VMCs confirm that you are the legitimate owner of the trademark depicted in the logo. For Yahoo Mail, BIMI logos can display without a VMC, though a VMC increases trust signals. The VMC is issued by organisations including DigiCert and Entrust and requires trademark registration as a prerequisite.
What is the relationship between BIMI and DMARC?
BIMI sits at the top of the email authentication stack and depends entirely on DMARC being fully implemented. Before you can configure BIMI, your domain must have a DMARC policy set to either p=quarantine or p=reject, and it must be passing both SPF and DKIM alignment consistently. Think of DMARC as the security foundation that BIMI is built on: without it, BIMI cannot and should not be set up.