Introduction 

In today’s crowded inboxes, capturing attention is tougher than ever. Even if your emails are legitimate, they can easily be overlooked or flagged as suspicious. That’s why email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC have become essential—they help verify that your emails are coming from a trusted source. But authentication alone isn’t always enough. Enter BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification), a visual trust signal that allows you to show your brand’s emblem alongside your email.In this article, we will look at what BIMI is, how it works with SMTP, and why using it can improve your email credibility and engagement.

Key Takeaways

• BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is an email standard that shows your company’s logo alongside approved emails in the inbox.
• It is built on SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, and is not part of SMTP, but works alongside it to boost trust and visibility.
• BIMI helps increase brand recognition, email open rates, and trustworthiness, while reducing the chance of your emails being flagged as spam.
• To implement BIMI, you need a DMARC policy set to “quarantine” or “reject”, properly configured SPF and DKIM, a hosted SVG logo, and possibly a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC).
• Email clients that support BIMI include Gmail, Yahoo, Apple Mail (iOS 16+), Fastmail, and La Poste.
• Avoid common mistakes like using the wrong SVG format or skipping DMARC enforcement.
• Early adoption of BIMI gives businesses a competitive edge as inbox providers increasingly prioritize visual email authentication.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. What Is BIMI? (Brand Indicators for Message Identification)
3. How BIMI Works with SMTP
4. Technical Requirements to Implement BIMI
5. Benefits of Using BIMI for Email Marketing
6. Email Clients That Support BIMI
7. How to Set Up BIMI (Step-by-Step Overview)
8. Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
9. Conclusion

What Is BIMI? (Brand Indicators for Message Identification)

BIMI, or Brand Indicators for Message Identification, is an email standard that allows businesses to display their official brand logo alongside emails in the recipient’s inbox. It’s a visual layer of authentication that enhances brand recognition and builds trust with your audience.

The core function of BIMI is simple: when you send authenticated emails, your verified logo appears next to your message, making your brand instantly recognizable. This helps your emails stand out and signals to users that your message is legitimate.

BIMI does not work alone—it builds on existing email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and particularly DMARC. Only senders who have fully authenticated their domains and adopted a DMARC policy (set to ‘quarantine’ or ‘reject’) are eligible to implement BIMI. Think of it as the final touch that turns secure emails into branded, trustworthy communications.

How BIMI Works with SMTP

To understand how BIMI fits into the email ecosystem, it’s important to first understand the role of SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol). SMTP is the standard protocol for sending emails from one server to another.It provides basic email sending and routing—but not authentication or branding.

That’s where BIMI comes in. While BIMI isn’t part of the SMTP protocol itself, it works alongside SMTP-based systems by relying on domain authentication standards—SPF, DKIM, and DMARC—to function properly.

Here’s how the process works:

1. You send an email using your SMTP server.
2. The recipient’s mail server checks your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
3. If these checks pass and your domain is BIMI-compliant, the recipient’s email client fetches your brand’s logo from your DNS BIMI record.
4. If supported by the client (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo), the logo appears next to your message in the inbox.

In short, SMTP sends the email, and BIMI helps secure and visually brand it—working in tandem to improve trust and visibility.

Technical Requirements to Implement BIMI

Implementing BIMI requires more than just uploading a logo—it depends on a strong foundation of email authentication and adherence to specific standards.

1. DMARC Policy: Your domain must have a DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) record set to either “quarantine” or “reject.” This shows mailbox providers that you’re enforcing email protection and preventing spoofing.
2. SPF and DKIM Setup: Both SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) must be properly configured and aligned with your domain. Without them, DMARC—and by extension, BIMI—cannot function.
3. Verified Mark Certificate (VMC): For mailbox providers like Gmail and Yahoo, you’ll need a VMC, which verifies that your brand logo is officially registered and authorized. This adds a layer of trust and authentication beyond basic DNS settings.
4. SVG Logo File: Your logo must be in SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) format and hosted securely on an HTTPS-enabled server. The file should meet BIMI standards for size, simplicity, and design clarity.

Meeting these requirements ensures that your brand is not only technically ready for BIMI but also positioned as a trustworthy sender in the eyes of mailbox providers and recipients.

Benefits of Using BIMI for Email Marketing

Implementing BIMI offers several strategic advantages for your email marketing efforts, both in terms of branding and deliverability.

a. Increased Trust & Brand Recognition

Seeing your official logo next to your emails reinforces your brand identity        and builds immediate trust with recipients. It assures users that the email is        truly from your business—not a spoofed or phishing attempt.

b. Higher Open Rates

Emails with branded logos are more likely to stand out in crowded inboxes, making them more attractive and credible. This visual cue boosts engagement and can lead to significantly higher open rates compared to unbranded emails.

c. Spam Reduction

BIMI is built on top of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, which are key tools in spam prevention. By signaling that you’re a verified sender, BIMI helps Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and mailbox providers filter out malicious or spoofed emails, reducing the chances your messages are marked as spam.

d. Competitive Edge

Despite its growing importance, relatively few businesses are using BIMI today. Early adopters benefit from greater inbox visibility and brand authority, gaining a head start before BIMI becomes a widespread standard.

Email Clients That Support BIMI

While BIMI is gaining momentum, not all email clients currently support logo display, so it’s important to know where your brand will appear with BIMI enabled.

Major email providers that support BIMI include

• Gmail
• Yahoo Mail
• Apple Mail (with iOS 16+ and macOS Ventura+)
• Fastmail
• La Poste (France)

These providers will display your verified brand logo next to your messages, provided you meet the BIMI and authentication requirements.

However, it’s worth noting that many other providers still don’t display BIMI logos—yet. Adoption is growing, and as more inbox providers prioritize sender authentication and user trust, support for BIMI is expected to expand.

Implementing BIMI now gives you a future-ready advantage. Even if only a portion of your audience sees the logo today, you’re setting up your brand to benefit from enhanced visibility as adoption increases. It’s a wise decision for any firm wanting to stay ahead in email marketing.

How to Set Up BIMI (Step-by-Step Overview)

Setting up BIMI may sound technical, but the process can be broken down into manageable steps. Here’s how to get started:

1. Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC Are Correctly Configured

Before BIMI can function, your domain must pass all three major email authentication protocols: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. To qualify for BIMI, your DMARC policy must be configured to “quarantine” or “reject”.

2. Create and Host Your SVG Logo

Create a clean, streamlined version of your official logo in SVG Tiny 1.2 format, as per BIMI guidelines. Host this file on a secure HTTPS server, where it can be publicly accessed.

3. Publish Your BIMI Record in DNS

In your domain’s DNS settings, include a BIMI TXT entry. This data refers to the position of your SVG logo. The typical record format looks like this:

 cpp

default._bimi.yourdomain.comTXT“v=BIMI1;l=https://yourdomain.com/logo.svg;”

4. Apply for a VMC (if required)

Some mailbox providers, such as Gmail and Yahoo, require a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) to verify the authenticity of your logo and brand. This is issued by a certificate authority and confirms that you own the trademark.

5. Test Using BIMI Lookup Tools

Before rolling out, test your setup using BIMI inspectors or email preview tools (like BIMIGroup’s checker or MXToolbox). These tools confirm whether your DNS records and authentication are properly configured and if your logo is visible.

Following these steps ensures your BIMI implementation is compliant, visible, and effective—making your emails more recognizable and secure.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Implementing BIMI can significantly enhance your brand’s email presence—but only if it’s done correctly. Here are some of the most common mistakes businesses make when setting up BIMI and how to avoid them:

Publishing Incorrect SVG File Format

BIMI requires your logo to be in SVG Tiny 1.2 format, not a regular SVG or other image format. Using the wrong type will result in your logo not being displayed. Always validate your SVG file using official BIMI validators before uploading.

Not Meeting DMARC Enforcement Requirements

BIMI only works if your DMARC policy is set to “quarantine” or “reject.” Many domains fail to qualify simply because their policy is set to “none.” Make sure your domain passes both DMARC and its underlying SPF/DKIM checks.

Delays in DNS Propagation

After publishing your BIMI record, it may take 24–72 hours (or more) for DNS changes to propagate globally. Avoid testing immediately after setup—wait a full propagation period to ensure accurate results.

Failing to Test Across Multiple Clients

Even with a correct setup, not all email providers display BIMI the same way. Some may not support it at all. Always test your emails using different clients (Gmail, Yahoo, Apple Mail, etc.) and devices to confirm proper display.

Conclusion

BIMI in SMTP represents the future of trusted, visually engaging email communication that enhances brand visibility and trust. By adding a layer of brand identity on top of robust email authentication, it helps your emails stand out in crowded inboxes while reinforcing credibility with recipients. Though implementing BIMI requires careful setup—including SPF, DKIM, DMARC alignment, and possibly a Verified Mark Certificate—the benefits far outweigh the effort.

From increased open rates and brand recognition to stronger inbox placement and security, BIMI empowers businesses to take full control of their email presence. As more email clients begin to support this standard, adopting BIMI today ensures you’re not only ahead of the curve but also maximizing your email marketing potential.

If you’re serious about building trust, improving deliverability, and future-proofing your campaigns, now is the time to implement BIMI.

Oh! Still not using our email marketing service? Try Now!

Our Plans:-Yearly Email Marketing Plans and Monthly Email Marketing Plans.