Ever opened your inbox only to see half of your legitimate emails flagged as spam? It’s frustrating, right? Many users have become growingly skeptic in the interactions with new emails. This ultra-suspicious environment means your brand can easily get lumped in with the bad guys if you’re not actively demonstrating you’re legit.

20% of emails get rejected because of authentication failures like messed-up SPF, DKIM, or DMARC. That’s not some random minor statistic; that’s a big chunk of your marketing efforts going poof. If people don’t trust your messages, or if their mail provider decides your domain is “iffy,” your open rates will nosedive. And let’s be honest, it doesn’t matter how amazing your pitch is if no one’s reading it. This is precisely why strong email authentication—and the growing concept of BIMI—are gaining momentum. 

BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) aims to solve a key piece of the puzzle-not just verifying that you’re real, but visually showing recipients that your brand is credible. Because let’s face it, brand recognition is powerful. So if you’ve been wondering how to break out of the spam folder, BIMI might be the next piece in your email marketing toolkit. Ready to see how it works?

What Is BIMI? (Basic Definition)

Let’s cut to the chase: BIMI stands for Brand Indicators for Message Identification. It allows you, the sender, to display a verified brand logo in the inbox—providing immediate visual reassurance that this email is coming from an authentic source.

Think about it: how often do you get emails claiming to be from major brands—Amazon, Netflix, your bank—only to realize they’re phishing attempts? With BIMI, these impostors can’t just slap your logo on a malicious email. The brand verification baked into BIMI tells recipients (and their email clients) that you’ve passed the necessary authentication checks. 

Phishing attacks cause around 36% of data breaches. Therefore, any step that helps recipients quickly identify legitimate messages is a big deal. Plastering your recognized logo in someone’s inbox fosters brand recall and trust. No more drowning in the sea of text-based from-names.

Also check: Smartlead’s Free DMARC Checker to Protect Your Domain From Phishing

How BIMI Works: Breaking It Down Step-by-Step

So how exactly does your brand’s logo appear in an inbox? It’s not just some PNG you upload. There’s a bit more to it.

1. You Must Pass SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
   Think of these three as the under-the-hood engine that proves you’re not a fraudster:
   
   • SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Confirms which IP addresses can send on behalf of your domain.
   • DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Uses cryptographic signatures to verify your email’s origin.
   • DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance): Ties SPF and DKIM together and sets the rules for what happens if an email fails these checks.
2. Until you’re consistently passing DMARC (with a strict policy like p=quarantine or p=reject), don’t expect BIMI to light up your email marketing world.
   
3. You Provide a BIMI-Compliant SVG Logo
   BIMI’s official spec demands an SVG format. Why? Because vector images scale elegantly and keep file sizes in check. It also ensures that email clients can display your logo properly across devices and screen resolutions. If your SVG is off-spec or references external content, BIMI might refuse to show it.
   
4. You Acquire a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC)
   The certificate basically verifies that your trademarked logo belongs to you. If you’re a smaller business, you might be thinking, “Is this worth it?” For big brands, it’s a no-brainer. For everyone else, it’s a cost-benefit decision. But if data showing a 39% increase in open rates and a 32% higher chance of purchase is anything to go by, the math could work in your favor.
   
5. You Publish a BIMI DNS TXT Record
   This record tells participating email providers where to find your official logo (the path to that shining SVG) and references your VMC if you’ve got one. Without this record, the email provider simply won’t know you’re trying to do BIMI.
   
6. Email Providers Display Your Logo
   If you pass all these checks—authentication is good, your domain isn’t flagged as a spam haven, your DNS record is in place, and you’re not failing any warm-up or domain reputation metrics—the provider (like Gmail or Yahoo) will display your brand logo right in the inbox.

Also check: Free DKIM Generator for Secure Email Authentication

Why BIMI Matters for Email Deliverability & Branding

No sugarcoating- implementing BIMI won’t magically fix poor content or a battered sending reputation. But it amplifies the gains you get from strong authentication. Still wondering if it’s just another marketing gimmick? Let’s see:

• Inbox Visibility: Even if your domain is squeaky clean, your email might drown in a crowded inbox. By adding your brand logo, you stand out visually. People skim subject lines fast, so that little brand logo can be the difference between “open” and “ignore.”
• Psychological Trust Factor: Humans are visual creatures. We associate logos with authenticity. Recipients seeing your official logo say, “Okay, this is from the real brand, not some random scammer.” That trust can boost open rates.
• Spam Filter Love: While BIMI isn’t technically a spam filter bypass, passing DMARC and associating your brand with strong authentication is a big plus. Email providers want to see robust measures in place. If you’re doing everything right, you get elevated trust. Elevated trust often means better deliverability.

How to Implement BIMI (Step-by-Step Guide)

So, is your interest piqued? Let’s walk through the actual process:

Step 1: Nail SPF, DKIM, and DMARC

‍If your domain’s DMARC policy is p=none, you’re not truly protected. Upgrading that to p=quarantine or p=reject means you’re serious about fighting spoofers. But be careful—if you misconfigure these records, you might inadvertently reject valid mail. Test thoroughly.

Step 2: Prepare a BIMI-Compliant SVG

This might require some design help or a specialized tool. Make sure your SVG meets the official BIMI format (which typically means no external references, correct metadata, and proper dimensions).

Step 3: Obtain a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC)

Yeah, it might cost a pretty penny. But if you’re a brand that thrives on email marketing, it may well pay off. Start by making sure your logo is trademarked. Because without a valid trademark, you can’t get a VMC in most cases.

Step 4: Publish a BIMI TXT Record

Add a DNS record at something like:

default._bimi.yourdomain.com  
v=BIMI1; l=https://yourdomain.com/logo.svg; a=https://yourdomain.com/vmc.pem

Where l= points to your SVG and a= points to your VMC. Double-check everything. DNS doesn’t forgive sloppy syntax.

Step 5: Test & Verify

‍Send a few test emails to addresses on Gmail, Yahoo, or other providers that support BIMI. If your logo doesn’t pop up, you might have to debug. Possibly your DMARC policy isn’t fully enforced, or your DNS record is missing something.

Which Email Providers Support BIMI?

Currently, the usual suspects—Yahoo, AOL, Gmail, Apple Mail, and Fastmail—offer some level of BIMI support. Yahoo and AOL were among the first to jump on board, while Gmail eventually followed suit (often requiring a VMC). Apple joined the party with iOS 16 and macOS Ventura, meaning Apple Mail is now in the mix. Microsoft Outlook is still in the “we’re interested, but not fully there yet” phase. If you’re dealing with niche or corporate mail clients, they might not adopt BIMI for a while—or at all.

But consider the big numbers: as of January 2025, domains with BIMI DNS records increased by 28%. This indicates more and more senders see the ROI of being visually recognized in the inbox. Let’s be honest, if your domain is jostling for attention among 10 other brand emails, you want that distinct brand presence.

BIMI vs. Other Email Authentication Methods

One common misconception is that BIMI replaces or competes with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Not at all. You actually need SPF, DKIM, and DMARC—BIMI is an optional add-on that sits on top. Consider it the sweet icing after you’ve baked the perfect authentication cake:

• SPF: Tells mail servers which IPs can send on your behalf.
• DKIM: Ensures your messages aren’t tampered with en route.
• DMARC: Enforces the rules to handle suspicious mail.
• BIMI: Uses your successful DMARC enforcement to display your brand logo in the inbox.

So if you don’t already have a strong DMARC policy, start there. Without it, BIMI is basically a pipe dream.

Limitations & Challenges of BIMI

• Partial Email Client Support: Not every email client or webmail supports BIMI yet. If a huge chunk of your audience is on corporate Outlook or lesser-known ISPs, you might not get that full brand pop.
• Strict DMARC Requirement: If you’re not comfortable with a p=reject or p=quarantine DMARC setting (which is pretty strict), BIMI won’t trigger. Some orgs find it challenging to get everything aligned for high enforcement.
• Costs of a VMC: A Verified Mark Certificate can set you back $1,550 [9], which might be a shock to smaller businesses. But remember the potential ROI: a 39% open rate lift can be huge if you’re sending thousands or millions of emails.
• Complex Setup: Between the SVG specs, verifying your trademark, and handling DNS updates, it’s easy to slip up. You’ll likely need a bit of specialized knowledge or a third-party tool to confirm everything is set up properly.

Still, these hurdles haven’t stopped the rising adoption of BIMI. The fact that we’ve seen a surge in BIMI DNS records proves that even mid-sized brands are jumping through these hoops. Everyone wants that sweet brand recognition in the inbox.

The Future of BIMI & Email Authentication

Will the entire email industry eventually revolve around logos in your inbox? Possibly. As phishing evolves, providers and brands are hungry for more robust ways to visually confirm sender identity. If you rely heavily on email for conversions and brand presence, ignoring BIMI could mean falling behind.

We’re also seeing more advanced AI spam filters that weigh domain reputation, authentication, and user interaction more heavily. The better your domain’s health—and the more you showcase advanced authentication techniques—the higher your chances of skipping that dreaded “Promotions” tab or spam folder. If providers see you have SPF, DKIM, DMARC, plus a verified brand logo, you’re painting a big neon sign that says “I’m legit!”

Microsoft might eventually finalize its stance on BIMI, and when they do, we could see another wave of adopters. Because let’s be real: Outlook still dominates the corporate world. If they make BIMI a first-class feature, it might quickly become the new standard for B2B email.

Final Thoughts: Should You Set Up BIMI?

So, is BIMI your next big move or just hype? The short answer: if email is a core part of your revenue stream (e.g., e-commerce blasts, B2B lead generation, SaaS product announcements), then yeah, you should definitely consider it. A 39% open rate lift isn’t pocket change. Even a fraction of that improvement could translate into real dollars.

If you’re reluctant to drop $1000+ on a VMC, weigh that against the cost of continuing with “good enough” deliverability. If your brand is recognized and your emails keep landing in the spam folder, you’re losing money daily. Also, keep in mind that adopting BIMI effectively means you’re on top of your entire authentication stack. That alone can push your domain health from “meh” to “rock-solid.”

Not ready for a full-blown BIMI setup?

Before investing in that shiny logo, make sure your email infrastructure isn’t compromised due to poor deliverability practices. Tools like Smartlead can help improve domain reputation, warm up inboxes, and manage sender health — all of which are foundational to hitting those inboxes in the first place. Sign up for a free trial today!

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