Glossary
BIMI
BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is a standard that lets a domain show its logo next to its emails in supporting inboxes such as Gmail, once the domain passes DMARC with an enforcement policy of quarantine or reject.
What Is BIMI?
In short You publish a TXT record at default._bimi.example.com that points to your logo, an SVG Tiny PS file served over HTTPS, and to a certificate.
The mailbox provider checks that the message passes DMARC under p=quarantine or p=reject, fetches the logo and shows it. A domain at p=none does not qualify.
Gmail requires third-party certification: a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC), which needs a registered trademark, or a Common Mark Certificate (CMC). Gmail shows a checkmark next to senders verified with a VMC. BIMI Group calls the certificate optional in the spec but says records without one have limited support.
BIMI Example
Example: a SaaS company with a registered trademark moves its main domain to p=reject, buys a VMC and publishes default._bimi.example.com with v=BIMI1; l=https://example.com/logo.svg; a=https://example.com/vmc.pem. Gmail users then see its logo and a checkmark next to its newsletters.
BIMI in Practice
BIMI is not an RFC yet. It is an IETF Internet-Draft maintained by the BIMI Group. For cold email it is optional: outbound usually runs on secondary domains where a logo adds little and a certificate adds cost. The DMARC enforcement it requires is worth having either way.
FAQ
What is BIMI?
A standard that shows your brand logo next to your emails in supporting inboxes. You publish a DNS record that points to the logo, and the mailbox provider displays it when the message passes DMARC at enforcement.
What are the requirements for BIMI?
DMARC at enforcement (quarantine or reject, not none), a logo in SVG Tiny PS format hosted over HTTPS, a BIMI TXT record at default._bimi on your domain and, for Gmail, a VMC or CMC certificate.
Do I need a VMC for BIMI?
For Gmail you need a VMC or a CMC, because Gmail requires third-party certification. A VMC requires a registered trademark for the logo. BIMI Group says records without a certificate have limited support across providers.
Is BIMI an official standard?
Not yet. As of October 2026 it is an IETF Internet-Draft, not an RFC. The BIMI Group maintains the specification and the implementation guide.
Does BIMI improve deliverability?
Not directly. BIMI controls logo display, not spam filtering. The DMARC enforcement it requires does help, because it stops other people from sending mail as your domain.
Do This in Ken
Do This in Ken
Delivery checks SPF, DKIM and DMARC on your sending domains, the authentication BIMI builds on. Ken does not set up BIMI records or logo certificates.
- Module
- Delivery
- Open in Ken
- /features
The new Ken opens to the waiting list in batches.
Related
- GTM Glossary
Every GTM term, grouped by topic.
- DMARC
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework)
- Sender reputation
- Google Postmaster Tools
- Ken
Sources
| Source | Checked |
|---|---|
| BIMI Group: Implementation guide | |
| Google Workspace Admin Help: Set up BIMI | |
| IETF Datatracker: Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) |
Changelog
- Page published.