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Standing out in crowded inboxes is key for any business, and Gmail’s new updates to the Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) system make it easier than ever.
With these updates, businesses of all sizes can now showcase verified logos in their emails, helping build trust and recognition instantly.
Here’s a quick rundown of what’s changing.
BIMI, or Brand Indicators for Message Identification, is an email standard that allows businesses to display their verified logos alongside their emails in users’ inboxes.
This helps recipients easily recognize legitimate emails, increasing trust and reducing the likelihood of your messages being mistaken for spam.
To implement BIMI, your business must have strong email authentication in place, including DMARC, and verify your logo with a trusted certification authority.
Gmail now supports Common Mark Certificates (CMCs) as a new type of BIMI certification.
Traditionally, businesses needed a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC), which requires a registered trademark, to implement BIMI.
With CMCs, more businesses—including those without a registered trademark—can now use BIMI.
This opens up access to BIMI for a wider range of brands, making it easier to showcase your logo and stand out in users’ inboxes.
However, it’s important to note that the logo must have been in use for over a year to qualify.
Previously, Gmail displayed verified checkmarks—symbols indicating a brand’s email authenticity—only on the web version.
Now, it will extend these verified checkmarks to its mobile apps on both Android and iOS.
Users accessing Gmail through these apps will see the checkmark next to brand logos, as long as the brand has adopted BIMI using a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC).
Note that this feature is exclusive to brands with VMCs, which require a registered trademark for verification; other types of BIMI certifications, like the new Common Mark Certificates, won’t show the checkmark.
These updates are rolling out gradually, so now is a great time to explore BIMI to enhance your email strategy.
Here’s how you can take advantage of these updates:
a) Implement strong email authentication
Ensure you have DMARC, SPF, and DKIM protocols set up. This is essential for implementing BIMI.
b) Obtain the right certification
If your brand has a registered trademark, obtain a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) to utilize BIMI. If not, explore Common Mark Certificates (CMC) as an alternative.
By taking these steps, you can improve engagement with your email campaigns.