What BIMI does
BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) makes your brand logo appear next to your messages in the inbox instead of a placeholder letter. Technically it is a simple DNS TXT record at default._bimi.yourdomain.com pointing to a logo file.
The real value lies not in the graphic but in the prerequisite: BIMI only works with an enforced DMARC policy. A visible logo is therefore proof that the domain is properly authenticated — and a strong internal incentive to actually complete the journey to p=reject.
What AnalyzeMy.Email checks
- BIMI record at
default._bimi.{domain} - Logo URL from the
l=tag - Record syntax and presence of the required tags
The prerequisites
- DMARC at
p=quarantineor stronger — withp=noneno logo is shown. Some providers additionally requirepct=100. - SPF and DKIM must pass cleanly and be aligned.
- Logo as SVG Tiny PS — a restricted SVG profile, square, without scripts or external references, at most 32 KB.
- Served over HTTPS with a valid certificate.
- VMC for Gmail: Google requires a Verified Mark Certificate — a paid certificate that presupposes a registered trademark. Apple Mail and Yahoo display logos without a VMC.
Is it worth it?
BIMI is not a security mechanism — it protects against nothing DMARC does not already cover. The benefit is inbox recognition and, on Gmail with a VMC, a visible trust signal.
For organizations with high mail volume and a registered trademark it is a sensible investment. For everyone else: the path there — clean SPF, DKIM and DMARC at p=reject — is the actual gain. The logo is the reward on top. Without a VMC and without an enforced policy, a BIMI record achieves nothing at all.