vmc
It all starts with a list of top domains. Top ten million, in this case. Of those top, around 12% of them have published a DMARC record. Of those, which ones have a BIMI record in place? That’s what this data shows. That means that it’s a percentage of a percentage of an arbitrary measure of “top domains.” But hey, we can still have fun with this — sort of questionable data set, so let’s do that! BIMI logo adoption is growing in this data set. Perhaps not exploding like gangbusters, but it is still good to see it growing, from 1.26% of top domains up to 1.38%. Today, that’s nearly 17,000 domains (of that top 10 million) that have published a BIMI record. From June through December 2023, the rate at which BIMI-publishing domain owners also implemented a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) rose from around 10% to around 14%.
Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) is an email spec that allows email senders to display a brand or company logo alongside email messages when displayed in different email applications and webmail platforms. It helps to promote trust and security by requiring proper underpinnings of email authentication and a Yahoo study indicated that the logo display can increase chances that recipients will interact with your email messages. The BIMI specification is overseen by a collaborative email industry group known as the AuthIndicators Working Group, comprised of email senders, email receivers, email security and deliverability experts. Which mailbox providers and webmail platforms will display BIMI logos? As of January 2024: Supports BIMI: Apple (iOS and MacOS email clients), Cloudmark, Fastmail, Gmail, La Poste, Onet Poczta, Yahoo Mail and Zone. (This also includes Pobox, AOL/Netscape, and Google for Business/Gsuite mailboxes). Considering BIMI Support: atmail, BT, Comcast, Qualitia, Seznam.cz, GMX/Web.de, Yahoo Japan. Does not support BIMI: Microsoft. Implementation Considerations:
Time to decode another deliverability acronym. Today, we’re going to talk about VMC, which stands for “Verified Mark Certificate.” A VMC is something that a domain owner will purchase to go along with their BIMI (“Brand Indicators for Message Identification”) sender logo implementation. BIMI is the specification to allow a domain owner to publish details of a logo meant to show up in the inbox next to email sends from that domain. VMC is a certificate purchased from and issued by either DigiCert or Entrust. The purchase process involves either of those companies verifying that you are who you say you are, and that your logo is appropriately trademarked. VMC is an optional add on to the BIMI specification. However, Apple and Gmail will only display BIMI logos for domains that have implemented the Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) process. No VMC means no BIMI logo in Gmail or on Apple
Hey, look at that! Gmail is starting to show a blue checkmark next to the sender name when the sender’s domain passes BIMI checks. And they provide helpful pop-up info when you mouse over the blue checkmark. This rolls out starting today (May 3, 2023) so if you don’t see it today, you will likely see it soon. Read more about it here. It’s yet another reason that it’s time to jump on the BIMI train!
It’s been a while since I published a current state of BIMI support across the internet service provider (ISP) and mailbox provider (MBP) community, so here you go: this is the current status of BIMI across the email ecosystem, accurate as of April 2023.What is BIMI? Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) is an email spec that allows email senders to display a brand or company logo alongside email messages when displayed in different email applications and webmail platforms. It helps to promote trust and security by requiring proper underpinnings of email authentication and a Yahoo study indicated that the logo display can increase chances that recipients will interact with your email messages. The BIMI specification is overseen by a collaborative email industry group known as the AuthIndicators Working Group, comprised of email senders, email receivers, email security and deliverability experts.Which mailbox providers and webmail platforms will display BIMI logos?Supports
Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) enables email senders to have a logo or image of their choosing displayed next to email messages they send to participating mailbox providers. BIMI builds on DMARC and related email authentication standards to ensure that only messages authorized by those senders display such images, so it frequently comes up […]
Timely. Here is “Everything you need to know about BIMI and validated mark certificates, how they increase brand trust, and which companies have adopted them,” courtesy of World Trademark Review. This analysis, authored by Jeremy Speres, partner at Spoor & Fisher, provides great detail into BIMI/VMC state and status and what senders need to know to be able to move forward with their own BIMI plans. I learned a lot from reading this and I think you will, too![ H/T: Brian Westnedge from Red Sift ]
