BIMI: Put Your Logo in Mail and Stand Out! 📧✨

Noticed how in Gmail or other mail services the logos of big companies — and even a blue checkmark — appear next to their messages?
It’s not just pretty — it’s the result of BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification).

With BIMI your message looks professional, inspires trust, and stands out in a crowded inbox. 😎

In this article we’ll cover what BIMI is, why it matters, and how to set it up step by step so your logo appears next to your emails. Let’s go! 🚀

What is BIMI and why do you need it?

BIMI is a standard that allows you to bind your logo to a domain via a special DNS record.
When you send an email, the mail service (for example, Gmail) checks your domain, finds the BIMI record and, if everything is correct, displays your logo.

Why BIMI is great 😍

• Recipient trust — the logo signals the message is legitimate, not phishing.
• Brand recognition — your logo makes the message noticeable.
• More opens — messages with a logo are opened more often (supported by research).

Step 1: Set up security — BIMI won’t work without it! 🔒

BIMI is like a reward for securing your mail. For the logo to display, your domain must pass three checks: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.

1. SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

SPF says: “These servers are allowed to send mail for my domain.”
It’s like a guest list for a party — only “insiders” get in.

Example record:

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all

Add it to your domain’s DNS.

2. DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)

DKIM adds a digital signature to messages so they can’t be tampered with.

How to do it:

• Enable DKIM in your mail service (for example, Google Workspace, Yandex 360, or Mailgun).
• Add the TXT record to DNS that the service provides.

3. DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance)

DMARC determines what to do with messages that fail SPF or DKIM.

Example record:

v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com; aspf=s; adkim=s

Initially you can use p=none to just collect reports and make sure everything works, then move to p=quarantine or p=reject.

Important: BIMI won’t activate without these three records.
Check settings via MXToolbox or DMARC Analyzer.

Step 2: Prepare the logo in SVG Tiny PS format 🖼️

Your logo must be in a special format — SVG Tiny Portable/Secure.

Requirements:

• Format: SVG Tiny PS.
• Aspect: square (1:1), no larger than 32 KB.
• Security: no scripts, animations, or external references.

Check manually:

Open the file in a text editor and make sure the root <svg> tag includes:

baseProfile="tiny-ps"

And remove x= and y= lines.

💡 Use an online BIMI converter or ask a designer to prepare the SVG.

Step 3: Upload the logo to your server 🌐

The logo must be available via HTTPS.

Example:

https://yourdomain.com/bimi/logo.svg

Open the link in a browser and make sure the file is accessible.

Step 4 (optional but cool): Get a VMC 📜

VMC (Verified Mark Certificate) confirms that the logo is an official trademark.
Without it the logo may not display, especially in Gmail.

How to get one:

1. Register the logo as a trademark.
2. Contact certification authorities: DigiCert or Entrust.
3. Obtain a .pem file and place it alongside the logo.

Result: logo + blue check = maximum trust. ✅

Step 5: Add the BIMI record to DNS 🛠️

Create a TXT record to bind the logo to your domain.

💡 Wait up to 48 hours for DNS changes to propagate.

Step 6: Check that everything works 🎉

Use checking tools:

• BIMI Inspector
• MailKit BIMI Checker

Verify:

✅ DNS record is visible
✅ Logo is accessible via HTTPS
✅ SPF, DKIM, DMARC are correctly configured

Send a test email — and if everything is done right, your logo will appear in the mailbox!

Why bother with BIMI?

• Increases recipient trust.
• Boosts brand recognition.
• Helps protect against phishing.

BIMI is like a stylish suit for your emails:
it not only looks good, but says — “I’m the real one”. 😎

Start with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, add the logo — and soon your emails will stand out in customers’ inboxes! 🚀