---
title: BIMI
description: Brand Indicators for Message Identification — displays a verified brand logo in supporting inboxes when DMARC is at enforcement and logo/VMC requirements are met.
url: https://www.factualminds.com/glossary/bimi/
publishDate: 2026-07-22
updateDate: 2026-07-22
---

# BIMI

> Brand Indicators for Message Identification — displays a verified brand logo in supporting inboxes when DMARC is at enforcement and logo/VMC requirements are met.

## Definition

**BIMI** (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) lets supporting mailbox providers show your brand logo beside authenticated messages. You publish a BIMI DNS TXT record pointing to an **SVG Tiny PS** logo (often hosted on HTTPS). Many providers (notably Gmail) also require a **Verified Mark Certificate (VMC)** or related mark certificate from an approved CA. BIMI does not replace SPF/DKIM/DMARC — it builds on **DMARC at enforcement** (`p=quarantine` or `p=reject`).

## When to use it

- Brands that already (or nearly) enforce DMARC and want inbox logo recognition
- Consumer-facing transactional and marketing mail where trust marks matter
- Programs finishing bulk-sender authentication work and looking for a visible payoff

## When not to use it

- Domains still at `p=none` with unresolved spoofing or third-party senders
- Expecting BIMI to fix spam-folder placement — it does not
- Budgeting only for the logo file while ignoring VMC (~annual CA fees) and DMARC cleanup eng time

## Tips

- Validate SVG Tiny PS constraints before buying a VMC
- Host the logo on a stable HTTPS endpoint (CloudFront + S3 is a common SES-adjacent pattern)
- Track provider support matrix — not every client shows BIMI logos yet

## Gotchas

### Serious

- Buying a VMC before DMARC enforcement is achievable — certificate idle time with no logo display
- Broken HTTPS/CORS/content-type on the SVG URL → silent BIMI failure

### Regular

- Assuming Outlook will match Gmail’s BIMI behavior

## Related FactualMinds content

- [BIMI on Amazon SES — implementation guide](/blog/bimi-amazon-ses-implementation-guide/)
- [DMARC](/glossary/dmarc/) · [DKIM](/glossary/dkim/) · [Amazon SES](/glossary/amazon-ses/)
- [BIMI readiness checker](/tools/bimi-readiness-checker/)

## Related AWS Services

- aws-ses

## Related Posts

- bimi-amazon-ses-implementation-guide
- amazon-ses-cold-email-b2b-compliance-deliverability-2026

---

*Source: https://www.factualminds.com/glossary/bimi/*