BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) lets verified senders display their logo next to emails in Gmail and Apple Mail. Here's how to set it up.
What is BIMI?
BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is an email standard that displays your brand logo next to your email in the recipient's inbox. It's supported by Gmail, Apple Mail, Yahoo, and Fastmail. Beyond branding, it signals to recipients (and ISPs) that you're a verified, trustworthy sender.
Prerequisites
BIMI has strict requirements. You need all of these before starting:
- ✅ SPF record configured
- ✅ DKIM configured
- ✅ DMARC policy set to
p=quarantineorp=reject(notp=none) - ✅ A Verified Mark Certificate (VMC): required for Gmail (optional for others)
- ✅ An SVG logo in the specific BIMI format
Step 1: Prepare your SVG logo
BIMI requires a specific SVG profile (Tiny PS). Your regular SVG will likely not work. Requirements:
- Square aspect ratio
- SVG 1.2 Tiny PS format
- No external resources
- Validated at bimigroup.org/svg-validator
Step 2: Host your logo
Upload your BIMI-compliant SVG to a publicly accessible HTTPS URL. It must be served over HTTPS. HTTP won't work.
https://yourdomain.com/.well-known/bimi-logo.svgStep 3: Add the BIMI DNS record
v=BIMI1; l=https://yourdomain.com/.well-known/bimi-logo.svg; a=https://yourdomain.com/.well-known/vmc.pemThe a= parameter points to your VMC. For non-Gmail clients, you can omit a= and the logo will still appear.
Step 4: Obtain a VMC (for Gmail)
A Verified Mark Certificate is issued by authorized CAs (DigiCert, Entrust). It verifies that you own the trademarked logo. Cost is ~$1,200–$1,500/year. For most early-stage startups, the non-Gmail BIMI (without VMC) is a reasonable starting point.
Verifying your setup
Check your BIMI record with BIMI Inspector and then send a test email to a Gmail address to confirm the logo appears.
Is BIMI worth it?
Yes, but only after SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are solid. The brand visibility boost is real, and the DMARC requirement means you're forced into a good security posture to qualify.
Read more
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC: The Complete Setup Guide (2026)
A thorough, practical guide to configuring SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for your sending domain with exact DNS records, common mistakes, and a step-by-step verification checklist.
Why Your Emails Land In Spam & How to Fix It
The definitive guide to diagnosing and fixing email spam folder placement, covering authentication, content, reputation, list hygiene, and ISP-specific issues.
The Hidden Costs of Disposable Emails (And How Blocking Them Saves You Thousands)
From CRM contact-tier inflation to free-trial credit farming and burned domain reputation, here is the real cost of disposable emails and how a free temp email checker saves thousands.
How to Block Disposable Emails at Signup (Free Temp Email Checker)
Stop throwaway signups before they bounce, burn free trials, and tank sender reputation. Use Reloop's free temp email checker: ~210k disposable domains, no SMTP probing.
Ship your first email with Reloop
in minutes.
Open-source, deliverability-focused, and yours to self-host or run on Reloop Cloud. No lock-in, no rewrite later.