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What is BIMI Verification

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In today’s highly digitized business environment, email has become a core communication channel between businesses and customers. However, with the increasing prevalence of phishing, spam, and brand impersonation, recipients’ trust in emails is facing serious challenges. To address this issue, BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) has emerged as a new email authentication standard that not only enhances brand recognition but also significantly increases users’ trust in emails. This article will delve into the principles of BIMI verification, its application scenarios, and how to configure BIMI icons to help brands better protect their image and improve user experience.

Basic Principles of BIMI Verification #

BIMI is an email authentication standard proposed by M3AAWG (Messaging, Malware and Mobile Anti-Abuse Working Group), designed to help users quickly identify the sender’s identity by displaying brand icons in email clients. Its core idea is to verify the sender’s identity and ensure the reliability of the email content source, thereby displaying brand identification in email clients (such as Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, etc.).

The implementation of BIMI relies on three key email authentication mechanisms:

  1. SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Used to verify if the email comes from an authorized mail server.
  2. DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Verifies whether the email content has been tampered with through digital signatures.
  3. DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance): Combines the results of SPF and DKIM, defines email handling policies, and provides reporting functions.

Only when these three mechanisms are correctly configured and pass verification can the BIMI icon successfully display in the recipient’s mailbox.

Uses and Value of BIMI #

BIMI verification is not just a technical means but an important tool for brands to build trust in digital communications. The following are the main uses and value of BIMI:

1. Enhancing Brand Recognition #

Displaying brand icons in email clients helps users quickly identify senders, especially in cases where brand names are easily confused or similar to competitors. BIMI icons can significantly enhance brand recognition.

2. Increasing User Trust #

When users see familiar brand icons, they are more likely to trust the email content, thereby increasing email open and click-through rates. This is particularly important for marketing emails, customer notifications, bill reminders, and other scenarios.

3. Reducing Misjudgment and Deletion Rates #

Many users may misjudge emails without brand identification as spam or fraudulent emails, causing brand emails to be ignored or directly deleted. BIMI icons help reduce the occurrence of such situations.

4. Supporting Brand Security #

BIMI works in conjunction with standards such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to effectively prevent brand impersonation, protecting brand reputation and customer data security.

Application Scenarios for BIMI #

BIMI verification can play an important role in multiple business scenarios. The following are some typical real-world applications:

1. Business-Customer Communication #

When businesses send order confirmations, invoices, service notifications, and other information to customers via email, BIMI icons help customers quickly identify the source of the email, reducing doubts about the authenticity of the email.

2. Digital Marketing and Promotion #

Using BIMI icons in marketing emails can enhance brand exposure and increase user click-through and conversion rates. For example, e-commerce businesses using BIMI icons during promotional activities helps attract users to open emails and complete purchases.

3. Customer Support and Service #

In customer service emails, BIMI icons can enhance user trust in brand customer service, improving user satisfaction and brand loyalty.

4. Internal Corporate Communication #

In cross-departmental or cross-company communications, BIMI icons help employees quickly identify senders, especially when handling sensitive or urgent matters, reducing the risk of operational errors.

How to Configure BIMI Verification #

Configuring BIMI verification mainly includes the following steps:

1. Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are Correctly Configured #

Before enabling BIMI, it’s essential to ensure that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC have been correctly configured and pass verification. It’s recommended to use online tools (such as DMARC Analyzer) for testing.

2. Create a Standards-Compliant BIMI Icon #

BIMI icons need to meet the following requirements:

  • Format: SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics)
  • Size: 128x128 pixels
  • File size: Not exceeding 32KB
  • Color: Brand primary color recommended
  • No transparency or animation effects

3. Upload the Icon to a CDN #

Upload the BIMI icon to a publicly accessible CDN (Content Delivery Network) and ensure the icon URL is accessible via HTTPS.

4. Configure BIMI DNS Record #

Add a TXT record in the domain’s DNS settings in the following format:

v=BIMI1; l=https://example.com/bimi-icon.svg

Where l represents the URL of the BIMI icon.

5. Verify BIMI Configuration #

Use BIMI verification tools (such as BIMI Validator) to check if the configuration is correct and test whether the icon displays successfully.

With the continuous development of email security standards, BIMI is gradually becoming an important component of brand authentication. In the future, as more email clients support BIMI icon display, brand identity recognition capabilities in digital communications will further improve. Additionally, the combination of BIMI with AI technology is expected to achieve more intelligent email classification and risk identification, bringing users safer and more efficient email experiences.

Through BIMI verification, brands can not only display their identity in recipients’ mailboxes but also establish long-term trust relationships in digital communications. For businesses, BIMI is an important tool for enhancing brand value and customer experience. As the email ecosystem continues to evolve, BIMI will play an increasingly important bridging role between brand security and user trust.