In today’s digital world, email has become a vital communication channel for businesses. However, with the rise in phishing and email-based scams, ensuring email authenticity and trustworthiness has become paramount. BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is an emerging email authentication standard that allows brands to display their logos in the email inbox, increasing brand recognition and enhancing email open rates.
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In this blog post, we will explore what BIMI is, its significance in email marketing, and the most effective way to create a BIMI record to maximize your email open rates.
What is BIMI?
BIMI is an email authentication standard that leverages DMARC and allows brands to display their logos in email clients that support BIMI.
A fresh approach to information verification for your brand is BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification). Its goal is to work with DMARC, SPF, and DKIM to convince email clients that they are who they say they are.
Since BIMI is an open system that operates on the internet, Domain Owners can cooperate with email clients (MUAs) to coordinate the display of the proper Indicators. Don’t forget that it also encourages Domain Owners to verify their email, which is an extra bonus.
What are the benefits of BIMI?
The primary benefits of BIMI include:
Increased Brand Visibility: BIMI enables brands to display their logos directly in the email recipient’s inbox, enhancing brand recognition and establishing trust with recipients.
Enhanced Email Open Rates: With the presence of a recognizable brand logo, emails are more likely to stand out in the inbox, leading to higher open rates and increased engagement.
Email Authentication and Trustworthiness: BIMI relies on DMARC authentication, ensuring that only legitimate emails bearing the brand’s authenticated logo are displayed. This helps combat phishing attempts and boosts recipient confidence in the email’s authenticity.
How to create a BIMI record?
To effectively implement BIMI and increase your email open rates, follow these steps:
Implement DMARC: Before creating a BIMI record, ensure that you have implemented DMARC for your domain. DMARC authenticates your email, protecting your brand’s reputation and ensuring deliverability.
Design a Verified Logo: Create a logo that represents your brand and aligns with your brand identity. Ensure that it meets the necessary specifications, such as size and format, for BIMI implementation.
Configure DNS Records: Update your DNS records to include the necessary BIMI record. This record specifies the location of your brand’s logo and includes the necessary verification details.
Authenticate Logo and Implement HTTPS: Authenticate your logo using BIMI’s Verified Mark Certificate (VMC). This step ensures that only authorized logos are displayed. Additionally, ensure that the logo is hosted on a secure server using HTTPS to maintain data integrity and user trust.
Monitor and Maintain Compliance: Regularly monitor your DMARC reports to identify any issues and ensure ongoing compliance with BIMI requirements. Address any authentication or deliverability issues promptly to maximize the effectiveness of your BIMI implementation.
What are the best practices for BIMI Success?
To maximize the impact of your BIMI implementation and increase email open rates, consider the following best practices:
Focus on Email Deliverability: Maintain a strong email deliverability strategy, including proper authentication, list hygiene, and engagement practices. A good sender reputation enhances the effectiveness of BIMI in increasing open rates.
Ensure Consistency and Accuracy: Consistently use your brand logo across various email campaigns and platforms. This consistency helps recipients recognize and trust your emails, leading to higher open rates.
Optimize Email Content: Craft compelling and personalized email content that resonates with your target audience. Valuable and relevant content encourages recipients to open and engage with your emails.
Test and Analyze Results: Conduct A/B testing to analyze the impact of BIMI on your email open rates. Monitor the results and make data-driven adjustments to optimize your BIMI implementation.
Conclusion
BIMI offers a powerful way to increase email open rates by displaying your brand’s logo directly in the email client. By following the steps to create a BIMI record and adhering to best practices, you can leverage this emerging email authentication standard to enhance brand recognition, establish trust with recipients, and ultimately drive higher engagement and conversions.
Implement BIMI alongside other email authentication protocols to create a comprehensive email security and branding strategy that strengthens your brand’s presence in the digital landscape.
Check out our latest blog on Google Launches Blue Checkmarks for Verified Brands in Gmail.
GoDMARC will help you secure your emails and provide an extra layer of protection with BIMI. Check out the GoDMARC pricing page now!
FAQs
Q1. What is BIMI?
BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is a standardized email authentication protocol that allows brands to display their official logos in recipients’ email inboxes, enhancing brand recognition and trust.
Q2. What is the most effective way to create a BIMI record to increase your open rate?
To create an effective BIMI record, ensure proper implementation of email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC), meet logo size and format requirements, and maintain a strong sender reputation to maximize open rates and improve email deliverability.
