CxLEVER

GTM Glossary · Deliverability

BIMI

A standard that displays your verified logo next to your messages in supporting inboxes. It requires DMARC at enforcement and, for Gmail, a paid certificate.

[01]What It Means

BIMI is a DNS record pointing to your logo as an SVG, plus a certificate proving the logo is yours. Supporting inboxes then show it as the sender avatar instead of a grey initial.

Two certificate types exist. A Verified Mark Certificate requires a registered trademark and adds a verified checkmark in Gmail. A Common Mark Certificate needs no trademark, but requires proof the logo has been in public use on your domain for at least twelve months, and shows no checkmark.

Neither is free. Expect roughly 650 to 1,750 USD per domain per year depending on type and reseller, before any trademark costs.

[02]Why It Matters

BIMI is the visible payoff of authentication work, not a shortcut to it. You cannot publish it without DMARC at quarantine or reject, which means the security groundwork is already done by the time the logo appears. For high-volume senders it measurably improves recognition; for password resets it changes nothing.

[03]Where It Goes Wrong

Buying a certificate before the domain reaches DMARC enforcementTreating it as a branding task rather than an authentication oneExpecting every inbox to display it, when support varies by provider

[04]Related Terms

DMARCDKIMSender Reputation

All glossary terms ➔

Apply This to Your Market.

If a verified logo is the goal, the path runs through authentication first. We sequence the work so the certificate is the last step, not the first purchase.

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