{"id":15342,"date":"2022-02-02T09:53:28","date_gmt":"2022-02-02T14:53:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/?p=15342"},"modified":"2025-02-10T14:22:10","modified_gmt":"2025-02-10T19:22:10","slug":"how-can-i-brand-my-mail-use-a-vmc-and-bimi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/how-can-i-brand-my-mail-use-a-vmc-and-bimi\/","title":{"rendered":"How Can I Brand My Mail? Use a VMC and BIMI"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">According to Mimecast\u2019s report <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mimecast.com\/state-of-brand-protection\/\">The State of Brand Protection 2021<\/a>, their detection of brand impersonations rose to 39.2 billion in February 2021, an increase of 170% compared to 2019. Learn how branding your emails using VMC and BIMI can be your \u201csilver bullet\u201d that helps your messages claim prime real estate within your customers\u2019 inboxes and prevents phishing scams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Editor\u2019s Note: This is a guest blog contribution from Nadia Bonini<\/em>,<em> a technical writer, certified CSPO mail application security product owner and former application security engineer. Nadia shares her perspective on ways that you can brand your mail<\/em>,<em> including the trump card of enabling a BIMI verified logo to appear in your recipients&#8217; inboxes.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A trustworthy brand has become paramount for consumers. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/mtb.morningconsult.com\/most-trusted-brands-2021\/why-brand-trust-matters-today\/\">research<\/a> by the global data intelligence company Morning Consult, almost 90% of surveyed customers stated that they\u2019d buy more from a brand they trust.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the Radicati Group estimating an average of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.radicati.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Email-Statistics-Report-2022-2026-Executive-Summary.pdf\">347.3 billion emails<\/a> being sent and received each day in 2023, it\u2019s easy to see why grabbing your customer\u2019s attention in an already overloaded inbox has become a real challenge. (Radicati Group estimates this number will surpass 392 billion by the end of 2026.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an inbox cluttered with spam, even legitimate emails from trusted brands can easily go unnoticed, end up in their junk folders or, even worse, get deleted. This issue leaves you asking the question that led you here: \u201cHow can I brand my mail to help messages reach their inboxes?\u201d This is where implementing certain email identity measures can help your business\u2019s communications to shine a spotlight on your brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this article, you\u2019ll learn how to brand your mail in a way that makes your messages stand out from the crowd by using tools called verified mark certificates (VMCs) and brand indicators for message identification (BIMI). Together, these two components serve to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Enhance your organization\u2019s credibility,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create trust in your brand\u2019s emails upfront, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ensure that your email will never be treated as spam again.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s hash it out.<span id=\"newline\"><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<span style=\"--tl-form-height-m:140.667px;--tl-form-height-t:118.1042px;--tl-form-height-d:118.1042px;\" class=\"tl-placeholder-f-type-shortcode_12779 tl-preload-form\"><span><\/span><\/span>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-central-palette-19-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>(<strong>Editor\u2019s Note<\/strong>: Since this article was originally published, BIMI now works with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/digicert\/bimi-common-mark-certificate.aspx\">Common Mark Certificates<\/a><\/em> (CMCs)<em>, which is a second category of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/products\/mark-certificates.aspx\">Mark Certificates<\/a>. A CMC enables companies to display their brands\u2019 logos next to the sender field in messages to Gmail users.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Learn about how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/common-mark-certificates-make-it-easier-to-display-your-logo-in-gmail\/\">Common Mark Certificates make it easier<\/a> than ever to display your sender logo in Gmail \u2014 no registered trademark required!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-brand-my-mail-while-adding-security-to-the-equation\">How to Brand My Mail (While Adding Security to the Equation)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As of 2019, The Radicati Group also estimated that the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.radicati.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Email-Statistics-Report-2015-2019-Executive-Summary.pdf\">average user received 126 emails per day<\/a>. That\u2019s an average of 45,990 emails per year! And imagine how much that has increased as we approach 2022. With this in mind, it\u2019s easy to see why you need to take steps to make your messages stand out in customers\u2019 inboxes. Thankfully, there are several ways that your organization can brand your mail in outbound emails:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Create emails that include engaging and consistent banner images and email signatures.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use your organization\u2019s branding (writing style\/voice, colors, design, typefaces, graphic elements, etc.) consistently.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create email templates that simplify and streamline the email creation process.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Include relevant links to content from your site, blog, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/verified-mark-certificates-the-bimi-standard-show-your-company-logo-in-your-customers-inbox\/\">verified mark certificate (VMC) and brand indicators for message identification (BIMI)<\/a> to project your brand to promote trust.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As far as branding your mail goes, it\u2019s likely you\u2019re already doing several of the recommendations above. However, these first four appear exclusively inside the emails themselves. That last option \u2014 using VMCs and BIMI \u2014 helps you brand your email on the \u201coutside of the envelope\u201d as well as inside the message as well. This contributes to not only better branded messages but, ideally, ones that your customers recognize as being safe as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">VMCs and BIMI Bring Your Organization\u2019s Inbox Identity to a Whole New Level<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"309\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/brand-my-mail-bank-of-america-bimi-example-1024x309.jpg\" alt=\"brand-my-mail-boa-bimi-example\" class=\"wp-image-15347\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/brand-my-mail-bank-of-america-bimi-example-1024x309.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/brand-my-mail-bank-of-america-bimi-example-300x90.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/brand-my-mail-bank-of-america-bimi-example-768x232.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/brand-my-mail-bank-of-america-bimi-example-1536x463.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/brand-my-mail-bank-of-america-bimi-example.jpg 1725w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A screenshot of a verified logo displaying in an employee\u2019s Gmail inbox.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While it\u2019s true that email filters are doing their best to filter spam emails from users\u2019 inboxes, those efforts aren\u2019t enough on their own. They need help to differentiate legitimate emails from fake ones, and using VMCs and BIMI, together, can help do that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is a Verified Mark Certificate?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/digicert\/verified-mark-certificate.aspx\">verified mark certificate<\/a> (VMC)<\/strong> is a digital certificate that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Enables your organization to display its verified logo in your recipients\u2019 inboxes,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enables you organization to display the same verified logo next to your sender field information within your emails, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Validates that the certificate is authentic and owned by you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, take a look at the screenshot of one of The SSL Store\u2019s employees\u2019 Gmail inboxes. See the verified logo for Chase in comparison to the generic letters and people icons? This is an example of the visual impact emails can make for companies using VMCs and BIMI (more on that momentarily).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Getting a verified mark certificate requires having a publicly trusted certificate authority (CA) verify the authenticity of your logo and that you have ownership of it. Therefore, any messages that display that verified logo in your recipients\u2019 inboxes prove that you\u2019re a legitimate business and that your branded emails came from you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a result, your recipients will know that the emails they receive from you are not suspicious and will be more willing to open and read them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Are Brand Indicators for Message Identification?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/bimigroup.org\/all-about-bimi\/\">Brand indicators for message identification (BIMI)<\/a><\/strong> is a term for an open standard that allows your brand logo (that\u2019s been verified with a VMC) to be displayed next to your email in your customers\u2019 inboxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Working together with the verification and authentication methods listed below, BIMI not only increases the visibility of your branded messages, but it also provides additional security and trust that contribute to a better overall email experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>SPF (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/email-security-spf\/\">Sender Polic<\/a>y Framework).<\/strong> Ensures that emails are sent only from trusted IP addresses, thus preventing spammers from sending messages using your domain.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>DKIM (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/dkim-domainkeys-identified-mail\/\">DomainKeys Identified Mail<\/a>).<\/strong> Authenticates you as a trusted sender by adding an encrypted signature to all outgoing message headers and confirming that your message has not been altered.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>DMARC (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/dmarc-reporting-and-email\/\">Domain-based Message Authentication Reporting and Conformance<\/a>). <\/strong>Provides additional protection against spoofing and phishing emails through enforcing the use of the domain name in the from field. It also boosts delivery rate, enabling you to tell the receiving mail servers how to handle messages that were sent from your domain but didn\u2019t pass SPF and\/or DKIM checks. All of this happens on the backend, so users don\u2019t see it happening.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019ll speak about BIMI more in-depth later in the article. But an important takeaway you should get from this section is that a VMC creates an additional security layer on top of your BIMI records so that, when used all together, they protect your brand (and your customers) from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/email-spoofing-101-how-to-avoid-becoming-a-victim\/\">spoofing and phishing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How VMCs and BIMI Work to Display Your Brand\u2019s Logo Up Front<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VMC works together with BIMI to display your verified company logo in your customers\u2019 inboxes regardless of which devices they use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When a customer receives your email, some standard authentication and validation checks will be run in the background. If everything is properly configured and validated, your BIMI logo will display next to your message, just before the sender field information and message preview. Basically, they work more or less like the \u201cverified\u201d account badges and checkmarks on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This all sounds great, right? It is! But for everything to function correctly, there are a few prerequisites that need to be met, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Setting up specific email authentication with specific DMARC configurations,<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Having a registered logo that you own and can legally use,<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Having a logo image file available in the right format, and<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Getting a VMC from a certificate authority such as DigiCert.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019ll talk more about the technical aspects of how VMC and BIMI work later in the article. Before going into technicalities, let\u2019s see how all this will look like in your customer\u2019s inbox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background-color:#e1e3ef\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can You Implement BIMI without a VMC?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, you technically can&#8230; but that doesn&#8217;t mean you should. Using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/resources\/bimi-without-vmc\/\">BIMI without a VMC<\/a> means that your logo won&#8217;t be verified and you&#8217;ll miss out on one of the key advantages of using a Verified Mark Certificate: displaying your verified checkmark in Gmail and Yahoo!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How a VMC and BIMI Email Looks In Customers\u2019 Inboxes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now that you have an overview of how VMC and BIMI work together, in order to better understand the outcome, it\u2019s important to have a look at a practical example. Let\u2019s say that you received in your inbox two emails with the same subject and from the same sender (or so it seems). The first email has the generic letter display you see everywhere (as illustrated in the left half of the example below); the second one (the right half of the image) is branded with an official logo image instead of only a capital letter:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"877\" height=\"542\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/brand-my-mail-before-after-bimi-comparison.png\" alt=\"A side-by-side comparison of how emails look in users' inboxes when you don't use BIMI (left) and when you do use BIMI (right). The right illustration shows the email sender companies' verified logos.\" class=\"wp-image-15346\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/brand-my-mail-before-after-bimi-comparison.png 877w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/brand-my-mail-before-after-bimi-comparison-300x185.png 300w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/brand-my-mail-before-after-bimi-comparison-768x475.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 877px) 100vw, 877px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A side-by-side comparison graphic that illustrates how BIMI logos display in recipients&#8217; inboxes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Which one captures your attention? The generic first one or second one on the right? Probably the latter.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Which one looks more professional, thus more trustworthy? Once again, definitely the second one.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Which email would you open? We\u2019re going three for three\u2026 most likely number two, the one with the logo.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The same happens with your customers. In a sea of blue t-shirts, the white one is always stands out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To give you an even better idea, let\u2019s take a look at how a branded email would look like when viewed in an email client\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/bimigroup.org\/bimi-adoption-october-2020\/\">inbox that supports BIMI<\/a> (i.e., Gmail, Netscape, Yahoo, AOL, Pobox, and Fastmail):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"890\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/brand-my-mail-bimi-logo-example-chase-890x1024.png\" alt=\"brand-my-mail-chase-bimi-example-gmail-inbox\" class=\"wp-image-15345\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/brand-my-mail-bimi-logo-example-chase-890x1024.png 890w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/brand-my-mail-bimi-logo-example-chase-261x300.png 261w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/brand-my-mail-bimi-logo-example-chase-768x883.png 768w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/brand-my-mail-bimi-logo-example-chase.png 1252w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 890px) 100vw, 890px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A screenshot of a verified logo displaying in the Gmail inbox of an employee at The SSL Store. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It makes a big difference, right? Not only does the logo make the email look more professional, but it also makes your email and brand really stand out from the unbranded ones.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Using a Verified Mark Certificate + BIMI Benefits Your Business &amp; Customers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the beginning of this article, we said that VMC can have a positive impact on your organization, not only from the pure business point of view, but also from a security perspective. These are exactly the two main categories of benefits that VMCs offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Business &amp; Reputational Benefits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In today\u2019s competitive world, finding customers and grabbing their attention is not an easy task. Enhancing your online reputation and distinguishing your business from the competition can be good ways to put you on the right path. Using a VMC in combination with BIMI can help you achieve this and much more. How?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Enhancing visibility in your customers\u2019 inboxes<\/strong>. VMC will put your brand center stage in your customers\u2019 inboxes. Rather than the anonymous default initials, your customers will see your validated logo before they even open your email.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Increasing your email open rates<\/strong>. A <a href=\"https:\/\/bimigroup.org\/video-results-from-the-yahoo-mail-bimi-trials\/\">study<\/a> by Yahoo! Verizon Media showed a 10% average increase in brand engagement for companies that used a verified logo and BIMI for their emails. This resulted in increased visibility and ROI, even for new businesses.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Improving your email delivery rates<\/strong>. Thanks to the adoption of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/dmarc-reporting-and-email\/\">DMARC<\/a>, one of the prerequisites of VMCs and BIMI, you\u2019ll be able to reach a higher number of recipients and avoid ending up in their spam folder.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Creating a unified experience across all platforms<\/strong>. Till now, your logo was shown on your social media accounts and websites. With VMC and BIMI, your customers will also be able to see your verified logo in their inboxes. This will increase brand consistency across all of your platforms, enabling your brand to be everywhere and ensuring that everything you do is immediately associated with your brand!&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Boosting email authenticity and trust<\/strong>. Your recipients will be more likely to trust your messages if they\u2019re branded. As such, creating branded, authentic emails helps you pave the road towards building and strengthening a loyal customer base.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Helping to prevent phishing and spoofing<\/strong>. Since having a BIMI record and DMARC policy in place are required for BIMI and VMCs, you\u2019re able to thwart brand spoofing and mitigate phishing attacks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Promoting security as a priority<\/strong>. Once again, DMARC will show your customers that security is your priority and confirm to them that the email you\u2019ve sent them is from a legitimate organization.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<span style=\"--tl-form-height-m:966.781px;--tl-form-height-t:989px;--tl-form-height-d:989px;\" class=\"tl-placeholder-f-type-shortcode_12768 tl-preload-form\"><span><\/span><\/span>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Security Benefits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.verizon.com\/business\/resources\/reports\/dbir\/\">phishing on the rise<\/a>, a high number of emails are being classified as spam, which makes things even harder and more costly for businesses trying to reach their customers in the digital world. This is where VMC can help your organization before phishing and spoofing make too much damage.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Providing spoofing and phishing protection<\/strong>. Since having a BIMI record and DMARC policy in place are required for BIMI and VMCs, you\u2019re able to thwart brand spoofing and mitigate phishing attacks. In a typical phishing attack, an attacker tricks email recipients into believing that the message is coming from a reputable source. They can do this by using a forged email address. The best way to avoid this happening is to have a mechanism that can verify the sender\u2019s identity. This is what DMARC does.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Protecting the security of your brand<\/strong>. In order for the certified authority (CA) to issue a VMC, you will need to register your logo as a trademark. This will add another layer of security, ensuring that your brand logo won\u2019t be spoofed by attackers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Preventing attacks by detecting incorrect DMARC configurations<\/strong>. DMARC is a very powerful tool for security specialists. Publishing your DMARC records into your DNS record will enable you to:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Track who\u2019s sending unauthorized emails on behalf of your domain,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Identify the emails that have been authenticated incorrectly due to a server misconfiguration, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Know how often this is happening.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Aiding spam detection filters.<\/strong> Sending your emails with VMC and DMARC confirms to email providers and users that your message is genuine, improving the accuracy of their spam blockers thus, increasing your sender\u2019s reputation rate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Providing all-around robust email security<\/strong>. Combining VMC and DMARC (which relies on SPF and DKIM) helps your organization achieve truly branded emails and better security. This will help increase customers\u2019 confidence in your brand by demonstrating your commitment to email security and customers protection.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But that\u2019s not all. To make VMC even more effective and be able to really capitalize on all the benefits offered by a comprehensive and secure email solution, BIMI should be added to the equation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make Your Emails Stand Out: Display Your Brand Logo In Your Customers\u2019 Inboxes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"874\" height=\"530\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/dma-survey-email-open-rate-factors.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/dma-survey-email-open-rate-factors.png 874w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/dma-survey-email-open-rate-factors-300x182.png 300w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/dma-survey-email-open-rate-factors-768x466.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 874px) 100vw, 874px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Image source: DMA Consumer Email Tracker Report 2020. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A 2020 <a href=\"https:\/\/dma.org.uk\/uploads\/misc\/consumer-email-tracker-2020-v4.pdf\">report<\/a> by the Data &amp; Marketing Association shares that 55% of email users prefer having a way to recognize the sender of the email before opening it. If they don\u2019t, they will rather ignore the email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here comes the importance of BIMI. It will enable you to bring your brand logo to your customers\u2019 inboxes, enhancing brand recognition, leveraging and increasing the value of VMC and DMARC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Breaking Down the Basics of BIMI<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brand indicators of message identity standardize and facilitate the process of logo management and brand display with supporting email clients. It helps customers to easily recognize real emails from fraudulent ones and make an informed choice before opening a message. Moreover, BIMI:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Gives you complete control of your brand logo in your customers\u2019 inboxes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Builds trust by authenticating your logo, thus ensuring that you\u2019re the only one that can use it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provides your customers with a richer and more secure inbox-perusing experience.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Interesting right? Now that you know more about the added values of BIMI, let\u2019s get into some technical details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Can I Brand My Mail With BIMI Using a VMC<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To ensure that BIMI works correctly, you must first follow the steps below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Create your logo<\/strong> <strong>in a supported format<\/strong>. This would be a square image file that\u2019s in <a href=\"https:\/\/bimigroup.org\/creating-bimi-svg-logo-files\/\">SVG Tiny PS<\/a> format and saved in a secure web location (i.e., HTTPS instead of HTTP).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Create, configure and save your BIMI text record on your sending server<\/strong>. This <a href=\"https:\/\/bimigroup.org\/bimi-generator\/\">BIMI inspector and generator<\/a> tool can help you to ensure that it\u2019s done correctly. <strong>Important<\/strong>: The URL where your brand logo is located must be included in the DNS .txt record.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Validate your organization\u2019s domain<\/strong> <strong>with DMARC\u2019s standards<\/strong>. You can set the DMARC policy: \u201cp=quarantine\u201d or \u201cp=reject\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Trademark your logo<\/strong> <strong>with the patent and trademark office of your region<\/strong>. For example, if you\u2019re located in the US, you should contact the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uspto.gov\/\">United States Patent and Trademark Office <\/a>(USPTO). <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Validate your brand logo getting a verified mark certificate (VMC)<\/strong>. This required validation checks and approval by a trusted CA.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-central-palette-2-background-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/digicert\/bimi-verified-mark-certificate.aspx\" style=\"border-radius:3px;color:#ffffff\">Buy A Verified Mark Certificate<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now that you\u2019re ready to brand your mails with BIMI, let\u2019s see how the technical process works when you send an email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before the email being delivered to the recipient:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The recipient\u2019s email provider tries to authenticate your message.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the authentication succeeds, the email provider checks the availability of a corresponding BIMI record through a DNS lookup.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Once found, based on the information contained on the BIMI file, it extracts your brand logo from its source and displays it in your customer\u2019s inbox!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Et voil\u00e0!<\/em> It\u2019s done! Now you can use BIMI in combination with the VMC of your choice to brand your mail online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you want to know more about how BIMI works, check our latest article, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/bimi-for-gmail-google-makes-email-identity-indicators-part-of-its-new-security-updates\/\">BIMI for Gmail: Google Makes Email Identity Indicators Part of Its New security Updates<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Email Providers Supporting VMC and BIMI<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before moving to the next chapter, it\u2019s important to understand that since VMCs and BIMI are relatively new technologies, not all email providers are already offering these features to their users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, according to the information published on <a href=\"https:\/\/bimigroup.org\/bimi-infographic\/\">The BIMI Group<\/a>\u2019s website, there are several big players in the email world that are already officially supporting this enhanced email security and branding. And several other major providers are already considering joining the pack:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Email Providers Supporting BIMI<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Email Providers Considering Supporting BIMI<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Email Providers Not Supporting BIMI (Yet)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Yahoo!<\/strong> (including AOL and Netscape)<\/td><td><strong>1&amp;1<\/strong> (including mail.com, GMX and WEB.DE)<\/td><td><strong>Apple<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Google<\/strong> (with Gmail and Google Workspace)<\/td><td><strong>BT<\/strong> (British Telecom)<\/td><td><strong>Microsoft<\/strong> (including Outlook and Office 365)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Fastmail<\/strong> (including its parent company Pobox)<\/td><td><strong>Comcast<\/strong><\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>AOL<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Qualitia<\/strong><\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>Seznam.cz<\/strong><\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>Yahoo! Japan<\/strong><\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As you can see BIMI is on the right track to becoming the standard for the majority of email providers quickly. Businesses like CNN, Bank of America, and Chase have already implemented BIMI and are using this technology to their advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As the saying goes \u2014 \u201cThe early bird gets the worm.\u201d Don\u2019t wait to take your email branding to the next level! Get the best visibility in your customers\u2019 inboxes with VMCs and BIMI to let them know at first glance which sender they can trust.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before we move on to the next talking point, it\u2019s important to bear in mind that, even though you\u2019ve branded your email through VMC and BIMI, each mailbox provider will have the last say in displaying your logo. Very often, this will depend on your sending reputation score, which is calculated by each email provider using its specific formula (never shared with the public) based on different metrics and criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some email providers and email deliverability experts offer resources and tools to help you learn more about your sender score reputation. A handful of the most popular tools are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/senderscore.org\/\"><strong>Sender<\/strong><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/senderscore.org\/\"><strong>Score.org<\/strong><\/a>. Your sender reputation is evaluated using a scale between 0 and 100. This tool provides you with detailed information about how your IPs are ranked by the major email providers. A reputation higher than 80 will enable you to qualify for the Sender Certification Program.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/mail\/answer\/9981691?hl=en\"><strong>Gmail Postmaster Tools<\/strong><\/a>. This tool allows you to measure useful data when sending to Gmail recipients (e.g., IP and domain reputation, delivery errors, and spam rate \u2014 just to name a few).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.trustedsource.org\/en\/feedback\/url?action=checksingle&amp;url=&amp;product=00\"><strong>Trus<\/strong><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.trustedsource.org\/en\/feedback\/url?action=checksingle&amp;url=&amp;product=00\"><strong>tedSource<\/strong><\/a>. Managed by McAfee, this tool enables you to check your domain reputation, providing you with detailed information about your website, mail server, and DNS.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sendersupport.olc.protection.outlook.com\/snds\/\"><strong>Outlook\u2019s Smart Network Data Services<\/strong><\/a> (SNDS). This goldmine of high-quality information allows you to get a comprehensive look into your Outlook.com sender reputation. The data provided includes not only the reputation status of your IPs, but also your spam complaint rate and the number of emails sent by your organization that ended up in their spam traps as well.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you keep an eye on your reputation (including <a href=\"https:\/\/mxtoolbox.com\/blacklists.aspx.\">IP blacklisting<\/a>) and follow the information described in this article, you should be OK. To help you out even further, some providers like <a href=\"https:\/\/developer.verizonmedia.com\/mail\/bimi\">Yahoo<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/a\/answer\/10911432?hl=en\">Gmail<\/a> have even published some general tips to help you ensure to get your logo displayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">VMC and BIMI: Ultimate Partners For a Verified, Labeled and Trustworthy Brand<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wouldn\u2019t it be wonderful if, when your customers\u2019 inboxes are seemingly busier than ever, there was a way you could differentiate your emails from others visually? Wouldn\u2019t you love to see your email immediately stand out like fireworks and grab your customers\u2019 attention?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is exactly what VMC and BIMI together can bring to your business, in addition to other great advantages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Protects your company and potential customers from spoofing and phishing attempts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Grants you more brand visibility. This ensure that your customers get familiar with your brand, leveraging your investment in email authentication and verification.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Boosts your email marketing conversion and customers engagement rates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Allows you to take control of your logo, ensuring that you get the correct brand image in front of your audience.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And these are just a few examples of the positive influences that VMC and BIMI can have on email security and brand trust. But before you can use them together, you\u2019ll need to know how to get a verified mark certificate for your logo \u2014 and this is what we\u2019re going to explore next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Get a Verified Mark Certificate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before being able to obtain a verified mark certificate, your business has to meet a few requirements. Assuming that you\u2019ve already followed the process of getting BIMI to work, which means that you\u2019ve already implemented DMARC and have a trademark logo, obtaining a VMC it\u2019s even easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s see what this process looks like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol style=\"list-style-type:1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Make your emails DMARC compliant.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Get your logo trademarked and ensure that it\u2019s saved in the right format (SVG Tiny PS).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Select a trusted vendor to purchase your VMC from.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Get your organization validated by the CA.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Receive and upload your VMC.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Upload your BIMI DNS record.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-central-palette-2-background-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/digicert\/bimi-verified-mark-certificate.aspx\" style=\"border-radius:3px;color:#ffffff\">Buy A Verified Mark Certificate<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Done! It\u2019s not too difficult right? Once you\u2019ve received the entity certificate from the CA (which will come as a privacy-enhanced mail file, or PEM file), you\u2019ll be able to upload it to your server together with any other intermediate certificates you\u2019ll receive from the CA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To help you even further, we\u2019ve published on our blog a detailed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/how-to-get-a-verified-mark-certificate-vmc-the-ultimate-guide\/\">guide describing the process step-by-step<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-advanced-gutenberg-blocks-notice is-variation-info has-icon\" data-type=\"info\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"12\" r=\"10\"><\/circle><line x1=\"12\" y1=\"16\" x2=\"12\" y2=\"12\"><\/line><line x1=\"12\" y1=\"8\" x2=\"12\" y2=\"8\"><\/line><\/svg><p class=\"wp-block-advanced-gutenberg-blocks-notice__title\">Is Your Logo Not a Registered Trademark?<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-advanced-gutenberg-blocks-notice__content\">No worries. You can still add your logo next to your sender name field in emails to Gmail recipients using a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/digicert\/bimi-common-mark-certificate.aspx\">Common Mark Certificate<\/a> instead. <\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-central-palette-2-background-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/digicert\/bimi-common-mark-certificate.aspx\" style=\"border-radius:3px;color:#ffffff\">Buy A Common Mark Certificate<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final Thoughts on \u201cHow to Brand My Mail\u201d Using a VMC and BIMI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a world where fraudulent and spam emails are chipping away customers confidence towards senders, VMCs and BIMI serve as a way to boost project, brand visibility, and security in the inbox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Email is evolving and so are your consumers. Although support for these technologies is still growing, you can get in on it now and let your brand shine in the sea of generic emails. Research shows that customers are more trusting of branded emails; using a verified logo for your emails assures them that your brand makes security a priority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now that you know how to brand your mail, don\u2019t wait! Businesses are progressively getting their logo next to their email messages! Build up your brand and reputation with a Verified Mark Certificate! Steal the show in your customers\u2019 inboxes!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>According to Mimecast\u2019s report The State of Brand Protection 2021, their detection of brand impersonations rose to 39.2 billion in February 2021, an increase of 170% compared to 2019. Learn&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":55,"featured_media":15351,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","tve_updated_post":"","tve_custom_css":"","tve_user_custom_css":"","tve_globals":{},"tcb2_ready":0,"tcb_editor_enabled":0,"tve_landing_page":"","_tve_header":"","_tve_footer":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[11581,12528,13155,11582,13156],"class_list":["post-15342","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hashing-out-cyber-security","tag-bimi","tag-brand-indicators-for-message-identification","tag-brand-my-mail","tag-verified-mark-certificates","tag-vmc","post-with-tags"],"views":14217,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/brand-my-mail-feature.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15342","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/55"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15342"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15342\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15351"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15342"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15342"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15342"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}