Learn about Verified Mark Certificates (VMC) and BIMI
Google recently announced their plans to adopt the BIMI standard (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) in Gmail along with Yahoo Mail, and Fastmail. Other providers will soon expand support which will turn Verified Mark Certificates (VMCs) into an important part of email marketing and security. This is enabled through the use of DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication and Reporting).
What is a Verified Mark Certificate?
A Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) allows an organization to display their trademarked logo next to the Sender field in the mobile view of major email clients where it is visible to recipients before they open the message. The certificate requires DMARC enforcement, so it also helps to protect both the organization and their customers from phishing and spoofing attacks. The aim is to reduce phishing and other attacks by allowing users to visually know if an email is coming from a trusted source.
What are the benefits of Verified Mark Certificates?
Verified Mark Certificates offer several benefits:
- Increased brand impressions
- Instead of default initials, recipients see a brand logo before they open an email.
- Unified messaging
- It allows organizations to deliver a more recognizable and unified experience.
- Display authenticity
- Verified Mark Certificates instantly associate trust and authenticity with a brand’s messaging.
- Stand out from the clutter
- Brands displaying their logo will stand out from the crowd, especially if they integrate messaging that highlights the security benefits of DMARC to end users.
- Increased email engagement
- Early adopting organizations stand to increase visibility, recall, deliverability and engagement.
How to get a Verified Mark Certificate
- Implement DMARC standards for your organization.
- Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC) is an email authentication, policy and reporting protocol that makes it harder for bad actors to spoof your brand, and gives you more visibility and control over emails sent and received by your domain.
- Trademark your logo
- To qualify for a VMC, your logo must legally trademarked with the appropriate office for your geographic region.
- Convert your logo file to the .SVG format.
- Purchase a Verified Mark Certificate
- Install your Verified Mark Certificate.
Other Resources
- Getting Ready for BIMI: Prep Your Logo
- How to Set Up DMARC to Qualify Your Domain for VMC
- Qualify for a VMC - How to Trademark Your Logo
- How Many Verified Mark Certificates (VMCs) Will I Need?
- Getting Your Logo in Your User's Inbox: Tips Learned from the VMC Gmail Pilot
Originally posted on Sat Aug 7, 2021
