Does your brand logo show in inboxes via a verified BIMI record with a trademark-validated certificate?
Checks that your domain publishes a BIMI record with a verified mark certificate proving you own your logo.
What this signal tests
BIMI, or Brand Indicators for Message Identification, lets your verified brand logo appear next to your messages in supported inboxes. We check for a BIMI DNS record at default._bimi.yourdomain.com, fetch the SVG logo it points to, and verify that the linked Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) chains to a recognised certificate authority such as Entrust or DigiCert. BIMI also requires DMARC to be at enforcement, so all the underlying email authentication must already be in place.
Why it matters for your visibility in AI
BIMI is currently the strongest brand-identity signal in email and one of the most respected machine-readable trust markers on the web. A Verified Mark Certificate requires a CA to validate that you legally own the trademark for the logo you are displaying, which is a meaningful piece of third-party attestation. AI systems that judge source legitimacy treat a working BIMI deployment as a direct indication that you are a real, trademark-owning organisation rather than an anonymous publisher. The consequence of failing is less negative than other trust signals, because BIMI is still emerging and most domains do not have it. But for organisations where brand trust matters, particularly publishers, retailers, and financial services, BIMI is a visible competitive advantage. It is expensive and slow to set up, so a working deployment is itself evidence of operational maturity.
Pass criteria at a glance
| Criterion | Passes when |
|---|---|
| Valid BIMI + VMC chains to recognized CA + DMARC at quarantine/reject. |
How we test it
We query DNS for the TXT record at default._bimi.yourdomain.com and confirm it starts with v=BIMI1. We then fetch the SVG file referenced by the l= field and verify it conforms to the Tiny-PS profile. We fetch the PEM-encoded VMC at the a= field and walk the certificate chain to confirm it terminates at a BIMI-recognised certificate authority. Finally, we re-check your DMARC policy because BIMI is only valid when DMARC is at p=quarantine or p=reject.
Show technical detection method
DNS TXT at default._bimi.{domain}; validate v=BIMI1, fetch l= SVG, fetch a= PEM; check VMC chain to BIMI-recognized CA (Entrust, DigiCert).
If your site fails: how to fix it
- First, reach DMARC enforcement (p=quarantine pct=100 or p=reject). BIMI cannot be valid without it. See the DMARC signal for the staged rollout.
- Register or confirm your logo as a trademark in a BIMI-recognised jurisdiction. The list includes the US, UK, EU, Australia, Canada, Japan, and several others. Without a registered trademark you cannot obtain a VMC.
- Convert your logo to BIMI's required SVG Tiny-PS profile. The free converter at bimigroup.org/svg-conversion-tool/ handles most cases. Host the resulting SVG on your domain over HTTPS.
- Purchase a Verified Mark Certificate from a BIMI-recognised CA (currently Entrust or DigiCert). Expect a multi-week validation process where the CA confirms your trademark and identity. Annual cost is typically USD 1,000–1,500.
- Publish the BIMI DNS record at default._bimi.yourdomain.com with values pointing to your SVG and your VMC PEM file. Open your DNS console at your registrar (Cloudflare, GoDaddy, etc.) to add the TXT record.
- Test by sending a message to a Gmail account using your domain. If everything aligns, the logo will appear within a few days. Re-run the AI Ready Test scan to confirm machine-readable detection.
Quick facts
| Maturity | EMERGING |
|---|---|
| Weight | medium |
| Category | Trust & Provenance |
Primary sources
Related signals
Frequently asked questions
Will I need IT help to fix this?
Yes, for parts of it. The DNS publishing and SVG hosting are routine, but the VMC application requires legal and brand input to confirm trademark ownership. Plan on a coordinated effort between IT, legal or brand, and finance for the certificate cost.
What if I do not have a registered trademark for my logo?
You cannot obtain a Verified Mark Certificate without one, which means full BIMI is out of reach. A simpler form called BIMI with a self-asserted Common Mark Certificate is being introduced by some CAs but is not yet universally recognised. Most organisations either register the trademark or wait.
Does this affect my email deliverability too?
Indirectly, yes. BIMI requires DMARC at enforcement, which itself improves deliverability significantly. The logo display is a brand and trust win on top of the deliverability gain that the DMARC work already produces.
How long until everything is live?
DNS and SVG hosting are minutes. The VMC issuance is typically four to eight weeks because the certificate authority must verify your trademark and identity. Once issued and published, supported inboxes start showing the logo within a few days.
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