In a bid to enhance email security for its users, Gmail has expanded upon the Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) feature introduced in 2021. BIMI required senders to use strong authentication and verify their brand logo to display a brand logo as an avatar in emails. Now, users will see a checkmark icon for senders that have adopted BIMI, helping them identify legitimate messages versus impersonators.
Admins and end users will benefit from this improvement, as strong email authentication aids users and email security systems in identifying and stopping spam. It also allows senders to leverage their brand trust, increasing confidence in email sources and providing a more immersive experience for readers, ultimately creating a better email ecosystem for everyone.
To get started with BIMI, admins can visit the Help Center for instructions on setting up the feature. They can also access the latest news and learn more about BIMI by visiting the working group’s website. To take advantage of BIMI for outgoing emails to Gmail and other platforms, organizations should adopt DMARC and validate their logo with a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) issued by a Certification Authority such as Entrust or DigiCert.
End users do not need to adjust any settings for this feature. The improved BIMI implementation will be rolled out to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains within 1-3 days, starting on May 3, 2023. The feature is available to all Google Workspace customers, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers, and users with personal Google Accounts.
For more information on DMARC, visit the Google Workspace Admin Help, or explore the Google Workspace Updates Blog and Cloud Blog for insights on BIMI and how it is improving email security for Gmail and beyond.
