In email marketing, trust is a profitable commodity. Businesses constantly battle to ensure that their emails stand out and are trusted by recipients amidst a sea of potential spam and sales attempts. Here’s where the duo of Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) and Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) come into play.
BIMI and DMARC – What are they?
BIMI is an emerging email standard that allows brands to display their logos next to authenticated emails in supporting email clients. This visual branding tool reinforces brand recognition and reassures recipients that the message genuinely originates from the brand it claims to represent. In other words, BIMI gives you the ability to display your logo beside your emails (no, that does not happen automatically).
On the other hand, DMARC is an email validation system designed to protect domains from being used in email spoofing and phishing scams. By aligning SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) protocols, DMARC allows senders to specify how to handle emails that fail authentication checks, thereby enhancing email security.
DMARC is a Requirement for BIMI
For a brand to be eligible for BIMI, a DMARC policy must first be in place. Here’s how they work in tandem: First, before BIMI can display a brand’s logo on an incoming email, it checks if the email comes from a source that the brand has authorized. DMARC scrutinizes incoming emails using SPF and DKIM checks against the established policy. If an email passes DMARC validation, it essentially signals that the email is legitimate according to the brand’s specified policies. Messages that fail these checks can be quarantined or rejected, depending on the policy set by the brand.
Once an email passes DMARC validation, BIMI allows the brand’s logo to be shown, providing visual assurance that the email is from a credible source. For brands with a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC), this further enhances credibility.
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This coordinated effort between BIMI and DMARC carries a massive impact on customer email trust. Seeing a brand logo next to an email in the inbox immediately provides customers with a sense of familiarity. It transforms a simple email into a branded experience. By providing a recognizable logo, BIMI helps distinguish genuine emails from malicious ones, effectively reducing the success rate of phishing attempts.
In addition to trust, BIMI also lets your emails stand out from everyone else. When an email features your brand logo, it strengthens recognition and consistency across digital touchpoints, reinforcing the brand’s presence. With DMARC acting as the gatekeeper, customers can rest assured that the emails they receive from your brand are genuinely from you, thereby building long-term brand loyalty.
Wrapping up
By showcasing your brand’s logo and ensuring email security and authenticity, you not only differentiate your messages but also build enduring trust with your customers. Embrace this dynamic duo to reinforce your brand’s email reputation and safeguard your communications in the eyes of your audience. Your customers will thank you with increased trust and engagement.
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