Subscription

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is BIMI? BIMI, which stands for Brand Indicators for Message Identification, is a standard to enhance email authentication and security by displaying brand logos next to authenticated emails in email inboxes.
  It helps users easily identify legitimate emails from trusted senders, as a recognizable logo reinforces the message’s authenticity.
  BIMI uses the Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) protocol to verify the sender’s identity and ensures that the logo displayed is associated with the legitimate sender.
• Do I need a trademark to get the blue checkmark? Yes, a prerequisite for obtaining the blue checkmark and receiving a Verified Mark Certificate, your logo must be a registered trademark.
• In which countries should I obtain a trademark? Currently, the supported intellectual property offices include:
  
  • United States Patent and Trademark Office
  • Canadian Intellectual Property Office
  • European Union Intellectual Property Office
  • UK Intellectual Property Office
  • Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt
  • Japan Trademark Office
  • Spanish Patent and Trademark Office O.A.
  • IP Australia
  • Intellectual Property India
  • Korean Intellectual Property Office
  • Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial
  • French Institut National de la Propriete Industrielle
  • Benelux Office for Intellectual Property
  • Denmark Ministry of Culture
  • Swedish Intellectual Property Office
  • Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property
  • Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand
• What does Skysnag handle for us?
  1. Implement DMARC: Skysnag ensures that you have a DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) policy in place for your domain. DMARC helps deter email spoofing by authenticating your emails and providing guidelines on how receiving mail servers should treat unauthenticated messages.
  2. Authenticate Email: We implement email authentication protocols, such as SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), for your domain. These protocols validate that your emails originate from approved sources.
  3. Prepare a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC): A VMC is a digital certificate that confirms your ownership of the logo you wish to display in BIMI-enabled inboxes. You’ll need to secure a VMC from a Certification Authority (CA) participating in the BIMI initiative.
  4. Publish BIMI Record: We craft and publish a BIMI record in your DNS (Domain Name System) settings. This record specifies the location of your logo image, details about the VMC, and the logo’s dimensional requirements. The BIMI record must be formatted accurately and linked correctly to your VMC.
  5. Verify Compliance: We ensure your logo complies with BIMI’s logo guidelines and size specifications. The emblem should be a genuine representation of your brand, suitable for display in email inboxes.
  6. Check Trademark: If you haven’t secured a trademark yet, Skysnag will facilitate its issuance through our partners at your chosen intellectual property office. Please refer to our list of accredited intellectual property offices.
  7. Test and Monitor: Before fully integrating BIMI, we test the configuration with multiple email providers and inboxes to confirm that the logo is displayed accurately. Continuous monitoring of your DMARC reports and BIMI setup is performed to pinpoint any issues or inconsistencies.
  8. Apply for BIMI with Email Providers: Some email service providers necessitate a formal application for BIMI activation. We’ll assist in determining where you’d like BIMI to be operational and guide you through their application process, if needed.
  9. Launch and Maintain: Once everything is validated and ready, your brand logo will start appearing adjacent to authenticated emails in BIMI-supported inboxes.
• How long does the process take? 3-6 months to activate BIMI and issue a blue checkmark.