What is the pricing and approach behind VMC (Verified Mark Certificates) and BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification)?

Email marketer from Mailjet shares the main steps of implementing BIMI, which includes authenticating your emails with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, obtaining a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) for your logo, and publishing a BIMI DNS record. They emphasize the importance of email authentication as a prerequisite.

Email marketer from ZeroBounce explains that BIMI helps improve email deliverability by signaling to mailbox providers that the sender is legitimate and trustworthy. This can lead to better inbox placement and reduced spam filtering.

Email marketer from SparkPost explains that implementing BIMI requires strong email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) to display a logo. They highlight that BIMI enhances trust and brand recognition in the inbox.

Email marketer from Email Geeks explains Don’t necessarily equate BIMI with VMC please. VMC is *one* method which Google (and Fastmail) chose to verify a logo published in your BIMI record. It’s up to the MBPs to decide if they “trust” your logo or not. They don’t have to use VMCs just as the brand doesn’t have to use a VMC

Email marketer from Email Geeks mentions I believe in setting bars as low as possible to allow as many to participate as possible — while maintaining as much security as required. That requires some balance. At the same time of course we also like to get as much signals as possible to make good decisions. So our current official stance is documented here: <https://developer.verizonmedia.com/mail/bimi/> And I already see a lot of brands with a BIMI logo who would most likely not pass the VMC hurdle… but I still want them to be able to have their logo in our email apps

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that As Gmail is the 30,000-Pound Gorilla in the room, I can't image anyone interprets this as anything but "you need now a VNC with BIMI". I wish it were not the case, but afraid it is.

Email marketer from Val Geisler Blog explains that BIMI offers major benefits like increased brand visibility in inboxes, enhanced email security through authentication, and improved brand recognition. She highlights that it's a powerful tool for brand building and trust.

Email marketer from Reddit shares that although BIMI implementation has costs, the benefits in terms of increased brand recognition, improved deliverability, and enhanced customer trust make it a worthwhile investment for many businesses.

Email marketer from Entrust shares that the cost of BIMI implementation involves two primary components: the cost of obtaining a trademarked logo and the cost of the VMC. They point out that the VMC cost is an ongoing annual expense.

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that *I don't understand the approach behind VMC and BIMI.* *I don't see many businesses pays ~ 1K USD for that!* *In my opinion, It's absurd that a domain owner can access the DNS of that domain, authenticate the domain (SPF, DKIM, DPARC, etc), and even can display the same logo on the same domain website, but I still need to prove ownership of the logo... doesn't make sense to me.*

Email marketer from Validity shares that BIMI enables marketers to display their brand logo in customer inboxes, improving brand recognition and visibility. This leads to increased engagement and trust, ultimately boosting marketing campaign performance.

Email marketer from StackOverflow explains that the BIMI DNS record points to the location of the SVG logo file. It needs to be properly formatted and hosted on a secure server for BIMI to work correctly.

Expert from Spam Resource explains that the costs associated with BIMI include obtaining a trademarked logo and a VMC. However, the brand recognition and improved deliverability can justify the expense for larger senders who are heavily targeted by phishing.

Expert from Word to the Wise responds that BIMI is like 'email bling' and offers branding benefits. The key is to have strong email authentication in place (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) before implementation. It helps legitimate emails stand out and reduces impersonation.

Documentation from Fastmail explains that Fastmail supports BIMI, displaying brand logos for authenticated emails. This helps users quickly identify legitimate messages and avoid phishing attempts.

Documentation from BIMI Group states that BIMI leverages existing email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to validate the sender's identity. It adds a layer of brand validation by displaying the brand's logo alongside authenticated emails, enhancing user trust.

Documentation from DigiCert explains that VMC pricing depends on the term length purchased, and can vary. DigiCert is one of the Certificate Authorities who can issue VMCs.