BIMI logo not showing in any clients

Question

We implemented the VMC/BIMI last week, and all the checks are now passing green on https://bimigroup.org/bimi-generator/ - with the logo visible in BIMI SVG Image in the bottom of the page.

However, even though it is one week since the DNS has been updated, and the files uploaded, the image is still not showing in a.o. Gmail and Apple inboxes - which should be email clients supporting BIMI logos.

The DNS record is added as default._bimi.e.example.com - which is our SAP domain. But as Content Builder doesn't support neither PEM nor SVG files, both are hosted on example.com. Could this be an issue, since Google states following in their troubleshooting tips:

The public web server is in the same domain as the domain where you added the DNS TXT record for BIMI.

Could it potentially be an issue with the SVG file, despite it being shown correctly in the BIMI Validator?

Did anyone manage to enable BIMI on an SFMC SAP domain and has some advice on how to make it work?

Answer 1

For what it's worth: Here is what I know, but I can no longer reproduce it all from past implementations. No exact answer, but might help narrow it down.

BIMI string / logo hosting

String: v=BIMI1;l=https://www.example.com/logo.svg.

with SAP Subdomain "mails.example.com".

so: your svg hosting should be exactly fine.

Support material:

DMARC: The DMARC record needs to be explicitly published at the subdomain level (not trickle down from the top level domain). The DMARC policy needs to be p=reject or p=quarantine. A policy of p=none does not qualify for BIMI based on the BIMI guidelines.

Secured Image: The square image has to be an SVG file and hosted on an SSL server (https, not http). Marketing Cloud does not host SVG files currently, so this would need to be hosted on your own SSL server.

Yahoo Beta Opt-in: This process is automatic. Once your DMARC and BIMI record are in place, your logo / image should begin to appear after a few weeks of sending. The image appearing is volume based, the volume required is not disclosed by Yahoo.

Gmail: Regarding Gmail, BIMI, or brand icon will display in Gmail webmail - it may not immediately show at Gmail as the requirement is not disclosed by Google.

https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=000384413&type=1

Answer 2

I did some more research, and in case others are in similar situation, here is more context in addition to the points shared by Jonas.

Gmail adjusts the display of BIMI logos based on the sender's reputation, and if the sending domain or IP lacks a sufficient sending history, the logo might not be shown. We have consistently sent emails at a steady volume for some time, so it's uncertain if this would explain the issue.

There's some indication that BIMI logos may only be displayed for mass mailings. The BIMI Group's FAQ mentions this in the context of Yahoo, but it could also apply to Gmail. Our BIMI implementation appears to be in good standing – I've double-checked it with another validator, and our emails are passing authentication. However, it's important to note that proper implementation doesn't guarantee BIMI display, as it ultimately depends on the ESP's internal mechanisms.

In fact, I've personally observed evidence of this in my own inbox. A few weeks ago, while assisting a large retail customer with testing (unrelated to BIMI or authentication), I subscribed to their mailing list for the purpose. Although they have implemented BIMI and the logo appears on most of their mailings, it was notably absent from the triggered welcome email and coupon I received initially. These were the only two emails that weren't mass mailings and were the only ones missing their BIMI logos, despite their millions-per-send mailing volume.