VMC and BIMI: Increase Customer Engagement

A thing often heard in combination with BIMI is a VMC. And it’s causing some confusion all around. That’s probably because BIMI is an open standard with an optional aspect that happens to be required. And sentences like that are exactly the reason why we attempt to demystify the topic and hope to clear up some of the confusion.

Without a?Verified Mail Certificate, chances are slim that you get to witness the real effect of BIMI. And the fact is that?you definitely need it?if you want to prevent every clown from just taking your logo and?using it for scams. Let’s dissect the concept of VMCs a bit. We tell you where to get them and why not to get ‘em cheap. We also like to explain what happens if you implement?BIMI without a VMC. But we’ll start with the easiest question.

What is a VMC?

A Verified Mark Certificate is a digital certificate to verify that the logo you appointed to BIMI?really belongs to you and your business. Or, more literally: a certificate to confirm that your mark (logo) has been verified. Getting a VMC is?not the registration itself, but counts as proof that the registration has already been done.

By adding a VMC, you create a?cryptographic connection?between your logo and your domain. Compare it to the blue checkmark given on social media, to confirm the?identity and authenticity?of a user. Those are not available to just anyone. Right, Elon?

How do I get a Verified Mark Certificate?

Momentarily, only two companies have the authority to issue Verified Mark Certificates:?DigiCert?and?Entrust. You can visit their website and start the application process there yourself. If you are a little unsure about how to do it, or find it somewhat exciting, then another option is to?let us assist you?in acquiring it. We do this through our?Hosted BIMI Service.

Make sure to register your logo beforehand. When your VMC is granted, the certificate comes in the shape of a?Privacy Enhanced Mail?(.pem) file. You then upload this pem file to a secure environment, after which you link to it in the ‘a=’ tag of your BIMI record. How does that work? We explain that in our article about a?BIMI Record.

Cheap VMC Certificate

When you need a new passport or driver’s license, there is?only one specific place?you can go and prices are the same for everybody. A VMC is also an?official document. You might come across some good VMC deals on the wrong side of the internet. But be aware: anything that was not directly obtained through DigiCert or Entrust?is fake. And these companies always charge fixed prices for their services.

We can fully imagine that this makes it more difficult or less appealing for smaller entrepreneurs who would like to participate in BIMI. But for now, it’s your only ticket to having the?absolute guarantee?that the certificate legitimately links to your company.

BIMI without VMC

Even though it is still sort of regarded as ‘optional’, probably no mailbox provider is currently showing your logo if you don’t have a VMC. The advantage of BIMI is that it makes it easy for everyone to use a logo. The danger of BIMI is that it makes it easy for everyone to use a logo. In essence, BIMI allows a so-called?self-asserted logo. This gives you the freedom of using basically?any logo you want, without having to verify that it actually belongs to you. In practice, this would mean that anyone handy enough to create a valid SVG logo has the power to?show any random brand indicator.

So, let’s say we upload?the logo of Microsoft?to our secure server and add it to our BIMI record. Everyone receiving our emails would?instantly recognize?the logo and believe they are dealing with Microsoft. Because the visual aspect is much more noticeable and?immediately inspires confidence. The idea behind a VMC is therefore to?guarantee the receiver?that the displayed logo is indeed connected to the sender and registered by them.?Instead of a criminal trying to use your logo for evil purposes, such as phishing attacks. It exists to prevent you from spending months securing your domains and then some nono starts showing off your logo. That’s the reason why?most mailbox providers?demand to see a VMC.

Final thoughts

With all that being said, we cannot emphasize enough that at the time, mailbox providers have the final decision about everything. So even though you have obtained the sacred VMC, that is?no guarantee?that your brand indicator is always displayed. They often take several things into account when making a decision. Especially when it comes to handling messages to?their valuable users. They apply a policy that they personally consider to be the safest. Of course, you have a?very big chance?and it gives you a clear?advantage. We’re just saying that not all mailbox providers that support BIMI automatically and always show a logo.?

We hope to have informed you sufficiently about the truth and the complex world of Verified Mark Certificates. But if you want to know more about BIMI, VMCs, or other related topics, please feel free to?contact us. Our team is always happy to help.