Google Workspace is trusted by over 3 billion users (businesses and individuals alike) from all around the world. That’s because the platform manages to offer a reliable and secure all-in-one cloud-based office space that fits a hybrid work environment where people from various remote locations can keep working and collaborating.
And, to keep this space secure and optimized, Google is constantly making improvements. Since email is often targeted by cyber attackers, most of these efforts are concentrated on the Gmail app and systems. For one, Gmail comes with a series of built-in protections designed to automatically filter out potentially malicious messages.
Things got even better starting in mid-2021 when Google rolled out support of Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) in Gmail within Google Workspace.
What is BIMI & How Does it Help My Business?
If you scroll your Gmail inbox, you’ll notice that some brands have their logo next to their message. That’s what’s called a “verified sender logo,” and it is made possible through the BIMI system.
For example, if you check the emails sent by the Onsite Helper team, you’ll notice our official logo in the avatar slot. That’s because we recently enrolled our business in the BIMI system, which makes it easier for our communication partners to verify that the sender of the message is trustworthy.
Overall, BIMI is an industry standard that aims to strengthen sender authentication and boost email security. It does so by allowing companies to display a verified sender logo alongside their messages.
The verification process allows brands to validate the ownership of their logos with Google, which allows mailbox providers (such as Gmail) to separate legitimate messages from potentially spoofed ones. This is why BIMI is seen by the cybersecurity industry as an extra layer of protection against phishing and email scams, which are on the rise these days.
BIMI Benefits to Keep in Mind
First and foremost, BIMI provides email recipients with some peace of mind when it comes to email communications. After all, when you don’t have to constantly live in fear of a well-devices phishing attack, it’s easier to consider business proposals and ideas you receive via email.
There’s also the fact that the presence of the logo creates a more immersive experience for both the sender and the receiver. For the sender, BIMI helps boost brand visibility and build recognition, while the receiver will feel more confident in the relationship with said brand.
It also helps improve email deliverability. Since authentication and sender reputation matter when the filters decide whether or not to let your email through, the BIMI mechanism is there to vouch for your brand’s reputation. This increases the chances of your message making it to more people’s inboxes.
How Do I Set It Up?
In order to work, BIMI requires other authentication protocols (like DMARC, SPF, or DKIM) to be properly set up. Also, you’ll have to validate your trademarked logo to Google with a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC).
As a partner of Entrust, which is one of the Certification Authorities that endorses the VMC, Onsite Helper can help businesses set up their BIMI verification and setup. We also use Entrust to manage the email encryption certificates when implementing S/MIME, which is another layer you can add to your protection against cyber threats.
So, if you’re looking for a way to make your partners and collaborators feel at ease, don’t wait any longer! Get in touch with our team today, and ask us about setting up BIMI for your organization!
