As email security continues to be a top priority for businesses, ensuring that your emails are authenticated and trusted by recipients is crucial. One key component in enhancing email security and brand visibility is implementing Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI). BIMI allows you to display your company’s logo in the inbox next to your emails, increasing brand recognition and trust. However, to get started with BIMI, one of the first steps is preparing your logo in the proper format: SVG.
Here’s a guide on how to prepare your logo for BIMI implementation, ensuring it adheres to the required SVG Portable/Secure (SVG-P/S) profile.
Option 1
Step 1: Convert Your Logo to Vector Format
The first thing to know is that your logo needs to be in vector format, specifically an SVG. If your logo is currently in a raster format (e.g., PNG or JPEG), it won’t work for BIMI. Raster images are pixel-based and do not scale well without losing quality, which is why vector graphics are essential.
If you already have your logo as a vector file (e.g., .AI, .EPS, or PDF), you’re good to go. However, if your logo is in a raster format, you’ll need to convert it into vector format. For simple logos, this is a straightforward process. For more complex logos, you may need to spend time adjusting the design to make it compatible with a vector format.
Step 2: Export as SVG Tiny 1.2 Using Adobe Illustrator
Once your logo is in vector format, the next step is to export it as an SVG file. The SVG profile you need for BIMI is SVG Tiny 1.2, which is a lightweight version of SVG optimized for use on the web and email.
Here’s how to export your logo from Adobe Illustrator:
- Open the Logo in Illustrator: Start by opening your logo in Adobe Illustrator. Ensure that the logo is in a vector format.
- Save As SVG: Go to "File" and select "Save As." In the "Format" dropdown menu, choose "SVG" and click "Save."
- Choose SVG Tiny 1.2 Profile: In the next dialog box, under the "SVG Profiles" dropdown, select "Tiny 1.2" and click "OK."
- Check for Compatibility: Double-check that your logo is now in vector-based format, such as .ai, .eps, or .svg. If needed, make any necessary adjustments to ensure compatibility with SVG Tiny 1.2.
Step 3: Edit the SVG File in a Text Editor
Once your logo is exported as an SVG file, you need to edit it slightly to ensure it meets the BIMI standards. You can open and modify the SVG file in any text editor (e.g., Notepad or Notepad++). Here are the changes you need to make:
Check the Header: In the header section of your SVG file, you should see the following makefile:
Copy code
xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.2" baseProfile="tiny-ps"
- If this is not present, you need to add it to ensure compliance with BIMI standards.
- Remove Extra Tags: If your SVG file includes extra attributes like x=, y=, or overflow, you will need to remove them. These can cause validation errors during the BIMI process.
- Add a Title: Add a
<title>element at the beginning of your SVG file (right after xml:space="preserve"). Inside the title element, input your company’s name. This ensures your logo is correctly identified by email systems. Be careful not to place the title inside the graphic code itself, as it may lead to validation failure.
Here’s an example of how the title should look:
xml
<svg version="1.2" baseProfile="tiny-ps" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xml:space="preserve">
<title>Your Company Name</title>
<!-- Rest of the SVG code here -->
</svg>
Save the File: After making the necessary adjustments, save the file as a .svg extension.
Option 2: Use BIMI Conversion Tools
For those who are less familiar with editing SVG files, the BIMI working group provides a set of graphic conversion tools to simplify the process. One such tool is the Adobe Illustrator Export Script, which allows you to export an SVG Tiny 1.2 file directly into the required SVG P/S format.
The tools are free to use and can save you time and effort, especially if you are dealing with complex logos or are not comfortable working with code. These tools ensure that your logo is properly formatted to meet the BIMI standard and will be ready to be added to your email authentication records.
Conclusion
Implementing BIMI is an excellent step toward enhancing your email security and increasing trust with your recipients. By preparing your logo in the correct SVG format and following the steps outlined above, you can ensure that your brand is visible in the inbox alongside your authenticated emails. Whether you choose to manually adjust your SVG file or use the BIMI working group’s conversion tools, taking the time to ensure your logo is ready for BIMI will go a long way in protecting your brand’s reputation and ensuring your emails are trusted.
At Your DMARC, we offer the tools and expertise needed to help businesses implement email security measures, including BIMI, to protect against phishing, spoofing, and other malicious email attacks. Start using Your DMARC today to ensure your emails are secure, authenticated, and compliant with BIMI standards!
