What Is a Verified Mark Certificate? The Complete Guide for Businesses

Have you ever received an email that looked legitimate but turned out to be fraudulent? Email spoofing and phishing attacks remain persistent threats to your online security. Fortunately, new protective measures like Verified Mark Certificates (VMCs) are changing how we identify trustworthy emails.

These certificates work alongside BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) to display your company logo directly in recipients’ inboxes, creating a visual seal of authenticity. This powerful combination doesn’t just enhance security, it boosts brand recognition and email engagement rates.

Let’s explore what VMCs are, how they function, and why they matter for your business communications.

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Table of Contents

1. What is a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC)?
2. How Does a Verified Mark Certificate Work?
3. The Relationship Between BIMI and VMCs
4. Benefits of Using a Verified Mark Certificate
5. Requirements for Getting a VMC
6. How to Get a Verified Mark Certificate: Step-by-Step
7. Common Challenges and How to Avoid Them
8. Who Should Use VMCs?

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What is a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC)?

A Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) is a digital certificate that proves ownership of a trademarked logo and allows its display in email clients using the BIMI standard. Similar to social media verification badges, VMCs confirm a brand’s authenticity and enhance trust in email communications.

VMCs act as the trust component within the email authentication ecosystem. When you send an email, the recipient’s mail service checks if your domain has a valid VMC linked to it. If verified, your logo appears prominently beside your email in the users’ inbox, instantly communicating legitimacy.

Think of a VMC as a bridge connecting your brand identity to your email communications. Certificate authorities like DigiCert issue these certificates after verifying that:

1. You legitimately own the trademark for the logo
2. Your domain has proper email authentication protocols in place
3. The logo meets specific technical standards

The certificate contains cryptographic proof of this verification, allowing email clients to trust that the logo represents your organization. This trust mechanism helps combat the rising tide of email-based security threats while enhancing your brand visibility with each message you send.

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How Does a Verified Mark Certificate Work?

When you implement a Verified Mark Certificate, your emails gain a powerful visual trust indicator. The technology operates through a sophisticated yet straightforward verification flow.

The process activates when your message reaches the recipient’s email client. Their system performs several key checks, including domain authentication:

1. Verifies your SPF (Sender Policy Framework) record to authenticate the sending server
2. Validates the DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) signature to confirm the message integrity
3. Applies your DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) policy to determine message handling

If these checks succeed, the email client searches for your BIMI DNS record. This special entry contains two crucial elements:

1. A link to your brand logo
2. The location of your VMC in PEM file format

The client then retrieves and verifies your certificate against trusted authorities. This verification confirms you legitimately own both the sending domain and the trademarked logo. Only after this multi-step authentication your logo becomes visible to the recipients.

This system creates a positive cycle: the visible logo increases recognition, while the underlying security protocols prevent impersonation. The logo serves as an immediate visual cue of authenticity for your recipients, building trust before they even open your message.

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The Relationship Between BIMI and VMCs

While VMCs provide the trust verification, BIMI creates the framework that makes your brand visible in email. Understanding their distinct yet complementary roles helps you implement both effectively.

BIMI functions as the delivery mechanism for your visual brand identity. It establishes the technical standard that enables compatible email clients to retrieve and display your logo. Without BIMI, your VMC would have no way to showcase your brand visually.

Conversely, without a VMC, the BIMI standard loses its security foundation. The certificate ensures that only legitimate trademark owners can display their logos.

The email provider landscape continues evolving in its support for this technology:

• Gmail implemented full support in 2021, requiring valid VMCs for logo display
• Yahoo Mail takes a slightly different approach, sometimes displaying logos without strict VMC requirements in certain circumstances
• Fastmail has joined the movement with its own implementation
• Providers like Comcast and Seznam remain in testing phases

Each provider enforces slightly different requirements within the email authentication ecosystem. Some prioritize strict certificate validation, while others focus on proper DMARC implementation with less emphasis on the VMC component.

As adoption grows, the standard becomes more unified. This trend benefits organizations that implement both technologies correctly, as they’ll automatically comply with new providers as they join the ecosystem.

Looking ahead, industry experts anticipate broader adoption across major email clients, making early implementation a strategic advantage. Organizations that establish proper BIMI and VMC configurations now position themselves for immediate recognition benefits while building a foundation for future enhancements to the standard.

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Benefits of Using a Verified Mark Certificate

Now that you understand how VMCs and BIMI work, let’s explore why implementing them offers your business an edge:

• Enhanced trust and brand recognition: When recipients see your logo in their inbox, they immediately recognize your brand, building confidence in your communications. This visual verification acts as a trust signal, distinguishing your messages from anonymous senders.
• Effective phishing prevention: The VMC system creates a robust defense mechanism that makes it significantly harder for attackers to impersonate your organization through phishing, protecting your customers and reputation.
• Spoofing protection: With a properly implemented VMC, attackers face significant barriers when attempting to use your brand identity. Since they cannot obtain a valid certificate for your trademarked logo, their spoofed emails will appear without your brand imagery, an immediate red flag.
• Improved email engagement: Early adopters report up to 10% increases in open rates after implementing BIMI with VMCs. Your logo creates a visual anchor that catches attention in crowded inboxes, making recipients more likely to engage with your content.
• Better email deliverability: Mail providers increasingly favor authenticated, trusted senders, and your VMC signals that you’ve invested in proper email security practices. This can help your messages avoid spam folders and reach their intended destinations.
• Competitive advantage: As a relatively new technology, VMCs offer early adopters a chance to stand out while demonstrating technical sophistication and security consciousness, qualities that resonate with today’s security-aware customers.

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Requirements for Getting a VMC

Before obtaining a Verified Mark Certificate, you’ll need to meet several prerequisites:

• DMARC compliance with enforcement: Your domain must have a DMARC policy set to either “p=quarantine” or “p=reject“, not “p=none.” This shows your commitment to email security and prevents unauthorized use of your domain.
• Properly configured SPF and DKIM: You must implement these email authentication protocols before pursuing a VMC. They verify that messages originate from authorized servers and haven’t been tampered with during transit.
• A trademark registered with an approved office: Your logo must be officially registered with recognized intellectual property authorities, such as:
  • USPTO (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office)
  • European Union Intellectual Property Office
  • UK Intellectual Property Office
  • Canadian Intellectual Property Office
  • Japan Trademark Office
  • Several other international trademark offices
• SVG logo format with specific requirements: Your logo must be in Scalable Vector Graphics format, adhering to the SVG Portable/Secure (SVG P/S) profile. This includes:
  • 1:1 aspect ratio
  • Centered image
  • Non-transparent background
  • Compliance with technical specifications

Important! You’ll need a Common Mark Certificate to meet VMC requirements if your logo is registered under a shared entity, like an association or consortium. Organizations with multiple logos must obtain a separate VMC for each logo they want to display in email clients.

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How to Get a Verified Mark Certificate: Step-by-Step

Ready to secure your VMC and boost your email presence? Follow these six steps to implement verified mark certificates for your domain:

1. Achieve DMARC Compliance

Start by implementing proper email authentication. Configure your SPF record to identify authorized sending servers and set up DKIM to digitally sign your messages. Then, create a DMARC record with a “p=quarantine” or “p=reject” policy to tell receiving servers how to handle unauthenticated emails.

Use this example as a template for your DMARC record:

v=DMARC1;p=reject;pct=100;rua=mailto:[email protected]

2. Register Your Logo as a Trademark

Verify your logo’s trademark status or register it with an approved intellectual property office. The process typically includes:

• Searching existing trademarks to avoid conflicts
• Preparing application materials
• Submitting your application to the appropriate office
• Responding promptly to any examiner’s requests

While this step might take time, it’s essential for VMC validation and offers additional brand protection benefits.

3. Format Your Logo Correctly

Convert your logo to the required SVG format with these specifications:

• Save as vector file (.ai, .eps, .pdf, or .svg)
• Export as SVG Tiny 1.2 from Adobe Illustrator
• Ensure the header includes proper xmlns attributes
• Add your company name in the title element
• Maintain a 1:1 aspect ratio with the centered image

4. Purchase Your VMC from a Certificate Authority

Buy your certificate from authorized providers like DigiCert. After purchase, you’ll complete the validation process:

• Verify logo trademark ownership
• Submit notarized identification documents
• Participate in video verification with the validation team

5. Upload Your PEM File to Your Web Server

After approval, you’ll receive your certificate as a PEM file. Upload this file to your web server over HTTPS and note the URL; you’ll need it for the next step.

6. Create Your BIMI TXT Record in Your DNS

Before applying for a VMC, ensure your BIMI record is correctly published in your DNS settings.

Add a DNS TXT record that links your domain, logo, and certificate:

default._bimi.yourdomain.com Value: v=BIMI1;l=https://yourdomain.com/logo.svg;a=https://yourdomain.com/vmc.pem TTL: 3600 seconds

Replace “yourdomain.com” with your actual domain name.

After implementation, your logo should appear in supporting email clients within 24-48 hours. You’ve now successfully set up your VMC and taken a significant step toward stronger email security and brand recognition!

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Common Challenges and How to Avoid Them

Implementing VMCs successfully requires navigating several common hurdles.

• For trademark delays, start your registration early and consider working with specialized intellectual property attorneys who can expedite the process and address examiner questions promptly.
• Use the BIMI Group’s free validation tools to prevent SVG errors before submitting your logo for certificate validation. These tools check compliance with all technical requirements and suggest specific corrections. Platforms like Valimail also offer resources to guide you through logo preparation and BIMI compliance.
• Solve DNS issues by using incremental testing. Validate each record individually before adding the next, and implement monitoring tools to catch configuration drift over time. Services like EasyDMARC and DuoCircle can help simplify DNS management and ongoing authentication checks.
• For DMARC compliance challenges, begin with monitoring-only mode before enforcement, and use phased implementation to avoid disrupting legitimate email flows.

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Who Should Use VMCs?

VMCs deliver the most value to organizations where email trust directly impacts business outcomes:

• E-commerce companies: When payment confirmations and order updates require immediate customer trust
• Marketing agencies: Where measurable improvements in client campaign performance matter
• SaaS providers: When account notifications and security alerts need immediate recognition
• Tech-savvy entrepreneurs: In competitive markets where small trust advantages create significant differentiation
• Small-to-medium businesses: When building brand credibility without enterprise resources
• Professional service providers: Where confidential communications require instant verification

VMCs are the perfect solution for organizations that need to establish immediate visual trust while protecting against impersonation attacks.

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Secure Your Brand Identity with a Verified Mark Certificate Today

Ready to strengthen your email security and boost brand recognition? Implementing a Verified Mark Certificate gives your business a competitive edge in today’s crowded inboxes.

Don’t let the technical requirements intimidate you. Taking the first step is simple. All you have to do is buy a trusted VMC from a reliable vendor like SSL Dragon.

Take action toward more secure, recognizable emails today. Browse our selection of Verified Mark Certificates from leading certificate authorities.

Get started now and put your logo in their inbox, where your customers will most notice it!