Google’s implementing its own blue checkmark system, with Gmail users now set to see new blue ticks appearing next to approved brand profiles in their inbox.
The new blue checkmarks will automatically appear next to companies that have adopted Gmail’s existing Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) feature.
“In 2021, we introduced Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) in Gmail, a feature that requires senders to use strong authentication and verify their brand logo in order to display a brand logo as an avatar in emails. Building upon that feature, users will now see a checkmark icon for senders that have adopted BIMI. This will help users identify messages from legitimate senders versus impersonators,” Google said.
So businesses that have adopted Google’s brand verification process, which requires registration of your logo with a VMC, and a higher level of account security, will now get a blue checkmark on Gmail, providing additional assurance for recipients that you are who you claim.
Which is a good update, especially considering the amount of email spam that’s circulating these days. But again, I do wonder whether Twitter’s decision to sell blue checkmarks will degrade trust in this as an indicator, to some degree.
