How to Find the CID Number of a Google My Business Listing

Updated February 12, 2021

What is the CID Number on Google?

A google maps CID number is kind of like an identification number for a specific business listing on Google Maps.  It is good to know because if Google ever created a new record for you or merged listings, you would know.  It also will allow you to get to different views of the listing (like coming from the Local Finder to Maps).

A fellow Google My Business Product Expert provided me with a tip on how to find the CID number of a business listing on Google Maps.

The CID number is good to know and document for any business because:

• It helps you connect the different views (Maps, Local Finder, Search etc) for a single listing
• It helps you know if a listing somehow got a new record if something was merged.

How to Find the CID Number

What You’ll Need:
Time: 5 minutes
Equipment: Computer or Smartphone
Tools: Google Search
Cost: Free!

1. Using the “GatherUp” Chrome Extension

Here’s how to find the cid number of a Google My Business listing.  The fastest way to do this is to install the GatherUp Chrome Extension. This tool checks the listing and identifies the numbers (also called ludocid) so you don’t have to look for them yourself. If you are looking to determine how to view this and locate the CID yourself, check option 3.

1. Install the GatherUp Chrome extension
2. To get the CID number of a listing pull it up in Search or the Local Finder
3. Select the GatherUp chrome extension
4. You can now copy the Maps URL with the CID number in it 

2. Using the “Company Information in Google” Chrome Extension

 

Tom Waddington, a fellow Google Product Expert created a chrome extension that is another great option for how to find a CID URL. It is called Company Information in Google.

3. Other Methods for Finding a Business’s CID Number

If you like testing things out and tinkering with Google here are a few more methods for you to test out.

From Google Maps

Helmut Geissler & Hector (treebles) showed me that if you have the business open in Google Maps:

• • Do a search in Google Maps for the business name and make sure it’s the only result that shows up.
  • Replace http:// with view-source: in the URL
  • Click CTRL+F and search the source code for “ludocid”
  • The CID will be the string of numbers after “ludocid\\u003d” and before #lrd

Example: If this is the code, the CID is in red:

ON+L3Y+4V8\\u0026ludocid\\u003d18208190227674681406#lrd\\u003d0x882ace1b6df9d1db:0xfcb07c8a7b49d03e

From Google Maps for an SAB Listing (with hidden address)

The process for finding the google maps CID number for a service area business (SAB) is slightly different than for finding it with a business visible on Google Maps.

• • Pull up the listing on Google Maps
  • It will be some super long URL like this:

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Sequoia+TreeScape/@44.0537056,-80.5823363,8z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x882ad2157062b6c3:0xe060d065957c4103!8m2!3d44.0591868!4d-79.4612559

• • You want to look for the super long set of characters that start with 0x (there are 2 of them and the second ends before the exclamation point). I highlighted one red and 1 blue in the above example.
  • The second of the 2 (the one in blue above) lists the CID in hexadecimal after the 0x (leave that off). In this example, you’d be talking about: e060d065957c4103
  • Throw that into a hexadecimal converter and you will have the CID number (In this example you should have ended up with 16168151796978303235)

Get SEO Help From The Best Team in the Business

If you’re a local business that needs help with how to find a CID number or with your online presence or handling technical SEO issues, at Sterling Sky we can help. We offer SEO audits, consulting, or monthly local SEO services. Contact our office today for more information.

Check out what Kayla had to say about our local SEO services on Google.

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January 22, 2021