If you own a credit card, you may be familiar with the CID or card identification number at the back of the card which is typically a 3-digit value. In the online world, Google too uses the CID number system for businesses.
Google groups information about the different listings on Google My Business and Google Maps products based on the business’ CID number. And this is just one of the various purposes of the Google CID number.
If you have a business listing on Google, it’s important that you know what your CID number is as it is your unique identifier. This guide will tell you more about its uses and how to find your CID number.
Uses of CID Number for Businesses
Knowing your card identification number is highly beneficial for your business in many ways. For instance, if you are having an issue with your Google My Business listing and you want Google support to help you, your CID number is the best way to receive hyper-specific troubleshooting instructions.
In case Google creates a new record for your original listing or merges your different listings, your CID will give you access to this information. Having your CID number will ensure that know what’s happening to your listing.
But perhaps one of the most crucial uses of a card identification number has to do with connecting the different views for your listings such as those coming from Local Finder, Google Maps and Search.
In rare instances, Google mixes listings up such as when they suspend, archive, restore or duplicate a listing. If any of these events will ever happen to you, you’ll need your card identification number CID so that the Google support team can easily assist you.
How to Find Your GMB Identification Number
1. From Google My Business Dashboard
To find your CID account number, simply open your Google My Business profile and on your dashboard, hover over View on Maps. At the bottom of your browser, you should see a link that contains “ludocid=” as part of the string. Your 18 (or more)-digit number follows right after.
2. From Google Maps
Another easy way to find your CID account number is by checking from Google Maps.
Open Google Maps and enter your business name in the search box. Make sure that it is the only business listed on the result.
Go to the URL located on top of the page then replace “http://” with “view-source:“
You should see a page full of codes and strings. Simply press CTRL + F then search for the source code “ludocid“.
Your CID account number will be a string of more than 20 characters right after the source code “ludocid\\u003d” and before “\\“.
3. Using a GMB Crush Chrome Extension
With GMB Crush, getting your CID number is much easier, but you have to install the GMB Crush Audit tool (Chrome extension) first.
Once installed, open Google Maps, search for your business name and click on your business listing. Under your listing, you should see the View Categories & CID button, and click on it.
After clicking the button, your CID number will be displayed.
That’s easy and hassle-free!
Imagine if you are managing several Google My Business accounts and you have to get all the CID numbers. It will be too much work if you will view it from Google My Business Dashboard or Google Maps. With a powerful Chrome extension, you will greatly reduce the amount of time spent on searching for each CID number.
How to leverage your Google Maps CID
The purpose of doing this is so that Google can easily identify which one should be kept and which ones you don’t want anymore.
The CID number is an easy way for Google My Business team members to identify which GMB listing is the official one.
The identifier not only helps them work more quickly and efficiently on client’s behalf but also offers peace of mind that they are doing everything possible in their power to protect clients’ accounts from potentially fraudulent activity.
In addition, if someone has issues with running Ads on maps, giving them your CID will help their process go faster since it helps associate accounts correctly.
👇See the image below, the CID helped us communicating to Google which listing was the original one and which listing should be connected to the Google Ad via extension Ad.
Final Thoughts
You must get your CID number to fully optimize your use of Google My Business. Google will be able to assist with your transactions concerning your website or Google My Business account a lot easier if you have your CID number handy.
While there are several ways on how you can get your CID if you need one, GMB Crush makes the steps simpler and easier.
Happy Crush!
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