What a CID looks like
CID is a long decimal number—no ChIJ prefix, no 0x hex. In URLs it often appears as ?cid= or ?ludocid= with the same numeric value.
- Valid: `5797000863177578206`
- Related hex form: the right half of a feature pair often encodes the same integer
- Not a CID: `ChIJ…` Place ID, or a full `0x…:0x…` Fid pair
Where CID appears
| Surface | How you see it |
|---|---|
| Maps / Search URLs | `cid=` or `ludocid=` query params |
| Lead CSV | Column Cid |
| Hex feature pair | Often recoverable from the right-hand 0x… of Fid / business_id |
| Converter tool | Decimal CID + CID (hex) outputs from a pasted place URL |
How to get a CID
- Copy a Google Maps place or share URL.
- Paste into the Place ID & CID Converter.
- Copy CID (decimal)—and hex forms if your downstream tool wants them.
If a client already sent a link with `ludocid=`, that number is typically the CID—see ludocid.
How CID helps lead workflows
- Verify that an old bookmark and a new share link point at the same place
- Support QA when a short link resolves to a CID-based URL
- Keep a secondary key alongside Place ID when partners still send ludocid links
- Cross-check against Fid hex when debugging review deep links
Common mistakes
- Passing CID into a Places API call that expects Place ID
- Assuming `cid` and `ludocid` are different entities (usually same value, different param name)
- Copying only one half of a Fid pair and calling it “the CID hex” without checking
- Treating CID as a Place ID in CRM merges