Google Place ID: What It Is and How to Find Yours in 2 Minutes

Never heard of a Place ID? You need one for review links and review tools — here's what it is and three ways to find yours.

A Google Place ID is the code that review links and review tools run on. Here's what it is, why it matters, and 3 ways to find yours — fastest first.

TapReview 8 min read Google Reviews

Key Takeaways

You've found a review tool you fancy, or you're trying to set up a "leave us a review" link to send customers. You get two clicks in and it asks for your Google Place ID. And you think: my what now?

Don't worry — you're not missing anything. Most tradespeople have never heard of a Place ID, right up until the moment a tool demands one. It's a bit of Google plumbing that normally stays hidden. But once you know what it is, finding yours takes about two minutes.

Here's the plain-English version: what a Place ID is, why anything to do with reviews needs it, three ways to find yours (fastest first), and whether it ever changes.

The short version

What is a Google Place ID, and why does it matter for reviews?

A Google Place ID is a unique identifier Google assigns to every place in its database — every business, shop, landmark and service-area patch on Google Maps. It's a string of letters and numbers, and it nearly always starts with "ChIJ" — something like ChIJN1t_tDeuEmsRUsoyG83frY4. Google uses it across the Google Maps Platform to point at one place and no other.

Why should a plumber or sparky care? Because anything to do with reviews runs on it:

In other words, the Place ID is the bit of wiring behind every review link and every review tool. You don't normally see it, the same way you don't see the wiring behind a socket — but it's doing the work.

And reviews are worth the bother: BrightLocal's 2026 survey found 83% of customers will leave one when they're asked properly. The Place ID is just the first step to making that ask one tap instead of a faff.

The 3 ways to find your Google Place ID (fastest first)

1. A review link generator (fastest — you never see the ID)

The quickest route, and the one that needs zero technical know-how, is a free review link generator. You type your business name, it finds your listing, and it hands you back a ready-to-use review link — with the Place ID already baked in. You never copy or paste the raw code yourself.

TapReview's free Google review link generator does exactly that: type your business, get your link, done. For most tradespeople this is all you'll ever need — you want the review link to send to customers, and the Place ID is just the thing that makes it work. Here's more on getting and using your review link.

2. Google's Place ID Finder (official, about 2 minutes)

If you want the raw Place ID itself — to plug into a website plugin or another tool — Google has a free official tool called the Place ID Finder.

  1. Open the Place ID Finder.
  2. Type your business name and town into the search box on the map (e.g. "Smith Plumbing Leeds").
  3. Pick your business from the dropdown.
  4. A little box pops up on the map with your Place ID — copy the string that starts with "ChIJ".

That's it. It works for shopfront businesses and, usefully, for service-area businesses with a hidden address too.

3. Dig it out of your Google listing (the fiddly one)

You can also get it manually from your own Google Maps listing — but fair warning, this is the long way round.

Here's the catch most guides get wrong: the long web address you see when you open your business on Google Maps does not contain your clean Place ID. It holds a different identifier (Google calls it a CID, or a feature ID) — a cousin of the Place ID, not the same thing. So copying your Maps URL won't give you what a review tool is asking for.

If you genuinely want the Place ID by hand, the reliable manual method is a free browser extension like GMB Everywhere, which shows your Place ID, CID and profile ID together when you view your listing. Honestly, though — unless you enjoy a tickle — methods 1 and 2 are quicker.

How to use your Place ID once you've got it

For most tradespeople there's really only one use that matters: building a direct review link. The format is dead simple — you tack your Place ID onto the end of one fixed web address:

https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=YOUR_PLACE_ID

So if your Place ID is ChIJN1t_tDeuEmsRUsoyG83frY4, your review link is https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=ChIJN1t_tDeuEmsRUsoyG83frY4. Anyone who taps it lands straight on the "leave a review" screen for your business — no searching, no scrolling.

That's the link you want to send customers right after a job, ideally by WhatsApp — we compared the channels with real numbers in WhatsApp vs SMS vs email, and the same link sits behind a review QR code too. The other uses are more technical — embedding your reviews on your website, or plugging into the Google Maps API — but the review link is the one that puts food on the table.

A quick word on what not to confuse it with: your Place ID isn't your review link (the link is built from it), and it isn't the short g.page link Google shows in your profile's "Ask for reviews" button either. They all point at the same business; they're just different bits of kit.

Does my Google Place ID ever change?

Usually it stays the same forever — you can treat it as permanent for day-to-day use. But there's a wrinkle worth knowing: Google's own documentation says a place's Place ID can change occasionally, and recommends refreshing it if it's more than 12 months old. It's rare, and it tends to happen when Google reworks how a place is recorded — but it does happen.

For you, the practical upshot is small. If you've hard-coded a review link onto your van or your invoices and reviews suddenly stop landing, an out-of-date Place ID is one thing to check. And this is exactly the sort of admin a tool quietly takes off your plate: TapReview is a £15/month tool that keeps the right ID wired up under the hood, so you set it up once and never think about Place IDs again.

For the full picture on reviews — getting them, responding, and the rules you can't ignore — see our complete guide to Google reviews for UK businesses. And if you haven't set up your listing yet, start with how to set up a Google Business Profile — no profile, no Place ID.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Google Place ID?

A Google Place ID is the unique code Google assigns to every place in its database — every business, shop and landmark on Google Maps. It's a string of letters and numbers, almost always starting with "ChIJ", and it points at one specific business and no other. You'll rarely see it, because it normally sits hidden behind the scenes. But it's what review links, review widgets and review tools use to know exactly which business is yours. Think of it as the wiring behind a socket — out of sight, but doing the work.

How do I find my Google Place ID?

Three ways, fastest first. One: use a free review link generator — type your business name and it gives you a ready-made review link with the Place ID built in, so you never touch the raw code. Two: Google's official Place ID Finder — search your business on the map and copy the "ChIJ" string from the popup; takes about two minutes. Three: dig it out of your listing with a free browser extension like GMB Everywhere. For most tradespeople, the review link generator is all you'll ever need.

Is a Place ID the same as my Google review link?

No — they're related but not the same. The Place ID is the unique code for your business. Your review link is built from it, by adding the ID to the end of a fixed Google web address (search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=YOUR_ID). So the Place ID is the ingredient; the review link is the finished thing you send to customers. It's also not the same as the short g.page link in your profile's "Ask for reviews" button — that's another way to reach the same review screen. All roads lead to the same place.

What does a Google Place ID look like?

It's a string of letters, numbers and the odd dash or underscore, and it almost always begins with "ChIJ". A real example looks like ChIJN1t_tDeuEmsRUsoyG83frY4. There's no fixed length — some are a bit longer than others. If what you're looking at is a short string of digits only, that's probably your CID (a different Google identifier), not your Place ID. And if it's a web address, that's your review link or Maps URL, not the ID itself. The "ChIJ" start is the giveaway.

Does my Google Place ID ever change?

Usually not — you can treat it as permanent for everyday use. But Google's own documentation notes that a place's Place ID can change occasionally, and recommends refreshing it if it's more than 12 months old. It's uncommon, and tends to happen when Google reworks how a place is stored in its database. The practical upshot for a tradesperson: if you've printed a review link on your van or invoices and reviews suddenly stop coming through, an out-of-date Place ID is worth checking. A review tool keeps this current for you automatically.

What's the difference between a Place ID and a CID?

Both identify your business on Google, but they're used for different things. The Place ID (starts with "ChIJ") is the identifier used by Google Maps tools, review links and review widgets — it's the one review tools ask for. The CID is a long string of digits tied to your business across Google's services, and it's the one Google Ads and Google Support tend to use. For collecting reviews, the Place ID is the one you want. A free extension like GMB Everywhere will show both side by side if you ever need them.

Do I need a Place ID to get more reviews?

Not personally — but every review link and review tool does, behind the scenes. You don't have to understand it or even see it: a review link generator builds your link from it for you, and a tool like TapReview stores it under the bonnet so it can send the right review link to every customer. So the honest answer is: you need one, but you don't need to deal with one. Set it up once (or let a tool do it) and it just works.

Can I find my Place ID without installing anything?

Yes. Google's Place ID Finder is a free, official web tool — no install, no account. Open it, type your business name and town into the search box on the map, pick your listing, and the Place ID appears in a small popup. Copy the "ChIJ" string and you're done. It even works for service-area businesses that hide their address. If you'd rather skip the raw code entirely, a free review link generator gives you the finished review link instead — which is what most tradespeople actually want.

Related reading

TapReview helps UK tradespeople collect Google reviews automatically via WhatsApp. Built in Britain, designed for how trades actually work. Try it free →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Google Place ID?

A Google Place ID is the unique code Google assigns to every place in its database — every business, shop and landmark on Google Maps. It's a string of letters and numbers, almost always starting with "ChIJ", and it points at one specific business and no other. You'll rarely see it, because it normally sits hidden behind the scenes. But it's what review links, review widgets and review tools use to know exactly which business is yours. Think of it as the wiring behind a socket — out of sight, but doing the work.

How do I find my Google Place ID?

Three ways, fastest first. One: use a free review link generator — type your business name and it gives you a ready-made review link with the Place ID built in, so you never touch the raw code. Two: Google's official Place ID Finder — search your business on the map and copy the "ChIJ" string from the popup; takes about two minutes. Three: dig it out of your listing with a free browser extension like GMB Everywhere. For most tradespeople, the review link generator is all you'll ever need.

Is a Place ID the same as my Google review link?

No — they're related but not the same. The Place ID is the unique code for your business. Your review link is built from it, by adding the ID to the end of a fixed Google web address (search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=YOUR_ID). So the Place ID is the ingredient; the review link is the finished thing you send to customers. It's also not the same as the short g.page link in your profile's "Ask for reviews" button — that's another way to reach the same review screen. All roads lead to the same place.

What does a Google Place ID look like?

It's a string of letters, numbers and the odd dash or underscore, and it almost always begins with "ChIJ". A real example looks like ChIJN1t_tDeuEmsRUsoyG83frY4. There's no fixed length — some are a bit longer than others. If what you're looking at is a short string of digits only, that's probably your CID (a different Google identifier), not your Place ID. And if it's a web address, that's your review link or Maps URL, not the ID itself. The "ChIJ" start is the giveaway.

Does my Google Place ID ever change?

Usually not — you can treat it as permanent for everyday use. But Google's own documentation notes that a place's Place ID can change occasionally, and recommends refreshing it if it's more than 12 months old. It's uncommon, and tends to happen when Google reworks how a place is stored in its database. The practical upshot for a tradesperson: if you've printed a review link on your van or invoices and reviews suddenly stop coming through, an out-of-date Place ID is worth checking. A review tool keeps this current for you automatically.

What's the difference between a Place ID and a CID?

Both identify your business on Google, but they're used for different things. The Place ID (starts with "ChIJ") is the identifier used by Google Maps tools, review links and review widgets — it's the one review tools ask for. The CID is a long string of digits tied to your business across Google's services, and it's the one Google Ads and Google Support tend to use. For collecting reviews, the Place ID is the one you want. A free extension like GMB Everywhere will show both side by side if you ever need them.

Do I need a Place ID to get more reviews?

Not personally — but every review link and review tool does, behind the scenes. You don't have to understand it or even see it: a review link generator builds your link from it for you, and a tool like TapReview stores it under the bonnet so it can send the right review link to every customer. So the honest answer is: you need one, but you don't need to deal with one. Set it up once (or let a tool do it) and it just works.

Can I find my Place ID without installing anything?

Yes. Google's Place ID Finder is a free, official web tool — no install, no account. Open it, type your business name and town into the search box on the map, pick your listing, and the Place ID appears in a small popup. Copy the "ChIJ" string and you're done. It even works for service-area businesses that hide their address. If you'd rather skip the raw code entirely, a free review link generator gives you the finished review link instead — which is what most tradespeople actually want.