Geocode Addresses in Excel for Marketing with CDXZipStream – Step-by-Step Guide

23 May 2025 Bill-Hughes

 

Why Geocoding Matters in Marketing

In the age of data-driven decision-making, location intelligence has become a cornerstone of effective marketing. Whether you're running local ads, planning direct mail campaigns, or analyzing customer clusters, knowing exactly where your audience is located provides a clear strategic edge.

Geocoding — the process of converting addresses into geographic coordinates — empowers marketers to:

  • Segment audiences by proximity to retail locations
  • Optimize territory coverage
  • Personalize campaigns based on regional characteristics
  • Integrate location data into CRM and marketing platforms

While many marketers rely on external services or costly GIS tools, CDXZipStream offers a streamlined solution inside Excel, where most address data already lives.

What Is CDXZipStream?

CDXZipStream is an Excel add-in developed by CDX Technologies, designed to provide geographic and demographic data processing directly within spreadsheets. It supports a wide range of location-based functions such as:

  • Geocoding and Reverse Geocoding
  • ZIP Code Radius Calculations
  • Routing and Distance Analysis
  • Demographic Data Appending

With compatibility for mapping APIs like Google Maps, HERE, and Maptitude, CDXZipStream makes Excel a powerful platform for geographic analytics — especially useful for marketing teams without dedicated GIS software.

Getting Started: Installing CDXZipStream

To begin geocoding addresses in Excel:

  1. Download CDXZipStream from cdxtech.com.
  2. Run the installer and launch Excel.
  3. A new CDXZipStream tab will appear in your Excel ribbon.
  4. Log in with your CDX credentials or start a free trial.

💡 CDXZipStream offers multiple subscription tiers starting at $69.95/year for the FindZip version which provides latitude and longitude by zip code.  The CDXZipStream Router, Basic, and Premium versions offer additional functionality such as distance calculations, routing, radius and mapping. .

 

Step-by-Step Tutorial: Geocoding a List of Addresses in Excel

Let’s walk through how to geocode a list of addresses for a targeted marketing campaign:

Step 1: Prepare Your Address Data

Create a worksheet with the following columns (example for U.S. addresses):

A: Street Address 

B: City 

C: State 

D: ZIP Code

Ensure each row represents a complete address.

Step 2: Select the top row in the first available column

Select a cell such as E2 which is the first row in our data set. CDXZipStream supports both single and batch address geocoding.

Step 3: Choose the Geocoding Function

  1. Click on the CDXZipStream ribbon tab.
  2. Select “Insert CDX Function” > CDXLocateGoogle).
    • In the dialog box:
    • Select “Latitude|Longitude” as the return field.
    • Map the correct worksheet cells such as A2,B2 etc to each address field.
  3. Click “OK” and CDXZipStream will begin appending coordinates to the new column.

You can then copy your formula entry down the list of addresses.  Please note that the Google functions require obtaining an API key from Google to access data. Additional Geocoding functions are available for Maptitude and HERE.  The CDXZipCode formula, which works by zip code does not require an API key this and pulls data directly from the local CDXZipStream database.

Enhancing Targeting with Geocoded Data

Now that you’ve added latitude and longitude for each customer or prospect, you can:

  • Visualize the data on a map: Use tools like Excel Power Map, Power BI, or CDX’s own radius tools.
  • Filter contacts by distance: Use the ZIP radius tool in CDXZipStream to find addresses within X miles of a target ZIP code.
  • Perform segmentation: Combine coordinates with appended demographic data (e.g., income, education, population) to create localized campaign segments.

Address Standardization and Accuracy

CDXZipStream can also return standardized versions of each address — correcting formatting issues and ensuring compatibility with USPS standards using the CDXZip4 function, This improves:

  • Deliverability for direct mail
  • Data cleanliness in CRM systems
  • Compliance for industries with strict data accuracy needs

Use Case: Local Retail Campaign

Imagine you manage marketing for a regional retail chain and want to send a coupon mailer to customers living within 10 miles of each store.

With CDXZipStream, you can:

  1. Geocode all customer addresses
  2. Geocode each store location
  3. Use the ZIP Radius or driving distance function to filter only those customers within the desired range
  4. Export the filtered list for printing, email, or ad targeting

No need for an expensive third-party mapping platform — just Excel.

Final Tips and Best Practices

  • Use HERE Maps for high-volume geocoding: CDXZipStream supports multiple APIs; HERE is often the most cost-effective for batch geocoding.
  • Always double-check incomplete addresses: Geocoding accuracy depends on full and correct input data.
  • Take advantage of free tools: CDX offers demo templates and sample datasets to test before purchasing.

Start Geocoding in Excel Today

If you're a marketing analyst, CRM manager, or business owner, geocoding in Excel with CDXZipStream is a fast, accurate, and cost-effective way to enhance targeting and improve campaign ROI.

🧭 Download your free trial today at cdxtech.com

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