What Is Vibe Coding? How AI Lets Marketers Build Their Own Tools
At Hero Conf San Diego 2025, former Google engineer Frederick Vallaeys presented the concept of vibe coding to the marketing world. The idea is simple but transformative. Instead of writing code, marketers describe what they want software to do, and AI creates the technical implementation.
From Scripts to Vibe Coding
For years, scripts have been the go-to for PPC automation. They worked well, but they required coding knowledge and always produced deterministic results. If one condition were true, the same output would follow every time. Vibe coding replaces that rigidity with flexibility. It allows you to say, “analyze seasonality trends and suggest budget adjustments” or “build personas to get feedback on your blog posts.” The AI then constructs the application.
This lowers the barrier dramatically. Marketers with little or no coding background can now create working applications. It is not only about efficiency, it is about independence. Teams can solve problems themselves instead of waiting for developer resources to be allocated.
The Future is On-Demand Software
According to Vallaeys, the bigger opportunity is not in pre-built platforms but in software on demand. Instead of relying on a fixed toolset, marketers will be able to generate exactly what they need at any given moment. Imagine asking for a keyword clustering tool today and a creative testing app tomorrow. The AI builds both on the spot.
Even tasks that might have required two hours of manual effort can now be automated instantly. This shift enables marketing faster to be more agile, and far more adaptable to changing conditions.
Here is an example of an app vibe coded by marketers:
- Ad Rank Tool called Google Ads Auction Simulator
The Vibe Coding Tech Stack
The landscape of vibe coding tools can be grouped into three main categories.
- Large Language Models
These are the engines that interpret your natural language and generate code or workflows. Options include GPT from OpenAI, Claude from Anthropic, and Gemini from Google DeepMind. Each has different strengths, from handling complex reasoning to integrating seamlessly with Google’s marketing ecosystem. - App Builders and No-Code Platforms
These platforms help marketers generate full applications without traditional coding. Lovable.dev stands out for creating production-ready apps from plain instructions. Bubble and Glide are long-time no-code platforms that are embedding AI to make app building even easier. - Workflow and Automation Tools
These tools allow marketers to connect different platforms and automate tasks with natural language. Replit Ghostwriter makes it simple to describe a function and see it created instantly. Zapier with AI actions can chain multiple marketing systems together, automating everything from reporting to campaign management.
How to Succeed with Vibe Coding
Start with a simple problem that wastes your time and ask AI to solve it. Provide specific context in your prompts, such as “analyze the last twelve months of click costs in Google Ads by device.” Iterate until the tool meets your needs, and record where the AI struggled. Each limitation you encounter is an opportunity to improve your future results.
Remember that you are not competing with AI itself. You are competing with advertisers who have learned how to use AI effectively. The earlier you embrace vibe coding, the stronger your position in the market will be.