Product Engineer
Pulse: Reinventing Marketing Automation
Pulse was built to address the growing need for streamlined marketing automation that doesn't require technical expertise. Our goal was to create a platform that empowers marketers to build complex funnels without writing a single line of code.
Problem
Marketing teams often struggle with technical limitations when implementing automated customer journeys. Existing solutions either require extensive coding knowledge or are too simplistic to handle complex business logic. This creates a dependency on engineering teams, slowing down go-to-market strategies and causing friction between departments.
Additionally, integrating various tools in the marketing stack—CRMs, email platforms, analytics—often creates data silos and inconsistent user experiences. There was a clear need for a unified platform that could orchestrate these tools while remaining accessible to non-technical users.
Solution
We designed Pulse as a visual funnel builder that combines power and simplicity. The drag-and-drop interface allows marketers to design complex user journeys with conditional logic, while the platform handles all the technical integrations in the background.
The platform features pre-built templates for common marketing scenarios, but remains flexible enough for customization. A unified dashboard provides real-time analytics on funnel performance, allowing teams to optimize their strategies without switching between multiple tools.
Engineering Notes
How Pulse Works Under the Hood
At its core, Pulse operates on an event-driven architecture using a combination of microservices and serverless functions. Each node in a marketing funnel represents an event that can trigger subsequent actions based on user behavior or predefined conditions.
We implemented a custom state machine to manage funnel progression, ensuring that users move through the journey reliably even when experiencing intermittent connectivity. This approach also allows for A/B testing different funnel paths without disrupting the overall flow.
Building the No-Code Funnel Builder
The visual funnel builder was created using React with a custom drag-and-drop system built on react-dnd. Rather than using off-the-shelf flowchart libraries, we developed a specialized solution that prioritizes marketing-specific logic and user experience.
Each funnel node is a React component with its own configuration panel, allowing for immediate preview of changes. The entire funnel configuration is stored as a JSON object that gets compiled into executable logic when deployed.
Building OAuths and Webhooks
Integration was a critical aspect of Pulse's success. We implemented OAuth 2.0 for all major marketing tools and CRMs, creating a seamless connection experience that doesn't require API keys or complex setup.
For custom integrations, we built a webhook system with automatic retries, payload validation, and comprehensive logging. This allows Pulse to connect with virtually any system that supports webhooks, expanding its usefulness beyond pre-built integrations.
Techstack
Key Takeaways
- Empowering marketers with no-code tools increases campaign velocity and reduces dependency on engineering teams
- Event-driven architecture provides the flexibility needed for complex marketing automation
- Visual builders must balance simplicity with power to be truly effective for marketing teams
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