Once upon a time there was the ghost writer, the writer who writes on commission and delivers a manuscript that will then be signed by others. Then during the pandemic the ghost kitchen was born, the kitchen of a closed restaurant or hotel that cooks for a food delivery brand. But the ghost developer is much more than just a “borrowed” app and web developer. In this article we will see who this mysterious figure is and how he can be the ace in the hole of a communications agency that does not have the development of apps, software and websites as its core business, but still wants to offer its clients the complete package.

What does Ghost Developer mean?

First of all, the term applies to the web developer, therefore to the person who physically creates and installs the site on a server, and to the app/software developer. A generic term to indicate the programmer, in short, or the person who writes the back end for the web, and who has sufficient IT familiarity to help a company make different digital products work well.

Who is it for 

The figure of the ghost developer comes into play when a company - most often a communications agency - decides to offer its clients more technical services, such as the development of a mobile app or the management and creation of a website. Regarding the last point, we are talking not only about the creation of a site on WordPress, but also about the hosting of the server, the development of custom features for the site, the synchronization with other tools or business software, or the integration with a management, just to mention a few common cases. 

Each of these activities requires a different skill, and communication agencies often outsource it rather than seek it out. en casa.

A corporate choice, which has as a consequence the birth of the ghost developer.

What is

So why should a company, even a medium-small one, need a ghost developer for app, software and web development? Isn't marketing work enough, or a DIY website?

The answer is pretty obvious: in an era of intense online competition like the one we live in, the more amateur your site or app is, the less chance it has of standing out from the fierce competition.

This is why many communication agencies integrate their SEO and advertising offerings, for example, by opening an online store, or by offering a mini-management app.

But then the knots come to the comb: from the periodic maintenance of the site, to doubts about the hosting of the server and the domain, to the addition of customized tools to increase productivity and efficiency, such as plugins, which then perhaps turn out to be a slowdown. The technical problems that arise when a non-technical person tries to deal with development are endless.

Of course, there is an optimized way to perform these tasks, which is to delegate them to someone who knows how to do them: the ghost developer.

Is the ghost developer an agency or a freelancer?

The web, app and software ghost developer can be a freelance consultant. In this case, it usually takes longer to search, because you have to take into account the time availability of the individual worker, who may not have free slots.

Instead, the development agency usually guarantees that it can better plan the timing of the work, since the developers are coordinated and managed centrally.

In addition, the agency often has a better understanding of the timing and methods of development, because it has on average a more solid and varied experience. Having had many clients also allows the agency to better understand the specific management needs of different companies, which allows it to structure an even more functional and personalized offer of apps, software and sites.

Whose app or site is the ghost developer?

The app or digital product created by the ghost developer is a product branded by the communications agency that commissioned the work - or rather, these are usually the contractual agreements when the programmer is a “ghost developer”. Clearly if we remove the “ghost” aspect we can have a joint venture and a double signature of the finished product, at the discretion of the communication agency.

Essentially, the agency can resell the app or software to the client as part of a service package.

Benefits of having a ghost developer

 The advantage of such a synergy is twofold:

•  By outsourcing technical activities, the creative agency avoids having to take on the risks and complexities of digital projects. In fact, software and app development requires continuous training, given the speed with which the ICT world changes, and by delegating it to the ghost developer, the communication agency can fully dedicate itself to the creative aspect;
•  The developer, who we all know as not very accustomed to a certain type of creativity, can dedicate himself to the creation of a solid product without worrying about the graphic and communication aspects;
•  The customer gets the best of both worlds and avoids having to choose between a product that is aesthetically beautiful but not very functional or solid but ugly to look at. In short: the 90s were a good time, but no one wants their site to have graphics from the last century!

The Pizero development team has been working as ghost developers for several years with various agencies on Italian soil. 

Our digital "ghost" products give the brand we work with real added value, offering a level of service that allows to reduce risks and future technical problems.

Contact us to get a personalized quote!