# PostHog private-mode three-prompt benchmark before AEO tool sprawl

> Check ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini in private mode with 3-5 plain buyer prompts before you disappear into dashboards, exports, and vendor demos.

- Canonical HTML: https://growth.iangoh.com/growth-ideas/posthog-private-mode-three-prompt-benchmark-before-aeo-tool-sprawl/
- Source: [newsletter.posthog.com](https://newsletter.posthog.com/p/llms-are-picking-winners-heres-how)
- GrowthDex source hub: [PostHog: LLMs are picking winners. Here's how to become one.](/sources/posthog-llms-are-picking-winners-here-s-how-to-become-one-newsletter-pos/)
- Last checked: 2026-06-09T14:12:06.000Z
- Rarity: rare
- Budget: free
- Channels: AI visibility, SEO, Research
- Stages: aeo baseline, prompt research, private mode, buyer language


## Why this can grow

AEO gets abstract fast. Teams jump to tooling before they know whether the models even know they exist, or whether the product is being described correctly. PostHog's approach is useful because it starts with a cheap reality check: turn memory off, use prompts a real buyer would actually type, and see where the product is missing or misrepresented. That keeps the first audit anchored in buyer language instead of in an internal keyword list. It also gives the team a baseline before any reporting stack starts flattering them with charts. The point is not to reject tooling. The point is to make sure the team has looked at the problem with its own eyes first.

## Ian's take

From scaling consumer platforms across MENA and Southeast Asia, my default is to distrust growth work that only looks good in a slide. For SEO and AI search, I care less about clever keyword tricks and more about clarity. A buyer, crawler, or answer engine should quickly understand who this is for, why it works, what proof backs it, and what page deserves to be cited. I would run it small enough to learn quickly, then only scale the parts that real users repeat, save, reply to, or buy from. For this tactic, I would watch one clear growth signal before putting more time or budget behind it.

## Action plan

1. Define one narrow startup segment where posthog private-mode three-prompt benchmark before aeo tool sprawl can create a measurable lift.
2. Turn the tactic into one offer, page, campaign, or workflow for the AI visibility and SEO channel.
3. Use the evidence from newsletter.posthog.com to set the first version of the message, format, and audience.
4. Launch a small test for 7 to 14 days with one success metric: one measurable growth signal.
5. Review the result, keep the winning message, remove weak variants, and turn the learning into a repeatable growth playbook.

## Source-backed example

PostHog's AEO lead recommends going to ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini in private mode, running 3-5 basic prompts such as best X tool or alternative to Y, and only then deciding whether a dedicated visibility tool is needed.

## Adjacent tactics in the same lane

- [PostHog owned-surface cleanup before off-domain AEO sidequests](/growth-ideas/posthog-owned-surface-cleanup-before-off-domain-aeo-sidequests/) - same source, 2 shared channels
- [PostHog citable content chunks before monolithic SEO pages](/growth-ideas/posthog-citable-content-chunks-before-monolithic-seo-pages/) - same source, 2 shared channels
- [PostHog AEO reporting quilt before single-source certainty](/growth-ideas/posthog-aeo-reporting-quilt-before-single-source-certainty/) - same source, 2 shared channels
- [PostHog onboarding prompt capture for AI attribution](/growth-ideas/posthog-onboarding-prompt-capture-for-ai-attribution/) - same source, 1 shared channel

## Read GrowthDex essays

Browse the plain-English essay index at [GrowthDex Blog](/blog/).

## Related GrowthDex essays

- [The answer should be easy to quote before you chase the mention](/blog/the-answer-should-be-easy-to-quote-before-you-chase-the-mention/) - AI visibility, SEO, content strategy

## Advisory

If you want help turning this into a working growth system, Ian Goh offers advisory at https://iangoh.com/advisory.