Basis of Presentation (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Basis of Presentation (Policies)	Sep. 30, 2019
Basis of Presentation
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation The accompanying interim condensed consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2019, the condensed consolidated statements of operations and condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive (loss) income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 and the condensed consolidated statement of stockholders’ equity for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 are unaudited. In the opinion of management, the unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited consolidated financial statements and include all adjustments, which include only normal recurring adjustments, necessary for the fair statement of our statement of financial position as of September 30, 2019, our results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, and our cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018. The results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full year. The consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2018 has been derived from our audited financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018. The interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”), for interim financial information and with the instructions from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. They do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. Therefore, these interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 filed with the SEC.
Principles of Consolidation	Principles of Consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Leaf Group and its wholly owned subsidiaries. Acquisitions are included in our consolidated financial statements from the date of the acquisition. Our purchase accounting resulted in all assets and liabilities of acquired businesses being recorded at their estimated fair values on the acquisition dates. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include revenue, allowance for doubtful accounts, the assigned value of acquired assets and assumed liabilities in business combinations, useful lives and impairment of property and equipment, intangible assets, goodwill and other assets, the fair value of equity-based compensation awards, and deferred income tax assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates compared to historical experience and trends, which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of our assets and liabilities.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	Recent Accounting Pronouncements In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). This update requires lease assets and lease liabilities to be recognized on the balance sheet and disclosure of key information about leasing arrangements. This guidance is effective for us commencing in the first quarter of fiscal year 2019. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, which provides entities with an additional transition method to adopt Topic 842. Under the new transition method, an entity initially applies the new leases standard at the adoption date and recognizes a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. We have adopted Topic 842 as of January 1, 2019 using the new transition method, utilizing certain practical expedients allowable with the adoption of ASU 2016-02. Substantially all of our operating lease commitments with terms greater than 12 months are subject to the new guidance and are recognized as operating lease liabilities and right-of-use assets upon adoption. Adoption of the new standard resulted in the recording of additional net lease assets and lease liabilities of $9.2 million and $10.3 million, respectively, as of January 1, 2019. The standard did not have a material impact on the recognition, measurement or presentation of lease expenses within our consolidated statements of operations or cash flows.