Norton Rose Fulbright did the best job of all Am Law 200 firms in its use of digital marketing in 2018, pulling ahead of DLA Piper for the first time since the digital marketing agency Good2bSocial first created its “Social Law Firm Index” in 2013.

In moving to the No. 1 spot, the firm leaped over five firms that ranked ahead of it last year: DLA Piper, Baker McKenzie, Latham & Watkins, White & Case, and McDermott Will & Emery.

This year, DLA Piper ranked second, followed by Baker McKenzie, White & Case, and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, according to The Social Law Firm Index 2018. In 2017, Orrick ranked 10th.

Guy Alvarez, a founder and chief executive officer of Good2bSocial, said the agency expanded the survey this year from Am Law 100 firms to Am Law 200 firms. He also said Norton Rose has become more aggressive in its use of social media, putting out content on various platforms.

“They don't have a digital marketing strategy. They have a marketing strategy that's aimed at digital,” Alvarez said.

In the survey report, Norton Rose chief marketing and business development officer Nora Shearer said the firm tries to produce content that resonates globally, as the firm has lawyers in more than 50 cities worldwide. For example, the firm's Instagram account includes photos from professionals around the world and the firm also focuses on thought leadership with a global reach, she said.

The index ranks firms on how well they use digital marketing for outreach, engagement and business development. Good2bSocial looks at such platforms as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram, as well as other metrics, to measure the firm's success.

The Social Law Firm Index 2018 also breaks down the firms' performance in other areas.

Norton Rose ranked No. 1 in thought leadership, followed by Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, Proskauer Rose, DLA Piper, and K&L Gates.

Norton Rose also took the top spot for its use of Twitter, followed by Baker McKenzie, Orrick, White & Case, and Cooley.

For LinkedIn, White & Case led the pack, followed by Baker McKenzie, DLA Piper, Norton Rose Fulbright, and Orrick. On Facebook, Nixon Peabody was No. 1, followed by Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, Baker Botts, White & Case, and Sidley Austin.

The five most improved law firms in 2018 were Locke Lord, Adams and Reese, Kirkland & Ellis, Robinson & Cole, and Sidley, according to the report.

Alvarez said the digital arena is becoming more competitive for all firms, and smaller firms can compete digitally if they focus on client-centric content. He also noted that in 2018, firms used more video on social media than in the past, and more are using paid social media because they can then target their audience.

“Client-centric is the key,” he said, noting that this approach is a lot more effective than if a firm writes generally about how great it is.

Characteristics of the worst performers on the index include abandoned social media profiles and missed engagement opportunities, such as failing to promote a blog post on social media channels. Also, firms are using 5 percent fewer hashtags than last year, which is “troublesome” because hashtags on Twitter and on other social media platforms allow people who are not followers to see content, the report said.