2021 has been another recording-breaking year for Wall Street. At the same time, we've seen historic volatility.

Making predictions at such an unprecedented time for the global economy has proved to be exceptionally challenging. Strategists, single-stock analysts, and economists alike have all missed the mark more than usual in 2021. Right now, it's more important than ever to have alternative data sets for accurate and near real-time digital data to monitor online trends and guide your investment strategies.

Here we'll map out 7 spaces you should be prepared to track closely heading into 2022 (and beyond).