Like most of the Internet, I've grown to love Pinterest over the last several months. There have been a few bugs out there, especially with the overwhelming amount of 502 errors but things seemed to have improved on the site. I've seen less crashes and less buggy things happening on the site. It seems like they are working through their growing pains fairly well. While their last round of funding collected $25 million, I'm sure there are some updates around the corner. Outside of an open API and an Android app, here are a few things that I think Pinterest really needs.

Improved Notification System

I receive emails all the time telling me that someone commented on my pin, received a repin or even sent a private message. However, once I log into Pinterest, I can no longer easily see that activity. As the site stands now, I have to 100% rely on my email links to see comments. However, at the rate that I receive emails from Pinterest, I don't really want to have to go back to my inbox and hit 30 different links every morning.

A quick notification system like what's on Facebook or even how Twitter uses its "Connect" tab now would greatly improve the user experience to me. In addition, I think it would increase the engagement rate and actually improve time spent on the site - even though time spent on site is remarkably high at this point.

Search Within Boards

I probably learn more about Pinterest from my wife than anyone. She uses Pinterest a lot to collect recipes. However, when the time comes to cook a recipe that she knows she's pinned, it's impossible to find. The search function in Pinterest isn't ideal. Once content begins to collect on boards over time, more and more pins will have to be sifted through on individual boards. I know my wife has around 200 pins on one of her recipe boards alone. A search function within boards would be a fantastic addition for users.

Private Boards

There may be instances I don't want my board to be shown to the world. Maybe I'm pinning ideas for client work that involves an NDA. It's an instance where I would want to leverage Pinterest's functionality without broadcasting it to thousands of people.

In addition, what if I'm compiling gift ideas for a family member? Do I want them to get a sneak peak on what I'm shopping for? Not really. Having public/private options for boards would be great for internal collaboration. I also think this is a way to increase engagement on Pinterest in the long term.

Those are just a few features that I would love to see on Pinterest. What would you add to the list?