DMOZ: The Open Directory Project

The “mother of all directories” is DMOZ. This is a human-edited compendium of web resources with an expansive array of categories and sub-categories. DMOZ ostensibly filters out “junk sites” and lists only those pieces of the internet that contain content that meets the varying standards of editors.
 

DMOZ listings are coveted by many webmasters because Google apparently relies on the listings as one component of its valuation process for sites. A DMOZ listing can also generate some traffic in and of itself.
Getting into DMOZ appears to be deceptively simple. You browse through the categories until you find the one that best matches your blog. You then click on the link for adding a new URL. A few simple questions are asked in a form, which you then submit. 

Although the “application procedure” is simple, getting listed is not a piece of cake. The amount of time a category editor will take before getting to your site and looking at it can vary considerably. Some have said that it took several years before DMOZ took a gander at their site.
Even then, inclusion is not guaranteed. The requirements and expectations of editors vary and many seemingly adequate sites have been rejected by DMOZ.
 

It is worth trying to get into to DMOZ. The possible upside is sufficient to warrant a quick application. However, the best advice to bloggers is to submit your blog and then forget it about it. If you get in, that’s great. If not, you are not alone.