I usually look for small positive signals before expecting big ranking changes. More impressions in Search Console, better average positions, and faster indexing tell me the strategy is moving in the right direction, even if traffic hasn't increased yet.
I also pay attention to user engagement. If people are spending more time on the page, clicking through to other content, and the rankings are gradually becoming more stable, I take that as a good sign. SEO is rarely instant, so I try to judge progress over several weeks rather than a few days.