To check mod compatibility with your game version, check out its download page. Sometimes the problem lies in incompatibility.
This is necessary for the changes to take place. If your downloaded trait mods don’t show up in Sims 4, ensure that mods are enabled altogether. Technically, trait mods in Sims 4 aren’t much different from any other type of mods. If you haven’t updated Sims 4 for a while, it could have stopped supporting mods. Make sure the downloaded mod version corresponds with your current game version and that you’ve made the necessary game updates. This can usually be done on the mod’s download page. If the steps above don’t alleviate the issue, you may need to check the mod compatibility. The folder will unzip automatically in the same main folder.