Memorize the notes on the fretboard. Purchase a note chart that you can use to look at when you are practicing. Some players find it beneficial to put gum-free stickers that have been labeled with the corresponding note names underneath the strings on the fretboard so they can see the notes they are playing. Many new guitar players find one method more beneficial than the other, though some choose to use both.
Study the most commonly used scales. The most commonly used scales in rock, pop, jazz, blues and rhythm and blues music are the major scale, minor scale, pentatonic scale, minor pentatonic scale and the blues scale. Purchasing a book that shows the various positions of the scales on the fretboard is recommended. But there are free resources on the Internet that can show you how to play scales. Master the most important scales before moving on to more complicated scales like the Dorian scale. Learning scales also will help you memorize the location of the notes on the guitar.
Study the most commonly used chords. Start with the major and minor chords before moving on to more complex chords like sevenths, major sevenths, suspended or augmented chords. Purchasing a complete chord book with a bit of chord theory is a helpful reference even for advanced players, and there are free resources on the Internet that will show you how to play chords. Chord books also are widely available in public libraries. Learning chords helps you to understand the placement of notes on the fretboard based on root notes and intervals.
Practice for at least one hour every day. While it may seem like an old cliché now, practice really does help make perfect when it comes to learning a difficult instrument like guitar. Mastering the fundamentals of guitar requires a fair amount of rote memorization and use of muscle memory, so regular practice is essential if you want to advance past the beginning stages.